How to record your screen on Windows 11
Three ways to record the screen on Windows 11: the Snipping Tool, Xbox Game Bar, and a dedicated recorder. What each one can and cannot do, with the shortcuts.
Updated · 3 minute read · By the Sceed team
Windows 11 has two recorders built in. The Snipping Tool records an area you drag (press Win + Shift + R), and Xbox Game Bar records one app window (press Win + Alt + R). Both give you a raw MP4. For a video that is ready to share, with zooms, a smooth cursor and a frame, use a recorder with an editor such as Sceed.
The three ways, side by side
| Snipping Tool | Xbox Game Bar | Sceed | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shortcut | Win + Shift + R | Win + Alt + R | Ctrl + Alt + R |
| Captures | An area you drag | One app window | A window, an area or a whole monitor |
| Desktop and File Explorer | Yes | No | Yes |
| Microphone and system sound | Yes | Yes | Yes, as separate tracks |
| Webcam | No | No | Yes, as its own layer |
| Editing | Very little | None | A full editor |
| Cost | Free, built in | Free, built in | Free plan; Pro for everything |
Method 1: the Snipping Tool
The Snipping Tool in Windows 11 records video as well as taking screenshots. It is the quickest way to capture a short clip of part of the screen.
- 1
Press Win + Shift + R, or open the Snipping Tool and choose the camera icon for Record.
- 2
Drag a rectangle round the part of the screen you want.
- 3
Switch the microphone and system sound on or off in the bar at the top.
- 4
Press Start. A short countdown runs.
- 5
Press Stop when you are done. The clip opens in the Snipping Tool, where you can save it as an MP4.
It suits a quick clip for a colleague. It does not record a webcam, and what you get is the raw capture: the cursor as it moved, no zoom, no frame.
Method 2: Xbox Game Bar
Game Bar is made for games but records any single app. It is on Windows 10 as well as Windows 11.
- 1
Click the app you want to record so it has focus.
- 2
Press Win + Alt + R to start. A small timer appears.
- 3
Press Win + Alt + R again to stop.
- 4
Find the MP4 in the Captures folder inside your Videos folder.
Game Bar records one app at a time. It cannot record the desktop or File Explorer, and it stops if you switch to another app. That rules it out for anything that moves between windows.
Method 3: a recorder with an editor
The built-in tools give you a raw recording. If the video is for customers, a launch, a course or a team that needs to follow along, the work starts after you press Stop: trimming, zooming in on the small things, hiding a shaky cursor, covering private details.
Sceed is a screen recorder and editor for Windows 10 and 11 that does that part in the same app. It records without the pointer and draws its own afterwards, so the cursor can be smoothed or restyled. The take opens already in a frame on a background. You add zooms as blocks on a timeline and export up to 4K.
Which one should you use?
A ten-second clip for a chat message: the Snipping Tool.
A game or one app, with nothing else on screen: Game Bar.
A tutorial, a product demo or anything a customer will watch: a recorder with an editor.
Live streaming: OBS Studio, which is free and built for it. See Sceed vs OBS Studio.
With Sceed, step by step
- 1
Open the recorder
Start Sceed. The floating recorder appears on top of your other windows. Press Ctrl + Alt + R from anywhere to start without touching it.
- 2
Choose what to capture
Pick Screen for a whole monitor, Window to choose an open window from live thumbnails, or Area to drag a rectangle.
- 3
Switch on sound and camera
Turn the microphone, system audio and webcam on or off. The mic meter shows your level before you start.
- 4
Record
Press Record. A countdown runs, then the recorder shrinks to a small pill with Pause and Stop.
- 5
Finish and export
Press Stop. The take opens in the editor in a frame, on a background, with a smoothed cursor. Add zooms where they help, then export an MP4.
New to Sceed? Install to export in five steps.
Questions
What is the shortcut to record the screen on Windows 11?
Win + Shift + R opens the Snipping Tool’s recorder for an area of the screen. Win + Alt + R starts and stops an Xbox Game Bar recording of the app in focus.
Where do Windows 11 screen recordings go?
Game Bar saves to the Captures folder inside Videos. The Snipping Tool opens the clip so you can save it, and keeps recordings in the Screen Recordings folder inside Videos. Sceed saves to the Sceed folder inside Videos unless you choose another folder.
Can Windows 11 record the screen with sound?
Yes. Both built-in recorders can include the microphone and the computer’s own sound. Sceed records each as a separate track, so they can be levelled or muted afterwards.
Why will Game Bar not record my desktop?
Game Bar only records a single app window. It does not record the desktop or File Explorer. Use the Snipping Tool or a dedicated recorder for those.
Keep reading
More guides on recording
- How to record your screen on Windows 10How to record the screen on Windows 10 with Xbox Game Bar, what it cannot capture, and what to use when you need the desktop, an area or an edited video.
- How to record your screen with audio on WindowsRecord the screen with your voice, the computer’s own sound, or both, on Windows 10 and 11. How to check the microphone first and fix a silent recording.
- How to record your screen and webcam at the same time on WindowsRecord the screen and your camera together on Windows, then choose where your face goes: a bubble in the corner, side by side, or full screen.