Professionally recording your screen doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive, but finding the right tool for the job can be tricky. In this article, we have compiled the best video recording tools for every type of Windows user.
Whether you need a basic recorder or a feature-rich video capture app for live streaming, you’ll find it on this list. Also, be sure to check out our article on the best screen recorders for Linux to get the most out of both systems.
List of the Best Video Recording Software for Windows 11
1.OBS Studio
OBS Studio is a familiar screen recording software, but it comes with many amazing features for Windows 11. Due to these features and being optimized for live streaming, OBS Studio has become a favorite among gamers. OBS stands for Open Broadcast Software Studio as it is a free open source recorder that excels in screen recording.
Unlimited, real-time HD screen recording is where OBS Studio works best. But it has so much more to offer. You can set personal hotkeys which will make recording much faster and easier. This recorder also has a powerful API and built-in plugins, but various plugin integrations are also available. With them you can make your recording experience more fun as they will bring new tools, overlays, transitions, filters, effects, chats and much more.
OBS Studio is undoubtedly one of the best free screen recorders. Apart from gamers, it is used by influencers, vloggers, and businesses who need screen recording for their webinars, tutorials, and conferences.
2. Apowersoft Free Screen Recorder
Apowersoft is another very popular screen recorder for Windows 11. It comes as a free online recorder and a downloadable application that you can install on your computer for free. Apowersoft Screen Recorder Pro is a pro version of this app and it comes with different subscription plans and various discounts.
Apowersoft Screen Recorder free version has a very simple interface but lots of features that make it stand out from other screen recorders. These include background and watermark removal, video conversion, and PDF compression. With this software, you have no limited time to record and the recording window can be easily customized.
The best feature of Apowersoft Free Screen Recorder is undoubtedly that it has so many output formats. You can export your videos to WMV, MP4, AVI, MPEG, FLV, ASF, VOB and even GIF file formats. The app will also let you select a part of your screen that you want to record or record your entire screen. Although designed as a screen recorder, Apowersoft also has the option to include webcam recording. This is a perfect feature for all gamers and tutorial creators.
3. Screencast-O-Matic
This screen recording software has a free and paid version, but even the paid version is very affordable. The Deluxe plan costs only $1.65 per month, while the Premier plan costs $4 per month. The best part is that Screencast-O-Matic is not only a recorder but also a video editor for Windows 11.
Unfortunately, this software will not allow you to record HD videos. The only options are standard definitions like 800×600 or 640×480. This app has a recording time limit of only 15 minutes. Even so, Screen-O-Matic will allow you to do instant and easy screen recording. You can also record the audio files and edit them to sync them with your video. The trimmer is there for immediate video editing, but most editing tools only come with paid subscriptions.
Screen-O-Matic makes sharing videos easy. You can share directly from the software to Google Drive, Microsoft Teams, Twitter, Youtube, Canvas and other platforms. The Deluxe and Premier packages have advanced features such as drawing over your recordings, a scripting tool, automatic subtitles, a music library, and a screen capture tool. Overall, this is a solid screen recording solution that’s also very affordable.
4. Bandicam
Bandicam is a Windows PC recorder with an excellent list of features. You can choose to record only part of your computer screen or the entire screen. Your video files will be saved as screenshots or images depending on your needs. It also has a 4k UHD video option and can capture video at up to 480 fps, making it perfect for gamers.
Bandicam makes it easy to draw on videos or outline sections of the screen so you can record perfect video tutorials. It also has the ability to overlay your webcam, smartphone or other recording device over your screen recording. This means you can put your face on top of your game or explainer video and personalize it.
Other advanced features include scheduled recording capabilities, simultaneous video and audio recording, cursor and mouse click animations, various visual effects and much more. You can also record from IPTV, PlayStation, Xbox, Apple TV and other devices, but to enable this feature you need a separate capture card. Bandicam is a free screen recorder but it has a constantly present watermark. If you opt for its paid version, you will not see any watermark on your screen.
5. Xbox Game Bar
Windows 10 and 11 come with a robust built-in screen recorder, the Xbox Game Bar. This screen recorder was mostly ignored by gamers in the past, but Microsoft made an update in 2020 that made the more attractive Xbox game bar. The biggest update is that Xbox Game Bar now supports third-party widgets, making it a much more useful screen recording tool.
You can open the Xbox Game Bar by pressing the hotkey Qin+G. This application has a unique interface with many features, but it is easy to use. The user interface is customizable, so you can modify it to your liking. But the recorder itself can only record one window pane at a time and cannot record the whole screen at once. To avoid recording the wrong application, minimize any windows you don’t want in the video.
But Xbox Game Bar allows external audio recording so you can add voiceover or commentary to your videos. It also comes with some cool gaming features like tracking your computer performance, chatting with Xbox friends, and finding new teammates quickly through the LFG option. This whole app was made for gamers, and if you want to record gameplay, Xbox Game Bar is worth a look.
6. ShareX
ShareX is another open source video capture, screen recording and screen printing application that you can use with your Windows 11. It is completely free to use and there will be no watermark on the videos you record. ShareX is so called because this software allows you to share your screen recordings directly to your social networks like Facebook, Youtube or Reddit.
ShareX has some drawbacks. The interface is clumsy and can be overwhelming for beginners. But it offers several different features that you might find interesting to explore. As for screen recording, ShareX will not be able to capture games played in full screen mode.
7. Studio Camera
Camstudio is another free open source screen recorder that is much simpler than ShareX. But that simplicity doesn’t mean you can’t do more than just record your screen. Once you enter the settings, you will be amazed at the options and features available in Camstudio. You can record audio and capture videos and images directly from your computer or microphone. You can also choose whether you want to record your entire screen, a manually selected part, or a certain currently open window.
There are no recording time restrictions and Camstudio can record videos in a wide variety of formats. It also has an advanced annotation tool that you can use to add text to your screenshots, as well as drawings, images, watermarks, and more. With Camstudio, you can also schedule not only where to start recording, but also when to end it. Overall, it is one of the best screen recording software, if not the best.
8. FlashBack Express and Pro
FlashBack Express is a free version of screen recorder with great features. There is no time limit for screen or webcam recording and you can include commentary on your videos. Files can be saved in AVI, WMV, and MP4 formats, ensuring high-quality videos. People often find it hard to choose between FlashBack Express and OBS Studio because they have similar screen recording features.
Its paid version, FlashBack Pro, comes with a lifetime license for just $34 for one PC. You can purchase licenses online for up to 6 PCs and all of the above will require you to visit a physical store. The Pro version comes with a built-in video editor. You can use it to add various fun effects to your recordings and add images, texts and sounds.
9. Movavi Screen Recorder
Movavi Screen Recorder can capture recordings with just one click. It is an amazing tool for recording professional environments such as webinars, meetings, and corporate events. But it can also help you create tutorials, video instructions, and even streaming gameplay videos. Movavi is a reliable screen recording tool and works on Windows and Mac computers as well as Android and iOS smartphones.
When exporting videos from Movavi, you can choose the most convenient format for your device, be it MP3, MP4, MOV, JPEG, PNG, MKV, GIF or any other. You can also choose to export your recordings directly to YouTube or Google Drive, or share them via WhatsApp or Telegram.
10. Tiny Take
TinyTake is a basic free screen recording software, but it has a paid version which comes with different features. But keep in mind that both free and paid versions of this software have a time limit for recordings. You can record your computer or webcam screens and add annotations. You can save recordings to your hard drive or online gallery. Tiny Take will also allow you to share the videos directly from the software via email or the web.
The free version of TinyTake is a personal plan, while all paid plans are considered commercial. The paid version comes with different payment plans called Standard ($29.95/year), Plus ($59.95/year), and Jumbo ($99.95/year). Each of these plans has different recording space and storage limits, but they are ad-free. The Plus and Jumbo versions come with built-in YouTube functionality.
