Free Screen Video Recorder

While it is true that Windows packs a basic screenshot capability built in, sometimes you need more advanced tools so you can refine the captures. As the name suggests, Free Screen Video Recorder is a tiny utility that lets you make recordings and grab screenshots of the desired areas of your desktop.

The application comes with a modern and stylish, yet minimalistic interface that can be slightly difficult to see if you run the app on a smaller monitor. Although the functions are no different than what you would expect from an app in this category, sometimes it can be problematic to access the right one.

Then again, the app compensates via the smooth functionality and the fact that it comes with several customization options. For starters, you can save the snapshots in PDF, PNG, JPG, TIF or BMP. At the same time, you can choose between various video and audio codec options and set the quality levels for the recordings you are about to take.

It is worth mentioning that the program permits you to use filename templates, an option that enables you to find new screenshots and recordings faster. Depending on your preferences, you can make sure the new captures are saved with the year, month, day, hour, minute and second. Moreover, you can add the hash symbol if you want the filename to include one digit of the sequential number.

It would have been nice if the application also included some sort of an annotation system so you can easily highlight parts of your snapshots and recordings. The option could surely come in handy if you want to use it for creating presentations or tutorials.

In spite of the fact that it lacks an annotation function, Free Screen Video Recorder is a user-friendly application that enables you to grab your desktop and make recordings using custom quality settings and codecs.