You have to capture and record the screen for your video tutorial. You may need to create a manual for your software. It doesn’t matter where you are going to use it, but you want to record the screen because it allows you to show every single detail of what is happening on screen.
Have you ever wanted to record a video from your computer? Maybe to demonstrate a cool new feature on your site or capture your expert knowledge for future YouTube videos. There are many reasons why you would want to record a video of your screen. Regardless of the reason, it’s important you choose the right software. Some software is better than others depending on what you need to do. Below I’ve written out the best free screen recording software options so that you can find the perfect one for your needs.
Are you looking for free screen recording software that allows you to record your desktop and webcam, add commentary and publish video clips to the web? While there are multiple options available, only a few can be considered truly reliable in terms of quality and ease of use. For example, Camtasia ($200 per year) is one such program but it is far from being the most accessible option when it comes to price. Fortunately, there are many great alternatives that anyone can use to quickly create high-quality screencasts and share them with the world.
Are you looking for the best free screen recording software out there? This is the ultimate guide for both desktop and web applications. A good number of companies and individuals make use of screen capture software to record their gaming or other computer activities. Whether it’s company presentations, video tutorials, interactive webinars, game reviews, user interface walk-throughs or screencasts, screen recorder software has you covered.
What Is Screen Recording Software Used For?
Technology continuously shapes the way we communicate. Video recording software has evolved to meet the needs of business professionals and content creators alike. When you consider how you use your phone or computer to connect with others, you’ll realize how many ways screen recording software is used for school, work, or play.
Some of the most popular uses for screen recording software include:
- Conducting and recording interviews for business or entertainment
- Creating tutorials, walkthroughs, webinars, and other educational materials
- Recording vlogs and other video content to share on social media
- Creating eLearning courses and teaching classes virtually
Free Screen Recording Software that Saves Money
Whether you’ve paid for numerous software after using trial versions and received nowhere close to the bang for your buck that was anticipated, or you’re looking to save some money, there are plenty of free screen recorders that can get the job done with satisfying results without emptying your pocket. A word of caution though: some vendors may require you to buy a paid version after you download their “free” software so you can get full access to its functionality.
We compiled the eight best free screen recorders that compete with the best paid screen recording tools successfully.
1. Free Cam
Ideal screen recording software for making WMV screen captures
OS: Windows
Free Cam is a very simple free screen recorder with a built-in audio/video editor. The attractive and intuitive interface allows you to record both the whole screen and a portion of your screen. Even though this software is free, it doesn’t place any watermark and is ad free.
Pros
- No watermark, time limits, or ads
- Records voice-overs and computer sounds
- High-quality resolution
- Users can save videos as WMV or upload them directly to YouTube
- Easily deletes unwanted video fragments
- Removes background noise
- Wide selection of audio effects
Cons
- Saves recordings to WMV only
- No webcam recording
Watch this demo to see what you can do with Free Cam:
2. DVDVideoSoft’s Free Screen Video Recorder
The best screen capture software for recording Skype video calls
OS: Windows
Free Screen Video Recorder is a full-featured but lightweight free screen recorder from a developer known for its free conversion software. It can record Skype conversations with no limitations and is therefore useful for Skype interviews and online conference calls. Also, different Windows applications can be singled out and captured as discrete elements. Included is a basic user-friendly image editor that is surprisingly helpful for attaining a polished look.
Pros
- Offers a convenient screenshot feature
- Different modes for recording screen and video
- Suitable for recording Skype conversations
- Step-by-step instructions provided on the site
- Available in 10 languages
- Output formats include MP4, BMP, TGA, JPEG, PNG, and GIF
Cons
- Microphone sound recording only
- Excessive ads may interrupt your work
- Lacks coherent interface and built-in media player
- May install unwanted software during download
- Does not notify users if disconnection occurs
Here’s a video on how to capture your screen with Free Screen Video Recorder:
3. ShareX
The best screen recorder for PC for those who need to share screen captures online
OS: Windows
ShareX is an open-source ad-free tool that boasts almost as many custom features as some paid software screen recorders. ShareX is mostly targeted toward developers and power users, so an average customer might get lost in the many advanced tools and editors.
Pros
- Records full screen, window, monitor, region, freehand, or scrolling
- Incorporates hotkeys for easier and quicker navigation
- Supports many URL sharing services
- Imports existing videos, music, or photos
- Allows custom watermarks and color effects
- A variety of export options
Cons
- Low quality of game recording
- Complicated for the average user
- No webcam recording
- Reported to fail while uploading large files
- No video editor
Learn more about ShareX from this video:
4. CamStudio
The best free screen recorder for creating AVI video files
OS: Windows
CamStudio is a good choice for one-time or occasional users with minimal editing needs. This lightweight, open-source screen recording software creates videos in AVI format that can later be converted to SWF. While its compactness appeals to some, others call for further development and increased technical support.
Pros
- Creates a screen-in-screen video
- Allows you to create small-sized files
- Custom cursor
- Quality options available for output video
Cons
- Reported to spread harmful viruses and malware
- Outputs only to AVI with a conversion to Flash
- Output is incompatible with certain browsers
- Audio falls out of sync
- Lack of interactive and animation features
To explore how to use CamStudio, watch this video:
5. Ezvid
A perfect screen recording tool for making quick video clips and sharing them on YouTube
OS: Windows
Ezvid is free screen recording software that claims to be the world’s tool, and that may not be too far from the truth. Ezvid’s clarity is enhanced by the product’s speed: specifically designed to save users’ time, it will help you produce and upload videos directly to YouTube in a matter of minutes. And that’s why this tool enjoys notoriety among gamers and movie fans who are interested in making YouTube videos frequently and as quickly as possible.
Pros
- Offers computer-generated speech for narrative purposes
- Automatic high-quality resolution (1280 x 720p HD)
- Speed control over output videos
- Sleek and modern interface
- Instantaneous upload to YouTube
- Selection of popular music tracks included
Cons
- Reviewers report extraneous noise
- Minor bugs and inconsistencies
- Fullscreen game is not available
6. TinyTake
A screen recorder with a native cloud-based gallery for storing and sharing videos
OS: Windows and Mac
TinyTake by MangoApps is a sophisticated free screen recorder for Windows and Mac that allows you to capture images and videos from your computer screen, add comments, and share them with others within minutes. TinyTake comes with an online cloud-based gallery where you can store all your screen captures and recorded videos.
Pros
- Bulk file sharing
- Public URL available for sharing
- Built-in online file viewer for images, videos, and documents
- Ability to create custom shortcut keys
- Video player is compatible with mobile devices
Cons
- Free version has a 5-minute limit for video recording
- Video files are saved as MP4 only
- Limited editing features
Here’s a video on how to use TinyTake for recording videos:
7. OBS (Open Broadcaster Software)
The best free screen recorder for capturing gameplays
OS: Windows, Mac, Linux
OBS Studio is a top open-source software for live streaming. You can create scenes composed with multiple sources: images, texts, window captures, browser windows, webcams, capture cards, and more, and then switch between them seamlessly via custom transitions. Unlike many other free competitors, OBS Studio packs a lot of features and settings. But all this can seem overkill for those who are looking for the quickest and easiest way to shoot a video.
Pros
- Allows you to set up multiple scenes and use various sources
- Includes built-in audio mixer with per-source filters
- Provides advanced configuration options
- Does not add watermarks
- Has no recording limit
- Supports multiple streaming services
Cons
- Some users find the interface quite clunky
- Learning curve is steep for non-techs
- Reported to crash quite often
- Not suited for quick screen recording
Watch this video on OBS Studio and how to use it:
8. Bandicam
The screen recording software – Bandicam is a simple tool for Windows, capable of capturing anything over your computer screen in the form of a high-quality video. Besides, you can capture games using OpenGL, Direct, or Vulkan graphic technologies.
It makes sure the compression ratio is high while capturing the screen so that the video quality can be kept closer to that of the original one. You can save the file in formats like image files, AVI, MP4, etc. It can capture 3D or 2D games on your screen, having 4K UHD or ultra high definition along with videos of up to 480 frames per second.
Record from external devices, including Xbox, PlayStation, IPTV, smartphones, and more. The features included in Bandicam are:
- Real-time drawing,
- Adding webcam overlay while recording
- Scheduled recording daily or weekly
- Adding your voice and system audio simultaneously
- Mouse effects
- Chroma key
9. Panopto
Compatibility: Windows and Mac
Panopto is a less-known tool that lets you record your computer’s screen on the web for longer periods of time. Like other similar tools, this free screen recorder no time limit works off of your web browser, and lets you record and save your computer’s screen. You do not need to create an account or enter your credit card details. It works without them and helps you instantly start making your screen recordings.
This web-based app can be used to make pretty much any kind of screen recording video. Whether it is an educational video or a funny one, you can create it with this tool.
Features
- Require nothing to be installed
- Work off of most major browsers
- No need to create an account
- Privacy-focused
What’s Important When Choosing Screen-Recording Software?
Do you plan on recording the entirety of your screen, or a part of it? Do you need to capture audio from your microphone? Do you need the picture to be HD?
There are several factors you should consider when choosing which screen-recording software to use. So, when deciding, ask yourself the following questions:
- Is it easy to use, or do you need some (or a lot of) training?
- What editing functionalities does it offer?
- What are the screen capturing options it offers?
- Is it free or paid? Are certain features behind a paywall?
- What do the reviews say about it?
Conclusion
A good number of business processes, software and hardware are being developed for the purpose of making the carriers of these processes more effective, productive and preferred by their clients. This can be said without any debate about how screen recording software programs have achieved just that in different quarters.
Whether you need to create tutorial videos for your business, or just want better quality videos for your YouTube channel, then free screen recording software is something worth looking into. The best free screen recording software for Windows enables you to record anything on your computer’s display (or selected sections) as a video file. Depending on the program, you might be able to edit and share the finished video straight from the app .