Quick Answer:
You can record Minecraft gameplay for free with the completely free online service, SurFlex Online Free Screen Recorder, the freeware, OBS Studio, or the preinstalled game recorder on Windows, Xbox Game Bar.
When it comes to recording Minecraft gameplay, there are numerous game recorders available to assist you. However, if you’re looking for free options to record Minecraft videos, the choices become more limited. Fortunately, there are still capable and user-friendly Minecraft recording software or services that are available for free. If that’s what you’re looking for, you can refer to this guide to learn how to record Minecraft for free on a PC using three different methods.
Table of contents
How to Record Minecraft for Free on PC Online
Tool: SurFlex Online Free Screen Recorder
Whenever you need to perform game recording, using an online screen recorder is a convenient choice. If you want to spare yourself from software installations, don’t hesitate to try SurFlex Online Free Screen Recorder. It provides a completely free screen recording service and won’t add any watermark or impose a time limit on your screen recording.
Besides, it allows you to record a browser tab, an app window, or the entire screen with audio, including system sound, microphone audio, or both, and saves the recording in HD quality. Therefore, when you want to record a Minecraft video or record yourself playing Minecraft, you can use it to perform the Minecraft recording.
To record Minecraft for free online:
Step 1. Prepare Minecraft for screen recording.
Step 2. Open a browser, such as Chrome, and visit SurFlex Online Free Screen Recorder.
Step 3. Select the recording sources according to your needs and click Start Recording.
Step 4. Choose Entire Screen in the prompt, select the screen you want to capture, and click Share.
Step 5. Go back to Minecraft. After you capture your desired content, go to the screen recorder to click Stop Recording.
Step 6. Preview the video and click Download to save the gameplay to your computer.
Note: You can use the built-in video editor on PC, Windows Movie Maker, to remove unwanted parts from the video recording.
How to Record Minecraft with OBS for Free
Tool: OBS Studio
OBS Studio is also a good choice for recording Minecraft for free. OBS is freeware for screen recording on various platforms, including PC, Mac, and Linux, and has more advanced features and customizable settings than an online Minecraft recorder. Whether you want to record Minecraft videos only or record yourself playing Minecraft, OBS Studio will be helpful.
What’s more, it enables you to record past gameplay on your computer via its Replay Buffer feature. If you need to record the last 30 seconds, 1 minute, or more on your computer, you can let it help.
To record Minecraft for free with OBS Studio:
Step 1. Download and install OBS Studio on your PC.
Step 2. Go to OBS > File > Settings > Output to select the recording options.
Step 3. Go to the Sources panel to add the recording sources you like, such as Game Capture, Audio Output Capture, and more.
Step 4. Click Start Recording in the Controls panel to start recording Minecraft gameplay.
Step 5. When you are done, click Stop Recording and go to File > Show Recording to check the game video.
How to Record Minecraft on Windows 10 or 11 for Free
Tool: Xbox Game Bar
If you are going to record Minecraft on Windows 10 or 11, there is a native Minecraft recorder for free use, which is Xbox Game Bar. As its name indicates, it is mainly used for game recording and can help you with recording Minecraft on your PC. It will record the game window by default and capture audio as well, such as game audio, microphone sound, or system sound, depending on your settings. When you want to record Minecraft gameplay with no lag for free, Xbox Game Bar recording is also an advisable choice. When you need to record gameplay on PC to capture other game videos, you can still use this preinstalled game recorder on PC.
To record Minecraft on Windows 10 for free:
Step 1. Go to Start > Settings > Gaming > Captures to customize the recording settings.
Step 2. Then go to Xbox Game Bar (Windows + G) > Settings > Widgets to select the audio recording option.
Step 3. When you are playing Minecraft, press Windows-Alt-R to start recording the game immediately.
Step 4. Click Game clip recorded or go to Xbox Game Bar > Gallery to check the gameplay.
Wrapping Up
Although it is possible to record gameplay on a PC for free, freeware or free services generally offer limited functionality. Therefore, if you want to record game clips in high quality or at a high frame rate, using a professional game recorder would be more suitable. If video quality is your priority, consider using Minecraft recording software such as Bandicam, Camtasia, or SurFlex Screen Recorder instead.