Screen capture on Linux has always been hit and miss. There are dozens of apps to choose from, some are good, and some are really bad. If you need to record a screencast on Linux, you’re going to have to invest time finding one that actually works well enough to give you a usable video in the end. To make it easier, we’ve compiled a list of the 5 best screen recorders for Linux. We’ll go over what apps are the best for what recording situation, where to get them, as well as go over the individual features of each app.
Note: All of the apps on this list are available on most Linux distributions. To install any of these programs, simply open up a terminal window and search your package manager for any of the apps on this list. Alternatively, check pkgs.org for a downloadable binary.
1. Simple Screen Recorder
Out of all of the screen recording software on Linux, Simple Screen Recorder is the best. The reason? Despite the name, this app has a ton of settings and advanced features. With it, users can record X11 desktop sessions. Users can record a specific region or the entire screen, specify the exact frame rate, add a voice over, record audio output, and more. It even includes a mode that allows users to record video games.
Simple Screen Recorder should be the go-to recording tool for anyone looking to do serious screen capture on Linux. No other GUI tool dedicated to screen recording is capable of offering up comparable features. Learn more about Simple Screen Recorder at the official website.
2. Vokoscreen
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Vokoscreen is a screen recording tool for Linux that offers up some really great features. For starters, it has a webcam feature that allows users to broadcast their webcam while they record. Additionally, it has a really cool magnifying glass feature that allows the user to zoom in on different parts of the screen. This is ideal if you’re creating a how-to video that’s meant to provide technical support or training. It also has a lot of the features that many come to expect in a screen recording tool like microphone and system sound recording, encoding and FPS options, countdown timer, etc.
This app is perfect for those who make professional videos on Linux. Download it today!
3. Kazam
Those looking for a screen recording tool on Linux that is easy to use, need look no further than Kazam. Its easy to use interface and small amount of options make it the perfect application for Linux users looking to make a quick video recording or two. Like many other screen recording tools, Kazam gives the users the ability to add a voice-over while recording as well as capture desktop audio.
4. OpenBroadcaster
Ever wanted to broadcast your desktop or video games from your Linux desktop? If so, there’s really only one choice: OpenBroadcaster. It’s a highly configurable, and highly advanced broadcasting tool that allows users to broadcast anything directly to the internet or record it. It supports multiple different formats, and has a ton of features. Its has support for popular websites like Twitch.tv, YouTube/YouTube Gaming, HitBox etc. The app has easy to use video streaming profiles, the ability to stream and record locally at the same time, a scene switcher, sound mixer and more! Open Broadcaster is the only choice for Linux users looking to live stream their Linux desktop to the world.
5. FFMPEG
Though not technically a “screen recorder”, with a little know-how, the FFMPEG encoding tool is able to record the screen just as effectively as any of the GUI tools on this list. Getting FFMPEG is easy (though it may already be installed on your system if you use things like VLC or Audacity).
FFMPEG is a command line encoding tool and a complex one at that. If you’ve tried out all of the programs on this list, and still aren’t satisfied, FFMPEG screen capture works in a pinch. To capture your desktop with this encoder, open a terminal and enter the following:
ffmpeg -f x11grab -r 25 -s 1280x720 -i :0.0+0,24 -vcodec libx264 -vpre lossless_ultrafast -threads 0 video.mkv
Be sure to look through this command and change things like the resolution, and the output filename.
Conclusion
Screen capture on Linux is a very spotty experience, depending on the app you use. If you use a well made app, you’ll come out saying that screen capture works just fine on Linux. If all you’ve seen are terrible apps that record bad video (complete with screen-tearing), you’ll come away saying the opposite. The trouble is that not many people know what apps to use. It also doesn’t help that we as Linux users don’t have a “standard” recording app that everyone stands by. Depending on who you talk to, the app you’re told to use to record with will be different. That said, choice is always good! It’s wonderful that users get to shop around and find out what’s best for their needs. Perhaps a day will come when all Linux users settle on one singular screen capture tool. Till then, lists like these will have to do.
