To record locally in Streamlabs Desktop, set a destination in Settings > Output, prepare the scene and audio you want, then click the red Record button at the bottom right of the editor. Click it again to stop; Streamlabs says a notice confirms the recording was saved.
Set the recording destination
- Open Settings and select Output.
- In the Recording section, check the save path and choose a folder if you want recordings somewhere else.
- Make sure the folder is writable by your account and the drive has enough free space. Streamlabs says this section also contains filename, quality, and format options.
Interface labels can vary as Streamlabs Desktop changes. Its getting-started guide describes the recording path under Settings > Output.
Prepare the scene and audio
Add or select the screen, game, window, or other sources that make up the scene you want to capture. Check the preview before recording so you can see that the intended content is present.
If you want narration, check the microphone input in the audio mixer and confirm that the right device is selected. A microphone is optional; it is only needed if you want to record voice from one. Streamlabs’ setup guidance describes checking a connected microphone in the mixer and selecting another device in audio settings.
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Start and stop the recording
- In the main editor window, click the red Record button at the bottom right.
- Capture the material you need.
- Click Record again to stop. Streamlabs says a notice appears confirming that the recording was saved; it may offer more information or an option to open it in another Streamlabs application.
- Open the folder from the recording path and check that the file plays as expected.
These controls and the save confirmation are described in Streamlabs’ getting-started guide.
Choose quality settings that suit your computer
Resolution, frame rate, and encoder choice affect both the recording and the load on your computer. Streamlabs presents its recommendations as starting points, not universal requirements:
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- Resolution: For gameplay, Streamlabs suggests matching the base canvas resolution to your monitor and choosing a high output resolution. If the computer struggles, lower the output resolution.
- Frame rate: Streamlabs suggests 60 FPS for action-heavy gameplay and says 30 FPS may be sufficient for more static content. Use a setting your system can sustain.
- Encoder: Streamlabs describes x264 as CPU-based and NVENC as GPU-based, and recommends NVENC for users with an NVIDIA graphics card. Which options are available depends on your hardware and software setup.
- Recording quality: Streamlabs recommends CQP for the recording workflow it describes, or CRF with x264. Adjust quality if performance suffers.
Monitor performance during a short test before relying on a long capture. Streamlabs’ recording recommendations were last updated October 2, 2025; available settings and results depend on the computer and current software.
Record separate audio tracks for editing
Separate tracks let you adjust sources such as microphone and desktop audio independently in an editing application. Streamlabs documents recording up to six audio tracks; the feature requires setup rather than simply starting a normal recording.
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- Go to Settings > Output and change the output mode from Simple to Advanced.
- Open the Recording settings and select the number of audio tracks to record.
- Open the advanced audio mixer and assign the desired audio sources to tracks.
- Choose MP4 or MKV for the recording. Streamlabs says its default FLV format does not support multiple audio tracks.
If you are recording and streaming at the same time, check that the stream track includes everything intended for live viewers. Streamlabs’ recording functionality guide documents the track setup and format limitation. It was published October 1, 2021 and last updated October 8, 2025.
If the recording does not appear
Streamlabs’ troubleshooting article recommends checking ordinary storage and path issues first:
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- Check free disk space. If the drive is full, free space or choose a different drive.
- Check the save path. Confirm that your account can write to the selected folder; try another permitted location if needed.
- If an error appears, Streamlabs also suggests checking the graphics driver and installing or reinstalling Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable 2017.
- If recording while streaming causes an error, try a recording encoder different from the stream encoder. Streamlabs also mentions “Same as Stream” quality as a possible setting.
- If there is no file and no error, its guide suggests reinstalling current graphics drivers.
These are support suggestions, not guaranteed fixes. See Streamlabs’ recording troubleshooting article, originally published February 27, 2020 and last updated April 25, 2025.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Or let it run in the cloud
Streamlabs Desktop records to your computer. If instead you want uploaded videos to keep a YouTube channel live around the clock, StreamNeo is a separate cloud service: upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. It loops the uploaded video from the cloud, so your computer and home connection do not need to stay on. StreamNeo is for YouTube streams, not camera capture.
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