How to Screen Record on Windows 11: Snipping Tool, Game Bar and Clipchamp

To screen record on Windows 11, press Windows+Shift+R, drag over the area you want, select Start, and select Stop when you are done. That uses the built-in Snipping Tool and saves an MP4 by default in the Screen Recordings folder inside Videos. For an app with audio, Xbox Game Bar (Windows+Alt+R) is the other built-in option, and Clipchamp records the screen and your camera together.

This guide covers all three tools with the keyboard shortcuts and menu paths Microsoft publishes, where the files go, how audio works in each, and fixes for the common problems. It was checked against Microsoft support pages on 2026-10-31.

Who this is for and what you will have at the end

This is for anyone who wants to record a tutorial, a bug, a meeting window or a short demo on a Windows 11 PC without installing extra software. At the end you will know which of the three tools to use for your situation, how to start and stop a recording, where the file ends up, and how to get sound into it.

Which tool should you use?

Microsoft's Steps Recorder deprecation page recommends the first two as replacements for the older Steps Recorder. It describes Snipping Tool as providing a screen recording feature that ships with Windows, and Xbox Game Bar as also providing screen recording, opened with the Windows key plus G.

Option 1: Snipping Tool

Record a region

Microsoft's steps for a video snip are:

1. Open Snipping Tool, select the Record button, then select New. You can also press Windows+Shift+R.
2. Select the area of the screen you want to record, then select Start.
3. When you are done, select Stop.
4. Save the recording as it is, or select Edit in Clipchamp to open it in the Clipchamp video editor.

Microsoft's keyboard-shortcut list says that Windows+Shift+R selects a region of the screen to record, that the recording opens in Snipping Tool, and that it is saved by default as an MP4 in the Screen Recordings folder inside Videos.

If you only need a still image, Windows+Shift+S selects a region and copies a screenshot to the clipboard, and you can open Snipping Tool to share or annotate it.

About audio in Snipping Tool

Microsoft's Snipping Tool page does not describe audio source options, pause, or length limits, so this guide does not either. Before you record something you cannot repeat, make a 10-second test clip, play it back, and check that the sound is there. If it is silent, record with Game Bar or Clipchamp instead, where Microsoft documents how to capture audio.

Edit in Clipchamp

After a recording, Microsoft's page shows two optional edits in Clipchamp. On the Captions tab, select Transcribe media, choose your language and filter options, and generate captions. On the Audio tab, adjust the volume from 0 to 200 percent, or select Detach audio to save the audio separately.

Option 2: Xbox Game Bar

Game Bar is built for recording games and apps, and it is the better choice when you want system audio and a microphone toggle.

Turn Game Bar on

Open Settings, search for Xbox Game Bar, and switch Enable Xbox Game Bar on. Microsoft's accessibility guide describes reaching this by pressing Windows+I, typing "xbox," and turning on the Enable Xbox Game Bar setting.

Set up system audio

1. Press Windows+G to open the Game Bar controls.
2. Open Game Bar Settings and go to Capturing.
3. Select the option that records system audio, if it is not already selected.
4. Close the controls with Windows+G.

The exact labels vary by Windows version, so use the Capturing section in Game Bar's settings and read the labels on screen.

Record

1. Open the app or game you want to record.
2. Press Windows+Alt+R to start recording.
3. Press Windows+Alt+M to turn the microphone on or off during recording. Press Windows+G to show the Game Bar controls.
4. Press Windows+Alt+R again to stop.

Where the files go

Microsoft says recordings are in Videos, in a folder named Captures. Files are MP4, and each file name includes the game or app name plus the date and time. A screenshot taken with Windows+Alt+Print Screen is saved as a PNG in the same folder.

Game Bar limits to know

Game Bar is aimed at games and apps, and Microsoft's pages do not say it records the desktop. If it will not record the desktop or File Explorer, use Snipping Tool instead, which records any region you select. If the shortcuts do nothing, Microsoft has a separate troubleshooting article for Game Bar, covering shortcuts that do not work and audio devices that do not function.

Option 3: Clipchamp

Clipchamp is Microsoft's video editor, and it can also record the screen, the camera, or both. It is the right choice if you want a webcam bubble in the corner or you plan to edit afterward. Microsoft's steps differ slightly by account type.

Personal accounts

1. Go to the record & create tab on the toolbar and click screen or screen & camera.
2. If prompted, allow Clipchamp to use your camera and microphone.
3. Select your microphone, then click the red button.
4. Choose a browser tab, window or entire screen. To record audio from the screen, choose a browser tab, turn on the audio sharing toggle, and click share.
5. When you are done, click stop sharing. Preview the recording, then choose retake recording or save and edit.
6. To export, select the export button in the top right to save an MP4.

Work or school accounts

1. Go to the record & create tab and choose screen and camera, webcam or screen. Choosing screen keeps your webcam off.
2. Allow camera and microphone access when prompted.
3. Select a screen, window or browser tab, decide whether to include system audio, and click share.
4. Stop with the stop sharing button, then choose save and edit, and export to save an MP4.

Clipchamp audio and limits

• The microphone records by default, and you can turn it off.
• On personal accounts, audio is recorded only when you record a browser tab. On work accounts, you choose whether to include system audio.
• To record a Chrome tab, open Clipchamp in Chrome. The Windows app can only select Edge tabs.
• The maximum recording length appears next to the elapsed time. For longer recordings, make several shorter ones and combine them in the editor.
• Each recording also downloads as a WebM file to your chosen folder or Downloads.
• A work account that records both screen and camera produces two files, which you can ungroup on the timeline.

Tips for a clean recording

• Close notification-heavy apps first, and turn on Do Not Disturb or Focus so that pop-ups do not appear in the clip.
• Do a short test and play it back, including the sound.
• Record a region rather than the full screen when you can, so viewers see only what matters and the file stays small.
• Do not record windows that show passwords, personal data or other people's information. Recordings capture everything in the selected area.
• If a recording stutters because the PC is struggling, the guide Windows 11 slow PC: fixes for startup and disk problems may help.

Troubleshooting

Checklist

• Pick the tool: Snipping Tool for a region, Game Bar for an app with audio, Clipchamp for screen plus camera.
• Start with Windows+Shift+R (Snipping Tool) or Windows+Alt+R (Game Bar).
• For sound in Game Bar, check Capturing in its settings, and use Windows+Alt+M for the microphone.
• Stop the recording, then find the MP4 in Videos.
• Play a short test clip before recording anything important.
• Close sensitive windows and notifications before you start.

References

• Microsoft Support, Use Snipping Tool to capture screenshots
• Microsoft Support, Keyboard shortcuts in Windows
• Microsoft Support, Use a screen reader to record your screen with Xbox Game Bar
• Microsoft Support, How to make a screen recording (Clipchamp)
• Microsoft Support, Steps Recorder deprecation
• Xbox Support, Troubleshoot Game Bar on Windows