# Estage Recorder

> A screen recorder for Mac and Windows that uploads while you record — stop, and the share link is already on your clipboard, with the video in your Estage Video library.

Source: https://support.estage.com/video-desktop-recorder
Part of the ESTAGE Support help center (https://support.estage.com). Full knowledge base: https://support.estage.com/llms-full.txt

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**Estage Recorder** records your screen and puts the video straight into your
[Estage Video](https://support.estage.com/video-video-on-estage) library. It uploads *while* you record, so a moment after you
press stop the link (`player.estage.com/…`) is on your clipboard, ready to paste into a chat,
an email, or a ticket. Think of it as the screenshot shortcut, plus a link.

Rather not install anything? The [browser recorder](https://support.estage.com/video-recording) records from a tab. The
app adds what a tab can't: a single window even when it's covered, a fixed area, a pen on
screen, and a link the moment you stop.

## Getting it

Download it at **[genesis.estage.com/download/recorder](https://genesis.estage.com/download/recorder)**.
The page picks the build for your computer and puts it under the main button.

| Platform | What you get |
| --- | --- |
| **Mac** | One `.dmg` for both Apple Silicon and Intel. Needs **macOS 15** or newer. Signed and notarised by Apple: open the disk image and drag **Estage Recorder** to Applications |
| **Windows** | One `.exe`, nothing to install: run it and the icon appears in the tray. Needs **Windows 10 (version 2004)** or **Windows 11**, 64-bit. Not code-signed yet, so SmartScreen warns the first time — choose **More info**, then **Run anyway** |

It is available to everyone with an ESTAGE account.

## Signing in

There is no password in the app. Choose **Sign in with browser**: your browser opens, and if it is
already signed in to ESTAGE, the app is signed in a second later with the same account. On a
Mac the token is kept in the Keychain; on Windows it is encrypted for your Windows user.

## Recording

Click the icon in the menu bar (Mac) or the tray (Windows), or press **⇧⌘8** on a Mac /
**Ctrl+Shift+8** on Windows. The shortcut can be changed. A toolbar opens with four modes:

| Mode | What gets recorded |
| --- | --- |
| **Screen** | A whole display — hover it and click |
| **Window** | One window only, even when something else covers it |
| **Area** | A rectangle you drag; move it or resize it by its handles, and it is remembered |
| **Cam only** | Just your camera, in a 16:9 frame |

Next to the modes: the **camera**, the **microphone**, and **computer sound**, each on or off.
Under **Options** you set the countdown, whether the mouse pointer and clicks show, resolution,
quality, frame rate, and the Estage Video **folder** the recording goes to.

**The camera bubble.** With the camera on, a round webcam window sits over a Screen or Area
recording, the way Loom does it. Drag it anywhere, double-click to change its size, right-click
for size and camera. It is a real window, so it is recorded exactly where you see it. (A
single-window recording cannot include the bubble.)

## While recording

A small floating bar gives you **stop**, **pen**, **pause**, **start over** and **delete**. The
menu bar or tray icon shows that you are recording — click it to stop.

- **Pen** — draw on the screen while you talk. Strokes fade after a few seconds; **Esc** turns the
  pen off.
- **Mouse clicks** show as rings, if you turned them on.
- The bar itself never ends up in the video. Click rings, pen strokes and the camera bubble do.

## After you stop

A card shows the recording and asks: **Upload**, or keep it on this computer (**Show in Finder**
/ **Show in Explorer**). Upload is instant — most of the file went up during the recording — and
the link lands on your clipboard.

- Turn off **Ask before uploading** to upload every recording the moment you stop.
- Turn on **Trim before uploading** to get a window with two handles after you stop: cut the start
  and the end, then **Upload**, **Save Only**, or **Delete**.
- Close the card without uploading and the file stays on your computer; you can still upload it
  later from the app's menu.

The video is then in your Estage Video library like any other upload — share it, put it on a
page with the [ESTAGE Video player](https://support.estage.com/video-player), or add it to a course.

## Where recordings are kept

Recordings are written to **Movies › Estage Recorder** on a Mac and **Videos › Estage Recorder** on
Windows. On Windows an uploaded recording is removed from the disk unless **Keep a copy in Videos**
is on (Settings). If an upload fails, retry it from the menu.

## Troubleshooting

- **Mac: the recording is black, or the app asks for permission.** macOS needs **Screen & System
  Audio Recording** (and Camera / Microphone, if you use them) allowed for Estage Recorder in
  **System Settings › Privacy & Security**. Quit and reopen the app after allowing it.
- **Windows 11: I can't see the icon.** New tray icons start under the **^** overflow next to the
  clock. Drag it onto the taskbar to keep it in sight.
- **Windows: the preview in the card does not play.** Playback uses Microsoft WebView2, which is
  built into Windows 11 and current Windows 10. Install it from Microsoft if your PC lacks it.