Screen recorder software allows users to record what they are doing on the computer while they are doing it.There are several things you can do with a screen recording software: make demos, create training tutorials, show off your expertise or game skills, or just to save the work you’ve been doing on the computer. This article compares and reviews the top screen recorders and screen capturing programs, including free screen recording software.
For this review, I will look at the best screen recording software for Ubuntu. You can record full screen or a selected area and add an optional audio narration via microphone or pre-recorded sound files. There are several options available to you using desktop apps, browser extensions and online-based recording services.
Many people try to record their screen on Ubuntu desktop. However, the tools available in Ubuntu are inadequate and complicated. Thus, there is a need for an easy-to-use screen recorder that meets the needs of both amateur and professional users.
Recording your computer screen is a great way to teach someone how to perform a task, or something that you demonstrated. I recently wrote an article explaining when and why you would want to create a screen recording. This article will give you some advice on the best software for recording your computer screen.
Best Screen Recorders for Linux
1. Kazam
Kazam is a minimal and nifty tool for screencasting. It includes screenshot support too. Kazam is most suitable for beginners and for getting the task done quickly without getting too caught up in different options.
Main Features
- Simple and compact user interface
- Supports multiple video output formats
- Audio recording from a suitable source (microphone or speaker)
- Support for recording a single window or selected screen area
- Delay timer support
Pros
- Simple and minimal, easy to use
Cons
- Very few options for tweaking configuration settings
- Lack of webcam recording support
Installation on Ubuntu
Open a terminal window and enter the following command:
sudo apt install kazamN.B. The latest version – which adds a bunch more features to Kazam – may not be available through the official PPA or Ubuntu Universal repositories. But you can install and use it quite easily. Read this article on how to use the latest version of Kazam.Kazam
2. Open Broadcaster Software Studio
OBS Studio is, without doubt, the most feature-rich and advanced screencasting application available for Linux.
Main Features
- Multiple scenes to switch between seamlessly via custom transitions
- Filters for video sources
- Audio mixer with filters
- Powerful and easy to use configuration options
- Streamlined settings panel for tweaking configurations
- Live streaming support
Pros
- Everything you will possibly need is within this single application
Cons
- You’ll need a while to figure out its terminology (… but it’s worth it)
Installation on Ubuntu
OBS Studio is available for Ubuntu via its PPA. You can enter the following commands in the terminal to install it:
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:obsproject/obs-studio
sudo apt update
sudo apt install obs-studioYou can also utilize the snap store to get the latest OBS studio version.OBS Studio
3. SimpleScreenRecorder
SimpleScreenRecorder – as the name implies – is a simple application for screen recording on Linux. Its interface is Qt-based.
You can read this tutorial to find out how to use SimpleScreenRecorder on Ubuntu.
Main Features
- Supports multiple video output formats
- Audio recording from a suitable source
- Support for recording selected screen area
- Provides statistics while recording
- Live preview while recording
- Optimized to work smoothly on slow machines
- Hotkey support
Pros
- Sufficient tweaking options to fine-tune the output video
Cons
- User interface is not very appealing
- No built-in support for webcam recording
Installation on Ubuntu
SimpleScreenRecorder is available for Ubuntu. Run the following commands in a terminal:
sudo apt install simplescreenrecorder4. recordMyDesktop
recordMyDesktop is mainly a command-line tool for screen recording written in C. It has two separate graphical user interfaces based on GTK and QT4.
It has been discontinued but you can still give it a try as an experiment.
Main Features
- Lightweight tool
- Support for recording a single window
- Video output tweaking options
Pros
- You can also use it from the command line with the
recordmydesktopcommand
Cons
- Interface is not quite polished
- No webcam recording feature
- No options for alternative video output formats
- No longer actively developed
Installation on Ubuntu
recordMyDesktop is available for installation from the official Ubuntu repository (doesn’t work on Ubuntu 20.04 at the time of updating this article). Just run the following command:
sudo apt install gtk-recordmydesktop5. VokoscreenNG
The successor to the good-old VokoScreen has been reborn as VokoscreenNG (where NG stands for New Generation).
It does justify its new name as well. With a modern Qt-based user interface and a set of essential features, it has got your back.
Main Features
- Record the entire desktop
- Record a portion of the screen
- Add delay timer for recording
- Set a time limit for the recording
- Ability to record through the webcam
- Tweak the output format, control the framerates, and other necessary parameters.
Pros
- Offers plenty of useful features
- Easy to use with advanced features on board
Cons
- Does not offer a deb/rpm package nor an AppImage file as of yet
Installation on Linux
You can easily get it installed on openSUSE and Fedora but you need to utilize the unofficial repository by Ubuntu Handbook for Ubuntu/Ubuntu-based distros. Here’s how you can install it:
For Fedora:
sudo dnf install vokoscreenNGFor openSUSE:
sudo zypper install vokoscreenNGFor Ubuntu or Ubuntu-based distros:
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntuhandbook1/apps
sudo apt update
sudo apt install vokoscreen-ng6. SimpleScreenRecorder
As the name suggests, SimpleScreenRecorder is very simple and one of the most reliable screen recorders for Ubuntu. It is lightweight QT based screen recorder which is very easy to use and requires less space for installation but records high quality videos.
When it comes to features there are not many screen recorders that can match SimpleScreenRecorders offerings. It offers features such as live preview option while recording, record particular area of the screen, option to record the video in multiple video file format, optimize audio recording, manage frame rate, live statistics, tweak options to get required video output.
Don’t worry if you have slow machine because it is flexible enough that it reduces video frame rate rather than eating too much RAM. User interface is old school but who cares when you have one of the best screen recording tools at your disposal.
Installing SimpleScreenRecorder is very easy, just run following commands in Linux Terminal. $ sudo apt-get update
$ sudo apt-get install simplescreenrecorder
Use the following command if you want to record 32-bit OpenGL applications on your 64-bit system. $ sudo apt-get install simplescreenrecorder-lib:i386
You can also follow in-depth guide to setup SimpleScreenRecorder here.
7. Open Broadcaster Software Studio
Open Broadcaster Software Studio is free and open-source cross-platform screen recording and video streaming application. It is one of the most feature-rich screen-casting applications you will find for Linux and its distributions.
It has interactive user interface which you will find very easy to use. Talking about features it has everything you will ask for in a professional screen-casting application. Video source filters, highly configurable options, live streaming, audio mixing tool with added filters, and custom transitions are the main features of this screen recorder.
Isn’t this a great tool for Facebook and YouTube video bloggers who love to go live while playing favorite video games or doing their professional tutorials?
At the first start, Open Broadcaster Software Studio starts auto configuration wizards which auto detects the screen and gives you best configuration of screen resolution, frame rate (FPS) and output resolution which will be suitable for you.
Once you are comfortable with this screen recorder you will find some hidden tweaks and features which will take your screen recording and screen casting experience to next level. $ sudo add-apt-repository ppa:pbsproject/obs-studio
$ sudo apt-get update
$ sudo apt-get install obs-studio
8. OBS Studio
OBS Studio is a one-stop solution for everything you need. OBS screen recorder Linux is one of the most advanced Linux screen recorders available in the market. This free and open-source application works well on Linux, Windows, and Mac OS X. Though anyone can use OBS Studio after learning all the plugin and configuration settings, it is best Linux screen recorder suited for users who are into tech videos or live game streaming.
Moreover, it’s highly expandable through plug-ins. Furthermore, this allows developers to use APIs to code their own plug-ins.
Key Features
- It comes with an audio mixer with filters and offers filters for video sources too.
- This supports video output in mp4 and FLV formats
- It assists in encoding using H264 and AAC
- This supports Intel QSV and NVENC
- OBS screen recorder Linux can hold an unlimited number of scenes and input sources
- It allows direct streaming through YouTube, Dailymotion, Twitch, etc.
- This enables access to webcam and capture cards while recording sessions
The first time you start OBS Studio, its Auto-Configuration Wizard will be shown, allowing you to choose if you plan on using OBS Studio primarily for broadcasting or recording, and then perform a series of tests to automatically configure everything for your computer hardware. You also have the option of installing OBS Studio on any Linux distribution that supports Flatpak by using the Flathub package. It comes with the OBS-XDG-PORTAL plugin. A built-in plugin that gets screen recording to work under Wayland.
9. Gifine
If the fundamental altering highlights of Peek don’t satisfy your GIF recording needs, at that point, Gifine is a decent other option. Characterize is a direct piece of the toolkit that may not extend to the sleekest interface yet positively completes the employment opportunity. It offers worked in help for altering and managing your gifs which can save a ton of opportunity with regards to making something unique.
Its establishment is additionally not the least complex and can feel somewhat lumbering as well. The issue is that it is anything but a joke introduce order however a combination of various orders that contain certain conditions too. It needs around 6 orders to be run effectively to be utilized. Even though it is problematic in the establishment interaction, the advantages it brings exceed the underlying blockades.
Key Features
- This enables users to select a region of their desktop to record
- It supports output in both gif and mp4 format
- It allows adjusting frame-rate, edits or trim the output video
- This allows loading a directory of frames as well.
Installing Gifine is a bit of a lengthy process. Open a terminal window and carefully enter the following commands for installing Gifine on Ubuntu:
git clone –depth 1 https://github.com/lolilolicon/xrectsel.git
cd xrectsel
./bootstrap && ./configure
$ sudo make install
$ sudo apt install gifsicle luarocks libgirepository1.0-dev
$ sudo luarocks install –server=http://luarocks.org/dev Gifine
10. Shutter
The Shutter is a component-rich screen capture program for Linux-based working frameworks like Ubuntu. You can take a screen capture of a particular territory, window, your entire screen, or even of a site – apply various impacts to it, attract on it to feature focuses, and afterward transfer to a picture facilitating site, all inside one window. if you are taking screen captures for composing instructional exercises or manuals, you need to alter the picture, for example featuring some piece of it. With Shutter, you don’t have to open an outside illustrations proofreader like GIMP, since Shutter boats with its underlying supervisor.
Key Features
- It allows capturing a portion of the whole screen
- This can screenshot a window and capture a menu or tooltip
- It can capture even when you are browsing
- Many plugins are available
Write the commands below to start installing this toolkit in your Linux:
$ sudo add-apt-repository -y ppa:shutter/ppa
$ sudo apt-get update
$ Sudo apt-get install shutter
11. Green recorder
Green recorder is a free, open-source, straightforward work area recorder for Linux frameworks and composed utilizing Python, GTK+3, and FFmpeg. It upholds sound and video recording on the majority of the Linux work area conditions like Unity, Gnome, Cinnamon, Mate, XFCE, and so forth Right now it upholds MKV, AVI, MP4, WMV, GIF and NUT, and also WebM for Wayland’s GNOME meeting. You would simply be able to begin and stop the chronicle by tapping the suitable catch in the fundamental menu. A play button has been included in the principal menu which permits a client to playback of a recorded video. The green recorder package is not available in the distribution official repository so we need to install it from another repository.
Key Features
- It works with multiple video formats
- Records screen as Gif
- This Linus screen recorder can work with default settings all the time
- It supports Wmv, gif, Avi, mp4, nut, and Mkv.
- It supports both Xorg and Wayland
For Ubuntu/LinuxMint use the apt-get command or apt command to install the green recorder.
$ sudo add-apt-repository ppa:fossproject/ppa
$ sudo apt update
$ sudo apt install green-recorder
How do I record in Ubuntu?
Believe it or not, Gnome has a built-in screen recorder. Unfortunately, however, it’s very limited in terms of features—you can only record your entire screen. To record with Gnome:
1) Press Ctrl+Alt+Shift+R to start and stop recording.
2) The recording has begun when you see a red dot in the top right corner of your screen.
3) Recording stops by default after 30 seconds, however you can change this in settings.
4) The file is automatically saved in the User’s Videos folder in WebM format.
Conclusion
There are a lot of programs out there that let you record your screen. Things like games, tutorials and walkthroughs can all be made so much easier with the use of screen recording software. However, there are some things you need to think about before installing any program…
Audio and video recorders have come along way since the eighties. Back in the 80s you had to spend several hours recording a TV show or music album on tape and as for computer screen recorders, back then recording your computer screen was not an option just due to the technology not being advanced enough. This has now changed and for many years there have been a number of good computer screen recording software on the market.