How to Screen Record Software Demo on PC/Mac

Anyone could produce a simple software demo with the help of handy screencast software…

Compared to physical product demo, software demo is much more easily to create, because you can directly screen record software demo on your computer by using one or two tools. If you are a newbie, a screen recording tool is just enough. While if you are an advanced user or pursuing for a more pro-looking demonstration, you may need an extra video editor to get the job done.

Software Demo – An Efficient Way to Motivate Your Customers

Software demo, a video type usually made by marketers or tech developers/supporters, is born to help new users or customers know better on this program, specifically be up on software and how it solves problem for them. For training and mostly the promotion purpose, demo video is totally different from software how-to tutorial – no tedious step 1 2 3 needed but an overall marketing-oriented video introduction on its main benefits to users.

If you have watched some impressive demo videos online before, you must recognize the power of this kind of shareable video for brand and sale. Perfect animation maybe, with excellent visual effects, comfortable music, cool transition, plus the simplified text and voice-over, everything is showcased in a complicated yet minimalistic way to touch viewers’ hearts and minds straightforwardly.

However, in this article, we won’t impart skill to work out that professional commercial clip, but a more simple method to create satisfactory software demonstration as a green hand who haven’t attended any training course before.

How to Screen Record Software Demo on PC/Mac

Step 1. Prepare for the Demo Video

Making adequate preparation is a must-do to ensure a streamlined process, especially when you are not so proficient in post-production.

Since an eye-catching demo is suggested to cover all of the key user scenarios and features of the software to strike a chord, you’d better investigate, connect and show how your product solves specific pain for general people, then turn all of the information into a detailed script with well-designed structure (the backbone of a successful demo). You can apply some questions and a bit of humor to avoid boring statement. Proper background music is also badly needed to make positive contribution. In the ending part, call the audiences to action that you’re expecting.

Many video maker experts get accustomed to recording voice over & screen video separately and polish them afterwards in future edits. So as to adding the background music. However, those operations may be too complex for novice, so we recommend you to record software video presentation, narration and BMG music simultaneously. PowerPoint slide is a great idea if you are worried about (plain) visual effects on simply desktop recording.

Step 2. Free Download Demo Recording Tool

There is tons of screen recording software for computer. Here we offer RecMaster – one of the easiest apps – to all of you since this entry-level program offers an all-in-one solution for screencasting, annotating, editing and sharing. Now please free download the right version of it according to your system and finish the setup to move on.

Take a glance at the key features of RecMaster for Windows beforehand:

Five recording modes: Full Screen, Custom Area, Game Mode, Webcam Only, Audio Only
Setting options: Format, quality, fps, show/hide webcam, system/mic audio, watermark, mouse cursor effect, hotkeys
Other functions: Scheduled recording, auto recording at Windows startup, editor, one-click share to YouTube

Note that currently there are some feature differences between Windows and Mac versions. But the developeing team is working hard on the synchronization.

Step 3. Launch and Set for Demo Video

When everything is OK, launch RecMaster and use Full Screen or Custom Area mode for your video.

You should choose either depending on your recording content and desired resolution. Because RecMaster doesn’t offer any scaling tool now and the capture size is actually the final video dimension. Set an example here:

If you are planning to work out a 1920x 1080 HD software demo and your laptop monitor shares the same resolution, pick Full Screen. While if your machine is holding a 2K, 4K or 5K screen, you need to go to Custom Area to select a 1080p section manually or choose 1920*1080 (16:9) under Custom Size -> For PC.

Then on the secondary main window, you are free to select video format [MP4 is our recommendation], quality [you can test to make the decision], turn on webcam/microphone, enable system sound and so on. To initiate a picture-in-picture demo with your facecam, you shall turn on the webcam. To capture music playing on the PC, please turn on the System Sound and fine tune its volume.

For more options like software demo video saving folder, hotkeys, mouse cursor effect and watermark [company logo maybe], you should click “Settings” icon to access the dialog box and adjust them at will.

Step 4. Star to Record Software Demo

Time to hit the REC button or press related hotkeys to go on this demo capture. During the process, you can pause and resume, make annotations with the pen tool located on floating bar, and show or hide the front camera overlay at any time (with hotkey). Practice several times and take it easy, you will get a smooth and expected demo for sure.

Step 5. Stop, Edit & Share (Optional)

After you have completed the whole show on software, click stop button or type hotkeys still to give it to an end. Immediately, you can preview the demo in Recording list. If you find any unwanted segment, enter into the embedded editor and cut it off and export. Pay attention to the continuity of background voice and music. If they sound strange due to cutting, you will have to seek help from dedicated video editor for improvements or repeat the same recording procedure.

Tips for Screen Recording Software Demo on Computer

Besides what’s been mentioned above, there are still several things you can keep in mind on demo making:

1. If webcam feed is a necessary part here for better engagement, do employ a high quality camera and notice your appearance, body language and facial expressions.
2. Recording environment also plays a crucial role when you record an APP video. No one likes your face inset in a deep dark house or a sudden noise halfway through the capture.
3. Get customers grab the value of and excited in your software, but don’t exaggerate. Also, end with a virtual close.

4. The way being shared in this post is absolutely the easiest one. Therefore, the output software demo may look not as outstanding as what you’ve seen online or elsewhere. If you have a budget on this demo, you can pay for some more advanced video recorder and editor for multi-track editing and more effects like intro, filter, zoom in and out, and so forth. Alternatively, you can hire a professional to have her/him work it out fast.

Related Guides:
How to Record Video Tutorial
How to Document Process Video on Computer
How to Create Instructional Video on PC/Mac