Do I need an NVIDIA graphics card to use Auto Screen Shooter RECORD?

No. NVIDIA's own recorder in the NVIDIA App (ShadowPlay) runs on the GPU's NVENC encoder and needs a supported GeForce card, so it is unavailable on AMD cards, Intel graphics, and every Mac. RECORD has no such requirement: it runs on any Windows 10+ PC and any Apple silicon Mac running macOS 12 or later, whatever graphics hardware is inside.

Can it record computer sound and my microphone at the same time?

Yes, on both Windows and macOS, and you can choose how the two are balanced: auto-level steps the computer sound back only while you are speaking, mic priority keeps it low throughout, and equal level leaves both at their natural volume.

Does my recording get uploaded anywhere?

No. RECORD writes the finished file straight to a folder on your machine. There is no account to create, no upload step, and no cloud library. Webcam background blur and the bundled scenes are processed on your own device as well.

Is OBS Studio not just better, since it is free?

For live streaming and complex multi-source scenes, OBS Studio is the stronger tool, it is free and open source, and its plugin ecosystem can close several of the gaps in this comparison. RECORD is aimed at someone who wants to press one key and get a finished MP4, with trimming, conversion and upscaling in the same window, without building a scene first.

Why will the Windows Game Bar not record my desktop?

Xbox Game Bar is built around capturing a single app or game. By design it will not record the Windows desktop itself, File Explorer or the Start menu, which is why tutorials involving file management or system settings cannot be made with it. RECORD captures the full screen, a region, a window or the webcam without those restrictions.

Screen recorder comparison · August 2026

The Screen Recorder That Doesn’t Care What Graphics Card You Have

Q: How long can I record on the free version?

The free tier of RECORD caps a single recording at 10 minutes. A one-time licence removes the cap and unlocks 60 fps, Ultra quality, the webcam overlay, GIF export and the library tools. There is no subscription.

NVIDIA’s recorder is excellent — and free — if you own a GeForce card. Loom is free until the fifth minute. Game Bar refuses to record your own desktop. Auto Screen Shooter — RECORD runs on any Windows 10+ PC and any Apple silicon Mac, records computer sound and your voice together, and writes the file straight to your machine. Here is the whole picture, including where the others win.

Download free — Windows & macOS Jump to the comparison

Side-by-side

RECORD vs OBS Studio, NVIDIA ShadowPlay, Loom & the built-in recorders

Twenty capabilities that decide which recorder you should actually open. Scroll the table sideways on a phone.

Capability	OBS Studio	NVIDIA ShadowPlay	Loom (free)	Built-in Game Bar / macOS	RECORD (A·S·S)
Runs on any PC or Mac — no specific GPU	Any hardware	✕ Needs a GeForce GPU	Browser-based	Windows or Mac only	Any Windows 10+ PC, any Apple silicon Mac
Works on AMD / Intel graphics	Yes	✕ NVENC is NVIDIA-only	Yes	Yes	Yes — encoder is not GPU-locked
*Windows and* macOS** from one app	Both	✕ Windows only	Both, via browser/app	✕ Each OS has its own separate tool	Both — same app, same features
Records the desktop, File Explorer, Start menu	Yes	Game/app focused	Yes	✕ Game Bar refuses desktop & Explorer	Yes — full screen, region or window
Setup before your first recording	Scenes & sources to configure	Driver + NVIDIA App	Account + extension	Already installed	Install, press one key
System sound + microphone together	Yes (may need setup)	Yes	Yes	Windows yes; macOS needs extra software	Yes on both — Windows and macOS
Sound balance control (duck computer audio while you talk)	Possible via filters	✕ Not offered	✕ Not offered	✕ Not offered	Auto-level, mic priority or equal level
Webcam overlay — circle, oval or rectangle, dragged anywhere	Manual scene layout	✕ Camera overlay only	Fixed bubble	✕ Not offered	Three shapes, drag anywhere, size slider
Webcam background blur & scenes, processed on-device	Plugin required	✕ Not offered	Paid plans; presets only	✕ Not offered	Blur + 24 bundled scenes, on your machine
Instant replay — save the last moments after they happen	Replay buffer	Its signature feature	✕ Not offered	Game Bar: last 30s–2min	Game Mode — 30s, 1min or 2min buffer
Recording length on the free tier	Unlimited	Unlimited	✕ 5 minutes, 25 videos total	Limited by disk	10 minutes free — licence removes the cap
Frame rate & quality ceiling	Whatever your PC allows	Up to 4K, high fps on newer cards	✕ 720p on the free plan	Modest, fixed	Up to 4K native, 60 fps, 16 Mbps Ultra
File saved straight to your computer	Local file	Local file	✕ Free plan cannot download the MP4	Local file	Local file — no upload, ever
Account required	None	NVIDIA account prompted	✕ Account required	Microsoft/Apple account	None — no sign-up, no email
Trim & convert without another app	✕ Use a separate editor	✕ Use a separate editor	Basic trim online	✕ Not offered	Trim, MP4 ⇄ WebM, GIF export built in
Upscale a finished recording to 4K	✕ Not offered	✕ Not offered	✕ Not offered	✕ Not offered	1080p / 1440p / 2160p with progress + ETA
Still screenshots in the same app	✕ Recording only	Screenshot hotkey	Limited	Snipping Tool / ⌘⇧4 separately	PNG or JPG, global hotkey
Global hotkeys that work while minimised	Yes	Yes	Extension-dependent	Yes	Record, pause, stop, replay, screenshot
Interface languages	Many (community)	Follows driver locale	English-led	OS languages	19 languages, fully translated
Price model	Free, open source	Free with the hardware	✕ Subscription for real use	Free with the OS	Free tier, then a one-time licence — no subscription

Competitor details were compiled from each vendor’s published documentation in August 2026 and summarised in good faith; features and plans change, so verify anything you intend to rely on. OBS Studio is free software with a large plugin ecosystem — several of the gaps above can be closed by installing and configuring plugins. NVIDIA’s recorder is bundled free with GeForce hardware and uses the NVENC encoder built into those GPUs, which is why it is unavailable on AMD and Intel graphics and on Macs. Loom’s camera-bubble backgrounds are a paid-plan feature and, as documented in August 2026, are preset-only. RECORD’s own free tier caps recordings at 10 minutes; a licence removes the cap and unlocks 60 fps, Ultra quality, the webcam overlay, GIF export and the library tools.

The short version

Five Reasons People Switch

No hardware lottery

NVIDIA’s ShadowPlay is genuinely good and costs nothing — provided you bought the right graphics card. It runs on NVENC, the encoder built into GeForce GPUs, so an AMD card, Intel integrated graphics or any Mac leaves you with nothing. RECORD asks no such question.

Your desktop is not off-limits

Xbox Game Bar is built for games and, by design, will not record the Windows desktop, File Explorer or the Start menu — which rules out most software tutorials. RECORD captures the full screen, a chosen region, one window or just the webcam.

Computer sound and your voice

Recording what the machine plays alongside your narration is the whole job for a tutorial, and on macOS it has historically meant installing an audio driver. RECORD does both natively on Windows and macOS, and lets you pick how they are balanced.

Nothing is uploaded

No account, no cloud library, no five-minute cut-off. The finished MP4 lands in a folder you chose. Even the webcam background blur and scenes are processed on your own device.

Finish the video in the same window

Trim the dead air, convert to WebM or GIF, upscale to 4K with a real progress bar — without exporting into a separate editor first.

Being straight with you

When One of the Others Is the Better Choice

Choose OBS Studio if you stream

For live streaming to Twitch or YouTube, layered scenes, multiple cameras or capture cards, OBS is the stronger and more flexible tool — and it is free and open source. Its plugin ecosystem can close several gaps in the table above. RECORD does not stream at all.

Choose ShadowPlay for pure gameplay on a GeForce PC

If you already own a supported NVIDIA card and only want gameplay footage, its hardware encoder is very light on frame rate and the instant replay is excellent. It costs nothing on top of the card you already bought.

Choose Loom for share-a-link workflows

If the point is pasting a link into a colleague’s inbox seconds after recording, with viewer analytics and comments attached, that is Loom’s core strength and RECORD does not compete with it. Check the current free-plan limits first.

Use the built-in tools for a quick clip

For a ten-second clip of a single app that you are about to delete anyway, the recorder already on your machine is the fastest route. Nothing to install.

Record on Any PC or Mac

Free to download. No account, no upload, no subscription. A one-time licence when the workflow sticks.

Download RECORD free