Want to record your gameplay or a demonstration video? Previously, to record screens on Windows, people used third-party apps or even Chrome extensions. But with the recent Windows 11 update, the screen recording feature is now available natively. You can now use Snipping Tool to record your screen. It is easy to use with minimal features and customization options. Here’s how to screen record on Windows natively and take advantage of all the features it offers.
Screen Record on Windows With Snipping Tool
First, make sure to update the Windows OS to a version above Windows 11 22H2. To do that, press Win + I to open the Settings app, then select the Windows Update option in the sidebar. Click on the Check for updates button and update to the latest version.
The screen recording feature is only available on Snipping Tool for Windows 11. Windows 10 has Snipping Tool but it can only take screenshots.
1. Once updated, click on the Windows icon, search for Snipping Tool, and open it.
2. In the Snipping tool app, select the Record option in the top bar.
3. Then click on the New icon or press Ctrl + N to start a new recording.
4. Now select the screen area that you want to record. To select, left-click on the mouse and drag diagonally to select the area. Unlike taking screenshots with the Snipping Tool, you cannot choose Windows or full screen while recording screen. To record the entire screen, you need manually select the entire screen.
5. Once selected, you can adjust the selection if needed. Once happy, click on the Start button at the top.
6. Snipping Tool will start recording the screen after a countdown of three. You will see an option to pause the recording, stop it, or even delete it directly.
7. To stop the recording, just click on the red square icon at the top.
8. It will open Snipping Tool and show a preview of the screen recording. The recording is not saved on your device yet. Here, click on the Save icon at the top right corner to save the recording to the folder location of your choice.
Pros:
- Can choose the screen area to record.
- Can choose the location while saving the recorded file.
Cons:
- Cannot record audio, it will only record screen.
- No way to record the entire screen or a particular window.
- Cannot customize anything including the timer to start recording.
- No keyboard shortcut to start screen recording.
Screen Record on Windows With Xbox Game Bar
You could screen record on Windows natively before the Snipping Tool feature was introduced using the Xbox Game Bar. But the app is heavy and can be complicated to use for some people. Also, by default, Game Bar was meant to only record game plays. But you can make a few customizations to make it work for other apps too.
1. Click on the Windows icon and search for the Xbox Game Bar app on your Windows.
2. Now you should see a top bar with options that you can use while gaming. Click on the Cog icon to open Settings.
3. In the Settings window, select the Capturing option in the sidebar. Then under the Audio to Record section, select All and close the window.
4. Now to start recording, just click on Win + Alt + R. The screen recording will start instantly.
5. You can click on the mic icon beside the recorder to stop and start recording the audio anytime. Once done with the recording, click on the Stop icon (White square icon) to stop the recording.
6. The recorded video will be saved in Videos > Capures in the C drive.
7. To change the keyboard shortcut, open Xbox Game Bar Settings > Shortcuts, and under the Start/Stop recording option, enter the keyboard shortcut that you prefer. Once done, click on the Save button below to change the keyboard shortcut to record it.
Pros:
- Automatically saves the file after recording.
- Can record audio from both external mic and system audio.
- Keyboard shortcut to start recording and can customize the shortcut itself.
Cons:
- No option to choose the screen area to record.
- Cannot customize the screen resolution and bit rate.
- Can’t pause the video in between.
Easy Ways to Record Screen on Windows 11
Both native screen recording options have their own pros and cons. The Snipping Tool app allows selecting the screen area, but cannot record audio yet. Whereas the Xbox Game bar app can record the audio but lacks the ability to select the screen area.