Free Desktop Video Recorder Mac

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Learn How To Record Your Desktop Screen (PC+Mac), Gameplay & Online Streams in 3 easy steps! Try our FREE Screen Recorder: first ste. ScreenRec is a free screen recorder with no watermark that lets you to capture your desktop in one click and share instantly. Get started in 60 seconds. Record computer audio. Record your voice. Record your webcam. No watermarks or time limits. Lightweight screen recorder (no lag) Cloud Recording technology. Get ScreenRec For Windows. Mac Screen Recorder Studio is a powerful screencasting software for the Mac that combines ultimate screen capture and advanced video editor into one desktop application.

The watermark is always a headache when you record the screen to:

  1. Make a demonstration video for your software.
  2. Capture gameplay highlights either for sharing or archiving.
  3. Present technical issues to a support team.
  4. Create instructional videos when teaching students in distance.
  5. Share informative hacks on YouTube and Facebook.
  6. Save live streaming videos for watching later.
  7. ...

To dig out a free screen recorder no watermark, you may have tried tons of programs recommended in most articles. But most of them either charge you money to remove watermarks or have video length limits. Since knowing that free screen recorders (no watermark) are in great demand, we've made a well-rounded test on these best screen recorders on the market, and finally found the 15 Best screen recording tools (100% free and no watermark).

TL;DR

1. What is the best screen recorder without watermark for Windows 10, 8, 7?

VideoProc Converter, XBox Game Bar (Windows 10 only), CamStudio, ShareX, ScreenRec, FonePaw.

2. What is the best free screen recorder with no water mark on Mac?

QuickTime Player, OBS (macOS 10.13 +), VideoProc Converter, Panopto Screen Recorder.

3. What is the best screen recorder no watermark no time limit no lag?

VideoProc Converter, OBS, ShareX, Apowersoft Online Screen Recorder, AceThink Free Screen Recorder Online.

4. What is the best screen recorder with a zoom-in feature?

Camtasia (paid), VideoProc Converter, Bandicam, CamStudio, Xsplit Broadcaster (paid).

1. VideoProc Converter

As one of the watermark-free screen recorders, VideoProc Converter is chosen by millions of video marketers, YouTubers, gaming bloggers, teachers, developers, and more. It features multiple screen recording modes to assist users to record webinars, video games, streaming videos, and make screencasts in any form they prefer - full screen, fixed region, or picture in picture.

Free Desktop Video Recorder Mac Download

By its level-3 hardware acceleration tech, VideoProc Converter outperforms most screen recorders and runs smoothly on all recent Windows and macOS (Big Sur included) computers. What's more, users are enabled to polish the recorded video in its editing toolkit - cutting, merging, filtering, compressing, converting, etc.

Highlighted Features

  • No watermark, no recording time limits, and no advanced skills required.
  • HD 1080P output for better sharing and archiving.
  • Produce videos in any format you like: MP4, FLV, MOV, MKV, and TS.
  • Record screen with sound from both systems and external devices.
  • Flexible recording modes: screen, webcam, screen & web, green-screen.
  • Annotation tools for engaging instructional videos: arrows,texts, and cursor highlight.
  • GPU acceleration tech to make smooth recording and timely export on Mac and Windows.

Cons:

  • No advanced frames settings.

VideoProc Converter Giveaways

Google VideoProc Converter and participate in its giveaways, and you'll have a chance to get its license to free use more features in its latest version without any limit.

How to record screen without a watermark in VideoProc Converter

Step 1.Download and install VideoProc Converter with a free screen recorder (no watermark).

Step 2. Lanuch this software, then choose Recorder in its main UI.

Step 3. Tweak screen recording settings: recording mode, recording area, output format, recording quality, and output folder.

Step 4. Hit the red button to start and end the recording. Next, preview the video and save it to your computer.

Bonus Tips: Connect your iPhone to a Mac, launch VideoProc Converter for Mac with steps above, and you can record iPhone screen on Mac without watermark nor red bar.

Free desktop recorder

2. CamStudio

Operating system: Windows 10/8/8.1/7

CamStudio is a piece of 100% free software ideal for recording Windows screen without watermark nor time limits. It is not a grand screen recording program taking much space nor validating its existence with a big UI. When it is activated, you'll just see a small window that can be hidden in the taskbar while recording. Even though born without editing tools, CamStudio goes for fences on various recording functions: autopan, annotations, picture in picture effect, personalized watermarks, timestamps, and more small but indispensable settings.

Pros:

  • Lightweight and intuitive.
  • HD results with lossless codecs - Microsoft Video 1, Intel IYUV codec, and Cinepak Codec by Radius.
  • Versatile recording tools and annotation effects: cursor highlight, timestamps, captions, etc.

Cons:

  • Not compatible with macOS.
  • No professional support team to solve users' problems since it's an open-source tool.
  • It only exports recorded videos in AVI and MP4 format and provides conversion to SWF.
  • Choppy and lagging when you push video quality to the maximum.

How to get it: https://camstudio.org/

3. OBS

Operating system: Windows 10/8/8.1, macOS 10.13+, Linux

OBS, short for Open Broadcasting Software, is a free open source program widely applied to hosting lives on YouTube and Twitch. When disconnected to streaming platforms and used offline, it functions as a game screen recorder as well. It is super powerful to hold numerous scenes (recording screens) and audio tracks, meanwhile feature smooth scene transitions and audio mixing. Obviously, OBS is a pro-level screen recorder that requires skilled users to deal with settings for video/audio bitrate, encoders, replay buffer, etc. So we recommend it to advanced users instead of beginners.

Pros:

  • Flexible and customizable recording settings.
  • It is a free screen recorder no watermark nor ads since it's open source.
  • HD 1080P @60fps outputs for recording videos.
  • Various recording formats for different goals: MP4, MKV, FLV, MOV, TS, and M3U8.

Cons:

  • Too many advanced settings for novices to learn.
  • No support team to solve your technical issues except a user forum.
  • Slow and freezing on low-end PCs, esp. when recording at a high frame rate.
  • No editing options for captured videos.

How to get it: https://obsproject.com/

4. ShareX

Operating system: Windows 10/8.1/8/7

The last one of open source screen recorders on our list is ShareX. Over a decade of diligent work, developers pack the screen recorder, screenshot capturing, file sharing, and productivity tools into one lightweight program and insist on charging users nothing. Today, we mainly talk about its screen recorder. ShareX empowers you to record either the full screen or partial area with audio, and save it as a common video file. But ShareX distinguishes itself by offering a GIF export format, which makes short clips more convenient. Moreover, ShareX lets you customize hotkeys and sets countdown to get you well-prepared so that you can work at your own pace.

Pros:

  • Upload recorded videos to YouTube, Dropbox, Google Drive, and more, instantly.
  • Capture desktop screen as videos, GIFs, and images without watermark.
  • Optional audio and video codecs for better output: H.264, BP8, Xvid, AAC, MP3, etc.
  • Performs well on all recent Windows PCs.
  • Highlight any area during the recording.

Cons:

  • Windows only.
  • No recording icon so you have to configure shortcuts before recording.
  • Cannot activate the screen recorder without installing FFmpeg.

How to get it: https://getsharex.com/

5. QuickTime Player (v10.x)

Free Desktop Video Recorder Mac

Operating system: Mac OS X Snow Leopard and later

Many folks stick to native tools to protect their computers from malicious third-part software though not all third-party tools are dangerous. Built-in screen recorders are certainly safe, free, and without any watermark. QuickTime X, shipped with macOS X 10.6 in 2009, was built with a screen recording utility to capture both HD video and audio from Mac. As a simple and handy tool, QuickTime Player presents no complicated parameters to users. However, this causes limitations in output format and editing features.

Pros:

  • Easy and novice-friendly.
  • Auto minimize itself when you record the screen.
  • Capture high-quality screencasts and videos.
  • Share the saved video to YouTube, Message, and Mail via a click.

Cons:

Free video screen capture mac
  • When record the full screen, facecam will disappear.
  • No annotation tools for further illustrations and highlights.

How to get it: https://support.apple.com/downloads/quicktime

6. Xbox Game Bar

Operating system: Windows 10 version 17763.0 or higher

Just as the name suggests, Xbox Game Bar was originally created as comprehensive widgets for capturing and sharing screens, live streaming, and chattering with game friends across Xbox consoles without exiting your game. Later, more and more users find it compatible with Windows 10 latest versions and call it the built-in screen recorder on Windows 10 because it can capture screens of other programs like Microsoft Office, common browsers, and so forth. Like other decent screen recorders, Xbox Game Bar allows users to adjust video quality, frame rate, shortcuts, etc.

Pros:

  • Watermark-free and pre-installed.
  • Easy to activate it by pressing Win + G keys.
  • Quick switches among audio sources while recording.
  • Considerate overview of CPU, GPU, and RAM usages.

Cons:

  • Unable to record the full screen.
  • Stop recording automatically when you quit applications and return to the desktop.
  • No annotation tools like captions, shapes, and arrows.

How to get it: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/xbox-game-bar/9nzkpstsnw4p?activetab=pivot:overviewtab

7. ScreenRec

Operating system: Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7

ScreenRec was designed to help people communicate with ease in marketing, e-learning, onboarding, project managing, etc. Besides recording screens without watermarks, it has integrated video sharing and analyzing features while protecting users' information. That's why we recommend it to people who are marketers and online tutors. One notable thing is its active developing team that updates this tool consistently. Lately, the webcam and webcam + screen recording modes have been added. If you want to use it for free, you need to register an account first, but it may send you loads of subscription emails then.

Pros:

  • Record HD screen videos without time limits and watermarks.
  • Record screen along with microphone audio and system audio.
  • No pressure on system and storage.
  • Customizable recoding shortcuts.

Cons:

  • MP4 is the only available video format.
  • Media Sharing currently disabled.
  • Not supported on macOS yet.

How to get it: https://screenrec.com/

8. Screencastify

Operating system: Chrome browser on Windows, Mac, Chromebook

Screen-O-Matic is one of the most successful screencast software in the market widely integrated with educational tools, Google Classroom, Microsoft Teams, Moodle LTI, and some business tools as well. After sign up/in to it online, you can make both screenshots (images) and screencasts (videos) of your PC. It has nothing special in screen capturing, basic recording modes, audio recording , and even has a time limit. What makes it worth mentioning is the paid edition with advanced editing features. So we do not recommend its free plan.

Pros:

  • Free and no watermark.
  • Drawing tools help you illustrate videos better.
  • After recording, you can trim unwanted beginning and ending part.
  • Detect mic and webcam automatically before recording.

Cons:

  • Five minutes limit per recording video.
  • Cannot record desktop screen and webcam simultaneously.
  • Only accesible when the internet is connected.

How to get it: https://www.screencastify.com/products/screen-recorder

9. Apowersoft Screen Recorder

Operating system: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android

Although the desktop version of Apowersoft screen recorder has limits on recording time, and adds watermarks to the final products. Its online screen recorder is a real free tool that won't watermark on any recordings. Users are allowed to customize the recording area freely. If you plan to record gameplay or make screencasts, it can capture the screen along with webcam and audio simultaneously. During the process of recording, you can illustrate what's going on on your screen by drawing lines, typing texts, etc. As for output formats, it has multiple options – MP4, FLV, WMV, GIF, etc.

Pros:

  • No watermark and no time limit.
  • Multiple recording modes: full screen, webcam, and customizable area.
  • Also available on iPhone and Android phones.
  • You can save and share your recorded videos via its cloud base.

Cons:

  • You cannot use it directly. It asks you to install a launcher first.
  • A red recording bar will pop up when you starting recording the screen.
  • Cannot record screen without the internet connection.

How to get it: https://www.apowersoft.com/free-online-screen-recorder

10. Panopto Screen Recorder

Operating system: Mac, Windows

Panopto is an online and free screen recorder no watermark. You can use it on browsers like Chrome, Firefox, and Edge on any computer. Different from other desktop screen recorders, it only has 3 recording modes: entire screen, certain application window, and browser tab. What makes this easy tool a must-have is the video quality. By simply ticking the option of Capture in HD, you can record the video in HD and even at 60fps (which requires hardware support). It has 15 min limits per recordings, but it is enough for most quick demonstrations.

Pros:

  • HD recording with no watermark.
  • It can record a certain screen without disturbing other programs.
  • Record screen along with system audio and mic audio.
  • You can edit the video right after recording.

Cons:

  • Can't customize the recording area freely.
  • You cannot use it without registering an account.
  • Recorded videos need to download for local saving, editing, or converting.

How to get it: https://www.panopto.com/record/

Recorder

11. TinyTake

Operating system: Mac, Windows

TinyTake is a free screen recorder no watermark for your PC and Mac. It is an easy-to-use product that anyone can use without much tech knowledge. Besides capture images and videos on the desktop screen, it can record the screen with audio from the system, a speaker, or a microphone. And webcam recording is supported as well. During the recording, you are allowed to annotate what’s going on on the screen by arrows and texts.

Pros:

  • Record the screen for free.
  • Directly share and upload the captured video to YouTube via a link.
  • Support popular file formats.

Cons:

  • Take more storage on your computer than other screen recording utilities.

How to get it: https://tinytake.com/

12. FonePaw Screen Recorder

Operating system: Windows, Mac

FonePaw Screen recorder is a simple but fully-featured recorder. It lets you record not only the screen but also the webcam and audios from both the system and microphone. It also gives you full control over settings of the recording area, recording mode, video quality, hotkeys, and mouse track. To enable you to illustrate the recording better, esp. for remote learning and working, you can draw, circle, and add text to it while recording the screen.

Pros:

  • Easy and free of charge.
  • It adds no watermark to the captured video.
  • Record both system and microphone sounds.
  • Record the screen in high quality up to 1080P.

Cons:

  • The free version can only save 3 minutes of each recording.
  • Lack of post-editing tools, like trimming, merging, cropping, etc.
  • MP4 is the only supported output format.

How to get it: https://www.fonepaw.com/screen-recorder/

13. VSDC Free Screen Recorder Software

Operating system: Windows

Just like the VSDC video editor, this screen recorder comes as freeware as well. You can use it to capture the full screen or a certain area with audio from programs and external devices, for example, a microphone or line in. And many people use it to create presentations and video tutorials because it supports drawing, mouse cursor highlighting, and adding audio effects.

Pros:

  • It is totally free of charge.
  • No watermark nor time limits.
  • It can record videos and audios using any codecs installed in your computer screen.

Cons:

  • Not available on macOS.
  • It has been officially discontinued. Users have to download it from 3rd-party websites which might put your computer at risk.

How to get it: http://www.videosoftdev.com/free-screen-recorder

14. AceThinker Free Screen Recorder Online

Operating system: Windows, Mac

AceThinker has a screen recording program for Windows and Mac, Screen Grabber, but it has watermarks in the free version. While its online version is powered by Apowersoft and performs pretty the same as Apowersoft online screen recorder. AceThinker Free Screen Recorder Online can record the screen quickly in just 3 steps and save the video in multiple formats MP4, AVI, WMV, etc.

Pros:

  • Completely free and easy to use.
  • It puts no watermarks nor time limits to recordings.
  • Flexible recording options: full careen, specific area, and capture screen with audio.
  • More compatible output formats than its peers.

Cons:

  • You have to downloader a launcher in advance to run the online screen recorder.
  • It cannot work without the internet connection.
  • You need to download the video to your computer after it finishes recording.

How to get it: https://www.acethinker.com/free-screen-recorder

15. AZ Screen Recorder

Operating system: Android, iOS

The last one is best for recording screen without watermarks on Android and iPhone. iPhone built-in screen recorder always has a red bar in the top corner which is as annoying as a watermark. Now here comes a free screen recording app without watermarks for smartphones. It can record the screen with audio on your phone and capture screenshots of gameplays, live streams, video calls, etc.

Pros:

  • High quality screen recording: 1080P @60FPS, 12Mbps
  • No recording time limits nor watermarks.
  • It is free for both iOS and Android.
  • Post-editing for recording videos.

Cons:

  • It works more smoothly on Android than iOS.

How to get it:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.hecorat.screenrecorder.free
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/az-screen-recorder-livestream/id1519912226

Conclusion

Now we have narrowed down mainstream free screen recorder no watermark into 15 tools. You should consider carefully when selecting the best one for you since each of them has both pros and cons. Is it compatible with your computer? Does it record HD videos? Does it have time limit? Will it lag or quit unexpectedly?

Honestly speaking, VideoProc Converter is the one that performs best in our screen recording test. It records the screen of all recent computers without lagging and time limit. And surprisingly, we found it has more solutions to 4K video processing – editing, converting, and downloading.

Video resolution is always making improvement. From 240p SD, to 720p HD, 1080p HD, even to the UHD 4K, people's special desire of visual feast is burning.

If you are left the option to watch the movie in 4K resolution, you are not willing to watch it in 1080p HD, if the network is smooth.

Whether you want to make a 4K video tutorial for sharing on YouTube, or wish to save a UHD streaming movie from Vimeo, you will rely on the 4K screen recorder.

What is the best 4K screen recorder for the computer?

Here is the top-10 list for Windows and Mac computer, including free and paid.

Read the review and download the 4K screen recording software to decide the best one.

Recorder

Top-10 List of 4K Screen Recorders for Windows and Mac:

AnyMP4 Screen Recorder (Windows, Mac | $11.97)

AnyMP4 Video Recorder is the best combination of 4K screen recorder and editor.

It records 4K videos from the desktop, window and even webcam with the 4K display or camera. Whether you want to record 4K gameplay or UHD movies playback on your computer, it also can do it.

Pros

  • 1. Record any 4K videos from online conferences, gameplay, etc.
  • 2. Record the specific window and webcam screen.
  • 3. Edit video while recording the computer screen.
  • 4. Customize the various settings lie output, schedule task, mouse cursor, etc.

Cons

  • 1. Free version records the video unlimitedly but only saves the maximum 5 minutes.

Bandicam (Windows | $39)

Bandicam is the 4K game recording software using the DirectX/OpenGL/Vulkan graphics technologies for Windows users.

It records anything on your computer screen, even the 3D games, and captures external video devices from a webcam, Xbox/PlayStation, smartphone, IPTV, etc. With customizable settings, you are able to create a video tutorial with editing it at the same time.

Free Screen Video Recorder Mac

Pros

  • 1. Real-time drawing.
  • 2. Set a schedule task for recording without sitting in front of the computer.
  • 3. Select any area for screen capturing.

Cons

  • 1. Difficult to remember the audio and video recording settings.
  • 2. Constant skipping problem from the final recording file from users.

Download Bandicam here.

Snagit (Windows, Mac | $49.95)

Snagit is the 4K video recording software working with various apps like Microsoft Office, Google Drive, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Dropbox, etc.

It is easy to capture images and record videos from your full-screen desktop, region, window, and scrolling screen. Built-in image editing features can create your screenshots with arrows, text, highlights and more.

Pros

  • 1. Capture 4K screen via region, window, and scrolling screen.
  • 2. Edit and annotate screenshots with few clicks.
  • 3. Share the screen recording easily with Google Drive, YouTube, etc.

Cons

  • 1. It is very expensive.
  • 2. There a couple of instances where users record a video but result to a black screen.

Download Snagit here.

ShareX （Windows | Free）

ShareX is the free 4K screen recorder for Windows 10, 8.1 and 7 without ads.

The easy screen capture software has been for over 11 years. Similar to Snagit, but it offers you more capture modes, like full-screen, active window, region, scrolling capture, auto capture, etc. Another feature of this screen capture software is capturing text, images, and edit the image files with various effects.

Pros

  • 1. Customize workflows.
  • 2. Various capture modes.
  • 3. Edit images and share easily.

Cons

  • 1. The shareable links to the images uploaded by you, have the expiration time.
  • 2. It is not suitable for game recording.

Download ShareX here.

Action! (Windows | $19.77)

Action! is the professional 4K and 8K gameplaying recording software on Windows 7, 8., 8.1 and 10.

It records streaming and real-time gameplay on Windows desktop in superb UHD quality. Various recording modes allow you to record from a gaming console, TV broadcasts, camcorders, etc., with USB/HDMI devices. Moreover, it also records music, capture screenshots, microphone narration, etc.

Pros

  • 1. Various recording modes.
  • 2. Record gameplay in HD, UHD benchmark games performances.
  • 3. Live stream game recording to Twitch.tv, YouTube, Smashcast (hitbox), Ustream, Livestream, Facebook, Aliez, and more.

Cons

  • 1. The loading time is very slow.
  • 2. The setup is tedious sometimes.

Download Action! here.

Movavi Screen Capture Studio (Windows, Mac | $64.95)

Movavi Screen Capture Studio is another one 2-in-1 4K video recorder and editor like a pro.

This software is simple to use and can meet almost all your demands to record a screen on computer like streaming audio, Skype video calls, webinars, YouTube movies, TV series, etc. Editing effects like slow motion, picture-in-picture, trim, color filter, and more are great to help your vlog.

Pros

  • 1. Capture screen in various modes.
  • 2. Fantastic video editing effects.
  • 3. Output video recording formats as MP4, MOV, AVI, and more for easy playback.

Cons

  • 1. Recording task slows down your computer process.
  • 2. Cannot upload the video recording directly to YouTube, etc.
  • 3. The price is expensive.

Download Movavi Screen Capture Studio here.

OBS （Windows, Mac, Linux | Free）

OBS, Open Broadcaster Software, is the free 4K video recording software and live streaming tool.

It creates real-time video/audio recording mixing, and creates scenes that are made up of various sources like windows capture, browse windows, webcam, images, text, etc. You could switch among the scenes seamlessly via transition effects. It also allows you to record the game screen among the multiple-screen and optimize your setup for recording.

Pros

  • 1. Broadcast your game streams to Twitch, YouTube, etc.
  • 2. Offer amazing flexibility for advanced users.
  • 3. Modular 'Dock' UI allows you to rearrange the layout exactly as you like.

Cons

  • 1. Do not support an in-game overlay recording.
  • 2. Settings are a little finicky.

Download OBS here.

Camtasia (Windows, Mac | $249.00)

Camtasia is the professional 4K video recording software and editor for professional users.

Like other screen recorders, it records your computer screen from the browser, video calls, desktop, and more. Powerfully, it provides you with various pre-made animation effects to polish your video recording. It also gives you the library of royalty-free music and sound effects to add background music for your video recording.

Pros

  • 1. Great animation effects, like text, transitions, annotations, etc.
  • 2. Its library provides you with a list of music and sound effects.
  • 3. Create quizzes to interact with your audiences.

Screen Recorder Software For Mac

Cons

  • 1. The price puts the users off.
  • 2. It is a little difficult for beginners to use.

Download Camtasia here.

QuickTime （Windows, Mac | Free）

QuickTime is the built-in 4K screen recorder for Mac users with simple recording features.

Actually, it works mostly as the media player on Mac. However, you could use its simple recording features to capture screen and movie windows on Mac. No more features mentioned here, it is just the easy and simple screen recorder for beginners.

Pros

  • 1. Very simple to record any screen on Mac.
  • 2. Share the video recording to YouTube, Facebook, Flickr, Vimeo, etc.

Cons

  • 1. Lack of customizable settings.
  • 2. The exported formats are limited to MOV.

XSplit Gamecaster (Windows | $59.95/Year)

XSplit Gamecaster is the professional 4K gameplay recording software and streaming utility.

It can detect game automatically on your computer and record the in-game overlay. After the recording, it lets you edit the video recording with its editor efficiently. Integrating with Twitch, it lets you directly chat, and receive the follower and subscriber notifications.

Pros

  • 1. Support various capture cards like Logitech, Elgato, AVerMedia, Razer and more.
  • 2. Support image and game recording overlay.
  • 3. Stream live to Twitch and chat directly via Twitch.

Cons

  • 1. Fixed Frame rates.
  • 2. Incompatibility with other add-ons.
  • 3. Slow down your computer while running it.
  • 4. Very expensive.

Download XSplit Gamecaster here: https://www.xsplit.com/gamecaster.

Conclusion

The above is the top-10 list of 4K screen recorders for Windows and Mac computer. Among the tools, they are free and paid. If you are seeking a simple 4K screen recorder without more features, one of them can be added in your list. If you are looking for the screen recorder with editing features, the paid ones should be your considerations.

Which one is your number one video recorder?

Desktop Video Recorder

Let me know by leaving your comments below.