The Best Screen Recording Software for Windows 11
Utilities • Feb. 7, 2023
Screen recording has become an essential tool for many people, whether for personal or professional use. Ever since screen recording has gained traction due to its utility, Windows users have been on the lookout for the best screen recorder that is compatible with the OS, particularly in Windows 11.
In this post, we will explore some of the top screen recording options for Windows 11, and take a closer look at the features that make them stand out. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or just someone who wants to capture their screen for fun, we’ve got you covered. So sit back, relax, and let’s dive into the world of screen recording on Windows 11.
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Built-in screen recorder for Windows 11
If you’ve been a Windows 11 user for some time, you’ll know that the only default way to record your screen was the Xbox Game Bar. If that didn’t satisfy your needs, you had no choice but to use a third-party screen recorder for Windows 11. Well, not anymore. In December 2022, Microsoft finally announced the release of its first-ever built-in snipping tool for Windows.
This screen recorder is going to be in the form of an updated version of the Snipping Tool in the new update for Windows 11. This will not only allow you to record full-screen and full-window recordings, but you’ll also be able to record specific regions on your screen.
Now, even though this is a pretty exciting update, you’ll need to remember that Microsoft has just started testing this updated Snipping Tool with Windows 11 testers in the Dev Channel. Because of this, it’s going to take some time, probably weeks or even months, before it is released to most Windows users.
Top screen recorder programs for Windows 11
If you’re more interested in the third-party apps that can be called the best screen recorder for Windows 11, you won’t be surprised to hear that there are a lot of apps that claim this title. From our testing, we have shortlisted 7 screen recorders for Windows 11 that are genuinely the best of the best in terms of useful features. Let’s take a look at what these screen recorders have to offer for a user of Windows 11.
Movavi Screen Recorder – Best For Beginners
Specs
- Costs $99per user per PC for a lifetime license, first year of Maintenance included
- Works on Windows and MacOS.
Pros
- Ability to record the entire screen, specific region, or selected application window
- A built-in video editor.
- Option to record the webcam while recording the screen
- Option to schedule recordings
- Built-in video player
- Option toupload recorded videos to YouTube and Google Drive
- Ability to take screenshots while recording
Cons
- Watermarked output in the free version.
- The video editor lacks many high-end features.
Movavi Screen Recorder is a sophisticated piece of software that allows you to easily record both your computer screen and your audio in one go. The capability of this software to record the full screen, a particular area, or a chosen application window is one of its primary advantages.
It also has a built-in video editor that users may use to edit, crop, and customize the recording to suit their needs. Additionally, the software supports recording sounds through the computer’s microphone and speakers and offers the ability to simultaneously record the camera and the screen.
The videos you record with this program can be stored in several formats, including GIF, MP4, and AVI. Additionally, it offers the option to schedule recordings to begin and end automatically, allowing users to record without having to be there. It also comes with an integrated video share that enables previewing of recordings as well as the option to share recordings to Google Drive, YouTube, Box, Microsoft Powerpoint, Word, Excel, Outlook, Dropbox, Slack and more.
Another useful feature of Movavi Screen Recorder is the ability to take screenshots while recording. Overall, because of its abundance of functionality and simplicity of use, it is a great option for both personal and business use.
Camtasia – Best for Business Presentations
Specs
- Costs $24.99 per user per month on an annual subscription.
- Works on Windows and MacOS.
Pros
- High-quality screen recording
- Easy video editing
- Advanced cursor effects
- Multi-track editing timeline
- Interactive quizzes and polls
- Multiple output formats
Cons
- Constant crashes and bugs
- Limited customization
- No keyframe tracking
Camtasia is a popular screen recorder and video editing software that is especially useful for creating corporate presentations. It enables you to record your screen in full HD definition, resulting in a crisp and polished final product. You can easily trim, chop, and splice your recordings with Camtasia’s user-friendly video editing interface, as well as add animations, effects, and transitions to improve your presentations.
With the aid of this tool, you can even add animated and unusual cursor effects to your films and presentations to make them more interesting and interactive.
The multi-track timeline in Camtasia makes it simple to add background music, narration, and other audio features to your recordings by allowing you to overlay numerous video and audio tracks. You can utilise interactive polls and quizzes you make using Camtasia to engage and evaluate the audience during a live presentation. Additionally, it enables you to record and edit webcam footage, which you may use to personalise and enliven your presentations.
The finished video produced by Camtasia can be exported in a variety of formats and uploaded to numerous websites, including YouTube, Vimeo, and others. Overall, Camtasia is a great option for producing corporate presentations of a professional calibre because it combines high-quality screen recording, simple video editing, and sophisticated interactive features.
Screencast-O-Matic – Best For Students
Specs
- Costs as low as $4 per month per user on the Business plan, and $2 per month per user on the Education plan
- Works on Windows, MacOS, ChromeOS, Androids, iOS, and iPadOS.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Free version
- Recording and editing features
- Sharing and collaboration
- Cloud-based
- Multiple output formats
Cons
- Lacks OCR functionality
- Only exports images as PNG files
- No scrolling capture available
Screencast-O-Matic is screen recording software with a wide range of functions for a wide range of users. This software is especially well-suited for students because it is user-friendly and simple to use, has a free edition, great recording and editing functions, and enables easy sharing and collaboration.
With Screencast-O-Matic, you have the option to simultaneously record your webcam, audio, and your entire screen or just a portion of it. It also comes with a built-in video editor that enables you to cut your recordings, add notes, and perform other simple changes. You can also collaborate on projects by sending links to other people or adding them as collaborators, as well as sharing your recordings with others.
Since this app is cloud-based, you can share and interact with others while saving and accessing your recordings from any device. Students will find this option to be very useful, especially remote learners who may be using different devices and being present in various locations. Screencast-O-Matic’s ability to export the finished product in a variety of formats also makes it the ideal tool for preparing presentations and other types of projects.
If you wish, you can also upload your recordings to a variety of platforms, like YouTube, Google Drive, etc. You can even schedule recordings to start and stop automatically, and you can also change the frame rate, duration, and other aspects of the recording. Oh, and it also offers shortcut keys for starting, stopping, pausing, and resuming recording.
Snagit – Best For Teachers
Specs
- Has a freetrial
- Costs $44.95 per PC per year, or $59.95 per PC for a lifetime subscription.
- Compatible with Windowsand MacOS
Pros
- Simple to use
- Customizable recording options
- Panoramic scrolling capture
- Built-in editing tools
- Sharing Google Drive, PowerPoint, Word, email, and many more.
- Google Integration
Cons
- Limited to Chrome devices and browsers.
- Editing suite is not as good as other screen recorder apps
Because of its ease of use and diversity of capabilities, Snagit is a popular screen recording tool for education. Its intuitive UI makes it simple and quick for teachers to record their full screen, a particular window, or a specific portion of the screen. They can even incorporate their webcam and voice in the recording if they choose.
Snagit also has video editing tools, such as trimming, splitting, and adding captions, allowing teachers to quickly edit their recordings and create video. Videos are used in the classroom for flipped/blended learning, Video Messaging, student assignments, feedback and more!
Teachers can simply share their recordings with students by sending them a link, including the video on a website or learning management system, or by uploading the clip to PowerPoint, Word, Outlook, YouTube and many more. Snagit is also fully integrated with cloud providers like Google Drive and Box, making it simple for teachers to access, organise, and share their recordings with students online.
Overall, Snagit is an excellent choice for teachers because of its ease of use, customizable recording options, built-in editing tools, and seamless integration with Google Drive and Classroom.
Bandicam – Best For Game Recording
Specs
- Costs $33.26 per year, or $44.96 for a lifetime subscription for one PC.
- Available on Windows, ChromeOS and MacOS.
Pros
- High-quality recording
- Low CPU/GPU/RAM usage
- Real-time drawing
- Built-in video editor
- Customizable hotkeys
- Support for a wide range of games
Cons
- The unregistered version only allows you to record videos for up to 10 minutes.
- Loss of FPS on low-spec computers.
- Premium license is only valid for a single computer.
Due to its performance and feature set, Bandicam is regarded as one of the top screen recorders for gaming. You can record your games in high-quality using the software’s variety of recording settings, which include full-screen, window, and custom area recording.
It also supports up to 4K UHD resolution. Bandicam won’t hinder your gaming experience or introduce lag because it is designed specifically for game recording and utilizes fewer system resources.
Bandicam also lets you add real-time painting and text to your recordings, which is useful for making tutorials or emphasizing key aspects of the games. Additionally, it has an integrated video editor that enables you to split, merge, and edit your recordings while also adding text, graphics, and effects.
You can even configure hotkeys in Bandicam to start, stop, and pause recording without having to browse through the UI. You can record your voice or overlay a camera during gameplay because it supports external recording devices including microphones, webcams, and capture cards.
With Bandicam, you can record your gameplay on virtually any game, including well-known AAA titles like Call of Duty, Skyrim, World of Warcraft, Red Dead Redemption etc.
Overall, Bandicam is regarded as the best screen recorder for recording video games because of its high-quality recording options, minimal system needs, real-time drawing, integrated video editor, adjustable hotkeys, support for external recording, and comprehensive game support.
DemoCreator – Best For Training
Specs
- Costs $29.99 per year.
- Available on Windows, ChromeOS and MacOS.
Pros
- Advanced recording options
- Built-in editor
- Interactive elements
- Customizable templates
- Sharing and multiple export options
- Narration and text captions
Cons
- Trial version exports videos with a watermark.
Wondershare DemoCreator is considered one of the best screen recorders for training because of its advanced features and tools that make it easy to create professional-looking training videos.
It offers sophisticated recording capabilities, including webcam and audio recording as well as screen recording options including full-screen, window recording, and selected area recording. It also contains a feature known as “smart recording” that continuously monitors and records any changes to the screen.
DemoCreator features an integrated editor that enables you to trim, divide, and merge films as well as add text, images, and shapes to your recordings. You can also make your recordings more engaging and interactive for viewers by using interactive components like hotspots, quizzes, and surveys in DemoCreator. It features many customisable templates that you can use to quickly and easily produce professional-looking training movies.
Your recordings can be exported to common video formats, shared via a link, or embedded in a website or learning management system (LMS). DemoCreator also gives you the option to add text captions and record your voiceover to the video, both of which are useful for adding instructions or other information to the video.
DemoCreator is also compatible with both Windows and Mac operating systems, making it accessible to a wide range of users. Due to its advanced recording choices, built-in editor, interactive aspects, customizable templates, and export options as well as its compatibility with both Windows and Mac, Wondershare DemoCreator is generally regarded as the best screen recorder for training.
OBS Studio – Best Free And Open-Source Option
Specs
- Free
- Open Source
- Available on Windows, MacOS, and Linux
Pros
- Free to use
- Open-source
- Advanced streaming options
- Customizable recording options
- Multiple scenes and Input sources
Cons
- Can get a bit complicated to use
OBS Studio is regarded as one of the greatest open-source and free screen recorders for Windows 11. This is because of its robust and customizable streaming and recording capabilities, scene and source management, filters, and effects. Also, its open-source design, compatibility with several operating systems, and lack of associated costs are big reasons for its popularity.
You can record your entire screen, a few windows, or particular portions of the screen with OBS Studio. Additionally, it supports a variety of audio and video sources, including microphones, cameras, and game captures. It is mostly used as a fantastic live streaming tool and supports a variety of streaming services, including Twitch, Facebook Live, and YouTube.
With OBS Studio, you can easily transition between custom scenes made up of several video and audio sources while recording or streaming. You can also use a variety of filters and effects in OBS Studio to improve your recordings and broadcasts, including colour correction, chroma key/green screen, and noise reduction.
OBS Studio is also open-source software, which means that the source code is freely available for anyone to use, modify, and distribute. This is why there’s a huge community of users and developers that regularly provide support and create new features for this software.
The bottom line
Screen-recording software is more important than you might think. What to record? How to record it? Simply do as you wish. You can also personalize the screen to make your video engaging. Record your screen, your way. Hopefully, one of these screen recording apps fits your needs perfectly.
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