A Step-by-Step Guide to Screen Record on Windows

Screen recorders are extremely handy tools for managers, salespeople, account managers, HR professionals, and more. They enable you to share exactly what your audience needs to see, wherever and whenever they want it. Many Windows devices come with a built-in screen recorder, but it’s not always the easiest to find.

In this blog, we’ll go through all the steps you need to take to record your screen in Windows. Then, we’ll help you take it one step further by turning your recordings into professional videos in a matter of minutes. Ready to get started? Click your preferred screen recorder below!

• How to screen record with Game Bar
• How to screen record with the Stream App
• How to screen record with Animoto
• How to turn screen recordings into complete, professional videos

How to screen record on Windows 10 with Game Bar

Windows’ built-in screen recorder, Xbox Game Bar, is built into both Windows 10 and 11. It was originally designed to help gamers record their screens but can be leveraged to do so much more! If you’ve never heard of Game Bar, don’t worry. Below are the steps to activate the tool to start recording anything on your screen.

Step 1: Open Game Bar

To open Game Bar, press the Windows logo key + G. A control bar will appear near the bottom of your screen.

Step 2: Select audio devices

If you want to include voice narration in your recording, click the checkbox that says “Record mic.” You can always mute your video or add a voice-over later.

Step 3: Start recording

To start your clip, click the red circular record button. To end your recording, click the red recording bar that will be on the top right of the window. Your screen recordings will be automatically saved to your device as MP4s. You can find your recordings in the Videos folder in a subfolder called “Captures.”

Pro tip: Make sure your screen is clear of any unwanted tabs and that all relevant tabs, software, and applications are open.

How to screen record on Windows 10 with the Microsoft Stream App

The Microsoft Stream App is included in the Microsoft 365 suite of applications, alongside classics like Word and Excel. This tool was designed to help you create videos on your Microsoft device. If you have access to this app, you can use it to create screen recordings. Let’s dig in.

Step 1: Open Stream and navigate to the screen recorder

Once you have opened the Stream App, select “Create” > “Record screen or video” from within the navigation bar.

Step 2: Select your devices

Select the devices you would like to include in your recording. If you only want to record your screen, choose “Screen only” in the Screen and camera dropdown. If you want to record your screen and webcam, choose “Screen and camera.” To record your webcam only, select “Camera only.”

Step 3: Start your recording

First click the red circular record button. You'll then be prompted to choose if you want to record your entire screen, a window, or a specific browser tab. If you want to use your microphone, click “Share audio”.

To start your recording, click Share. After a three-second countdown, your recording will begin.

To stop your recording, switch to the Microsoft Stream Screen Recorder tab in your browser and select Next to review your recording.

Note: The maximum screen recording length in Microsoft Stream is fifteen minutes.

Step 4: Pause or end your recording

Press the pause button to pause your recording at any time. Resume your recording again by selecting the record button. To end the recording, click “Next” in the bottom right corner.

Step 5: Review and trim your recording

Once you’ve ended your recording, you will be prompted with a preview of your recording. You can trim the beginning and end of your video by sliding the handles on the timeline.

Step 6: Upload to Stream

Finally, once you are done reviewing your recording, you can upload it to Stream. You can later download it to your device to share it outside of Stream.

How to screen record with Animoto

The tools above are great for creating a quick recording of your screen. But depending on the destination and complexity of your recording, you may need to edit or polish it or add further instruction. In those cases, you need a more robust screen recorder and editor like Animoto.

With Animoto, you have everything you need to create professional videos at your fingertips from an integrated screen and webcam recorder to customizable video templates.

STEP 1: START A VIDEO PROJECT

First, create a video using a video template or by starting from scratch. Remember, you can always change the colors, text, fonts, media, and more later on.

Here’s a quick video to help you get started.

STEP 2: Allow permissions

When you’re ready to start recording, click the RECORD button with the black record icon at the top of your screen. If you haven’t previously given Animoto permission to access your microphone, you may receive a small pop-up in your browser. Click “Allow” to grant it permission. Next, choose “Screen” to record your screen alone or “Screen and Camera” to simultaneously record your webcam as well.

STEP 3: CHOOSE YOUR SCREEN

You will be prompted to select your entire screen, window, or specific tab that you would like to record.

STEP 4: START YOUR RECORDING

Once you’ve selected the window or screen that you would like to record, click the SHARE button in the pop-up window. Lastly, click the red Record button to start your recording.

Your device and microphone audio will be included in your recording. You can always mute your clip once you add it to your project if you’d like to keep your video silent or add a voice-over later.

To stop recording, either click “Stop sharing” in the box in the bottom of the screen or hit the Stop button back in your Animoto workspace.

Your recording will automatically be loaded into the “PROJECT” tab of your Animoto Media Library.

And you’re done! You can now edit your recording and add it to your video all within your Animoto workspace.

How to easily turn screen recordings into professional videos

Say you want to create a technical tutorial to explain a complicated process or demonstrate your software to a new client. Rather than sending a simple recording, you can create an on-brand, easy-to-follow video!

With Animoto, not only can you record and edit your recordings, you can integrate them into a professional video using simple customization tools. Here’s how to turn your Windows screen recordings into professional videos in minutes.

• 1. Choose a video template or start from scratch: Just like the screen recording steps above, creating a video starts with a template! Choose a template for your explainer videos, demos, presentations, and more.
• 2. Upload your screen recordings and more: (Tip: Use Animoto's screen recorder instead) Whether you’ve decided to record your screen using Animoto or another tool, you can upload it to your Animoto video! Just drag and drop it into your video alongside other images, video clips, and animations from your library or ours.
• 3. Edit your recordings: Trim your videos, add them to various media blocks, and adjust the volume to make sure your recordings are clear and concise.
• 4. Add additional instructions: Use text and voice-overs to add additional instructions and context to your screen recordings. This makes it easier for viewers to follow along with your video step by step.
• 5. Personalize your video with Animoto's editing tools: Change the font, colors, and more to bring your video on-brand.
• 6. Collect video feedback: Once your screen recordings are in place and your video is nearly complete, invite members of your team or clients to review your video. Follow the instructions in this guide to learn how. Then, apply their feedback and prepare your video to be shared and celebrated! You can download your video to your device or share it via email or social media straight from Animoto.

It’s not hard to learn how to screen record on Windows, but it can be difficult to know how to refine and polish your videos. With Animoto, you can create grade A videos, no extra tools or professional video editors needed. Sign up today to start recording your screen and creating professional videos that are watched and remembered.

Screen recording on Windows FAQ

How do you screen record on Windows 11?

Windows 11 comes with a built-in screen recorder called Game Bar. Using the steps above, you can start recording your screen with audio in 3 easy steps. Just open the tool, choose your audio devices and screens, and start recording.

How do you screen record on Windows 10 with audio?

Depending on which tool you use, you may have to select the audio device(s) you want to record. As a default, many screen recorders include device audio in the recordings. However, you can often choose to include your microphone audio for voice-over narration. Follow the instructions in this guide to learn how to screen record with sound on multiple devices.

How long can you screen record on Windows 10?

In Game Bar, the maximum screen recording length is 30 minutes. In the Stream App, the maximum screen recording length is 15 minutes.

How to stop screen recording on Windows 10?

To stop a screen recording in Game Bar, just click the red recording bar in the top right of the screen. To stop a recording in the Stream App, click the “Next” button in the bottom right of the screen.

Where do screen recordings go on Windows 10?

Screen recordings made with the Game Bar are automatically saved to your device as MP4s. You can find your recordings in the Videos folder in a subfolder called “Captures.” Recordings made with Stream are automatically uploaded to the Stream App. Recordings made with Animoto are automatically saved in the Media tab of your video.