Windows 10 can record your screen without extra software using Xbox Game Bar: open the app you want to record and press Windows key + Alt + R to start and stop. The video saves as an MP4 in Videos, Captures. Game Bar records one app window at a time, not the whole desktop or File Explorer.
Windows 10 reached end of support on October 14, 2025. Consumer Extended Security Updates (ESU) now run until October 12, 2027. The newer Snipping Tool video recorder is a Windows 11 feature, so on Windows 10 use Game Bar or a free app such as OBS Studio.
Record Your Screen With Game Bar
- Check Game Bar is on: open Settings, Gaming, Xbox Game Bar and turn it on.
- Open the app or browser window you want to record and click inside it.
- Press Windows key + G to open the Game Bar overlay.
- In the Capture widget, click the record button, or press Windows key + Alt + R.
- To include your voice, click the microphone button or press Windows key + Alt + M.
- Press Windows key + Alt + R again to stop. A notification confirms the clip was saved.
Find recordings in File Explorer under Videos, Captures, or click See my captures in the Capture widget.
Which Tool to Use
| Need | Best option |
|---|---|
| Record one app or game | Game Bar (built in) |
| Record the full desktop or several windows | OBS Studio (free) |
| Record a slide presentation | PowerPoint’s Record tab |
| Short clips on Windows 11 | Snipping Tool (Windows key + Shift + R) |
Troubleshooting
- Nothing happens when you press Windows key + G: turn Game Bar on in Settings, Gaming.
- Gaming features aren’t available for the Windows desktop: Game Bar cannot record the desktop or File Explorer. Open an app window first, or use OBS Studio.
- No sound in the recording: check Settings, Gaming, Captures, and set audio to record.
- Recording button greyed out: your graphics hardware or driver may not support it. Update the graphics driver.
Microsoft explains the shortcuts in Record your screen with Xbox Game Bar. For more recording options, see how to record your screen or audio in Windows, and to turn the overlay off later, see how to disable Game Bar.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.