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How do I record my screen area?

Published in Screen Recording 4 mins read

To record your screen area, follow these general steps, which may vary slightly depending on the operating system and screen recording software you are using:

General Steps for Screen Recording

Here's a typical workflow for recording your screen:

  1. Choose a Screen Recording Tool: Select screen recording software suitable for your needs. Options include built-in tools like Xbox Game Bar (Windows), QuickTime Player (macOS), or third-party applications such as OBS Studio, Camtasia, or cloud-based tools.

  2. Open the Recording Tool: Launch your selected screen recording application.

  3. Configure Recording Settings (If Needed): Adjust settings like:

    • Audio Input: Choose your microphone if you want to record audio narration.
    • Video Quality/Resolution: Select the desired video quality. Higher quality means larger file sizes.
    • Frame Rate: Common frame rates are 30 or 60 frames per second (FPS).
    • Screen Area Selection: This is key to your question. Most screen recorders allow you to choose:
      • Full Screen: Records the entire screen.
      • Specific Window: Records only a selected application window.
      • Custom Area: Allows you to draw a rectangle to define the exact portion of the screen you want to record.

  4. Start Recording: Initiate the screen recording. There is usually a button labeled "Record", "Start Recording", or a similar phrase. Some tools allow use of hotkeys for start/stop control.

  5. Perform Actions on Screen: Carry out the activities you want to record on the selected screen area.

  6. Stop Recording: End the screen recording.

  7. Save or Export the Recording: The recording will typically be saved as a video file (e.g., MP4, MOV). Choose a location and file name. Some tools offer editing options before saving.

  8. Edit (Optional): Use video editing software to trim, add annotations, or enhance your recording.

Specific Examples

Here's how you might approach it on different platforms:

  • Windows (Using Xbox Game Bar):

    1. Press Windows key + G to open the Game Bar.
    2. Click the "Record" button (or press Windows key + Alt + R). If you want to record microphone input, make sure it is enabled in the Audio settings.
    3. To select an area, you typically need to have an application window selected. However, you can't precisely define a rectangular area with this built-in tool.

  • macOS (Using QuickTime Player):

    1. Open QuickTime Player (located in your Applications folder).
    2. Go to File > New Screen Recording.
    3. A small control panel appears. Before starting, click the down arrow next to the record button to choose your microphone (if needed) and other settings.
    4. Click the record button. You will be presented with the options to either record the entire screen or drag a rectangle to select the portion of the screen you want to record.

  • Using OBS Studio (Cross-Platform):

    1. Download and install OBS Studio (https://obsproject.com/).
    2. In the "Sources" panel, click the + button and add a "Display Capture" or "Window Capture" source. "Display Capture" records a specific monitor and "Window Capture" allows recording a single window.
    3. For a custom area you may need the Crop/Pad filter. Right-click the source > Filters > Effect Filters > Crop/Pad. Enter in the pixels from each side you want to crop.

By following these steps and using the appropriate software, you can easily record your desired screen area.

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