16 Best Screen Recorders for Windows 7

Movavi Screen Recorder is one of the best screen recorders for Windows 7:

  • Recording scheduler
  • Show mouse and keystrokes
  • Simple editing tools for trimming and annotating
Edited by Ben Jacklin
7 462

A screen recorder for Windows 7 can help in many situations. For example, you might want to record a tutorial or a gameplay video. You can try our online screen recorder right away or explore other options below.

Our guide will tell you all you need to know about how to record a screen on Windows 7. We'll cover different methods to capture video on Windows 7, including some of the best Windows 7 screen recorder apps, online tools, and browser extensions.

Online platforms to record a screen on Windows 7

Best for: no-download screen recording and sharing

Rating: 4.7/5 stars, 406 good reviews

Screencapture.com, also known as Screen Capture, is a free online Windows 7 video recorder. You can load it up in your favorite browser, like Chrome, Opera, Edge, or Firefox, and use it to record your various windows and screen activities. It's completely free to use, without any downloads required and has strong security and privacy policies to protect your files. It saves all videos in HD, and you can also use mic and webcam recording.

Features:

  • Record the entire screen or a specific part
  • Grab footage from webcam simultaneously
  • Record system sound, microphone, or both

Pros:

  • Completely free to use
  • No downloads or installations
  • Very simple
  • Works on all major browsers

Cons:

  • Watermark on your recordings when using the free version

Acethinker Free Online Screen Recorder

Best for: sharing recordings

Rating: 4.7/5 stars, 192 reviews

Acethinker Free Online Screen Recorder is another easy-to-use online tool you can use to record video on Windows 7. It comes with no limits whatsoever, so you don't have to worry about video length or file size, and it works with the click of a button. You can record anything you see on your screen, but you have to download a launcher first. Once that's done, you can use this tool to capture your screen and record audio, as desired, with various settings to let you capture webcam, system, and mic sounds.

Features:

  • Customizable recording area
  • All major video formats support
  • Microphone audio capture

Pros:

  • Save files in many popular formats like AVI, MOV, MP4, and WMV
  • Instant uploading to YouTube, Google Drive, and Dropbox
  • Capture whole or partial screen
  • Easy to use

Cons:

  • Launcher download required

Go to Acethinker Free Online Screen Recorder

Apowersoft Free Online Screen Recorder

Best for: editing while recording

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Apowersoft Free Online Screen Recorder is another web tool you can turn to when you want to find out how to screen record on Windows 7. It works with any kind of content, allowing you to record videos, lectures, video games, and more. The tool has the unique advantage of allowing on-the-fly editing and annotating, so you can change and enhance your clips as you make them. This is great for creating tutorials or social media content, but you will need to download a launcher before you begin.

Features:

  • Records from multiple sources
  • Includes real-time editing and annotation
  • Supports watermarks and video trimming
  • Offers scheduled and timed recording

Pros:

  • Works with many file formats like MP4 and WMV
  • Useful on-the-fly editing tools
  • Easy uploads to sites such as YouTube

Cons:

  • Requires launcher download

Go to Apowersoft Free Online Screen Recorder

Panopto Express

Best for: making easy educational videos

Rating: 4/5 stars, 83 reviews

Panopto Express is a free online tool to record your computer screen. It requires no downloads, no launchers, and no accounts so that you can get up and running in a matter of seconds, and it's very beginner-friendly. It works excellent with webcam recordings too, so it's popular with educators and tutors who want to make lectures, presentations, and guides that can be shared straight away via services like Panopto and Google Classroom.

Features:

  • Smart Camera AI
  • Record from multiple sources
  • Direct sharing to YouTube and Google Classroom

Pros:

  • No downloads or installations needed
  • Works well with webcam
  • Useful for educators
  • No time or size limitations, and no watermarks

Cons:

  • It doesn’t allow partial screen recording

Go to Panopto Express

VEED.IO

Best for: total beginners

Rating: 3.9/5 stars, 21 reviews

Another top tool to record video on PC and other devices, too, VEED.IO, is well-known for its simplicity. It offers a really simple set-up, asking the user to choose what layout or type of recording they want and then pressing a single button to start the process. You can restart and retry whenever you like, without limits. The tool even has some simple built-in editing options to let you cut out unwanted content before exporting and saving your recordings to your device.

Features:

  • Countdown timer, mirror mode, and other functions
  • Editor tools, such as trimming, filters, etc.
  • Capture a screen, a webcam, or both

Pros:

  • Very beginner-friendly
  • Multiple layouts to choose from
  • Simple editing features too

Cons:

  • Processing can belong

Go to VEED.IO

Desktop Windows 7 screen recorders

Best for: screen recording and editing

Rating: 4.5/5 stars, 49 good reviews

Movavi Screen Recorder is a fully-featured screen capture software you can download to your Windows 7 computer to use for making screen recordings without limits. It can be used to capture the screen and audio from your device. This desktop recorder is also useful for capturing webinars, calls, lectures, guides, gameplay, and more. Simple editing, a seamless user interface, a good range of options, and 4K quality recording will suit every kind of user.

Features:

  • Microphone and webcam capture
  • Scheduled recordings
  • On-screen annotations

Pros:

  • Full or partial screen recordings
  • Lots of advanced features to make your videos unique
  • Scheduling feature to prepare recordings in advance
  • Simple editing tools for trimming and annotating

Cons:

  • Watermark when using the free version

OBS Studio

Best for: professional screen recording

Rating: 4.5/5 stars, 100 reviews

OBS Studio is a pro-level desktop recorder you can use to create high-quality, detailed screen recordings on your Windows 7 devices. It offers a fully customizable interface that will appeal to advanced or intermediate users but may confuse beginners. It comes with a lot of advanced editing features and functions, too, giving you many ways to create genuinely unique clips with advanced audio mixing, exciting transitions, and more.

Features:

  • Live streaming and on-screen recording features
  • Customizable interface with hotkeys and layers
  • Built-in video and audio editing
  • Special effects and transitions

Pros:

  • Professional level clips and features
  • Lots of advanced editing options
  • Great for audio mixing too

Cons:

  • Beginners may struggle with the user interface and advanced features

Download OBS Studio

Flashback Express

Best for: making tutorials

Rating: 5/5 stars

FlashBack Express is an easy-to-use video recording software you can download and use on any Windows 7 laptop or computer. It doesn't take up too much space or too many system resources. And it's very popular with people who like to make tutorials and guides, thanks to its impressive array of editing features. You can use it not only for screen video capture but also to trim, enhance, annotate, and adjust your video however you like.

Features:

  • Record from multiple sources
  • Add external audio commentary
  • Export to video sharing sites directly

Pros:

  • No limits or watermarks
  • Advanced editing
  • Easy sharing to YouTube
  • A full or partial recording

Cons:

  • Many features are only available in a premium version

Download Flashback Express

CloudApp

Best for: business use

Rating: 4.5/5 stars, 1,111 reviews

CloudApp is a screen recording desktop app designed with busy business professionals in mind. It lets you make short, simple videos quickly and easily. It is excellent for keeping in touch with your business partners and colleagues and sharing information without the need to schedule and set aside time for official meetings and conferences. It's really easy to use, and you can alter your videos as you make them with annotations and other simple edits.

Features:

  • Capture or record your stream
  • Share pictures, GIFs, and videos through convenient links
  • Create GIFs based on your captured content

Pros:

  • Easy to use
  • Perfect for busy people
  • Simple edits and annotations

Cons:

  • 90-second limit when using the free version

Download CloudApp

Screencast-o-Matic

Best for: collaboration with colleagues

Rating: 4/5 stars, 54 reviews

Screencast-o-Matic is a top-rated screen recording app that is trusted and used by millions of people worldwide. It's also a video editor, so once you finish recording your screen and making your clips, you can then use the built-in tools to add text, customize your clips, and much more. It's also fully compatible with various collaboration and sharing platforms, ideal for business teams. However, a lot of those advanced editing features and other functions are only available to premium users, so you'll have to pay extra to get the full Screencast-o-Matic experience.

Features:

  • Multiple platforms and file formats support
  • Customizable recording area
  • Direct sharing to social media and video sharing sites

Pros:

  • Great for business use
  • User-friendly interface
  • Ideal for sharing your recordings with others

Cons:

  • Many features locked behind a paywall

Download Screencast-o-Matic

Google Chrome extensions to capture video on Windows 7

Loom

Best for: education and businesses

Rating: 4.9/5 stars, 10K reviews, 5M users

Loom is a Chrome browser extension you can set up and start using in more seconds. It's really flexible and configurable, with lots of settings to help you make the ideal recording with mic support, hidden or visible webcam feed, and more. It's only 6 MB in size too, so it's a very lightweight tool that won't interfere with your usual browser usage, and it's a good fit for people who need something simple, reliable, and compatible with other tools like Slack and Gmail.

Features:

  • Cloud-based screen recording tool
  • Collaborative features
  • Sharing videos online with control over permissions
  • Webcam and microphone capture

Pros:

  • Beginner-friendly
  • Lightweight extension that won't slow you down
  • Simple editing features
  • Works well with other tools like Gmail and Slack

Cons:

  • 5-minute video limit for free users

Download Loom

Best for: browser tabs, screens, or windows capture

Rating: 4/5 stars, 14 reviews, 5k users

Movavi's Screen Recorder is a fast, easy-to-use tool for screen capture and sound recording. You can also embed your webcam feed into video recordings and make voiceovers with a microphone, which is great for video tutorials. The simple settings ensure that anyone can work with this extension. There are no restrictions on capture time, number of recordings, or file downloads.

Features:

  • Records all desktop activity
  • Can record audio only
  • Features a built-in video editor

Pros:

  • Super easy-to-use, intuitive interface
  • Lightweight and fast

Cons:

  • The free version includes a watermark

Download Movavi Screen Recorder for Chrome

Screencastify

Best for: drawing while recording

Rating: 4/5 stars, 11K reviews, 10M users

Screencastify is another valid browser extension you can set up on Chrome and other popular web browsers. It's popular with content creators, especially people who make educational content like guides and tutorials. The extension allows you to quickly draw on your recordings as you make them, adding arrows, text, and annotations as desired. You can also add voice commentary to your clips via a mic, as well as a webcam feed, and then immediately upload your created clips to Google Drive or YouTube.

Features:

  • Supports camera and microphone recording
  • Offers basic video annotation and editing
  • Supports uploads to cloud storage, social media, and video sharing sites

Pros:

  • Useful drawing feature
  • Highly versatile for educational videos and other kinds of content
  • Easy sharing via YouTube and Google Drive

Cons:

  • Full window capture only

Download Screencastify

Nimbus Screenshot & Screen Recorder

Best for: making screenshots

Rating: 4.7/5 stars, 16K reviews, 2M users

Nimbus Screenshot & Screen Video Recorder is a popular browser extension that is great for taking screenshots and making short recordings of your screen. You have to pay for the premium version to really get the most out of this extension, but the free version is good enough for screenshots and simple clips. If you're willing to pay extra, you get additional editing features, YouTube publishing, custom watermarks, and file conversion too.

Features:

  • Converting videos to GIF
  • Quick sharing videos online

Pros:

  • Great for taking screenshots
  • Basic editing and file conversion
  • Built-in YouTube publishing

Cons:

  • Many features locked behind a paywall

Download Nimbus Screenshot & Screen Recorder

Awesome Screenshot & Screen Recorder

Best for: most lightweight app

Rating: 4.7/5 stars, 24K reviews, 2M users

Awesome Screenshot & Screen Recorder is a Google Chrome extension with a simple user interface that you can use for taking screenshots or making screen recordings. You can record the full desktop, individual windows, or just your webcam. It's very easy to use and good for making simple videos, and it's only 4 MB in size, making it one of the most lightweight options out there, but it lacks any kind of advanced features or editing options.

Features:

  • Free for personal use
  • Annotation tools
  • Instant sharing of screenshots and videos

Pros:

  • Simple to use
  • Very lightweight at just 4 MB in size
  • Multiple recording modes

Cons:

  • Lacks editing features

Download Awesome Screenshot & Screen Recorder

Vidyard

Best for: making GIFs

Rating: 4.2/5 stars, 1K reviews, 500K users

Vidyard is a nicely designed, user-friendly extension for recording screens, webcams, or both. You can record up to 1 hour of HD videos, draw on your videos as you make them, send your recordings directly, and publish them straight to YouTube. You can also use simple editing to trim your clips and make GIF files too.

Features:

  • Easy sharing via Gmail and YouTube
  • Simple editing tools and GIF creation

Pros:

  • Ease to use
  • HD quality

Cons:

  • 1-hour limit

Download Vidyard

Conclusion

We hope this article has been helpful. In any case, here is a list of things to consider when choosing a recording tool:

Features: If you simply want to record your screen, any recorder will most likely suffice. If you need some editing tools or streaming functions, take those features into account.

Simplicity: Choose software that fits your level of experience. Some programs are simple but don't do much. Others have more features but have a steeper learning curve.

OS: Make sure that the recorder you choose supports the OS of your device.

Support: Try to find a program that offers easily accessible user support if you run into problems.

Reviews: See what people have to say about the app you are going to use. Users may point out issues and help you avoid them.

Frequently asked questions

How to record a screen on Windows 7?

  1. Visit Screencapture.com to get started.
  2. Adjust the settings to suit your preferences, and click Start Recording to begin.
  3. Your browser will ask for permission to access your webcam and mic – allow this permission to continue.
  4. Press Stop when you've finished recording to save your file.

Does Windows 7 have a screen recorder?

Windows 7 does not have any kind of default or built-in screen recorder. However, there are many ways to record your screen for free on Windows 7 devices, such as using the Screen Capture online tool or the Movavi Screen Recorder desktop app.

More about Movavi Screen Recorder for Windows

What is the best free screen recorder for Windows 7?

There are many different free screen recorders, and the best one for you will depend on your precise needs.

  • Screencapture.com
  • Acethinker Free Online Screen Recorder
  • Apowersoft Free Online Screen Recorder
  • Panopto Express
  • VEED.IO
  • Movavi Screen Recorder
  • OBS Studio
  • Flashback Express
  • CloudApp
  • Screencast-o-Matic
  • Loom
  • Screencastify
  • Nimbus Screenshot & Screen Recorder
  • Awesome Screenshot & Screen Recorder
  • Vidyard

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