Recording screen activity can prove to be quite handy when it comes to creating tutorials and educational videos. And of course, saving a record of your gaming session when you defeat the main boss for some bragging rights never hurts. In order to save you the trouble of searching through Subreddits and lengthy discussions on online communities, we have compiled a list of the best screen recording software for Windows.

Here are the 10 best screen recorders for PC that we have carefully curated for all sets of users. We have mentioned both free and premium versions so you can pick one based on your requirement and budget. You can click on the link below and quickly jump to the corresponding screen recorder. But before that, let’s learn what makes a good screen recorder from our explainer below.

  • OBS Studio

  • ShareX

  • ScreenToGIF

  • Free Cam

  • Screencast-O-Matic

  • Bandicam

  • TinyTake

  • Active Presenter

  • Camtasia

  • Movavi Screen Capture Studio

  • Bonus: Windows 10 Built-in Screen Recorder

  • What is a Good Screen Recorder?

No matter if you are an advanced or general user, a good screen recorder should have a hotkey for quick access. It should also give you quick toggles to activate voice recording, annotation tools, the option to zoom in/out, and more. On top of that, screen recorders should offer you the ability to change the frame rate, resolution, bitrate, output file format, etc.

What is a Good Screen Recorder?

And if a screen recorder comes with a small set of video editing tools like cropping and trimming then that is an added bonus. Not to mention, the ability to convert video recordings to GIF (so you can use it with your favourite GIF keyboards) or other file formats is great. So these are the features that you must look at before picking a screen recording for your Windows PC.

1. OBS Studio

High-quality screen recording? Check. Multi-platform streaming? Check. Pro-level editing and control tools? Check. OBS Studio is one of the most decked-out screen recording software in the domain. It brings a vast set of video editing tools to the table, which is what makes it a favorite among the gaming community and professionals who know their way around the software.

And yes, OBS Studio can stream games in full-screen mode and record videos at frame rates of up to 60FPS. All in all, you won’t be left wanting for more options if you jump the OBS Studio bandwagon, provided you manage to ace its UI.

Cons

Download OBS Studio (Free)

2. ShareX

Sure, OBS Studio is feature-packed and has lots of add-ons and utilities, but it’s not for everyone. General users might find it overwhelming. That’s why we bring you the best screen recording software for Windows 10 that is easy to use, lightweight, open-source, and completely free. ShareX is one of the popular screenshot tools on Windows 10, but not many are aware that it can also record your screen on Windows 10.

Cons

  • Audio support must be enabled manually

Download ShareX (Free)

If you are someone who wants to create a high-quality GIF from a screen recording on Windows 10 then let me present you the ScreentoGIF tool. It’s simply an indispensable tool on Windows 10 which works flawlessly well. The app is entirely free and open-source and does not show any ads either. Just choose your region and click on the Record button to get started. Within seconds, you can save the recording as a high-quality GIF without any reduction in resolution.

  • Best tool to create high-quality GIF
  • Free and open source
  • Simple to use
  • Choose your frame rate
  • Built-in Editor
  • Supports multiple media formats
  • No watermark

Download ScreenToGIF (Free)

Yes, the name is pretty generic but believe me, Free Cam is one of the most simple screen recording software for Windows 10. It’s free, does not feature any kind of ads, has a lightweight profile, and works superbly well. The UI is particularly clean which makes things even better for general users. You can select a window, full screen, a partial region and start recording the screen with audio support.

Pros

Download Free Cam (Free, Premium version starts at $227 per year)

Screencast-O-Matic is a new screen recorder that has gotten quite popular for its feature set. It offers screen and partial window recording and screen + webcam recording along with the audio as well. You can also trim the video with its basic editor, and change the file format from the Settings page. Overall, it’s a simple screen recorder that does the job well.

That said, Screencast-O-Matic requires you to sign up for a free account. In addition, the free version only lets you record the screen for 15 minutes. If you want no restrictions then you can opt for the Deluxe plan that starts with $1.65 per month. I think, its free version will suffice many users’ needs. So if you are looking for a screen recording app on Windows 10 that supports webcam, sound effects, drawing, captions, etc. then Screencast-O-Matic is a good choice.

Download Screencast-O-Matic (Free, Paid plan starts at $1.65 per month)

Bandicam is one of the most popular screen recorders for Windows PC that has a slew of features yet it’s pretty easy to use. The software has great ability to record screen at high bitrates and frames. In fact, it doubles up as a great screen recording software for games as well. You can record videos at customizable frame rates and 4K Ultra HD resolution too.

Cons:

Download Bandicam (Free, $39.95 for 1 license)

7. TinyTake

TinyTake is to screen recording what MS-Paint is to drawing. The way MS-Paint lets you perform basic image editing tasks like cropping and adding a splash of color, TinyTake will let you record short videos and capture screenshots with the same level of ease.

In order to use the software’s video editing tools and enable direct YouTube upload, you have to shell out $29.95/year, which also brings facilities like increased video recording limit, more cloud storage, etc.

Download TinyTake (Free version, Premium version starts at $29.95/year) 

Active Presenter is a screen recording software tailormade for folks who want to create content like software tutorials, video demonstrations, and training videos to name a few. Aside from that, Active Presenter is quite easy to use with an easily navigable UI and a host of tools to edit the captured screenshots and videos.

Download Active Presenter (Free version, Premium version starts at $199) 

One of the most popular screen recorder software out there, Camtasia lives up to its name with a huge set of editing tools neatly arranged in an interface that makes it relatively easy to find and use. Annotations, transitions, animations, you name it, Camtasia has it.

The software has virtually every tool in the book (custom dimension, caption effects, cursor effects, timeline quizzes, etc.)  to help you make that perfect video which can be shared on platforms like Vimeo and YouTube.

Download Camtasia (Free trial for 30 days, Full version at $249.99)

The Movavi Screen Capture Studio is a relatively lesser-known screen recording software for Windows. But don’t let its obscurity in the domain mislead you, as the Movavi offering is packed with all the core screen recording and video editing tools. Movavi Screen Capture Studio is equipped with some of the best video editing tools that are rarely found bundled with any other software in the segment.

Text addition in various styles, stabilization, pan/zoom and frame-by-frame editing are some other options that make this software truly unique and totally worth a try.

  • Record and edit
  • Annontation
  • Zoom in/out
  • Filters and animation
  • Noise reduction

Download Movavi Screen Capture Studio (Free trial for 7 days, Premium version starts at $34.95 per year)

If you are looking for a free screen recorder for PC then you are better off with the native one that comes pre-installed on Windows 10. To record games on Windows 10, Microsoft has brought the screen recording feature as part of the Xbox Game Bar.

So, if you want to record the screen on Windows 10, just hit Windows + Alt + R and screen recording will start then and there. You will find the recorded video under User Profile -> Videos -> Captures.

Comes pre-installed on Windows 10

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Which is The Best Screen Recorder for PC?

There is no one-stop answer for everyone, but I would recommend OBS Studio to advanced users and ShareX to general users.

You can use any of the screen recording software from the above list or go through our detailed article on how to record the screen on Windows 10.

If you are using Windows 10 then press Windows + Alt + R and then enable the toggle for the microphone on the top-right corner. Now, it will start recording the screen with your audio as well. In case, you are using a third-party program then look for Audio Capture under the Settings page.