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Accessing Settings

Open Settings by:
  • Clicking the gear icon in the main window
  • Using the keyboard shortcut (if configured)
  • Selecting Cap → Settings from menu bar (macOS)

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General Settings

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Appearance

Choose your interface theme:

System

Match your operating system theme

Light

Light interface theme

Dark

Dark interface theme (default)

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App Settings (macOS)

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Dock Icon

  • Always show dock icon: Keep Cap in the dock even with no windows
  • Hide dock icon: Remove from dock when all windows are closed
Hiding the dock icon creates a menubar-only experience. Access Cap from the menubar icon.

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System Notifications

Enable or disable system notifications for:
  • Recording started/stopped
  • Upload completed
  • Files saved to clipboard
  • Errors and warnings
You may need to grant notification permissions in System Settings → Notifications.

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Recording Settings

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Instant Mode Resolution

Set maximum resolution for Instant Mode recordings:
  • 720p (1280×720): Fastest upload
  • 1080p (1920×1080): Recommended balance
  • 1440p (2560×1440): Higher quality
  • 4K (3840×2160): Maximum quality
Higher resolutions create larger files and longer upload times. Choose based on your content needs.

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Recording Countdown

Set countdown delay before recording starts:
  • Off: Immediate start
  • 3 seconds: Quick countdown
  • 5 seconds: Standard (gives time to prepare)
  • 10 seconds: Extended (for complex setups)

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Main Window Behavior

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

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Post-Recording Behavior

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Studio Mode

  • Open editor: Automatically open video editor (default)
  • Show in overlay: Display recording in overlay menu

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Instant Mode

  • Delete after upload: Automatically remove local file after successful upload
  • Keep local copy: Preserve recording file on device

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Post-Deletion Behavior

After deleting an in-progress recording:
  • Do Nothing: Stay on current screen
  • Reopen Recording Window: Return to main window to start a new recording

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Crash Recovery

Enable crash-recoverable recording:
Enabled (Recommended)
  • Records in fragmented segments
  • Recoverable if app crashes or power is lost
  • Slightly higher storage usage during recording
  • Can recover partial recordings
Disabling crash recovery means recordings cannot be recovered if Cap closes unexpectedly.

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Maximum Frame Rate

Set capture frame rate limit:
  • 30 FPS: Lower CPU usage, standard quality
  • 60 FPS: Recommended for most use cases
  • 120 FPS: High-fidelity, higher system requirements
Framerates above 60 FPS may cause frame drops or increased CPU usage on some systems.

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Cap Pro Settings

These settings require a Cap Pro subscription.
  • Enabled: Automatically open shareable links in browser after upload
  • Disabled: Copy link to clipboard only

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Default Project Name

Customize the naming template for recordings and projects:

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Template Variables

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{recording_mode}
string
Recording mode: “Studio”, “Instant”, or “Screenshot”
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{mode}
string
Lowercase mode: “studio”, “instant”, or “screenshot”
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{target_kind}
string
Recording target: “Display”, “Window”, or “Area”
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{target_name}
string
Name of the monitor or application window
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{date}
string
Current date in YYYY-MM-DD format
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{time}
string
Current time in HH:MM AM/PM format
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{moment:FORMAT}
string
Custom date/time format using moment.js syntax

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Example Templates

Default Template
{target_name} ({target_kind}) {date} {time}
Example: Chrome (Window) 2024-03-15 2:30 PM
Custom Format
{mode}_{target_name}_{moment:YYYY-MM-DD_HHmmss}
Example: studio_Chrome_2024-03-15_143022
Simple Format
{recording_mode} {date}
Example: Studio 2024-03-15
Click the code snippets in the customization panel to copy template variables.

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Excluded Windows

Manage which windows are hidden from recordings:

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Adding Exclusions

  1. Click Add button
  2. Choose from open windows list
  3. Selected window will be hidden in future recordings

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Default Exclusions

Cap automatically excludes:
  • Cap main window
  • Cap recording controls
  • Cap camera preview
  • Cap settings window
On Windows, only Cap-related windows can be excluded due to platform limitations.

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Removing Exclusions

  1. Find the window in the excluded list
  2. Click the X button next to it
  3. Window will appear in future recordings

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Reset to Default

Click Reset to Default to restore Cap’s standard exclusion list.

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Self-Hosting

Only change these settings if you are running your own Cap Web instance.

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Cap Server URL

Set custom Cap Web server:
  1. Enter your server URL (e.g., https://cap.yourdomain.com)
  2. Click Update
  3. You’ll be signed out and need to sign in to your instance
Default: https://cap.so

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Hotkeys

Configure keyboard shortcuts for:
  • Start/Stop Recording: Begin or end a recording
  • Pause/Resume: Pause and resume current recording
  • Take Screenshot: Capture a screenshot
  • Show/Hide Main Window: Toggle main window visibility

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Setting a Hotkey

  1. Click the hotkey field
  2. Press your desired key combination
  3. Changes save automatically
Use modifier keys (Cmd/Ctrl, Shift, Alt) for conflict-free shortcuts.

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Integrations

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S3 Upload

Configure custom S3 storage for uploads:
  1. Navigate to Settings → Integrations → S3
  2. Enter your S3 credentials:
    • Bucket name
    • Region
    • Access key ID
    • Secret access key
  3. Test connection
  4. Save settings
S3 integration allows uploads to your own storage instead of Cap’s servers.

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Screenshots

Configure screenshot-specific settings:
  • Default save location: Choose where screenshots are saved
  • Filename format: Customize screenshot naming
  • Copy to clipboard: Auto-copy screenshots after capture

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License

Manage your Cap license:
  • View current license status
  • Check subscription details
  • Activate or deactivate license
  • Manage billing (redirects to web app)

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Feedback

Send feedback directly from the app:
  1. Open Settings → Feedback
  2. Describe your issue or suggestion
  3. Attach logs (automatically included)
  4. Submit to Cap team
Including logs helps the team diagnose issues faster.

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Changelog

View release notes and recent updates:
  • See what’s new in current version
  • Review past changes
  • Check for updates

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Experimental Features

Experimental features may be unstable. Use at your own risk.
Toggle preview features:
  • New rendering engines
  • Beta functionality
  • Advanced options
Experimental features help shape future Cap releases. Your feedback is valuable!

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Resetting Settings

To reset all settings to defaults:
  1. Individual sections have Reset buttons
  2. Or reinstall Cap for complete reset
  3. Your recordings are not affected

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Data and Privacy

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Local Storage

Cap stores locally:
  • Recording files
  • Project data
  • Settings and preferences
  • Application cache

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Cloud Sync

Only uploaded when you explicitly share:
  • Exported videos
  • Metadata (title, description)
  • Thumbnails
Your recordings never leave your device unless you choose to upload them.

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Next Steps

Recording

Start recording with your configured settings

Uploading

Learn how to share your recordings

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