12+ Best Free Screen Capture Software in 2024

Key features:

• Show keystrokes and mouse movement in video guides and instructions

• Record videos in HD and 4K

• Highlight important elements in screenshots and videos by adding text, arrows, or frames in real time
• Supports a wide array of formats including PNG, BMP, JPG

Movavi Screen Recorder provides you with a simple desktop capture tool that can also grab audio and video from a webcam and external microphone. You can create screencasts that also show your keystrokes and mouse, and you can easily annotate your videos to make them more clear and more engaging.

This screen capture program also has the capacity to capture just audio or to take videos or photos via webcam if needed without the screen.

Key features:

• Works with Windows XP3, 7, 8, and 10

• Includes Facecam and Voice Synthesis features

• Instant slideshow maker saves time

• Some annotation features

This totally free software is made for a PC, so it is only compatible with the Windows operating system.

It’s quick and easy to use and has some very good features for beginners, meaning that if you want to make a quick slideshow or video for YouTube then this could be one of the best free screen capture software Windows 10 can run, with no need to buy a license after a trial (this is a freeware download).

Download Ezvid

Key features:

• Modular 'Dock' UI to arrange however you wish

• Detailed video and audio mixer with plugin support

• Free and open source

OBS Studio is one of the best screen capture software for free if you are looking to broadcast live, and it works with popular streaming platforms like YouTube and Twitch.

OBS Studio also allows you to switch between a number of different picture and audio sources, and while it doesn’t function like a traditional desktop capture tool, it can take video from your desktop and save it to your computer as well as broadcast it.

Download OBS Studio

Key features:

• Works on Windows, Mac, iPhone, iPad, Android, and Chromebook

• Easily add captions

• Uses multiple audio and video sources and capable of picture-in-picture

Screencast-o-Matic has a free plan, and while it is one of the best screen capturing software options, it is not freeware. Instead, if you want to get the most out of the tool you need to pay for an upgraded plan.

The company’s free screen capture software is more limited in its features, but still gives you a simple and easy way to start making and editing videos using both what is on your screen and other sources such as a webcam. There are also some simple editing functions included and stock footage within some of their membership plans. If you find that you get on well with the free option, you can always pay for an upgraded plan.

Download Screencast-o-Matic

Key features:

• Easy sharing

• Works with Windows 11, 10, 8.1 and 7

• Technically-minded people can edit the source code, available on GitHub

• Customize workflow

ShareX is simple and lightweight software for your Windows device. With this app, you can record your desktop or webcam and share it with other users.

ShareX is free screen capture software for Windows 10. It’s totally free for Windows users and gives loads of different options to quickly share the video, in a similar way to Loom or other online video sharing platforms.

The editing functions are a little bit limited which can be frustrating, but there are still some good functions to help you liven up your videos, such as capturing from a custom region on the screen, adding custom watermarks, and adding some simple text to the video.

Download ShareX

Key features:

• Includes some basic image editing such as crop and rotate

• Compatible with Windows 11, 10, 8, 7, XP SP3

• Capture still images or MP4 containing sound

This free screen capture software doesn't have a lot of advanced features and functions, but the flip side of this is that it is really easy to get to grips with. It’s best for capturing still images on PC, but it does also allow you to do some basic video capture including audio.

The software is lightweight, as the program is only around 33 MB to download and run on your Windows device. Videos are saved as MP4 files and with still images, you can choose between BMP, JPEG, GIF, TGA, or PNG formats. You can also print them straight from the toolbar.

This program functions as a small and efficient toolbar which can sit at the top of your desktop ready for you to start recording or make a really quick capture.

Download Free Screen Video Recorder

Key features:

• Capture videos from desktop and webcam up to 120 minutes

• Easy annotation for all team members

• Video annotations are saved locally

• Share and backup files up to 2 GB

TinyTake has been designed for annotation and collaboration. This is perhaps one of the best options for those who want to simply share ideas in a visual way on Windows devices.

The image capture software allows you to record your screen before annotating images and video yourself by importing images, highlighting, adding text comments, and more. You can even blur parts of your screenshots for hiding content or blur faces if required.

It’s a good way to share instructions among a team or give feedback on video and other visual projects. For personal use, it is free, but for commercial use, there are paid plans for this capture software.

Download TinyTake

Key features:

• Choose to record the entire screen or part of it

• Shows a preview and statistics during recording (file size, bit rate, total recording time, frame rate)

• Intelligent synchronizing for video and audio

• Easy to save presets for recording settings

This program was made by one individual, Maarten Baert, who set out to create free screen capture software for Linux due to the options out there being less-than-satisfactory. It’s totally free and distributed under the terms of the GNU General Public License.

SimpleScreenRecorder is a free download and though the layout has a lot of text and drop-down options rather than visual controls, it doesn’t take too long to get used to the controls.

It gives you the option to capture all of a window or desktop on your computer and has some cool features to keep the software lightweight in its operation. For instance, if your computer is slowing, it will drop the frame rate of the recording rather than using too much RAM.

Download SimpleScreenRecorder

Key features:

• Easily capture the whole screen or a section of the screen

• Simple annotation

• Integrates well with cloud backup

• Some simple editing functions including speeding and slowing

• Schedule recordings for a later time

Icecream Screen Recorder is a clever and lightweight piece of software that allows you to record a part of your screen or the whole screen, and easily share and backup on Dropbox, Drive, YouTube, Skype, and more.

There are a variety of recording settings you can choose between and this even lets you get rid of desktop icons or disable your screensaver while you’re recording so that you don’t ruin your video.

Once recorded, there are some simple editing effects including cutting the video, speeding up and slowing down recordings, and displaying your mouse clicks and hotkeys.

Download Icecream Screen Recorder

Key features:

• File types including AVI, WMV, FLV, MPG, MP4, and MOV supported

• Capture from multiple inputs including webcams

• Simple effects and color correction

• Green screen functionality, change your background image

Debut Video Capture has many of the same features as other screen capture software free to download today.

This tool allows for simple capture of stills and video from either a part of the screen or the whole screen and also has a good webcam overlay feature so you can record video and audio from multiple sources. You can also use other network devices. For example, you could input a VHS recorder with the right connections.

It also allows you to record in a variety of different video formats and quickly and easily add effects including easy color correction and simple annotation. You can then upload the video in a variety of different places including YouTube, with ease.

Download Debut Video Capture

Key features:

• Simple audio editing with a visual cursor

• Includes effects and background noise removal

• Easy to share videos to YouTube or save as WMV files

Free Cam is a great piece of free screen capture software that allows you to easily add and edit audio, and make some simple edits at the click of a button, including removing unwanted sections and getting rid of background noise.

Free Cam can allow you to capture and cast your screen for free, with mouse highlighting and other simple annotation options in real-time.

Download Free Cam

Key features:

• Capture your whole screen or a part of your screen

• Totally secure online capture via a private site

• Add audio sources and webcam video

This is a really simple and effective way to capture your screen online with no need to download any additional software or take up extra space on your computer or device.

Screencapture.com lets you capture from multiple sources including your webcam and multiple audio sources. Record directly on Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Opera browsers. This is a totally private and secure way to capture your screen.

Key features:

• Download in AVI, MOV, WMV, FLV, MP4 formats

• Simple browser capture with the download of a launcher program

• Resize and schedule video recordings

AceThinker gives you the option to record and download videos from online sources in a variety of different formats. The online screen recorder can function easily within your browser, but it does require you to download a simple piece of software first.

It is really easy to set the parameters for download and choose which part of the screen you want to record and schedule a time for the recording to start.

Go to the AceThinker website

Key features:

• Exports to MP4, WMV, AVI, FLV, MPEG, VOB, ASF, and GIF

• Captures long videos without restrictions

• Save to device or upload to cloud storage

This free online screen recorder video is quick and simple to use, but it also gives you the option to download long videos without worrying about tiny limits on file size and timing.

Apowersoft is another online screen capture app that needs you to download a launcher, but it still does the recording within the browser itself.

It’s a free option for capturing video from a variety of sources including your browser window, games, and even from your webcam.

You can also make screencast videos and edit and annotate them in real time. This includes annotating with lines, text, highlights, and more within the video itself, before you upload or send it on. This is great for teaching or demonstration.

Go to the Apowersoft website

Key features:

• Record from multiple inputs including internal audio, screen, camera, and mic

• Notifications on the video and the option to share and control who sees it

• Totally secure

• Edit the video using the Loom web application

Loom works as an app as well as a browser extension, and it is fantastic for those who want to create screen captures for free and share them within their organization or as another communication tool. It lets you annotate short videos, and share them all within Loom’s secure platform.

Loom is used by over 14 million different organizations around the world, and this means that it has become commonplace. This means it is often convenient to share videos with people and leave comments, as so many people already have the app.

Loom lets you record from a variety of sources in your browser and instantly share via cloud, you also get notified if someone reacts or comments so it is great for collaborative work.

Get Loom

Key features:

• Simple settings with no need for technical knowledge

• No launchers needed other than the chrome extension

• No limits on screen capture volume and length

• No need to register

Movavi Screen Recorder for Chrome extension makes it simple to grab video directly from a webpage, from your desktop, or from any program that is running on your computer. Like Loom, you can also embed your webcam image so that you can talk people through what is on screen.

There are options for a variety of inputs, both for video and audio and the controls are simple and intuitive.

Get Movavi Screen Recorder for Chrome

Key features:

• Easy to share via Screencastify and ask questions and see who has viewed the video

• Share via Google Drive

• Export to your device as MP4, GIF, or MP3

Screencastify makes it really easy to edit the videos within your browser as well as capture them. In real time, you can annotate the videos using mouse effects, a pen tool, and even some stickers.

You can choose from a variety of different videos and audio sources to make your video, and narrate what is on screen using your mic. There is a watermark on videos by default, but this is not unusual for browser-based capture.

The editing is simple, and you can merge videos, trim, and even add effects like zoom and blur. Easy sharing and simple analytics are also incorporated.

Get Screencastify