Record gameplay, desktop, and webcam in 4K with minimal lag. Free download, no time limit, no watermark. All recording modes included.
Bandicam is a free screen and game recorder for Windows that captures desktop, gameplay, and webcam in high quality with minimal performance impact.
Bandicam is a screen and game recorder for Windows that captures your desktop, gameplay, and external video devices in high quality. It offers three recording modes: Screen Recorder (full screen, window, or custom area), Game Recorder (DirectX, OpenGL, and Vulkan games—up to 480 FPS and 4K UHD with minimal FPS loss), and Device Recorder (webcam, HDMI capture, IPTV, consoles). Output is saved as MP4 or AVI; you start and stop recording with the default hotkey F12.
The software compresses video while recording, so file sizes are typically 20–95% smaller than with many other screen capture tools at similar quality. That saves disk space and speeds up uploads to YouTube, Google Drive, or Vimeo. Bandicam is used by over 10 million users for gameplay recording, tutorials, online lectures, and software demos. You can download Bandicam for free and use all recording modes with no time limit and no watermark.
If you need step-by-step help, see our how-to guides for recording gameplay, recording your screen, fixing lag or black screen, and uploading to YouTube.
Get from download to first recording in minutes.
Three recording modes plus tools to improve quality and workflow.
Hooks into DirectX, OpenGL, and Vulkan. Record 2D/3D games with minimal FPS loss. Supports up to 480 FPS and 4K UHD.
Press F12 to start and stop. Output is ready to upload to YouTube, Google Drive, or Vimeo without conversion.
Add picture-in-picture webcam or facecam. Rectangle, rounded, or chroma key styles for streams and tutorials.
Encode with NVIDIA NVENC, Intel Quick Sync, or AMD VCE/VCN. Reduces CPU load and often produces smaller files.
Draw, highlight, or annotate on video while recording. Ideal for tutorials and support videos.
Record full screen, a single window, or a custom rectangle. Choose which display or area to capture.
Use Bandicam to capture games, applications, streaming video, and external devices.
Any 2D/3D game using DirectX, OpenGL, or Vulkan (e.g. Minecraft, Roblox, PUBG, League of Legends, GTA). Also UWP apps and BlueStacks.
Capture streaming sites (YouTube, BBC), video calls (Zoom, Teams), and players (VLC, Windows Media Player). Use Screen Recording mode.
Record full desktop, a single app (PowerPoint, Excel, browser), or a custom rectangle. Ideal for software demos and tutorials.
Webcam, HDMI capture cards, IPTV, smartphone feed, PlayStation, or Xbox. Use Device Recording mode; output is MP4 or AVI.
Record system audio and microphone together, or audio only as MP3 or WAV without capturing the screen. Handy for podcasts.
Record continuously for 24+ hours. Use scheduled recording to start at a set time daily or weekly.
Smaller files, lower CPU use, and direct upload to YouTube.
High compression while recording; often 20–95% smaller than many other screen recorders at similar quality.
NVENC, Quick Sync, AMD VCE reduce CPU load and improve quality.
Record in MP4 (H.264) and upload directly to YouTube, Vimeo, or Google Drive.
Lower CPU and RAM use so games and apps run smoothly while recording.
Built for reliability and efficiency.
NVIDIA NVENC, Intel Quick Sync, or AMD VCE/VCN for H.264 and HEVC.
Record in MP4 (H.264) and upload directly without converting.
Light on CPU and RAM compared to many screen recorders.
No adware or spyware. Download from the Download page.
Quick fixes for the most common issues. For detailed steps, see our guides and troubleshooting.
Enable hardware acceleration (NVENC, Quick Sync, or AMD VCE) in video settings. If lag continues, lower recording resolution or FPS, or run the game in windowed mode. Resetting Bandicam to defaults can also help.
Download the latest version and run safe mode (bdcam_safemode). Update or reinstall your graphics drivers. Add Bandicam to your antivirus exclusion list, and close other screen-capture or overlay software to test.
Switch to the H.264 (CPU) codec in Bandicam settings. If you used Game Recording, try Screen Recording and select the game window. Ensure your GPU drivers are up to date.
In Bandicam, enable "Record sound" and choose the correct primary (speakers) and secondary (microphone) devices. Check that the devices are not muted or disabled in Windows Sound settings.
Full guides & troubleshooting →
Bandicam runs on Windows 7/8/10/11 (64-bit). Mac version available on the Mac App Store.
| Component | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Windows 11, 10, 8, 7 (64-bit) | Windows 11, 10, 8, 7 (64-bit) |
| CPU | Intel Pentium 4 1.3 GHz or AMD Athlon XP 1500+ | Dual-core or better |
| RAM | 512 MB or more | 1 GB or more |
| HDD | 1 GB or more | 10 GB or more |
| Display | 800×600, 16-bit color | 1024×768, 16-bit color |
Using Mac? Download Bandicam for macOS from the Mac App Store.
Based on reviews from Software Advice, FinancesOnline, and Trustpilot.
"Clean interface and great quality. I use it for game clips and it just works."
"Reliable for tutorials. File sizes are small compared to other recorders I tried."
"Smooth on my older PC. Upload to YouTube without converting is a plus."
Bandicam is used across many workflows where reliable screen or game recording matters.
Quick answers to what people ask most. For more, see our full FAQ and Support & Security.
Yes. Bandicam is free to download and use. All recording modes (Game, Screen, Device) are included with no time limit per video and no watermark. You can download Bandicam from this site or from bandicam.com. No payment or license key is required.
Bandicam is safe and does not contain adware, spyware, or virus. The developer explains this on Is Bandicam safe? Always download only from bandicam.com or our Download page. If your antivirus flags it, it is usually a false positive; add Bandicam to exclusions. See Support & Security for more.
Open Bandicam, choose Game Recording mode, then launch your game. A green FPS counter appears when the game is detected. Press F12 to start recording and F12 again to stop. For best quality, enable hardware acceleration (NVENC, Quick Sync, or AMD VCE) in Bandicam settings. Full steps: how to record gameplay.
Minimum: Windows 11, 10, 8, or 7 (64-bit), Intel Pentium 4 1.3 GHz or AMD Athlon XP 1500+, 512 MB RAM, 1 GB free disk space, 800×600 display. Recommended: dual-core CPU or better, 1 GB+ RAM, 10 GB+ disk for recordings. See the requirements table above and Download page for details.
Yes. Bandicam records in MP4 (H.264) by default, which YouTube accepts directly. You can use Bandicam’s YouTube upload button or upload the file from your Bandicam folder. No conversion is needed. See how to upload to YouTube.
Set up Bandicam, fix common issues, and learn recording workflows.
Bandicam is free. Download and use all features with no time limit and no watermark.
Download Bandicam