How to Screen Capture to File Using VLC

Last Updated: June 4, 2020

Need to capture your screen as a video file? Maybe you want to record a gameplay video, or create a tutorial on how to do something on your PC. For any number of reasons, knowing how to video screen capture can come in handy. Luckily, you can easily make these recordings with software known as VLC.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Taking a Still Screenshot

1
Use hotkeys to take the screenshot. For Windows, press Shift + s or Ctrl + Alt + S. For Mac, it's Command + Alt + S.
2
Or, use the Video menu. Click Video at the top of the screen, and select Snapshot.

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3
You can also do this. Right click on the video, Video> Take Snapshot.
4
Change where your screenshots are saved. If you don't know where your screenshots are going, or you want to change where they're saved, click Tools, then Preferences. Click Video on the left. At the Video Snapshots section at the bottom of the screen, you can set the destination for your screenshots.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Streaming Your Desktop

1
Install VLC. If you haven't done this, see the link at the bottom of the page.
2
Open VLC.
3
Click Media, then Streaming.
4
Click the Capture Device tab.
5
Select Desktop as the Capture mode.
6
Change the fps (optional). If you wish, you can change the frames per second rate. If not, though, leave it on default.
7
Click Next.
8
Make sure the source is your screen. If the dialog box is blank, enter screen://.
9
Choose where to save your file. Click the Add button on the right side of the screen after confirming that "File" is selected in the dropdown. If you don't click add, it will never ask where to save.
10
Change the file type (optional). VLC will probably default to MP4. If you want a different file type, click the drop menu and select your choice.
11
Stream.

Community Q&A

Question

Streaming your screen this way, how will the sound be recorded? Will it just record using the microphone, complete with computer whirring and environment noises?

Community Answer

It should record your computer's speaker output, like it records its monitor output.
Question

If we have headphones on and the TV is on, will the recording cut it out?

Adrian

Top Answerer

It will not record outside audio. It will only record desktop audio.