3 Quick Ways to Record Gameplay on Steam: The Ultimate 2026 Guide

You often need to record game clips on Steam, and many recording tools can help. The real challenge is capturing high-quality content without hurting your gaming performance.

This guide shares 3 tested methods to screen record on Steam. Whether you want to share highlights on social media, create YouTube content, or save your best moments for later, there is a method for you.

Part 1. How to Choose a Good Steam Recorder

As mentioned, many game recording tools can help you capture your gameplay on Steam. Steam also has a built-in recorder that lets you quickly save gameplay clips. Before diving into specific tools, it helps to understand what makes a great game recorder. Here are the key factors to consider:

Performance Impact. This is arguably the most important factor for game recording. The best recorders use hardware acceleration (GPU encoding) to minimize FPS drops. They should allow you to record Steam while keeping your game running smoothly.

Ease of Use. Some game recorders require extensive setup and configuration. If you want to quickly start your recording, select an easy-to-use one. Consider your technical comfort level to select a Steam recorder.

Recording Quality. Look for support for high resolutions (1080p, 4K, or higher) and high frame rates (60fps, 120fps, or 240fps).

Webcam Support. Many gamers want to put their face over the game recording. If you want to include your face in recordings (picture-in-picture), make sure your chosen tool supports this feature.

Audio Features. If you need to capture your own voice, you should select a recorder that allows you to record system audio and microphone separately. This gives you more flexibility during editing.

Built-in Editing. Some recorders include basic trimming and editing tools. They can help you quickly remove unwanted parts and only save the necessary highlights. You don’t need separate video editing software.

Part 2. A Quick Comparison Table of 3 Ways to Record on Steam

Part 3. Learn 3 Proven Ways to Record Gameplay on Steam

After knowing what you are actually looking for, you can go to the dedicated Steam recorder based on your needs.

Way 1: How to Record on Steam via Vidmore Game Recorder

Vidmore Game Recorder is a dedicated Game Recorder used specifically for gamers who want a balance of quality, ease of use, and features. As a Steam game recorder, it supports AMD/NVIDIA hardware acceleration to minimize CPU, GPU, and RAM usage. Besides, the software allows you to capture 4K gameplay at 60FPS/120FPS without lag.

Step 1. Download and install this Steam recorder on your computer. Launch it and select the PC Game from the main interface. This game recorder can automatically detect full-screen games and adjust capture settings.

Step 2. Then, you will see a REC icon in the floating control bar. When you want to record on Steam, simply press the record button.

Step 3. Before recording on Steam, you can select and adjust the audio recording source. It allows you to capture the internal game audio and your microphone sound.

Step 4. If you prefer picture-in-picture recording, click the Toolbox icon beside the Rec icon, and you can set the webcam to achieve picture-in-picture recording.

Step 5. When you are done, hit the Stop button. An editing window will pop up here. You can make some basic edits and preview your game recording.

Step 6. After editing, hover over the file you want to save, and an Export icon will appear on the right. Click it to save the recording file.

Way 2: How to Screen Record on Steam with OBS Studio

OBS Studio is the free, open-source video streaming and recording tool. It is what most streamers and serious content creators use. Compared to other Steam recorders, even these professional-grade ones, OBS is incredibly powerful and customizable. However, the software comes with a learning curve. For gamers willing to invest time in setup, OBS offers unparalleled control.

Step 1. Download OBS Studio from the official site or install it via Steam. When you first launch OBS, go to Tools and run the Auto-Configuration Wizard. You should select “Optimize just for recording” to avoid common setup mistakes.

Step 2. Click the + button under Scenes to create a new scene. Then, in the Sources box, click + and choose Game Capture (or Window Capture if Game Capture causes black screen issues).

Step 3. Set Mode to Capture specific window. Select your Steam game from the dropdown. Go to Settings > Video to set your output resolution and frame rate. You can customize the encoder in Settings > Output.

Way 3: Record Gameplay on Steam with NVIDIA ShadowPlay

If you have an NVIDIA GeForce GTX or RTX graphics card, use the built-in recording option, ShadowPlay, to capture your gameplay on Steam. It uses the NVENC hardware encoder built into your GPU, resulting in very low FPS loss. This game recorder runs in the background, always ready to capture.

Step 1. If you have a GTX 1600 series or newer GPU, open the NVIDIA app to access the recording feature of ShadowPlay. For an older GPU, download GeForce Experience instead. Open GeForce Experience/NVIDIA App, go to Settings > General to enable In-Game Overlay. When enabled, it will appear green.

Step 2. Launch your Steam game and press Alt + Z to open the ShadowPlay overlay. Go to the Record or Video Capture tab. Configure quality settings according to your needs.

Step 3. Click the Record button in the overlay, then click Start to record your gameplay on Steam. In your Steam game, you can also press Alt + F9 to start or stop recording. When you need to quickly save the last few minutes (1-20 minutes) of gameplay, press Alt + F10.

Part 4. FAQs on How to Screen Record on Steam

Question 1. Does Steam have a built-in recording feature?

Yes. Steam has a built-in Game Recording feature that can run in the background or record on-demand. You can enable it by going to Steam > Settings > Game Recording. However, some users have reported performance issues, particularly on certain hardware configurations.

Question 2. Can I record my webcam along with Steam gameplay?

Yes, both Vidmore Game Recorder and OBS Studio support webcam recording with picture-in-picture. ShadowPlay does not support webcam overlay.

Question 3. Which recorder has the lowest performance impact?

Through my tests and other user reviews, NVIDIA ShadowPlay is often considered to have the lowest performance impact at only 1-3% FPS loss, thanks to its NVENC hardware encoder. Vidmore supports advanced acceleration technology that causes 3-5% FPS loss. OBS Studio with hardware encoding typically causes 5-8% FPS loss.

Question 4. Can I edit my recordings after capturing them?

Yes. Vidmore Game Recorder includes built-in trimming and other basic editing tools. OBS Studio and ShadowPlay do not include editing features. After capturing gameplay on Steam, you will need external video editing software.

Conclusion

With the introduced 3 game recorders above, you can easily record on Steam with high quality. If you have a relatively new NVIDIA GPU, ShadowPlay or GeForce Experience is the answer. It runs silently in the background and captures Instant Replays of your Steam gaming moments. More importantly, it never hurts your frame rate. However, if you prefer a dedicated game recorder with built-in editing and webcam support, I recommend Vidmore Game Recorder.