Easy Screen Video Recorder to Make Video out of Desktop Activity

“Say with video” is a modern way of communication, which makes vlog, online education and similar things a trend in recent years. Compared to investing some good gears like high-end camera and pro-level post-production software like Adobe Presenter/Premiere Pro and Camtasia, making screencast with a screen video recorder is the more convenient and affordable for beginners. Exactly it is. Therefore, here some best video recording software names are shared.

To create screen recording effectively, you need to rely on a slick yet friendly application. As to the details, several tips are listed below for your reference.

1. A quality screen video recorder for PC must features grabbing whatever elements from desktop screen: full screen, any application (browser and video game included), a self-defined region, menu bar, file explorer, webcam, and the audio sources coming from sound card and microphone.

Note that those DRM-ed contents you purchased online should be excluded, because general screen capture software doesn’t have such ability to bypass or decrypt the copy protection. Only those DVR-enabled services can handle the paid media.

2. Then if you’d like to produce a desired footage quickly, the pre-settings and internal tools one screen recorder offers matter a lot. And an entry-level video screen capture helper should allow users to determine media format & quality for specific usage or favor, to apply some effects and notes to make the content being expressive and understood, to do easy edits to hone the work-piece from its birth, and also to enable an auto capture if you can’t make it happen on time.

An ideal program is in fact a workhorse for capturing and editing the screen video at one go. And the true top-tier products like Camtasia are de facto the ones like this. But considering their complexity and hefty license fees, we don’t suggest new starters to take either as the first destination, especially when you are so ignorant on editing stuff.

3. The last one goes to interface. For veterans, UI is not a big deal for they can always find a way out to get used to it. While for any video creator noob, conquering and mastering the workflow is the first mountain she or he needs to climb over. A clear and user-generated software design brings about a hassle-free beginning, and a good beginning is half the work.

After going through the three advices, you must have a basic idea on how to judge and select a quality screen recorder that’s at your disposal. If the words seem like mur-murs to you, never mind, just go ahead to look into the separate reviews on top screen video recorders for Windows (10) and Mac, including both free and paid ones.

Best Screen Video Recording Software of 2020

Best Screen Video Recorder 1. RecMaster

– You can utilize the easiest screen video recorder for desktop to make screencasts of any kinds.

RecMaster is quite suitable for beginners. Its multiple recording modes can meet all possible screen capture requirements like (HD 60fps) gameplay capture, software operation capture, PowerPoint presentation capture with audio, picture-in-picture video guide capture, webcam show or pure audio capture.

To work out a more focused and interactive video recording, you are enabled to highlight cursor & crucial contents, add explanation and annotation to key points with RecMaster’s pen tool. Also, with its embedded video editor, you can cut & merge the recorded screen video to move unwanted segments off, or cut and export certain clip as you like. After that, vloggers could directly share the video to YouTube channel for its subscribers.

In one word, although the tool is small and no match for advanced programs, fully equipped it is.

Pros:

• ● Multiple recording modes available: Game Mode, Full Screen, Custom Area, Webcam and Audio Only.
• ● Create (1080p/4K) screen video in MP4, AVI, or FLV format.
• ● Adjustable video quality levels from SD to HD to Original.
• ● Support both VFR and CFR video capture with an fps value between 20 and 60.
• ● Support mixing webcam, internal system audio, and microphone audio to screen video.
• ● Support adding watermark and various cursor effects.
• ● Bundled with annotation tool and video editor.
• ● Support multiple-monitor capture.
• ● Task schedule feature is here to help create auto recording mission.
• ● One-click sharing to YouTube or uploading to Google Drive.

Cons:

• ● Game Mode is only available for Windows.
• ● Task Schedule is only available for registered users.

2. Game Bar

– Without download, you are free to capture game video and other app demonstrations in clicks.

Xbox gamers must be familiar with this function. But to general public, it may be hidden deeply. Being the same thing as Xbox’s game DVR, Game bar, available on Windows 10 only, offers a real one-click way to film the running app on desktop. Specifically, the app may be a video game, a browser tab, a word/excel file, a chatting box or anything else. Now you must make it clear on what Game Bar is capable of: it only features recording one window or say app at a time.

Pros:

• ● Record high-quality game video, app video with internal & mic audio.
• ● Game Mode is enabled to optimize the performance of PC (if you turn it on).
• ● Adjustable video quality, frame rates (30 or 60), audio source and volume.
• ● Shortcuts available.
• ● Support taking screenshot and broadcasting.

Cons:

• ● Unable to record the entire screen or any certain area.
• ● Unable to record webcam or audio only.
• ● 4 hours recording at most.
• ● No annotating or editing features.

Also Read: Game Bar on Windows 10: All the Things You Need to Know

3. QuickTime

– Still, macOS has the internal video recording program to document anything on the screen with voice.

QuickTime media player has had such “Screen Recording” option for a long time. Until the latest two system macOS Mojave and Catalina, the feature was integrated with another “Screenshot” app to bring about a more straightforward screen capture experience to Mac users. With it, you are able to shoot any behavior in full screen size or chosen section with your narration. Besides narration, any other sound coming from microphone can be read and recorded. But as to recording the internal system or app sound, QuickTime will lose its bearings, unless any third-party virtual audio driver extension is installed here.

Pros:

• ● Record screen at any size according to the actual need.
• ● Recording MOV screen video with microphone voice,

Cons:

• ● Unable to record webcam face.
• ● Unable to record any system audio.
• ● Only create and save basic and plain recording with no effects at all.

4. BandiCam

– It’s the best Windows screen video recorder to record screen, external device and HDMI.

The supported input screen video signal of BandiCam makes it superior than common screen recorders. Not only the action from desktop itself, but also streaming videos from external devices like gaming consoles, webcams, mobiles and TVs can be recognized and taken as a recording. Surely the devices must be connected to PC with HDMI or MHL cable, and sometimes video capture card is also a must-have.

In view of this, BandiCam is a great facility to create gorgeous (PC/XBOX/PS4) game footage, record HDTV movies or shows, save smartphone screen videos and any other possible actions happened on those monitors.

Pros:

• ● Support everything on PC screen, including streaming signals from external equipments.
• ● A dozen of ready-made presets for YouTube, HEVC/H264 Intel QSV 60fps, 1080p, Low-end PC, PowerPoint etc.
• ● Support recording with (chrome key) webcam, audio, mouse cursor/effect, text or logo overlay.
• ● Record screen video into MP4 or AVI at any quality degree, with all video/audio parameters adjustable.
• ● Capture up to 480fps game videos.
• ● Support scheduled recording.
• ● Enhanced capture mode is provided to deliver a faster capture.
• ● Recording priority options are preloaded to select to reduce frame drop.
• ● Support image capture.

Cons:

• ● No annotation tool.
• ● No internal editing tool.
• ● No social sharing entrance.

5. ScreenApp.io

– Totally free online service to film the whole desktop or browser video without limit or watermark.

To compose and share a simple movement on display, browser tab or any single program, ScreenApp.io is a recommended place to go. Once you navigate to its official site with Chrome, Firefox or Opera, get it started, and choose the audio to capture, you can share either of what have been mentioned above. Yep, “share” is what ScreenApp.io calls this recording thing. You can’t tell it’s wrong, because you do share the screen video with ScreenApp. When you stop the sharing, your video is ready here for you to download.

Pros:

• ● Record screen video with browser or system audio.
• ● Users can trim video before downloading.
• ● No time limit theoretically.
• ● No watermark is added to the screen video.

Cons:

• ● Only make WebM screen video.
• ● Limited capture capability and unable to record screen region at will.
• ● Users can’t change video quality and parameters.
• ● No social share links.

Note: Currently due to the COVID-19, its developer advocates less than 15-minute recording because of the increasing capture demand. Also on its FAQ page, the developers show their efforts on outputting MP4 format and offering more setting options. You can bookmark this tool, wait and see the updates in the near future.

COVID-19 Related:
Top Software for Remote Work
Tech Tools for Online Course
How to Record Online Meetings like Zoom/Skype/WebEx

6. Snagit

– An excellent screenshot program to make visual tutorials, training videos, and similar screen videos.

Snagit is versatile but not complex. By offering both image and video capture functions equally, it passes the control of capture content and format totally to your hand. And its panoramic scrolling capture is so essential to produce image documentation for coworkers, students or clients. Although its editor embraces more annotating and editing options for screen snaps, the preloaded templates and layouts can help you make simple visual instructions out of screenshots quickly.

Video capture mode of Snagit seems a little bit conventional. Any window or region can be selected and captured with webcam, cursor and audio. And during the recording, you can switch between desktop and webcam for a more engaging lesson, vlog or so.

Pros:

• ● Record any screen video with no limit.
• ● Create stylish screenshots and make (how-to) video from a series of such images with ease.
• ● Support screen-or-webcam capture to show either screen or webcam seamlessly.
• ● Cut and share screen video.

Cons:

• ● Unable to fine tune the video parameters.
• ● No video annotating or more advanced video editing features except cutting.
• ● Scheduled recording is not supported.

7. Loom

– Recording and sharing quick screen video with Loom plug-in gets your message across more effectively.

Forget about the purchase plan, you have 30-day free trial change with a required login and investigation completed.
Loom extension lets web users to record full desktop video (with camera), current tab video or cam video only with voiceover. And as usual, the plug-in operation is not hard for all possible settings and buttons are located on the small window. Do as what it should be and you will end up with an online www.loom.com/share/-addressed video link. You can trim and download the MP4 video locally, or share it with your customers, work fellows, or anyone else instantly with a link.

Pros:

• ● Support recoding full screen, current app or tab, and webcam.
• ● Allow background recording and countdown.
• ● Support easy online playback, editing, and link sharing.
• ● User can permit viewer to download the shared screen video.

Cons:

• ● Unable to select recording section of screen.
• ● Video quality is unchangeable.
• ● No annotation and scheduled recording features.

Ending Marks

Any software has its own adept niche and so do those screen video recorders for PC and Mac. We didn’t employ many similar screen recorders in this list but only present the ones on behalf of their own types. Freebie or shareware, game recorder or general desktop recorder, concentrated screen recorder or feature-laden recorder with editor, desktop app or online/browser-based one, you choose what suites you most.