2 Free Ways to Record Your PC Screen on Windows 7

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An easy-to-use guide to recording your computer screen in Windows 7

Written by Travis Boylls

Last Updated: May 14, 2024 Fact Checked

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Using OBS Studio

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Using Problem Steps Recorder

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Video

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Q&A

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Tips

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Warnings

Recording the screen in Windows 7 is a little different than in newer Windows versions. To record your screen, you can use an older version of OBS Studio, which you can download for free, or try Windows 7's built-in Problem Steps Recorder. This wikiHow guide will teach you two simple ways to screen record in Windows 7.

Quick Steps

Download and install OBS Studio version 22.0.2.
Launch OBS Studio and click the Plus (+) icon.
Select Display Capture and give it a name.
Click OK twice.
Click Start Recording to start screen recording.
Click Stop Recording to stop recording.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Using OBS Studio

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1
Download OBS Studio version 22.0.2. OBS Studio is free and open-source broadcast and screen recording software. However, newer versions don't support Windows 7. You need an older version. Use the following steps to download and install OBS Studio Version 22.0.2:
- Go to https://obsproject.com/download in a web browser.
- Click Previous Releases
- Scroll through the pages until you find version 22.0.2 (you'll have to use the numbers at the bottom.)
- Click Assets below the list of bug fixes for version 22.0.2..
- Click OBS-Studio-22.0.2-Full-Installer-x64.exe if you have a 64-bit version of Windows.
- Click OBS-Studio-22.0.2-Full-Installer-x86.exe if you have a 32-bit version of Windows.
You'll usually find downloaded files in the "Downloads" folder, which you can open by pressing Windows key + E and then clicking Downloads on the left side of the resulting window.

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Install OBS Studio.. Use the following steps to do so:[Image:Record Screen in Microsoft Windows 7 Step 5 Version 5.jpg|center]]
- Right-click the installation file on your desktop.
- Click Run as Administrator.
- Click Yes if prompted.
- Click Next
- Click I Agree
- Click Next
- Click Install
- Wait for the program to finish installing.
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Launch OBS Studio. Make sure that the "Launch OBS Studio" box in the middle of the page is checked, then click Finish. OBS Studio will open.
- You can also start OBS Studio by double-clicking its app icon on your desktop.
The first time you run OBS Studio, you'll usually be asked if you want to run the Auto-Configuration Wizard. Click on Yes and follow the prompts.
It's in the lower-left side of the "Sources" window, which is in the lower-left section of the OBS Studio window. Clicking it prompts a pop-up menu to appear.
This option is near the top of the pop-up menu. A new window will open.
You'll find it near the top of the window.
Type the name under which you want to save your capture in the text field at the top of the window.
It's at the bottom of the window.
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Click OK again. This will complete the recording setup. You're now ready to begin recording.
- If you want to keep your mouse out of your screen recording, first uncheck the "Capture Cursor" box.
- If you use multiple displays, first click the "Display" drop-down box, then click the name of the display that you want to capture.
It's in the lower-right section of the OBS Studio window. Your recording will begin.
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Click Stop Recording when you're finished. It's in the same place as the Start Recording button. The video will be saved to your computer.
- To view your screen recording, click File in the menu bar, then click Show Recordings in the resulting drop-down menu.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Using Problem Steps Recorder

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1
Open Problem Steps Recorder. Problem Steps Recorder is a built-in video recorder you can use to record steps if you encounter a problem in Windows 7. You can use it to record your screen. Use the following steps to open Problem Steps Recorder:^{[1]
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- Click the Windows Start button.
- Type "Problem Steps Recorder" in the search bar.
- Click Record Steps to Reproduce a Problem.
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Click Start Record. It's in the tiny bar that appears when you open Problem Steps Recorder. This starts recording your screen.
- If you see a dialogue box informing you that applications are running as an administrator, click Ok. To record apps that are run as an administrator, you need to run Problem Steps Recorder as an administrator. To do so, right-click the icon in the Start menu and click Run as administrator.
When you are ready to stop recording, click Stop Record in the bar.
Click one of the folders in the File Explorer window to select a location to save the video.
Enter a name for the video next to "File Name."
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Click Save. This saves the video to the location you selected.
- By default, Problem Steps Recorder saves video files in a ZIP file.

Community Q&A

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Question

Are there any other screen recorders?

Community Answer

Yes, there are many. Just be aware that some of the less well known free ones may contain viruses, This screen recorder is virus free.

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Do I need administrator rights to download this?

Community Answer

To download it, no. To install it, yes. If you don't have administrator privileges, you can use a portable version.

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Question

Will the screen record record everything on screen?

Community Answer

Yes, it will record everything.

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Tips

If you just want to take a snapshot of your screen, you can use the Windows 7 snipping tool.

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If you prefer paid professional software, you can try some reliable screen recorders such as Bandicam, Camtasia, RecMaster, etc.

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Warnings

Prolonged screen recordings can take up a large amount of hard drive space.

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OBS Studio isn't ideal for recording video games or other programs that use large amounts of memory and processing power.

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