How to screen record on a PC or laptop
Press Windows + Shift + R on Windows 11, Command + Shift + 5 on a Mac, Ctrl + Shift + Show windows on a Chromebook, or Shift + Ctrl + Alt + R on Ubuntu and other GNOME desktops. On Windows 10, Windows + Alt + R records one app at a time with Xbox Game Bar; to record the whole screen there, or the same way on any computer, use a browser recorder such as Rescreen.
The shortcut for each system
| System | Built-in recorder | Shortcut |
|---|---|---|
| Windows 11 | Snipping Tool | Windows + Shift + R |
| Windows 10 | Xbox Game Bar | Windows + Alt + R |
| Mac | Screenshot toolbar | Command + Shift + 5 |
| Chromebook | Screen capture | Control + Shift + Show windows |
| Linux | GNOME screen recorder | Control + Shift + Alt + R |
| In the browser | A web recorder | None: start it in the recorder |
Which computer do you have?
The shortcut depends on the operating system, not on who made the laptop: a Dell, an HP and a Lenovo all run the same Windows. If you are not sure which system yours runs, each one tells you in its settings.
- Windows
- Right-click Start, choose Settings, then System › About. Under Windows specifications, the edition line says Windows 11 or Windows 10.
- Mac
- Click the Apple menu at the top left and choose About This Mac. The window shows the macOS name and version number.
- Chromebook
- Select the time at the bottom right, then the Settings gear, then About ChromeOS. If the keyboard has a Search or Launcher key where Caps Lock usually is, it is a Chromebook.
- Linux
- On Ubuntu, Fedora and other GNOME desktops, open Settings › System › About and select System Details; it names the distribution and the GNOME version. On KDE Plasma, the same facts are in System Settings under About this System.
Pick your system
- Windows 11Snipping ToolWindows + Shift + RDrag a box over what you want, then select Start. You get an MP4, with your microphone and PC sound if you turn them on first.
- Windows 10Xbox Game BarWindows + Alt + RClick into the app first: Game Bar records that one app, not the desktop. Press the keys again to stop; the MP4 lands in Videos › Captures.
- MacScreenshot toolbarCommand + Shift + 5Pick the whole screen or a part of it, then Record. Stop from the menu bar or with Command + Control + Esc; the .mov goes to the desktop.
- ChromebookScreen captureControl + Shift + Show windowsChoose Screen record in the bar, then full screen, a window or an area. Stop with Search + Shift + X; the WebM file is in Downloads.
- LinuxGNOME screen recorderControl + Shift + Alt + ROn GNOME this starts recording the whole screen straight away; click the red indicator in the top bar to stop. KDE Plasma uses Spectacle with Meta + Alt + R.
- In the browserA web recorderNo shortcut and nothing to install: open a recorder site, then choose a tab, a window or the entire screen in the browser’s share box.
Pick your brand
Laptop makers add their own keys and labels, so finding Print Screen, and knowing when to hold Fn, differs from brand to brand. These guides cover screenshots as well as recording.
- DellPrint Screen sits on F10 on most current Dell laptops; hold Fn if pressing it alone does nothing.
- HPWhere prt sc is on HP keyboards, when it needs fn, and screen capture on an HP Chromebook.
- LenovoThinkPads put PrtSc in the bottom row next to the right Alt key; IdeaPad and Legion keep it top right.
- AcerAspire, Nitro and Predator have a PrtSc key; some share it with Ins, and Swift laptops have none at all.
Works on any computer: record in the browser
The built-in tools differ in what they record, what sound they take and where they save. A recorder that runs in the browser works the same way on every one of these computers, which helps when you switch machines, write instructions for other people, or are stuck on Windows 10, where Game Bar will not record the desktop.
Rescreen is that kind of recorder. It runs in Chrome or Edge on Windows, Mac, ChromeOS and Linux, and in Safari on a Mac; Firefox cannot share sound or a single tab, so open it in another browser instead. There is nothing to install. Pick your microphone and camera, check them first with the webcam test or microphone test if you like, then choose a tab, a window or the entire screen in the browser’s share box.
Sound depends on what you share and on the system. A shared tab can carry that tab’s sound everywhere. Sharing the entire screen can carry everything the computer plays on Windows and ChromeOS, and on a Mac with Chrome 141 or later on macOS Sonoma 14.2 or later. On Linux the browser passes on tab sound only. Your voice comes through the microphone on all of them.
When you stop, the take is already uploaded. Rescreen cuts the stumbles and long pauses, puts your camera in a round bubble over the screen, and gives you a link to send; you can put any cut back in the editor. The free plan records up to five hours per take. If you need a file instead, download it as an MP4, and shrink it with the video compressor if it is too large to email.
Built-in recorders compared
What each computer’s own recorder can and cannot do, from each maker’s help pages. The guide for each system has the details and the exceptions.
| System | Audio | Webcam | Editing | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windows 11Snipping Tool | Microphone and PC sound, from version 11.2307 | No | None; opens the file in Clipchamp | No limit stated |
| Windows 10Xbox Game Bar | The app’s sound, or all apps, plus the microphone | No | None | Two hours by default, set in Settings |
| MacScreenshot toolbar | Microphone; system sound on macOS 27 or later | No | Trim only, in QuickTime Player | No limit stated |
| ChromebookScreen capture | Microphone, device sound, or both | Yes, in a small window | None | No limit stated |
| Linux (GNOME)Screen recorder | None | No | None | No limit from GNOME 42 |
| Any computerRescreen, in the browser | Microphone, plus tab sound, or system sound where the browser offers it | Yes, in a round bubble over the screen | Cuts stumbles and long pauses for you; put any cut back | Up to five hours per take, free |
Sources, checked 25 October 2026: Snipping Tool, Xbox Game Bar, Screenshot toolbar, Screen capture, Screen recorder.
More guides
- How to screen record on Windows: Not sure whether you have Windows 10 or 11? This guide covers both, side by side.
- How to record computer audio: Record the sound the computer plays, with or without the picture.
- How to stop screen recording on a Mac: Find the stop button, and stop the Mac asking for permission again.
If it doesn't work
Windows + Shift + R does nothing
That shortcut needs Windows 11 and Snipping Tool 11.2307 (August 2023) or later. Check your Windows in Settings › System › About; on Windows 10 use Windows + Alt + R inside an app instead. On Windows 11, get updates for Snipping Tool in the Microsoft Store Library, then follow the Windows 11 steps.
Game Bar will not record the desktop or File Explorer
It is built to record one app or game: with the desktop in front, the record button stays grey and Windows says gaming features are not available. Record the full screen in a browser recorder instead, or with PowerPoint’s Screen Recording; the Windows 10 guide has both.
The recording has no sound
Each recorder has its own sound switch, and most are off at first: the microphone and PC audio buttons in Snipping Tool, Options in the Mac toolbar, the settings gear in Chromebook Screen capture. GNOME’s recorder takes no sound at all. To record what the computer plays, see how to record computer audio.
Screen recording is turned off on a school or work laptop
An administrator can block screen capture, and on a Chromebook can block websites from sharing the screen too, which stops browser recorders as well. Only they can turn it back on, so ask your teacher or IT help desk which recorder is allowed.
The Mac keeps asking to allow screen recording
macOS asks again from time to time for apps that record the screen. Click Allow for the apps you use, and check which apps have access in System Settings › Privacy & Security › Screen & System Audio Recording; the Mac stop guide explains which prompt is which.
Questions people ask
What app do you use to screen record on a PC?
On Windows 11 it is Snipping Tool, which comes with Windows and records with Windows + Shift + R. On Windows 10 it is Xbox Game Bar, which records one app at a time. For the whole screen with your camera, and a link to share, a free browser recorder such as Rescreen needs no install.
How do I screen record?
Press your system’s shortcut: Windows + Shift + R on Windows 11, Windows + Alt + R on Windows 10, Command + Shift + 5 on a Mac, or Ctrl + Shift + Show windows on a Chromebook. Choose what to record, start, and stop with the same tool; the table at the top of this page links to the full steps for each.
How do I record my desktop screen with audio in Windows 10?
Windows 10 has no built-in way to record the desktop: Game Bar records one app. Use a browser recorder, share the entire screen and turn on system audio in Chrome or Edge, or use Screen Recording in PowerPoint, which records the full screen with sound.
How can I record a YouTube video?
Play it in a browser tab and record that tab with a browser recorder, keeping tab audio on, so only the video and its sound are captured. Record only videos you made or have the owner’s permission to reuse.
How many views does a YouTube video need to make $1,000?
There is no fixed number, because YouTube pays a share of ad and other revenue rather than a rate per view. YouTube reports earnings as RPM, money per 1,000 views, which varies by country, topic and time of year: at an RPM of $3, $1,000 takes about 333,000 views. A channel also has to join the YouTube Partner Program first, which needs 1,000 subscribers and either 4,000 watch hours in a year or 10 million Shorts views in 90 days.
Can you no longer screen record YouTube?
You still can: ordinary YouTube videos record like any other tab or window. Rented or bought films and some paid channels are copy-protected, and those can come out as a black picture in any recorder.