Xbox Game Bar Recorder Review & Its Best Alternative

These days, capturing and sharing gameplay moments has become incredibly popular. If you’re a gamer who wants to keep your best plays, a content creator who crafts tutorials, or someone who wants to share a quick how-to, screen recording is essential. If you’re a Windows user, you are probably familiar with the Xbox Game Bar recorder. It is a free solution for video recording without needing extra software. It is built right into Windows 10 and 11 systems, enabling you to capture gameplay, record on-screen activities, or even take a screenshot through simple commands. In this post, we will get into everything you need to know about Game Bar. We will cover the practical features it offers and what makes it the go-to recorder for gamers.

Part 1. What is the Xbox Game Bar

Prior to discussing further details, let’s first get to know what Xbox Game Bar is. The Xbox Game Bar is a configurable gaming overlay on Windows 10, and Windows 11 systems. It grants players access to handy widgets, all without leaving their game. By pressing the Windows + G key combinations, you will be able to bring up the overlay. Here, you’ll find several widgets that can be used to capture gameplay, control audio channels, and monitor system performance.

Part 2. Full Review of Xbox Game Bar

Compatibility

All computers that are running Windows 10 and 11 can access the Xbox Game Bar screen recording feature. It is a native feature that doesn’t require additional downloads and installations. But there’s something you should be aware of. The computer’s video card must support Intel Quick Sync H.264 or later, NVIDIA NVENC, or AMD VCE to capture game clips.

Capture Functions

The Xbox Game Bar recorder or Capture section is where it excels. It offers a simple yet effective solution to capture game clips and screenshots. Let’s break them down:

• Take a Screenshot: Capture a single still image of your current gameplay screen.

• Record Last 30 Seconds: Saves the last 30-second video clip of your gameplay.

• Start Recording: Initiates recording a continuous video of your gameplay.

• Turn Mic on While Recording: Enables audio input from the microphone during recording.

Video Quality

The Xbox Game Bar recording quality is surprisingly good for a free tool. It provides options to choose between 30 and 60 fps. The game clips can be recorded in the resolution set in the game, up to 1080p. However, higher quality and resolution may decrease your computer’s performance. It is suggested to try them to determine the best settings for your system.

Extra Editing Tools

Unfortunately, this is where the Xbox Game Bar falls short, as it lacks extra editing tools. If you need to add drawings or trim unnecessary recordings, additional third-party software is needed. In addition, the Xbox Game Bar screen recording time limit is up to 30 minutes only. If you need to capture gameplay longer than 30 minutes, you need a no-time limit recorder.

Xbox Game Bar Shortcut

The basic and most essential combination to bring up the Xbox Game Bar is the Windows + G keys. By pressing these combinations, you will be presented with a desktop recorder that includes multiple features. Below, we’ll show you the detailed Xbox Game Bar record hotkeys:

Windows 10 and Windows 11
Key Combinations	Function
Windows + G	Launch Game Bar
Windows + Alt + PrtScn	Take a screenshot
Windows + Alt + G	Record the last 30 seconds
Windows + Alt + R	Start/stop screen recording
Windows + Alt + M	Turn on or off the Microphone
Windows + Alt + B	Turn on or off HDR

Note: These key combinations work on both Windows 10 and Windows 11 systems. In addition, the above shortcuts only apply to the Game Bar 5.721.7292.0 or newer versions. If your Xbox Game Bar is updated, proceed to the Microsoft Store and check for updates.

Part 3. How to Use Xbox Game Bar to Record Desktop

As mentioned previously, you can use the Xbox Game Bar to record the desktop. The Xbox Game Bar allows you to capture gameplay all without downloading and installing extra software. In this section, we will show you the detailed guides on how it works.

Here’s how to use Xbox Game Bar to record game clips and take screenshots:

1. During gameplay, press the Windows + G keys to launch the Game Bar. In the Widget Menu bar, select Capture, and choose Take Screenshot, Record Last 30 Seconds, or Start Recording. If it doesn’t work on full-screen games, you don’t have to worry. Simply repeat the process, and your display will flash twice, confirming the game has been recognized.

2. Now, let’s start recording. Press the Windows + Alt + R key combinations to start recording your screen. If you want to grab a screenshot instead, press the Windows + Alt + PrtScn key combinations. Meanwhile, pressing the Windows + Alt + G key combinations will let you record the last few moments of gameplay.

3. As you play, feel free to add your voice by pressing Windows + Alt + M key combinations. Once your game is over, you can stop the recording using the Windows + Alt + R record shortcut. Preview all your recorded clips and screenshots by going to the Widget Menu bar. Then, you should select the Gallery option to access all of them.

Note: If you’re looking to upmarket everything to 4K resolution, ensure the Record in the background while I’m playing a game option is selected. To turn this option on, head to the Game Bar settings, select Widget, and check the box next to it.

Part 4. Best Alternative to Xbox Game Bar

If you’re looking for the best alternative to Xbox Game Bar to record your display, AnyMP4 Screen Recorder is an excellent choice. It is a one-stop screen recorder software with seven dedicated recording modes. This includes Game Recorder, Screen Recorder, Audio Recorder, Screen Capture, Window Recorder, Webcam Recorder, and Phone Recorder. It allows the recording area’s customization, be it a specific window, custom region, or full screen.

Moreover, AnyMP4 Screen Recorder comes with additional useful features. Some of these are adding custom watermarks for content branding and Task Schedule for auto-recordings. In addition, it provides essential tools for editing the recorded clips. It offers a video trimmer, video compressor, media converter, file merger, sound booster, sound extractor, etc. Plus, it prides itself on its no time limitations on recording, allowing you to capture extended gameplay.

Conclusion

The Xbox Game Bar recorder is an excellent built-in tool to capture those epic wins of gameplay. It offers a convenient way to capture and share on-screen activities. With it, you can effortlessly record gameplay and take screenshots, all without downloading additional software. However, Game Bar, although simple, does come with certain limitations. These include a fixed recording area, a lack of advanced editing tools, and restrictions on recording time. If you crave more, AnyMP4 Screen Recorder steps up to the plate. It goes beyond gameplay with options for screen recording, audio recording, game recording, and more. Plus, it can capture screens in different areas and capture extended gameplay sessions without restriction.