[UPDATED 8/19] Whether you are recording screen videos for fun, for educational purposes, for tutorials, games, or any other purpose, you need the best screen recorder software for Windows in order to achieve that feat. When it comes to screen recording, it is imperative to choose one that offers you a wide range of features such as webcam recording, video editing options as well as the option of picture in picture recording which allows you to record yourself simultaneously with the screen and synthesizing the two, a very important tool for tutorials and streaming games.
Screen recording is an important aspect of the modern society with videos becoming the go-to materials for learning, entertainment, and fun as well as product promotion through product reviews published online.
As such, the importance of the screen recording software for Windows 10 cannot be understated since it has revolutionized the internet through creating a new way of learning and explaining concepts as they happen. Big name games are always being released and showing people how to play them on YouTube requires the use of screen recording programs. Here are some of the popular software for capturing screen videos;
TalkHelper Screen Recorder for Windows (Freeware)
TalkHelper Screen Recorder is the go-to software for screen recordings which do not have unsightly watermarks as well as if you do not want time limits on your videos. With the program, you get unlimited time for screen capturing and you also get an additional feature of webcam recording. With this, you can easily prepare a demonstration for using your app or a product easily and share on online media platforms as well. A few editing options are available for TalkHelper Screen Recorder.
Pros
- Unlimited video length
- Easy online sharing
- Lacks watermarks
Cons
- Expensive
- Takes time to set up
Camtasia Studio for Windows
Camtasia Studio for Windows can be described as the NO.1 screen recorder for professional and polished videos. It features a theming tool which allows you to create multiple themes which can be personalized for use later. As such, you can create customized screen videos for various companies as well as for personal use with various distinct themes and styles giving you value for the recordings. Customizable intros and outros also form part of the video editing features of Camtasia Studio with the additional option of adding power point or music files to the recording for online learning and product demos.
Pros
- Multimedia addition
- Customizable themes
- Keystroke recording
Cons
- Expensive
- Watermarks on trial version
Bandicam Screen Recorder
Bandicam Screen Recorder allows you to not only record screen videos but also to screen capture any region of your screen easily and save the screenshots. Furthermore, there is an effective voice synthesis option that enables you to add narration from the microphone to the recording as well as webcam video recording for educational videos or product demonstrations. Sharing to social media sites is made easy with Bandicam and you can upload to YouTube or Facebook in simple steps.
Pros
- Smooth screen recording/No Lag
- Tracks mouse clicks and movement
- Logo personalization
- Voice over narration
Cons
- Not free
- Lags with game streaming
Icecream Screen Recorder
For professional screen captures, Icecream Screen Recorder is unrivalled. It is not only easy to use but also features video editing and recording options such as the zoom option which gives you the ability to zoom in or out of your recording and the step tool that allows you to enumerate the steps in the video. Additionally, you can blur the desktop icons as well as the screen saver from showing and add a personalized watermark to your video making it ideal for product description reviews and instructional or learning material production.
Pros
- Step tool for tutorials
- Output quality selection
- Video drawing
Cons
- Expensive upgrade
- Limited game streaming capability
OBS Studio for Windows
For the streaming and high definition screen recording, OBS Studio is unrivalled and furthermore, it is a free software making it the best on the Windows 10 platform. Developed as an open source software, OBS Studio offers no length restrictions and also gives you an option of customizing your hotkeys for easier use when screen recording. It also captures screen videos in full screen mode due to its ability to directly record from the graphics card, unlike most screen recorders. Games are easy to record since it also has the ability to record at more than 60FPS
Pros
- Easy game recording
- Free
- No video length restriction
- Hotkey customization
Cons
- Set up is hard
Debut Video Capture
Debut Video Capture is a flexible screen recording software that can be set to record at particular times on schedule with the ability to record from webcams and other external cameras and audio recording as well. Length limitations on screen recorded videos are not apparent and this makes it important for long educational videos and tutorials or product use descriptions. Furthermore, its archaic design makes it more appealing and easy to use although it takes time getting used to.
Pros
- Timed recordings
- Security cam recording
- Free
Cons
- Beta version
- Lacks video editing tools
ShareX for Windows
ShareX is the free software for screen capturing and sharing online videos with support for recording either the whole screen or partial regions of the screen. Additionally, you can use freehand to draw the area of the screen you need to record and there are various annotations options for screen recordings. You can also take screen captures for saving as screenshots and uploading to multiple online sites is supported by ShareX being its best feature. There are also no watermarks as well as length limits on recordings which gives value for instructional tutorials.
Pros
- Easy sharing
- Free
- Region capturing
Cons
- No video editing tools
- No fullscreen recording for games
Apowersoft Screen Recorder
Apowersoft Screen Recorder is an in-browser software desgined for capturing screen videos since it does not take time installing nor the space that would have been required when installed. Webcam recording is supported as well as audio recording from the computer or the microphone which is perfectly synthesized giving you the best quality tutorials or product description videos. Manual screen selection is also supported which allows you to select the screen size you want to record. You can also customize hotkeys for ease of use as well.
Pros
- Browser-based
- Free
- Direct upload options
Cons
- Unsuitable for game streaming
- Few editing options
SmartPixel for Windows
Just as the name suggests, SmartPixel offers you the best video editing tools with options for trimming videos, editing parts out of the video, adding filters and transitions as well as music and pictures to the finished screen recording. These form part of the quick editing options and the feature of adding effects as well as animations in transitions and filters ensure the production of professional screen recorded videos. Sharing the videos is easy and is accomplished by only one click since it is optimized for social media sharing.
Pros
- Amazing editing features
- Social media sharing optimization
- Audio Mixer
- Noise removal
BB FlashBack Express
The beauty of BB FlashBack Express lies in its provision of a step-by-step wizard that ensures you configure your settings for the quality of the screen recording as well as the sound source and the region for recording. Moreover, webcam recording is supported and it has the option of editing screen captured videos through effects application and sound modifications prior to uploading the video online. You can also easily record webcam videos since there are few limitations to the length restrictions on the screen recordings and the ability to record audio from the microphone as well.
Pros
- Easy Set up
- Sound Synthesis
- Editing features
- No watermark
Cons
- Costly
- Lags occasionally
Ezvid for Windows
Ezvid for Windows is the screen recording software available for both Windows 7 and Windows 10. Screen capturing is easy with the icon located conspicuously on the home screen and speech synthesis gives you the additional option of narrating over your video. Computer speech synthesis through text in the video is also easy which allows you to provide an automatic narration to the screen recording. Uploading your videos to YouTube is easy since it’s a built-in functionality for Ezvid.
Pros
- Speech synthesis
- YouTube functionality built-in
- HD screen recordings
Cons
- Lags with fullscreen games
- Few editing options
TinyTake for Windows
Among the free screen recording software for windows, TinyTake is arguably one of the few that make it to the list of the best. With a length limit of 120 minutes for screen capturing, you can select a region of the screen or decide to record the whole screen as well. Video annotation is also easy with TinyTake with options for highlighting, using different shapes and more options when recording your screen video. Webcam recording is also available and sharing links to the video or uploading it is also easy using TinyTake. The watermarks present on the resulting video is the only setback to TinyTake which otherwise has amazing capabilities.
Pros
- Video annotation
- Customizable shortcuts
- Webcam capturing
Cons
- Lags with game streaming
- Watermarks
Screencast-O-Matic
Whether your screen recordings are for educational purposes or for work, Screencast-O-Matic provides you with an option of not only recording and editing screen videos but also sharing with additional cloud hosting. As such, webcam recording is also supported and a narration can be added to ensure a customized video for a specific audience. Real-time zooming, annotations and captioning is also available with Screencast-O-Matic which gives you additional editing capabilities to help create a professional video. Cloud hosting for collaborations is also available thereby reducing the time for work projects. This helps you and work colleagues edit videos and instructional material for ongoing projects at the workplace thereby reducing the time required for decision making.
Pros
- Cloud hosting
- Easy video management for collaboration
- Real-time video editing
Cons
- Expensive upgrades
- Ads in the free version
iSpring Free Cam
One of the free screen capturing programs is the iSpring Free Cam which has no time limits on the length of the video recorder as well as no watermarks on the resulting video. Moreover, you are able to easily record a sound over or a narration to the video with its ability to record audio from the microphone. To make more informative videos, the mouse cursor can be highlighted and clicks emphasized to ensure key details, as well as steps, are shown. Editing can also involve the addition of music to the background making more professional looking screen recorded videos.
Pros
- Free
- Cursor highlights and clicks recording
- Webcam recording
- Voice over narration
Cons
- Lags with games
- Very few editing options
CamStudio for Windows
This is the free desktop recorder for Windows with the ability to record picture in picture using the webcam and a voice-over narration for the production of videos with instructional material. The quality of the video is also manually selected with the option of recording either high quality or standard videos available. Furthermore, it is easy to install and use due to its simple interface. Screen captioning is also easy for the creation of amazing product reviews as well as instructional videos. It is the best tool for recording problems to show tech support as well as for demonstrations of products as well as apps to instruct viewers.
Pros
- Simple interface
- HD recordings with a manual selection available
- Picture in picture recording
Cons
- Heavy lag with game recording