Creating tutorial videos, gameplay clips, meeting recordings, and software demos usually requires two separate tools: one to capture your screen and another to edit the footage. With Filmora 15’s built-in screen recorder, you can record your screen and edit the footage in the same software, no file transfers or extra programs needed.
In this step-by-step guide, we cover every recording mode, audio setup, and pro tip to get clean, high-quality screen recordings directly inside Filmora 15.
For a full breakdown of all editing features and tools, read our complete Filmora 15 review.
What You Can Record With Filmora 15 Screen Recorder
The built-in recorder supports every common screen capture use case:
- Full desktop screen recording
- Custom-sized recording area
- Single application window capture
- Gameplay recording with dedicated game capture mode
- Simultaneous system audio and microphone recording
- Webcam picture-in-picture overlay
- Mouse highlight and click effect for tutorial videos
Recorded clips are automatically added to your media library, so you can drag them straight onto the timeline and start editing immediately.
Method 1: Basic Screen Recording (Full Screen or Custom Area)
This is the standard mode for most tutorial, demo, and meeting recordings. It takes less than a minute to set up and start capturing.
Step-by-step guide:
- Open Filmora 15 and create a new project.
- Click the Record button in the top left corner of the interface, then select Record PC Screen from the dropdown menu.
- Choose your recording area:
- Full Screen: Captures your entire display
- Custom: Drag to select any rectangular area of your screen
- Target Window: Captures only one specific application window
- Configure your audio sources:
- Toggle System Audio on to capture sound from your computer
- Toggle Microphone on to record your voiceover at the same time
- Toggle Webcam on to add a picture-in-picture camera feed
- Open the settings menu to adjust frame rate, output quality, and mouse effects.
- Click the red REC button to start recording. Press F9 on your keyboard to stop recording at any time.
- When you stop, the recording will automatically be saved and imported into your Filmora media library, ready to edit.
Method 2: Gameplay Recording Mode
For gaming content creators, Filmora 15 includes a dedicated game capture mode that records smooth, high-frame-rate gameplay without slowing down your game.
Step-by-step guide:
- Launch the game you want to record and leave it running in the background.
- In Filmora, open the Record menu and select Record Game.
- Select your game from the list of running applications.
- Set your preferred frame rate (30fps or 60fps) and audio sources.
- Click Start Recording and switch back to your game.
- Press the hotkey to stop recording when you are finished. The clip will be imported into your project automatically.
Game mode uses hardware acceleration to minimize performance impact, so you can record and play at the same time with almost no frame drop on mid-range and better computers.
Pro Tips for Better Screen Recordings
- Clean up your desktop first Close unnecessary tabs, hide messy desktop icons, and turn on do-not-disturb mode to avoid popups appearing in your recording.
- Enable mouse click effects Turn on mouse highlight and click animation in the settings. This makes tutorial videos much easier to follow, as viewers can see exactly where and when you click.
- Record system audio and microphone on separate tracks Filmora records system sound and microphone as separate audio tracks. This lets you adjust volume levels, apply noise reduction, and edit each track independently during editing.
- Use 1080p 30fps for most recordings 1080p at 30fps gives great quality for tutorials and demos while keeping file sizes reasonable. Only use 60fps for fast-moving gameplay content.
- Trim and edit right after recording Since the clip is already in your project, you can immediately cut out mistakes, add text, insert transitions, and export your finished video without leaving the software.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the screen recorder included in the free trial?
Yes. The full screen recording feature is available in the free trial version. All recordings you make will work in the timeline, but final exported videos will include the Filmora watermark.
Is there a time limit on screen recording?
There is no fixed time limit. You can record for as long as you have available storage space on your computer. For very long recordings over 1 hour, we recommend saving in segments to avoid losing footage if the software crashes.
Can I record both system audio and microphone at the same time?
Yes. Filmora captures system audio and microphone on two separate tracks, so you can adjust volume, apply denoise effects, and edit each one independently during editing.
What file format do recordings save in?
Recordings default to MP4 format with H.264 codec for maximum compatibility and reasonable file size. You can adjust format, resolution, and frame rate in the recorder settings menu.
Can I add webcam picture-in-picture to my recording?
Yes. You can toggle the webcam on and record both your screen and camera at the same time. You can resize and reposition the webcam window anywhere on the screen before you start recording.
Final Thoughts
Filmora 15’s built-in screen recorder is one of its most underrated features for creators. Instead of juggling separate recording and editing software, you can capture your screen, make edits, add captions, and export the final video all in one workflow.
For casual tutorials, gameplay clips, meeting recordings, and social media content, it delivers more than enough quality and features without the complexity of dedicated screen recording software.
To learn more about all of Filmora 15’s editing tools and features, check out our full review.