Quick Answer:
You can record a live stream on PC using a third-party screen recorder app like SurFlex Screen Recorder, the built-in app on Windows, Xbox Game Bar, and the open-source software, OBS Studio.
Recording a live stream becomes essential when you intend to repurpose and distribute the content through various channels or create an archive for future reference. Keeping that in mind, I would like to show you how to record a live stream on a PC in different methods. Whether you are seeking a free solution or an advanced tool, you will find what you need.
Table of contents
How to Record a Live Stream on PC Flexibly
Tool: SurFlex Screen Recorder
Whether you are going to record a YouTube live stream or record live on Facebook, you can use the flexible screen recorder for all Windows versions, SurFlex Screen Recorder, to get it done.
It provides various screen recording modes that help you to capture whatever you want from your computer screen, including, streaming videos. In addition, it captures audio from both the computer and the microphone, enabling you to record a live stream with audio easily.
What’s more, it enables you to customize the recording settings according to your preferences. You can choose the video format and video quality among rich options and record a streaming video with ease.
To record a live stream on PC:
Step 1. Launch SurFlex Screen Recorder and then click Settings to customize the output options.
Step 2. Enable audio recording and choose to record System Sound.
Step 3. According to the video playing window, choose to record the full screen or a selected portion.
Step 4. Select the recording region you need and then click REC to start recording the live stream.
Step 5. After you capture the desired video, click Stop and check the video in the popup video list.
How to Record a Live Stream on Windows 10 and Later
Tool: Xbox Game Bar
If your computer runs Windows 10 or later, there is a preinstalled screen recorder called Xbox Game Bar that allows you to record live stream on your PC at no additional cost. Although it doesn’t support customizing the recording region, it can capture the live stream window (make sure it is currently focused) with audio, including both internal and external sound. Therefore, if you want to record a live stream on Windows 10, Xbox Game Bar screen recording is helpful to capture the content.
It’s worth mentioning that the maximum recording length of Xbox Game Bar is 4 hours. If you need to record a video longer than 4 hours, you can try other methods in this guide.
Before you start, it is recommended to go to Settings > Gaming > Captures and Xbox Game Bar (Windows-G) > Capturing > Audio to check and adjust the recording settings according to your preferences, ensuring they meet your requirements.
To record a live stream on Windows 10:
Step 1. Make sure the live stream window is currently focused.
Step 2. Press Windows-Alt-R to start the livestream recording immediately.
Step 3. To end the recording, press Windows-Alt-R again.
Step 4. Go to Xbox Game Bar’s Gallery panel to check the recording.
How to Record a Live Stream on PC Free
Tool: OBS Studio
While Xbox Game Bar mentioned above can be helpful for recording a live stream on a PC for free, it is not necessarily the best option available. OBS Studio, on the other hand, is a free and powerful screen recorder for Windows PCs and laptops. It is a free, open-source, and cross-platform software designed for screen recording and live streaming. With OBS Studio, you can record live streams on your PC at no cost.
The only downside of OBS Studio is that it may not be as intuitive and user-friendly as professional screen recorder apps. Specifically, you will need to manually configure the screen recording settings, unlike other tools that provide different screen recording modes directly. However, if you don’t mind the additional setup, you can use OBS Studio to record a live stream on your PC for free by following the steps below.
To record a live stream on PC for free:
Step 1. Download and install OBS Studio on your PC
Step 2. Launch the app, go to File > Settings to choose the video output options.
Step 3. In the Sources panel, click the plus icon and choose the recording sources.
Step 4. When you are ready, click Start Recording in the Controls panel.
Step 5. Click Stop Recording when needed.
To record a live stream on a Mac using OBS, you can follow the same steps. If you need to use OBS to record a selected portion of the screen, you can refer to a guide on how to record a part of the screen on Windows 10.
More Tips on Recording Online Streams
When you record streaming video, you may also want to know:
How to record live streaming video on laptop?
Whether you are going to record a live streaming video on laptop or PC, you can use the easy screen recorder, SurFlex Screen Recorder, to help. It will capture video and audio on your computer and save the files in the format you choose.
How to record a YouTube live stream on my computer?
To record a YouTue live stream on your computer, you can use the built-in screen recorder, Xbox Game Bar. Just press Windows-Alt-R and the screen recording will start automatically.
How to record a live stream on PC in Windows 11?
You can use one of the following tools to record a live stream on PC in Windows 11:
- Xbox Game Bar
- Camtasia
- Bandicam
- OBS Studio
Wrapping Up
If you are looking for a convenient and powerful method to record your computer screen, using a third-party tool like SurFlex Screen Recorder is a suitable choice. However, if you prefer a free solution, you can utilize the built-in screen recorder on your PC or opt for OBS Studio.
In addition to desktop apps, you can also employ web-based screen recorders to capture streaming videos on your computer. If you are interested in this approach, here are some tools you can try:
- ScreenCapture
- RecordCast
- Panopto
- Loom