Last updated on January 23rd, 2024 at 02:31 am
You would need video capture software if you wish to record your computer screen to create a tutorial. The same goes if you want to record a webinar, video call, or game.
There are many premium video capture software programs out there. An example is Camtasia Studio which comes with all its bells and whistles.
Most of us don’t need all the cool features. Maybe we just want to capture our computer screens and create a simple tutorial for YouTube.
For that, we don’t have to fork out cash and buy a software program. We can choose any of the best free video capture software covered here.
How Can I Record My Laptop Screen for Free?
You can use any of these free video capture programs:
- OBS Studio
- Free Cam
- CamStudio
- Online Screen Recorder
Read on to find out how they work. Check out the table of contents.
What Can You Expect from Free Video Capture Software Programs?
Among others, most of these free video capture software programs can:
- record your computer screen
- record audio from a microphone
- stream live video to YouTube
- record a video call
- record a game
- record a webinar
Why Choose a Free Video Capture Software Program?
If you going to undertake video capture once in a while, a free program should suit you fine.
Give any of these programs a try. If your needs aren’t met, feel free to purchase a premium version.
So, let’s check out the best free video capture software available at the moment.
There are many free video capture software programs. Some claim to be free even if they’re only offering a free trial version which leaves a watermark on your video.
In this selection, we focus only on free video capture software with no watermark.
OBS Studio
OBS (Open Broadcaster Software) Studio is the talk of the town, especially among gamers.
This free video capture software offers multi-platform support – Windows, Mac, and Linux.
It has so much potential that tech giants like Facebook, Twitch, and NVIDIA, among others, are sponsoring its development.
If you’re a gamer, looking to record games without any time limitation or watermark, this is your software.
The same goes if you’re thinking of streaming live video to YouTube or Twitch.
What may you not like about the software? It takes a little time for you to set it up. But then the long-term benefits of using this software far outweigh this inconvenience.
Free VHS to Digital Converter Software
OBS also works well as a free VHS to digital converter software program that works with almost any type of video capture device.
This is especially so if you have dated video capture software that doesn’t work with your computer’s latest operating system.
Full Screen Game Capture
OBS Studio is capable of capturing video directly from your graphics card. As such recording full-screen games is no problem.
Most other software allows you to capture a particular window on your screen and not a full screen.
This one reason itself should encourage you to switch to OBS Studio.
Check out this quick video guide to get an idea of how OBS Studio works.
Check out OBS Studio.
Free Cam
If you want to do just basic video capture and don’t mind exporting the file in the WMV format, take a look at Free Cam.
This free video capture software doesn’t leave a watermark in the video that you capture and create.
It also comes with a video editor. You can rim your video and audio.
WMV is not the only export option provided. You can also export your captured video straight to YouTube.
If you’re into webcam recording, you’ll be disappointed. Free Cam doesn’t support it.
You can trim out unwanted portions of your video. You can also add audio effects.
Export quality is 720p and 760p for recording.
There’s also a tutorial page explaining in details how to undertake a screen recording.
Check out the video below to get an idea of how Free Cam works.
Check out Free Cam screen video capture software which is a free download for Windows.
CamStudio
This is a free video capture software program for Windows which outputs to the AVI file format.
You can record your computer screen with your audio commentary. If you don’t like your voice, you can add video captions with CamStudio.
There’s also a choice of custom cursors.
Worried about your captured video file size? CamStudio provides its own lossless codec (optional download). It cuts down output file size while maintaining picture quality.
On the downside, there’s no email or phone support for this free video capture software. Understandable for a free software program.
There is an FAQ section and a forum should you run into problems while using CamStudio.
To get an idea of how CamStudio works, watch the video below.
Check out CamStudio.
Free Online Video Capture Software
If installing software isn’t your cup of tea, then you can opt for a free online video capture program.
Apart from not having to install software, you can use the service anywhere there’s an Internet connection.
Online Screen Recorder
You don’t have to register to use this online screen recorder. When you’re at the home page, just click on the red Get Started button.
You’ll be brought to a page which gives you three options – record your screen with microphone on, with browser audio or with no audio at all.
Once you’ve chosen your option, hit the Share your Screen button. Don’t worry Share means you’re not sharing your screen with anybody or with the service. It means you’re getting started with the recording.
On clicking the Share your screen button you’re presented with 3 options – record your entire screen, an application window or Chrome tab.
Proceed to hit share and capture the activity on your screen.
On hitting the stop recording button, you can download your recording.
On hitting Your Video is Ready button your video is downloaded in the WebM format.
You can use your Chrome browser to open the WebM file by hitting CTRL +O.
One downside of this software is it doesn’t give you a countdown timer. Recording starts immediately before you can move to the space you want to record. It also records the service’s screen when you start and when you end the recording.
You would have to edit out these two parts if you don’t people to know how you recorded your screen.
Now that you have an idea of how the above free video capture software programs work, choose one that suits your needs and get down to work.
