How to Create a Screen Recording for Technical Support

When requesting technical support, it is often helpful to record the issue on video. Although you can create a recording using a mobile phone or camera, screen capture software produces much higher-quality video where the problem is easier to see.

We recommend using OBS Studio, a free and reliable screen recording tool.

Download OBS Studio

After clicking the download link, open the page where you can download OBS Studio for Windows using the Download Installer button. OBS Studio supports Windows 10 and Windows 11.

Once the installer has downloaded, locate the installation file on your computer and double-click it to start the installation. The setup wizard will open:

• Click Next to proceed and accept the license terms.
• On the Choose Install Location screen, select the folder where the program should be installed or keep the default location.
• Click Finish to complete the installation.

First Launch and Basic Setup

After installation, launch OBS Studio. On first startup, the automatic setup wizard will appear and ask how you plan to use the program.

For screen recording for technical support purposes, select Optimize just for recording, I will not be streaming, then continue through the wizard. We recommend keeping the default settings, which are fully sufficient for standard screen recording.

Setting Up Recording Sources

To record video and audio, you need to add the appropriate sources.

1. In the lower-left corner of the OBS window, locate the Sources panel.
2. Click the plus (+) icon.
3. Choose the source you want to add from the list.

Screen Capture

To record what is happening on your monitor, select Display Capture.

After adding the source, choose which monitor you want to record. This is important if you use multiple monitors. Select the correct display and click OK. You can also add multiple displays if needed.

Microphone Recording

If you want to include voice commentary, add a microphone source:

1. In Sources, select Audio Input Capture.
2. Choose your microphone from the device list and confirm.

Starting the Recording

Once all required sources are set up — at minimum the screen capture, and optionally the microphone — you can start recording:

1. Click Start Recording in the lower-right corner of the OBS window.
2. Perform the steps on your screen or demonstrate the issue you want to document for technical support.
3. When finished, click Stop Recording.

The completed video will be automatically saved to the Videos folder in your user profile.

You can then easily attach this video to your technical support request to help describe and resolve the issue.