How to record high-quality screencasts on Linux

Good quality screen capture is very difficult on Linux. One of the main reasons is that video drivers aren’t as good as they are on Windows and Mac. Additionally, many Linux users do not know how to configure screen capture apps, so all of the recordings look choppy, pixelated, and low resolution.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to get high-quality HD recordings of your Linux desktop using SimpleScreenRecorder. However, please note that recording your desktop in high quality requires a computer with powerful specifications. If you are running a low-spec computer, you will run into FPS issues while recording. For best results, have an HD monitor (1920x1080p+), at least 8 GB of RAM, a fast CPU, and a fast GPU!

Installing SimpleScreenRecorder on Linux

Linux has a lot of useful screen recording tools. However, none come close to SimpleScreenRecorder. Why? For starters, Linux users can configure the recording’s FPS level, and even the output video codec. It also has built-in settings to make Nvidia graphics card record better footage, has hotkeys for quick capture, and much more!

Installing SimpleScreenRecorder is very easy on modern, mainstream Linux operating systems. To start the installation, open up a terminal window by pressing Ctrl + Alt + T or Ctrl + Shift + T on the keyboard. Then, follow the command-line instructions outlined below that correspond with the Linux OS you currently use.

Ubuntu

On Ubuntu, users can quickly get SimpleScreenRecorder up and running with the following Apt command.

sudo apt install simplescreenrecorder

Debian

Those using Debian Linux can easily install the SimpleScreenRecorder program with the Apt-get command below.

sudo apt-get install simplescreenrecorder

Arch Linux

Are you using Arch Linux? You’ll be able to install the SimpleScreenRecorder program with the following Pacman command.

Note: be sure that you have the “Community” software repository up and running before attempting to install SimpleScreenRecorder on your Arch PC!

sudo pacman -S simplescreenrecorder

Fedora

Sadly, Fedora Linux does not include the SimpleScreenRecorder program in their software sources. As a result, those on Fedora looking to get the application up and running will need to enable the RPM Fusion Free software repository.

Enabling RPM Fusion Free on Fedora Linux is not a complicated process. To do it, please follow our in-depth guide on how to set up RPM Fusion. Then, once the software repository is set up on your Fedora Linux PC, use the following Dnf installation command to set up SimpleScreenRecorder on your system.

sudo dnf install simplescreenrecorder

OpenSUSE

So long as you have the OpenSUSE Oss software repository enabled, you will be able to install the SimpleScreenRecorder application with the following Zypper command in a terminal window.

sudo zypper install simplescreenrecorder

Generic Linux

SimpleScreenRecorder is not available on many obscure Linux operating systems. However, if you want to get the app working, you’ll be able to download the program and compile it yourself by heading over to this page here.

Configuring SimpleScreenRecorder

Out of the box, SimpleScreenRecorder is not configured to record high-quality video. The default FPS setting is way too low, and the quality of the recording isn’t good enough.

To configure the SimpleScreenRecorder application for high-quality video, follow the step-by-step instructions below.

Step 1: Open up SimpleScreenRecorder on the desktop by searching for it in your app menu. Then, when the app is open, you will see a welcome screen. Click the “Continue” button to move to the next page.

Step 2: On the next page, you’ll see the video configuration settings. Find the “Video input” section, and check the box next to “Record the entire screen.”

Step 3: Locate the “Frame rate” section. “Frame rate” by default is set to 30 FPS. This setting is OK for standard recordings. However, by setting it to 60 FPS, your desktop recording will look more crisp and smooth on video.

To change the FPS, erase “30” and change it to “60.”

Step 4: Locate the “Record audio” section. If you do not want an audio recording on your video, uncheck the box. Otherwise, keep it checked and locate “Source.” Then, change the drop-down menu next to it to your PC’s microphone.

When you’re done configuring your recording settings, click on the “Continue” button to move to the next page in the recorder.

Step 5: Change the “Container” from MKV to MP4. MKV is notoriously a pain in video editing tools. Then, locate the slider next to “Constant rate factor” and change it from 23 to 2.

Step 6: Find “Audio” and change the codec from “Vorbis” to AAC.

After setting up the audio codec, the configuration is complete! Press “Continue” to move on to the next page!

Recording with SimpleScreenRecorder

Recording the Linux desktop with SimpleScreenRecorder is super simple, thanks to its built-in hotkey system. To start a recording of your Linux desktop, simply press Ctrl + R on the keyboard. As soon as this key combination is pressed, the app will record everything on the screen.

At any time, if you wish to stop the recording, go to the SimpleScreenRecorder app, click “Pause recording” to stop the recording in progress. Then, select the “Save recording” button.