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Starting a Recording

Cap Desktop provides multiple recording modes to capture exactly what you need:

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Recording Modes

Display

Record your entire screen or a specific monitor

Window

Record a specific application window

Area

Record a custom area of your screen

Camera Only

Record only your camera feed

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Selecting Your Recording Target

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Display Recording

  1. Click the Display button in the main window
  2. Choose your target monitor from the dropdown menu
  3. Your entire selected display will be outlined for recording
  4. Click the record button to start
If you have multiple monitors, Cap will show thumbnails of each display to help you select the right one.

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Window Recording

  1. Click the Window button in the main window
  2. Browse the list of open applications with preview thumbnails
  3. Use the search bar to quickly find a specific window
  4. Select your target window
  5. Cap will automatically focus the window when recording starts
Window recording automatically excludes Cap’s own windows from your recording to prevent visual clutter.

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Area Recording

  1. Click the Area button
  2. Click and drag to define your recording area
  3. Adjust the selection bounds as needed
  4. The selected area will be highlighted with overlay indicators
  5. Click record to capture only the defined region

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Camera Only Mode

  1. Click Camera Only to record just your webcam
  2. This mode disables system audio capture
  3. Perfect for creating talking-head videos or selfie recordings

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Recording Controls

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Countdown Timer

Configure a countdown before recording starts:
  • Off: Recording starts immediately
  • 3 seconds: Brief countdown
  • 5 seconds: Standard countdown
  • 10 seconds: Extended countdown for preparation
Set your preferred countdown in Settings → General → Recording countdown

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Main Window Behavior

Choose what happens to the Cap window when you start recording:
  • Close: Main window closes completely (default)
  • Minimise: Main window minimizes to taskbar/dock

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Recording Status

During recording, Cap displays a floating control bar showing:
  • Current recording time
  • Microphone audio level indicator
  • Camera status (if enabled)
  • Quality indicators and warnings

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Studio Mode vs Instant Mode

- High-quality local recording
- Full editing capabilities after recording
- Requires manual export/upload
- No time limits
- Maximum resolution up to your display
Configure Instant Mode max resolution in Settings → General → Instant mode max resolution

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Advanced Recording Options

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Frame Rate

Set your maximum capture framerate:
  • 30 FPS: Standard quality, lower CPU usage
  • 60 FPS: Recommended for most use cases
  • 120 FPS: High-fidelity capture (may impact performance)
Higher framerates may cause frame drops or increased CPU usage on some systems.

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Crash Recovery

Enable crash-recoverable recording to protect against:
  • Application crashes
  • System power loss
  • Unexpected interruptions
Recordings are saved in fragmented segments that can be recovered even if Cap closes unexpectedly.
Crash recovery may use slightly more storage during recording but ensures your content is safe.

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During Recording

While recording, you have access to these controls:
  • Stop: End the recording and open the editor (Studio) or begin upload (Instant)
  • Pause/Resume: Temporarily pause recording (available in Studio mode and on macOS/Windows Instant mode)
  • Restart: Discard current recording and start over
  • Delete: Cancel and delete the recording
  • Settings: Adjust camera and microphone inputs mid-recording

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Real-time Monitoring

  • Audio Level: Visual indicator shows microphone input level
  • Camera Status: Icon shows if camera is active and connected
  • Recording Warnings: Alerts for disconnected inputs or quality issues
If your camera or microphone disconnects during recording, Cap will show a warning but continue recording. You can reconnect the device and resume.

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Keyboard Shortcuts

Quickly control your recordings with hotkeys (configurable in Settings → Hotkeys):
  • Start/Stop Recording
  • Pause/Resume Recording
  • Take Screenshot
  • Show/Hide Main Window

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Troubleshooting

On macOS, ensure Cap has Screen Recording permission in System Settings → Privacy & Security → Screen Recording
Some applications may restrict window capture. Try Display or Area recording instead.
  • Lower the maximum FPS in General Settings
  • Close unnecessary applications
  • Try recording a smaller area
  • Reduce resolution for Instant Mode
If crash recovery is enabled, your recording should be recoverable. Check the recordings list for a recovery option.

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Next Steps

Camera Setup

Configure your camera and picture-in-picture settings

Editing Videos

Learn how to edit your recordings in Studio mode

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