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How to Record a Video on PC in 4 Ways

Check the easy tips here to learn how to record a video on PC in 4 ways, then pick up the one you like to apply.

Myra Xian Avatar

Updated on

Quick Answer:
You can record a video of yourself or of your screen on PC using the following tools:

1. Snipping Tool
2. Xbox Game Bar
3. Camera App
4. SurFlex Screen Recorder

The ways to record a video on PC depend on the Windows version your computer is running. To help you screen record on computer successfully, here is a collection of tested methods to capture video on PC. Some of these methods are applicable to all Windows versions, while others may be exclusive to specific Windows versions. By specifying your needs, you can choose the most suitable method to record videos on your PC with ease.

Record a Video on PC in Windows 11 Using Snipping Tool

Tool: Snipping Tool

Snipping Tool on Windows 11 has been upgraded with the screen recording feature, allowing you to capture a section of your screen freely. However, the Snipping Tool screen record won’t capture the audio during the recording. Therefore, if you are going to record video on PC with sound, use the alternative ways below.

To record video on computer via the Snipping Tool:

Step 1. Press Windows-Shift-S to open the Snipping Tool.

Step 2. Click the video icon to switch to the Record mode.

Step 3. Click New and select the portion of the screen you’d like to capture.

Step 4. Click Start to start the video recording on computer immediately.

Step 5. When you’re done, click Stop.

Step 6. Preview the recording and click Save As to save the recorded video to your PC.

Snipping Tool on Windows 11

Record Video on Computer in Windows 10 or 11 with Xbox Game Bar

Tool: Xbox Game Bar

Xbox Game Bar is available for Windows 10 and Windows 11, allowing you to record gameplay or app activities with audio for free. If you want to screen record on Windows with audio, Xbox Game Bar will do you a favor.

Although it is capable of recording video on PC with both internal and external audio, Xbox Game Bar screen recording has disadvantages you can’t ignore: it can’t capture the desktop, a selected portion of screen, or the File Explorer window.

If Xbox Game Bar can help in your case, go to Settings > Gaming > Captures to set up your recording preferences. Afterward, follow the steps below to record a video on PC with ease.

To record video on PC via Xbox Game Bar:

Step 1. Make sure the game or window you want to record is currently active.

Step 2. Press Windows-Alt-R to start recording video on PC.

Step 3. To finish recording, click the Stop button in the control bar or use the shortcut again.

Step 4. Press Windows-G to open the Xbox Game Bar, then go to the Gallery panel to check the recorded video.

Xbox Game Bar on Windows

How to Record Yourself on PC

Tool: The Camera App

“How to record myself on Windows?”

If you have such a question in your mind, I’d be glad to tell you that there is an easy answer: using the built-in Camera app on Windows 8, Windows 10, and Windows 11. It allows you to record yourself on your laptop or PC via the integrated camera or a connected webcam. Moreover, it will capture video along with the microphone sound. If you want to record yourself on a laptop or PC, using the Camera app is a direct and easy solution.

To record yourself on PC:

Step 1. Launch the Camera app from the Start menu.

Step 2. Switch to the recording mode and set up the recording settings.

Step 3. Click the Record icon to start recording yourself via the camera.

Step 4. When you are done, click the Stop button to end the recording.

Step 5. Check and save the recorded video to your PC.

Record Video with Camera App

If you want to record video with blurred background using a webcam, you can let OBS Studio help.

Record Video on PC in Any Windows Version

Tool: SurFlex Screen Recorder

No matter which Windows version your PC is running, you can use the professional PC video recorder, SurFlex Screen Recorder, to capture video on your PC to record any video or audio you need.

SurFlex Screen Recorder helps to record the full screen, a selected portion, a window, the webcam, and more on your computer with audio, including system sound, microphone sound, or both. When you only need to record audio on PC, you can also use this tool to capture audio only from your computer. The rich recording modes allow you to capture everything you want from your computer.

Moreover, this third-party Windows video recorder enables you to choose the video format and quality you prefer. Unlike the built-in apps on Windows that only save the recorded videos as MP4 files, SurFlex Screen Recorder provides various choices for video format, such as MP4, WMV, AVI, FLV…

If you need to record video on a PC in different situations, it’s optimal to try a professional PC video recorder.

To record video on PC:

Step 1. Open SurFlex Screen Recorder. Before the screen recording, click Settings to customize the output options.

Windows Screen Recorder Main Interface

Step 2. If you want to record a video with audio on your PC, enable audio recording and select the audio type you need.

Select Audio Recording Option on Windows

Step 3. Choose to record the full screen or a selected region, select the recording area, and then click REC to start recording a video on your PC.

Select Region Drop-Down Menu

Step 4. The recording will start in five seconds (you can customize the option in Settings). Once the recording is finished, click Stop.

Select Recording Region

Step 5. Check the recorded video in the popup window.

All Recordings List

More Tips on Recording Video on PC

When you record video on computer, you may also want to know:

What program can record video on PC?

There are programs that can record video on PC:

  • Xbox Game Bar
  • Bandicam
  • SurFlex Screen Recorder
  • Snagit
  • Camtasia
  • Movavi Screen Recorder
  • ShareX

How to record video with sound on computer?

You can record video with sound on computer using a professional screen recorder like SurFlex Screen Recorder:

  • Open the video recorder and set a recording mode.
  • Select the audio to be recorded.
  • Click REC.

How to record a video on PC with webcam?

You can record a video on PC with a webcam using the Camera app:

  • Make sure the webcam is connected to your PC correctly.
  • Open the Camera app and switch to the recording mode.
  • Click Record to start recording a video on your PC with a webcam.

Wrapping Up

In this article, I primarily introduced desktop screen recording tools. However, you can also record videos on your computer without any software by using online video recorders for Windows. If you are interested in this approach, you can try some of the following screen recording websites:

  • ScreenCapture
  • ScreenApp
  • Panopto
  • RecordCast

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