How to record gameplay footage on a console

If you don’t have a gaming PC but you still want to record gameplay footage, there is a way to do it from your console. Whether you’re on Xbox or PlayStation, it’s actually a lot simpler than you might think. There are a few methods you can use, and some are obviously better than others. Here are a few methods you can use to record gameplay footage from your console:

1. Invest in a Capture Card

A capture card is a device that allows you to record video and audio from your console directly to your computer. There are lots of capture cards out there with different video output qualities on them. Some are obviously going to perform better. Others will do the job, but won’t be anything premium.

When you get your capture card, you need to connect it to your console using an HDMI cable. Then, you connect the capture card to your PC using a USB cable.

Once you’ve connected your capture card, you should install OBS to your laptop. OBS is a program that allows you to screen-record videos really easily. You can also capture video from your capture card and save it to your computer via OBS.

Once you’ve installed OBS, you will need to select ‘video capture card.’ That way, you can record from your Xbox or PlayStation.

The footage will save on your laptop and you can use a video editing software of your choice to edit the clips.

This is a good starter capture card:

This one below is premium, and it’s probably good to save once your channel has grown a lot:

2. Use Your Console’s Built-In Capture Features

This is another option that allows you to record gameplay footage on your console. Modern consoles typically come with some sort of ability to capture gameplay directly as you’re playing.

However, this is pretty limited in scope. The console will not recorded a very long clip. You can’t really capture much gameplay footage this way to make full-length YouTube videos. You’ll probably just be able to capture a few minutes of gameplay. This is best for short-form content like YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, and TikTok videos.

Once you download the footage from your console, you can then edit it in a software of your choice.

These are pretty much the best ways to record gameplay footage from your console. You’ll be able to get high-quality footage and plenty of clips to grow your gaming channel from right now.

If you want to learn how to get started on a YouTube channel, check out our step-by-step guide right now!

Example:

This video below is from our brand, DZSH Gaming. This video was made using footage captured on an Xbox Series X using a capture card. Check it out! (And subscribe while you’re at it ;)!)


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Zainah Yousef is the author of The Fallen Age Saga and specializes in gaming, social media advice, and reviews. She's been writing all her life and she probably won't stop anytime soon.