This video shows how to use the FREE OBS Studio. It must be downloaded and installed. It works on Windows, Mac, and Linux. It can record your computer screen and a webcam simultaneously.
The following link has some useful info but if you simply want to record your screen you can get by without reading it: Launching and Understanding the Xbox Game Bar by Eric Wyatt
(last updated January 25, 2021)
You can record your Windows 10 computer screen without having to download any screen recorders or any software.
You use a free app that comes with Windows 10.
The app is called the XBOX Game Bar. You don't need XBOX to use it.
Quick Start
Windows Key and g key at the same time ▶ opens XBOX Game Bar
Windows Key, Alt key and r key at the same time ▶ start recording
Do your thing.
Stop recording.
Note: If the Capture Status Widget doesn't appear then your pc doesn't meet the hardware requirements for recording clips.
If you want to use the screen recording for a youtube video it's recommended to set your screen resolution to 1920px wide x 1080px height.
Mobile vs Desktop vs Tablet Market Share Worldwide - September 2022
Mobile 58.72%
Desktop 39.18%
Tablet 2.1%
Mobile vs Desktop vs Tablet Market Share in Canada - September 2022
Mobile 43.48%
Desktop 52.15%
Tablet 4.3%
Mobile vs Desktop vs Tablet Market Share in United States Of America - September 2022
Mobile 51.28%
Desktop 45.75%
Tablet 2.98%
To record your screen using the free included XBOX Game Bar
Go to your desktop.
I will use the Bluefish Editor to create a simple HTML file and record this activity.
I open Bluefish.
I press the key combination Windows Key and g key at the same time ▶ this opens the XBOX Game Bar.
The XBOX Game Bar will appear middle top of your screen. It will resemble this picture:
The following explains what each option is:
Widget Menu
Audio
Capture
From the developer
Gallery
Looking for Group
Performance
Resouces
Spotify
Xbox Acheivements
Xbox Social
Widget Store
Show Previous Widget (<)
Audio opens the Audio Widget at the left side of the screen
Capture opens Capture Widget at the left side of the screen
Performance opens Performance Widget at the left side of the screen
Show Next Widget (>)
Time this matches your system clock
Enable click-through an on/off toggle button. When you are playing a game and have open widgets, you might need to click behind the widget. Rather than moving the widget so you can get to what is behind it, this feature allows you click-through the widget as though it wasn't there, which allows you to still play the game.
Settings opens settings that can be controlled within the Xbox Game Bar setting itself
When you mouseover an option a tooltip will appear.
Click Capture (4) to see the Capture Widget open at the left side of the screen:
The following explains what each option is on the Capture Widget:
Take screenshot
Record last 30 seconds
Start recording
Turn mic off/on when recording
When you mouseover an option a tooltip will appear.
If you click the Start recording option, and see the message:
Sorry, this pc doesn't meet the hardware requirements for recording clips. For more info...
you'll have to find another computer to do your screen capture.
You can turn the microphone on or off for your recording using the Microphone button. If you're using a laptop be aware of its microphone status. The mic can pick up other sounds besides your commentary and your wanted sounds:
your breathing
tv or radio
other people talking
street noises
When you click Start recording (3) the recording starts and the Capture Status Widget opens:
The screen recording has been started and will continue until you click the Stop recording button - indicated by the orange arrow:
When screen recording starts the XBOX Game Bar and Capture Widget will disappear from the screen.
The Capture Status Widget will remain visible to allow you to stop the screen recording.
The Capture Status Widget will not show in the final screen recording.
I can go ahead to create the HTML file.
When I'm finished I click the Stop recording button on the Capture Status Widget.
A message appears saying the clip has been recorded.
Click Windows + g for the Xbox Game Bar.
Click Show all captures to see the video just recorded.
Play the video.
Click on this open and File Explorer button.
The recording is saved as a mp4 file to be uploaded to youtube or facebook. Pay attention to the file size - it may limit where it can be used.
Open XBOX Game Bar again using Windows + g.
Audio volume can be adjusted as compared to system sounds.
You can see how well your computer is handling both the app and the screen recording at the same time using the Performance option.
Some of the downsides of the XBOX Game Bar:
in some apps menus will not show in the recording
in the Bluefish editor tooltips and menus were not recorded
can only record one window at a time
can't record your desktop
For a better and more powerful screen recorder you can use OBS Studio