Windows 11 gives you Snipping Tool, Xbox Game Bar, and Clipchamp built in, and PowerPoint adds a fourth option if you already have the desktop app through Microsoft 365 or a one-time Office purchase. Each recorder fits a different job. Start with the fastest built-in options below, then use OBS or a graphics-card tool when the Microsoft tools do not cover the capture you need.
Record part of your screen with the shortcut
Press Windows logo key + Shift + R to open the screen recording overlay.
Select the area of the screen you want to record.
Click Start.
Click Stop when you are finished.
Your recording opens in Snipping Tool and saves automatically as an MP4 in Videos > Screen Recordings by default.
Use this shortcut when you only need a clean capture of one selected area.
Use Snipping Tool from the Start menu
Open Start, search for Snipping Tool, and select Snipping Tool. Choose Record, select New, drag over the area you want to capture, then select Start.
When the recording is done, select Stop. From there, select Save or choose Edit in Clipchamp to keep working on the video.
If this method fails, use Windows logo key + Shift + R for the Snipping Tool shortcut or use Xbox Game Bar for recording a single app or game.
Capture an app or game with Xbox Game Bar
This fixes app and game recording when you need a quick MP4 saved to the Captures folder.
Go to the game or app you want to record.
Press Windows logo key + G to open Xbox Game Bar.
Open Widget Menu and choose Capture.
Select Start recording.
Select Stop recording to finish.
Press Windows logo key + Alt + R to start and stop recording from the keyboard.
Your MP4 files save under Videos > Captures.
Set up Game Bar audio and instant clips
Set these options before you rely on Xbox Game Bar for audio or recent gameplay moments.
- 1.Press Windows logo key + G to open Xbox Game Bar.
- 2.Open Settings, choose Capturing, and select All to include game, enabled mic, apps, and system audio.
- 3.Press Windows logo key + Alt + M while recording to toggle the microphone.
- 4.Turn on background recording in Game Bar capture settings when you want instant clips.
- 5.Press Windows logo key + Alt + G to save the last 30 seconds, or the duration selected in settings.
Create a screen and camera recording in Clipchamp
Open Clipchamp from Windows 11 Start or install it from Microsoft’s official Clipchamp product page.
Select record & create.
Choose screen and camera or screen.
Allow camera and microphone access when prompted.
Select a screen, window, or browser tab, then choose Share.
Select Stop sharing.
Choose Save and edit.
Select Export when the recording is ready.
For browser tab recording, use Clipchamp in Chrome for Chrome tabs or Edge for Edge tabs.
Record inside PowerPoint
Use PowerPoint when the recording belongs in a presentation and needs to sit directly on a slide. Screen Recording is a desktop feature in PowerPoint for Microsoft 365, PowerPoint 2024, PowerPoint 2021, PowerPoint 2019, and PowerPoint 2016; PowerPoint for the web does not have it, so open the file in the desktop app first.
- 1.Open the slide where the recording should go.
- 2.Select Insert, then Screen Recording.
- 3.Choose Select Area, or press Windows logo key + Shift + E; for full screen, press Windows logo key + Shift + B.
- 4.Deselect Audio or Record Pointer when you do not want them included.
- 5.Select Record, then select Stop when finished.
- 6.Save the embedded recording separately when you need a standalone file.
Use a recorder with more controls
Use these options when you need features beyond the built-in Windows 11 screen recorder options. Install them from official sources and match the recorder to your hardware.
In OBS Studio, run the Auto-Configuration Wizard. In the Sources dock, select +, choose Display Capture or Window Capture, verify audio in Settings > Audio, verify output in Settings > Output, then use Start Recording and Stop Recording.
On supported NVIDIA GeForce systems, open NVIDIA App, make sure the NVIDIA overlay is enabled in Settings, press Alt+Z, then use ShadowPlay recording or Instant Replay.
On supported AMD Radeon systems with AMD Software Adrenalin Edition, open AMD Software, search Record, open Record & Stream Settings, choose Get Started, select Record, then follow the microphone, camera, quality, and desktop recording options shown there.
Handle missing recording options on work devices
Work and school PCs use organization settings that control recording features. When Xbox Game Bar, Clipchamp, or other recording options are missing, ask your IT team which recorder is approved for that device.
Microsoft documents managed app removal and Windows game recording controls for administrators. Regular users do not need those policy tools to record a personal Windows 11 PC.
Skip older tutorials that recommend Steps Recorder, psr.exe, Windows Speech Recognition, or Intel Graphics Command Center capture. Microsoft points users to Snipping Tool, Xbox Game Bar, and Clipchamp instead. Intel moved capture from Intel Graphics Command Center to Intel Arc Control, but current Intel Graphics Software replaces both apps and does not include the old Studio capture page. Use Snipping Tool, Xbox Game Bar, or OBS with current Intel drivers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are Windows 11 screen recordings saved?
Snipping Tool recordings save as MP4 files in Videos > Screen Recordings by default. Xbox Game Bar recordings save as MP4 files under Videos > Captures.
Can Windows 11 record only part of the screen?
Yes. Press Windows logo key + Shift + R, select the area you want, then choose Start and Stop in the Snipping Tool recording overlay.
Can Xbox Game Bar record microphone audio?
Yes. Press Windows logo key + Alt + M while recording to toggle the microphone. In Game Bar, Settings > Capturing > All includes game, enabled mic, apps, and system audio.
Which Windows 11 screen recorder should I use?
Use Snipping Tool for selected-area recording, Xbox Game Bar for apps and games, Clipchamp for screen-and-camera recordings, and desktop PowerPoint (Microsoft 365, 2024, 2021, 2019, or 2016) when the recording belongs in a slide deck.
