VLC is a popular media player for a range of video and audio formats. It functions mainly as a multimedia player, but it also has a screen capture feature. The VLC media player enables users to record desktop activities as well as YouTube live streaming videos. This full guide will show you how to record local videos, record YouTube live streams, and record part of the video with the VLC media player. You may want to check out the post and follow the tutorials below. Now, let's dive in.
How to Record Video with VLC Media Player
In the first place, you should download and install the VLC media player from its official site on your Windows and Mac computer. Then, follow the steps below to capture the video from your desktop. It's indeed simple and easy to follow.
Step 1. To Add the recording button, open View menu and click Advanced Controls.
Step 2. Navigate to Media - Open Capture Device on Windows or File - Open Capture Device on Mac.
Step 3. Switch the Capture mode to Desktop and set a preferred frame rate for the screen capture in VLC.
Step 4. Check out more options next to the Play button, and click Stream to proceed.
Step 5. Select the Next button in the source and Add a new destination folder.
Step 6. Now, browse your computer and select the output folder.
Step 7. Click Next to the Transcoding option window and choose the desired video output format in Profile.
Step 8. Select the Stream button to start recording your desktop screen.
Tips:
- 1. The VLC media player cannot capture the screen with your mouse pointer.
- 2. The VLC media player can only record the screen from your desktop without audio.
Failed to Get VLC Record Screen with Audio？You Can Record via a Third-party Tool
The VLC media player has some drawbacks when it comes to recording your screen from the desktop. For example, VLC is unable to record the video and the audio of your microphone at the same time. Also, it cannot record the activities of the mouse pointer if you want to record a tutorial video. The VLC media player just provides users with basic recording features.
FonePaw Screen Recorder is a better choice compared to VLC. This is a great screen recorder for all your needs. The program enables users to record an on-screen video with system sound and microphone sound. Moreover, the mouse cursor and mouse clicks will be displayed to make it easy for viewers to catch the key points. What are the key features? Let's check it out.
- Record Custom Region - Users can record a video in a certain region/window with a web camera and the sounds of the microphone and the system to make a professional recording.
- Support High-Quality Formats - FonePaw Screen Recorder enables users to save recordings to up to the lossless quality of videos in MP4, MOV, WMV, FAV, and WebM with no watermark.
- Capture Screenshots - Users are able to take screenshots when recording a video with FonePaw Screen Recorder and export screenshots to PNG, JPG, BMP, or even GIF.
- More than a Video Recorder - FonePaw Screen Recorder is more than a Video Recorder. There is a range of recorders available, including Video Recorder, Gameplay Recorder, Webcam Recorder, Window Recorder, and Phone Recorder for Android and iOS.
- Edit Recording Videos - When the recording is done, users can edit, crop, compress, convert or merge the recording video with FonePaw Screen Recorder's powerful in-built toolbox.
FonePaw Screen Recorder comes with an easy-to-go user interface. It takes only 3 steps to record a video from your Windows and Mac. Let's look up the tutorial as follows.
Step 1. Download and install the FonePaw Screen Recorder
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You may want to take a minute to finish installing the FonePaw Screen Recorder so that we can utilize the program to record a video from your desktop/laptop along with the sounds.
Step 2. Set up Video Output
Navigate to the Dropdown menu on the right top and click Preferences. Now, click the checkboxes in the Recording tab if necessary, for example, Hide float panel when recording. Then, change the Location of output files and go to Video Settings to modify the Video format, Codec, Video quality, Frame rate, and more. Don't forget to click OK to save all the changes.
Step 3. Record a Video
Select Video Recorder from the homepage and you'll prompt to set a fixed region or choose a program from Windows or Process. Now, toggle on Webcam, System Sound, and Microphone according to your need. After that, you can set up Around mouse or Follow the mouse in Advanced Recorder. When you've done all the settings, click the REC button and start recording.
Note that you can add annotation and images, magnify a certain region or highlight the mouse when recording.
Step 4. Finish Recording
To stop recording, click the red rectangle symbol. Then, you can preview, trim, and save your recording to your computer.
How to Record YouTube Live Stream with VLC Media Player
If you want to look back at the glorious time of YouTube live streams and want to use the VLC media player you already have, it is still feasible to record YouTube live streams with VLC. The software enables users to capture live streams from YouTube in simple steps. Let's check it out.
step 1. Display the hidden Recording toolbar by going to the View tab - Advanced Controls.
step 2. Click the Media tab and go to Open Network Stream on Windows or File - Open Network Stream on Mac.
step 3. Copy the link to YouTube Live Stream and paste it into the bar.
step 4. Now, click Play and the Live video will be playing on the VLC media player.
step 5. Go to the recording toolbar and hit the Record button. When the video ends, click the Square button to stop recording YouTube Live Stream with VLC.
How to Record Part of Video with VLC Media Player
As we all known, a long video takes up large storage on your computer and it's hard to locate your favorite parts of the video. In this case, you can consider cutting out clips of the local video using the VLC media player. The screen recording feature also enables users to play videos stored on the computer and make video clips with ease. Let's see how to do it with the VLC media player.
Step 1. Go to the View tab and choose Advanced Controls.
Step 2. Navigate to Media - Open File and play the video you want to clip.
Step 3. Drag the process bar to where you want to start cutting the video and click the Record button to start recording the playback.
Step 4. Let the video go on to where you want to stop or use the Frame by Frame button to get a precise location.
Step 5. When the video clip is done, click the Square button to stop the process.
FAQs about Recording Video Using VLC
Where Can You Find the VLC Record Location?
Recordings created by the VLC media player will be saved to the location if you change the output path in the Tools tab - Preferences, and switch to Input/Codecs and Record directory or filename. However, it will not pop up the windows when the recording is completed. If you don't set a destination folder, your recordings will be in your Videos folder on Windows, and the Movies folder if you're using a Mac.
How Long Can VLC Record For？
The VLC media player doesn't set a limitation on the length of the recordings. Users can literally use VLC to record a video for as long as they want only if there is enough space on the desktop/laptop. However, long videos always take up large storage on the device, and it's not recommended to record a video with VLC for long.
Conclusion
The VLC media player stands out as a popular multimedia player, though it comes with a limited recording feature. If you just want to record a video with no sound, it's totally okay to try out VLC. However, if you need to record a video with extra annotation and verbal instructions, FonePaw Screen Recorder can easily help you out with a range of professional recorders and in-built tools.
