To screen record on Windows, you have several built-in options depending on your Windows version, especially Windows 10 and 11:
Using Xbox Game Bar (Windows 10 and 11)
- Press Windows + G to open the Xbox Game Bar.
- Click the Record button (or press Windows + Alt + R) to start recording the current active app window.
- You can toggle microphone recording on/off.
- Press the same shortcut or click stop to end recording.
- The video is saved as an MP4 file in your Videos > Captures folder.
- Note: Xbox Game Bar records only one app window at a time and cannot capture the entire desktop or File Explorer
Using Snipping Tool Screen Recorder (Windows 11)
- Open Snipping Tool by searching for it or press Windows + Shift + S to open the screen capture toolbar directly.
- Click the video camera icon to switch to screen recording mode.
- Select the area of the screen you want to record by drawing a box.
- Choose to mute/unmute microphone and system sounds.
- Click Start recording ; a countdown appears, then recording begins.
- Click Stop to finish recording.
- Save the recording as an MP4 file.
- This tool allows recording a specific screen region or the whole screen and is integrated into Windows 11
Additional Notes
- For more advanced needs or to record multiple windows or the entire desktop, third-party apps like OBS Studio or ShareX are recommended.
- Microsoft’s Clipchamp app can be used for editing recordings after capture
In summary, for quick and easy screen recording on Windows 10 or 11, Xbox Game Bar is built-in and simple but limited to one app window, while Windows 11’s Snipping Tool offers flexible region-based recording with audio options.
