Screen recorder with audio Archives

Free screen recorders have come a long way in recent years, and there are now some very impressive tools available that can capture everything that's happening on your screen completely free, and without any frustrating limitations.

The best free screen recorder is OBS Studio. A remarkable program with a feature set that rivals those of the more premium tools, it can not only record everything happening on your desktop, but also capture footage from your webcam and use it for picture-in-picture video, and even record audio from a microphone. It also gives you the option to save the results in a format of your choice, or stream them via the service of your choice.

Still, while OBS Studio is certainly an ideal choice for professionals and gamers alike, there are other capable options that are worth looking into. If you only need to capture a few minutes of footage, a more straightforward tool might be all you need.

So, we've rounded up the very best free screen recorders for all projects and levels of experience. Whether you're making a software tutorial for your YouTube channel, recording a Let's Play video, or capturing a video call, there's something here that'll fit the bill.

The best free screen recorders at a glance

If you’re a keen gamer, OBS Studio is easily the best free screen recorder for you. Unlike the hugely popular FRAPS (which only lets you record for 30 seconds at a stretch unless you’ve bought a license, and applies a watermark to the resulting footage), OBS Studio is open source, and completely free to use without restrictions.

OBS Studio supports both streaming and recording in high definition, with no restrictions on the number or length of your creations. You can stream live to Twitch or YouTube gaming, save projects and come back to them later, or encode your footage in FLV format and save it locally.

Because OBS Studio can record directly from your graphics card, it’s able to capture games running in full-screen mode (many other screen recorders can only record if the game is windowed), with customizable hotkeys to control the recording. OBS Studio can also make full use of multi-core CPUs for improved performance, and can record at 60FPS (or even higher).

It might take a little while to set it up exactly how you want, but OBS Studio is by far the best and most powerful screen recorder for gamers.

Read our full OBS Studio review

OBS Studio is our favorite free screen recorder, but Flashback Express comes an extremely close second. Despite being a free version of a paid program, FlashBack Express won't put ugly watermarks over your recordings or impose time limits, and it's packed with features and tools that rival many premium programs. Its interface is less intimidating than OBS Studio, so if you've never used a screen recorder before, it's an excellent choice.

You can record from your whole screen, a window, a selected area, or a webcam. Once you’ve finished, your recording will appear in a simple editor, where you can crop and trim it to suit your needs, then export it to YouTube, an FTP server, or your PC.

That’s all fairly standard fare for a free screen recorder, but take a minute to dive into Flashback’s advanced options and you’ll find a wealth of thoughtfully designed settings that will make your desktop recordings look truly professional. The recorder can automatically obscure passwords entered on screen, replace your silly wallpaper with a plain one, hide messy desktop icons, and highlight your mouse pointer to make it easier to follow. There's also a dedicated gaming mode that lets you define the number of frames recorded per second.

There’s no limit on the length of your recordings unless you choose to set one, which can be useful if there’s a chance you might accidentally leave the recorder running. You can also choose to break long recordings up into chunks – a brilliant touch that helps you avoid creating huge, unwieldy files. Your recordings won’t be watermarked, either.

Following a recent update, Flashback Express can export in WMV, AVI and MP4 formats, eliminating the need for a separate video converter, and it no longer requires a free license key for activation – just install the software and you're ready to start recording.

Developer Blueberry Software has also released a free screen recorder designed specifically for games – FBX. This recorder captures HD in-game footage, with hardware acceleration for AMD and Nvidia cards, and Intel CPUs.

If you're thinking about upgrading to FlashBack Pro, Blueberry software is offering TechRadar readers an exclusive 25% discount.

Read our full Flashback Express review

If you want to record a presentation, software demonstration or tutorial, give Apowersoft Free Online Screen Recorder a try. This browser-based tool may not be suitable for games, but it’s the best free screen recorder for any other tasks.

The first time you use Apowersoft Free Online Screen Recorder, you'll be prompted to download a small launcher application. You'll then be provided with a control bar packed with more options than you'll find in most desktop screen recording software. You can capture footage from your desktop or a webcam, and record audio from your PC, microphone, both or neither.

You can record the whole screen, select an area manually or choose one of the preset resolutions – ideal if you’re recording a clip for YouTube, for example, and don’t want to use a separate video editor to resize it later.

Apowersoft Free Online Screen Recorder also offers customizable keyboard shortcuts for speed and convenience. You can choose whether or not to include the cursor in the recording and take your pick from a range of output formats including MP4, WMV, AVI, MOV and many more. You can even add annotations during the recording.

Once you’re done, you can save the recording as a video file or GIF, upload it directly to YouTube or Vimeo, or send it to Google Drive or Dropbox. You can also edit the clip. Selecting this option will download an additional component – Apowersoft Video Editor – which lets you make simple adjustments before exporting your video in your preferred format. A truly exceptional tool.

Note that the 'Download desktop version' button links to a program called Apowersoft Screen Recorder Pro. This is a trial version of a premium application, and is more limited than Online Screen Recorder.

Read our full Apowersoft Free Online Screen Recorder review

Debut Video Capture is a new addition to our roundup of free screen recorders, and although its slightly dated design does it few favors, it's an extremely powerful program that can do much more than just capture what's happening on your PC monitor.

In addition to basic screen recording (with no time limits or watermarks), Debut Video Capture can also record footage from external devices, including webcams and security cameras. It can even record on a regular schedule, which means it can become the main hub of a home security system. Not too shabby for a program that's totally free for personal use.

There are no post-production editing tools, but you can apply filters and add your own captions and watermarks before you begin recording. There's no option for exporting videos directly to YouTube or Facebook, but they can be saved in all the main formats, including MP4, MOV and AVI (to name just three).

Debut Video Capture is currently in public beta, so we look forward to seeing the final release version with a lick of extra polish soon.

Read our full Debut Video Capture review

ShareX is an open source app for capturing still screen grabs and recording videos. There are no watermarks or time limits to worry about, but the interface isn't the most intuitive in the world so you’ll be best off using keyboard shortcuts. For quick reference, you can start a recording by tapping Shift + Print Screen, and stop it again using Ctrl + Shift + Print Screen.

You can also use this free screen recorder to save your capture as a GIF rather than a video file, which can be extremely useful for sharing on forums and social media.

Not only is ShareX among the best free screen recorders, but it can also capture an entire scrolling webpage, capture and identify text via OCR, and even capture your screen according to a schedule.

Another of its best features is the ability to send your captured grabs and videos straight to a file-sharing or social media site. There’s a vast array of options, which you can check out on the project’s site.

Unfortunately, ShareX doesn’t support taking screen grabs or recordings from games running in full-screen mode. Other than that, it’s a superb screen recorder that will serve you extremely well.

Read our full ShareX review

Screencast-O-Matic is another browser-based free screen recorder, and a very capable one at that. Recordings are limited to 15 minutes in length, but you can record as many clips as you like, zoom while recording, trim your recorded clips, add captions, save them to your desktop, YouTube or the cloud, share a video link, or add one of 30 royalty-free music tracks

Hit ‘Start recording for free’, followed by ‘Launch free recorder’. As with Apowersoft Free Online Screen Recorder, you’ll be prompted to download and install a small web launcher, after which the screen recorder will launch. Prepare your screen and adjust the size of the recording window to suit your needs (it can record the whole screen or just a selected area), then hit the red button. You can capture audio from your PC or a microphone, and record footage from your screen, a webcam or both.

Upgrading to a Deluxe account gives you extra features including scripted recordings, drawing and annotations, a video editor, and (perhaps most usefully) the ability to generate captions automatically with text-to-speech. That’s an impressive set of tools for $1.65 (about £1, AU$2.50) per month, but the free version of Screencast-O-Matic has a lot to offer as well.

The only real downside is that your recordings will be watermarked unless you upgrade, but if that’s not an issue then this free screen recorder is well worth a look.

Featured on Google Play Home Page, Android Police, Yahoo News, CNET, Android Central, Droid-Life, and more.

AZ Screen Recorder is a stable, high-quality screen recorder for Android that helps you record smooth & clear screen videos. With a ton of features like screen capture, screen video recorder, video editor, live stream screen, this screen recording app provides an easy way to record screen videos such as video tutorials, video calls, game videos, live shows, and videos that can not be downloaded.

Advantages:

HIGH-QUALITY video: 1080p, 12Mbps, 60FPS
NO recording time limit
NO root needed

Key features:

★ Screen recording
AZ Screen Recorder provides stable and fluid screen recording. With this screen recorder, you can easily record popular mobile game videos; you can record video calls with family and friends; and you can also record live shows from Periscope, Bigo Live or Tik Tok, YouTube, Twitch...

Screen Video Recorder with internal sound
From Android 10, this free screen recorder will support recording internal audio. If you want to record gameplay, video tutorial with internal audio, this powerful screen recorder with audio is the best choice for you.

Game Recorder in FULL HD
This game recorder supports the recording game screen in high quality: 1080p, 60FPS, 12Mbps. Many resolutions, frame rates, and bit rates are available for you.

Screen Recorder with Facecam
By using this Screen Recorder with Facecam, your face and emotions can be recorded in a small overlay window. You can freely adjust the Facecam size and drag it to any position on the screen

AZ Screen Recorder provides a ton of free features:
- Record internal sound (from Android 10)
- Record gameplay with external sound
- Pause/resume screen recording
- Enable front camera (Facecam)
- GIF maker: A GIF recorder help you record the screen as GIF
- Control screen recording through floating window or notification bar
- Shake the device to stop recording the screen
- Draw on the screen while recording gameplay
- Transfer recorded videos, and screenshots to your computer through Wifi

★ Video Editor
After recording device screen, you can edit your videos with these editing functions:
- Convert video to GIF
- Trim video
- Remove middle part of video
- Merge videos: Combine multiple videos into one
- Add background music to video
- Add subtitles to video
- Extract image from video
- Crop video
- Rotate video
- Compress video
- Edit audio

★ Livestream
With the screen broadcast function of the AZ Screen Recorder, you can stream your screen to Youtube, Facebook, Twitch, and more. You can stream gameplay to show your skills or stream films, TV shows, and sports events. AZ Screen Recorder provides the following features to help you livestream easily:
- Several broadcast resolution settings, stream with the high quality you want
- Facecam while live streaming

★ Screenshots and Image Editing
AZ Screen Recorder is more than a screen video recorder. It can also capture screenshots and edit images. You can take a screenshot easily with one click, use in-app image editing tools to stitch/crop images, and share your screenshots with your friends. Some top editing features can be listed below:
- Stitch images: Auto detect and combine several images into one
- Crop images: Remove unwanted parts
- Blur image: pixelate areas you don’t want to show
- Add text, and draw on image…

Thanks for downloading AZ Screen Recorder. If you have any feedback, bug reports, suggestions, or you can help with the translations, please contact us at az.screen.recorder@gmail.com

Subscribe to our Youtube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClv3w8p-lJJYkCieeYeigbg
Follow us on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/az.screen.recorder

* Disclaimer: This app is not associated with Tik Tok, Periscope, Bigo Live, Facebook, Youtube, Twitch, or any other social media platforms.

Recording a screen used to be a real challenge. 

You had to either use complicated tools or pay a software expert to get it done, which wasn’t always feasible. 

Fortunately, the user-friendliness of screen recording software has significantly improved over the years. Nowadays, you can create professional-looking tutorials with minimal effort.

Besides tutorials, there are several other reasons why you might want to record your screen.

If you do any kind of product demonstrations, need or offer tech support, or use video calling, using the default screen capture of your computer won’t be good enough to capture high-quality footage. 

Whether you want a more precise way to record the entire screen or if you want to capture a specific portion, a high-quality screen recorder will serve the purpose. 

In this article, you’ll learn about:

• What screen recording software is
• The features you should look for in screen recording software 
• The difference between desktop and online screen recorder
• The 10 best screen recording tools in existence   

Let’s go.

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What Is Screen Recording Software?

Screen recording software can record the entirety (or portions) of your computer or mobile screen.

The recording can include everything from your taps and cursor movements to typing a URL into your browser to help people learn what to do and how to do it. 

Audio narration is available, and sometimes annotation is also offered as part of a tool’s package.

However, no two screen recording tools are alike. Some screen recording tools can’t save the recorded footage for various formats or export it to popular video platforms like YouTube directly.

Others may have the capability to do all of that, but might be missing a feature or two. For example, not every screen recording application comes with an HD screen recorder.

As such, you should pay attention to its capabilities before downloading or installing screen recording software on your device. 

It’s also crucial to evaluate your own recording needs. Perhaps you don’t need to record in HD. Maybe you’ve recently purchased video hosting and can do without a YouTube export option. The best screen recorder for you will be the one that meets your specific needs.  

What Is a Good Screen Recorder?

Our compilation of screen recording tools ranges from browser-based software to minimalistic desktop apps. Each of the picks meets the following basic criteria:

• Is easy-to-use
• Records the entire screen, a particular area, or one window
• Lets users annotate the recorded footage
• Includes system and microphone audio 
• Captures footage from external sources
• Has built-in export options

It’s also worth mentioning that many of the software options come with HD recording capabilities. However, it’s important to know that HD files take a lot of time to upload. If you’re looking to quickly uploaded standard-quality videos on the web, HD is not a must-have. 

Desktop Screen Recorder vs. Online Screen Recorder

Offline functionality is the key difference between the two types.

While desktop screen recorders can work without an active connection, online screen recorders require you to have stable internet. 

This is why an online screen recorder isn’t the best of options when it comes to capturing gameplay. However, if you’re only looking to make a tutorial, they should work just fine. 

Top 10 Screen Recorder Tools for 2020

Here’s our list of the best screen recorder tools on the market. 

Because it has options for all of the major operating systems, you can be sure to find the best screen recorder for Android, iOS, Mac, Linux and Windows operating systems.

Quick note: The list includes both paid and free options, so make sure to evaluate your needs before downloading any software. 

1. OBS Studio

OBS or Open Broadcaster Software is a free screen video recorder that offers both recording and streaming in high definition, with no limits on the length of your videos.  

The desktop software allows you to choose the part of the screen you want to capture, but it also gives an option to record the entire screen. 

Customizable hotkeys help control the recording, and an audio mixer allows you to produce videos with smoothly recorded sound. 

Apart from the intuitive screencasting features, OBS is equipped with live-streaming capabilities that you won’t find in the default screen recorders of major operating systems.

You can stream live on YouTube Gaming and Twitch, save projects, and convert your footage in FLV format. 

All of this makes OBS one of the best free screen recording software options to try in 2020.

Price: Free

Supported OS: Linux, Mac, Windows

Best for: Professional live streaming to Mixer, YouTube or Twitch

2. Apowersoft Unlimited

This is a suite of software applications that includes screen recorders for Android, iOS, Mac and Windows.

It allows you to wirelessly cast an Android device or iPhone to your PC’s screen and use the desktop recorder to capture your PC audio, mobile device, microphone, and computer’s webcam simultaneously. 

The desktop screen recorder offers multiple recording modes, including full screen, custom area, and more, and it also lets users annotate on the recording in real-time. You can apply callouts, lines, text, and more without needing to pause. 

With the help of its intuitive, mobile-specific apps, you just have to set your computer and smartphone under the same WiFi network and begin casting.  

Mac and Windows users can directly use the desktop screen recorder to record all kinds of on-screen activities. 

Price: $59.95 per year

Supported OS: Android, iOS, Windows, Mac

Best for: Demonstrating how to use software that has both a desktop and a mobile version  

3. Screencast-O-Matic

Screencast-O-Matic is an online screen recorder and video editor that supports both webcam and screen recordings.

While the application doesn’t let you record in HD, it does have options to record in 800×600, 640×480 and other standard definitions, which makes it ideal for recording and uploading quick videos. 

It also assists users in zooming, drawing, and adding overlays on the video files. 

Plus, you can share the recording to YouTube without having to download any desktop app. 

Screencast-O-Matic also has additional features including options for editing computer audio and synchronization of recording with video footage.

Keep in mind that most of the editing features are offered in the paid version of the app. However, you can use the free version to upload content to YouTube. 

Price: Free or $1.50 per month

Supported OS: Windows, Mac, Chromebook, iOS

Best for: Making quick tutorials to share with friends, customers or online communities 

4. AceThinker

AceThinker is a web-based laptop screen recorder that is easy to set up and use.

You can use it to record a specific screen portion or the whole screen, create real-time edits for an attention-worthy recording, and capture audio from your mic and computer simultaneously.

The software lets you convert and save your recordings in all renowned video formats, including MP4, MOV and API.

And you can also use AceThinker to directly upload your recordings to Dropbox, Google Drive, or YouTube.

All of these features are available in the free version of the app, but you can also install the PRO version to gain access to additional capabilities.

A standout feature of the PRO version is that it lets you create scheduled tasks for screen recordings. 

If you want to record an ongoing live stream in the afternoon, but you don’t have the internet at work, you can install this screen capture tool on your home computer, create a schedule and let it record the screen automatically. 

Price: Free or $39.95

Supported OS: Mac, Windows

Best for: Recording soccer matches, stock trends, etc. 

5. ScreenFlow

If you’ve been searching for a Mac screen recorder with audio capabilities, then you’d love ScreenFlow. 

Its range of features includes the options to record your Mac at retina resolution, group video components and settings, and add background audio to the recorded footage.

You’d also love the “Styles” and “Templates” tools that come as part of the software.

Styles lets you save visual/audio settings for certain elements like drop shadows or color filters for a recorded segment.

Templates, on the other hand, lets users arrange, insert and configure groups of annotations in advance, such as text placeholders and outro segments. 

Those who subscribe to the Super Pak version of ScreenFlow (a more expensive plan) also get access to over 500,000 pieces of unique images and audio clips to use in all of their videos.  

So if you’re looking to make the most of your screen recordings, ScreenFlow is unlikely to disappoint.

Price: $129

Supported OS: Mac, iOS

Best for: Making high-quality retina videos 

6. Screencastify

Screencastify is another screen recording application that works via Google Chrome. 

Whether you’re a seasoned or a novice video creator, you’ll find that Screencastify offers all of the important options. 

You can use it to capture your webcam, entire screen or tab only, as well as narrate to your microphone. 

It also presents you with annotation tools that help keep your viewers focus on what’s critical. Click highlighting, drawing pen tool, and mouse spotlight are all included.

And once you’re recorded the screen, Screencastify will do the heavy lifting for you by autosaving the video to your Google Drive.

Like many of the best screen recording software options, Screencastify gives you the option to upload to YouTube, as well as export the recording as an animated GIF, MP3, or MP4.

Price: Free

Supported OS: Mac, Windows, Linux 

Best for: Recording software demos and creating solution videos

7. Bandicam

Bandicam is a robust screen recording application that supports screen and gameplay capturing.

It utilizes a high compression ratio without compromising video quality. Bandicam makes it possible to capture 4K ultra-high-definition videos at 120 frames per second.

Another noteworthy feature is Bandicam’s device recording capability. By getting a separate capture card, you can record videos from IPTV, HDTV, APPLE TV, smartphone, PlayStation and Xbox. 

In addition, Bandicam lets users capture screenshots in JPEG, PNG and BMP formats.

Essentially, you can use Bandicam to record just about anything, including your entire computer screen, Excel spreadsheets, web browser, Powerpoint presentations, and more.

Its free version places a watermark on the videos, so you need to become a paid user to utilize its full potential.

Price: Free or $39.99

Supported OS: Windows

Best for: Balancing the depth of video recordings

8. Filmora Scrn

Filmora Scrn lets you capture gameplay, webcam, computer screen and audio simultaneously without placing any limits on the duration of the video.

It gives you the option to record in 15-120 frames per second. Higher FPS is ideal for recording gameplay with loads of action. 

The software also lets you add annotations like text to improve the viewing experience for your audience. Also, you can modify the size, color and shape of your cursor to make it look unique. 

With Filmora Scrn, you don’t need a separate video editing tool because the screen recording software itself boasts a wide range of editing tools to help refine your video recordings. 

It can import from over 50 file formats, and you also get the option to export your recordings in multiple formats as per your requirement. 

Price: Free or $29.99

Supported OS: Windows, Mac

Best for: Recording screen from two devices simultaneously 

9. Camtasia

TechSmith’s Camtasia makes it simple to capture and make professional-looking videos on your PC.

You can record both audio and video from a desktop or iOS device, and also capture your webcam to infuse a personal element to your recording.

Its built-in video editing tool is where Camtasia shines. A good selection of stock images along with click-and-drag effects is offered in the sidebar of the tool. Users can create outro and intro segments by dropping them into their recordings in a matter of seconds.

You can also insert zoom out, zoom in, and pan animations into your footage, and use transitions between slides and scenes to enhance the flow of your videos.

The screen recording software also lets you import or record PowerPoint pages directly into its environment. Grab attention in your presentations by adding eye-catching recordings, titles, and more.

Price: Free or $249

Supported OS: Windows, Mac, iOS

Best for: Adding a professional touch to captured videos

10. ShareX

This open-source screen recording software is ideal for capturing videos. 

It doesn’t place watermarks or duration limits on your recordings, and you also get the option to save your file as a GIF instead of a video. 

The video file sharing features are ShareX’s biggest advantage, because it’s easy to upload recordings directly to YouTube and other platforms. 

Enhancing screenshots you capture with this tool doesn’t require much effort either. A built-in photo editor lets you freely customize still photos in any way you want.

Not only is it a brilliant screenshot and screen capture tool, but it can also capture and reveal text via OCR, record a whole scrolling webpage, and even record your screen according to a schedule.

Price: Free

Supported OS: Linux, Windows

Best for: Recording screens of Linux devices 

Conclusion

Screen recording software can serve a variety of purposes, and the best ones don’t necessarily need to come at a price. 

Based on your individual needs and the operating system you’re using, you may be able to achieve your objectives with a free screen recorder.

And if you’re looking to add additional power or use professional editing tools, you can always sign up to a paid option.  

Hopefully, one of these screen recording programs will fulfill your requirements, whether you’re creating a tutorial for YouTube or just sharing a gaming achievement with your peers.

Do you use any awesome screen recording software that we missed? Let us know by dropping a comment below. 

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Adeel Qayum is a writer and content strategist based in Southeast Asia. He loves blogging about ecommerce and online privacy, and dances salsa in his free time.