PotPlayer is a free Windows media player published by Kakao. Plenty of people already have it installed for watching videos, so when they need a quick screen recording they search for a way to do it without installing anything new.
PotPlayer can do it: it treats your desktop like an input device, plays it inside the player, and then saves whatever it is playing to a video file.
The catch is that the controls are split across three places, the Device settings, the Open menu and the Video Recording dialog, so the feature is easy to miss.
This guide walks through the whole flow in order: choosing a capture method, opening the capture window, starting and stopping the recording, and adjusting quality, codec and audio.
PotPlayer has very little official documentation for this feature, so the menu names below are cross checked against several walkthroughs and the current release as of November 12, 2026, and labels can differ slightly between versions and interface languages.
The focus is on recording your own screen, tutorials and work you made yourself, not on capturing someone else's video.
Short answer: pick Screen Capture, open the capture window, save with Record Video
You only need to remember three things. First, open Preferences (F5) and go to Device > Screen Capture to choose a capture method. GDI basic screen capture works for the desktop, browsers and documents, while the GDI window selection mode records a single program window.
Second, choose Screen Capture from the Open menu to bring up the capture window. In the basic mode that window acts as the frame of your recording, so resize it to cover the area you want, or maximize it for the full screen.
Third, open Video > Video Recording > Record Video (Alt+C), set the storage folder and output format, and press Start. MP4 is the format that opens almost everywhere, and the other options can stay at their defaults until you have checked your first file.
If what you really want to record is a game, a dedicated game recorder is usually less fiddly than PotPlayer. For a side by side look at the built in Windows options and other tools, see how to record gameplay on Windows 11.
How to record your screen with PotPlayer
- 1Choose a screen capture device in PreferencesRight click inside PotPlayer and open Preferences (F5). In the left tree go to Device > Screen Capture and choose a capture method. Start with GDI basic screen capture, or pick the window selection mode if you only want one program window. Click Apply and close the dialog.
- 2Open the capture window and frame the areaChoose Screen Capture from the Open menu and a capture window appears. In the basic GDI mode the inside of that window is what gets recorded, so drag the edges to frame the area you want, or maximize it for the whole screen. In the window selection mode, pick the executable of the program you want to record.
- 3Set the storage folder and format in Record VideoRight click again and go to Video > Video Recording > Record Video (Alt+C). Use the button next to the storage field to choose where files are saved, and set the output format to MP4. If you are unsure about MP4 versus MKV, see how to save recordings as MP4.
- 4Press Start, then use the same button to stopPress Start in the Record Video dialog and recording begins; the button changes to Stop. When you are done, open the dialog again and press Stop. Open the storage folder and play the file once to make sure it exists and nothing was cut off at either end.
- 5Check audio and quality, then adjustAlways play your first recording with the sound on. If the audio is empty, go back to the Device section of Preferences, switch the audio device and record again. If the picture looks soft, make the capture window closer to your real resolution and review the video codec settings in the Record Video dialog.
PotPlayer screen capture methods and when to use them (as of November 12, 2026)
| Capture method | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| GDI basic screen capture | Desktop, browser, documents | The capture window sets the recorded area; maximize it for full screen |
| GDI window selection capture | One program window only | Pick the target process from the list, for example chrome.exe |
| DirectDraw capture | Older programs | Try it when other modes show nothing |
| Game capture | OpenGL and Direct3D 9 to 12 apps | Try it when a game or 3D app records black |
| DXGI capture | Full desktop on Windows 8 or later | Fallback when GDI stutters or turns black |
| Record Video dialog (Alt+C) | Saving the file | Storage folder, output format (MP4), codecs, file splitting |
Checklist before you hit record
- The capture window defines the recorded area, so moving or resizing it during a recording changes the output too.
- If a game or 3D program records as a black screen, switch the capture method to Game Capture or DXGI.
- If there is no sound, check both the audio device in PotPlayer's Device settings and the Windows sound output. A full troubleshooting order is in game recording has no sound.
- For long sessions, use the file splitting option in Record Video so one problem late in the recording does not cost you the whole file.
- Recording and uploading films, TV or paid courses can infringe copyright, so stick to your own screen and material you made.
If you want whole matches saved without pressing record
PotPlayer's strength is that a player you already have can handle a quick screen recording. If choosing a capture method and pressing record before every game feels like too much, DOR may suit you better.
DOR is a free Windows game recorder: launch a supported game and it detects it automatically, records the whole match and collects the recording in My Clips.
In seven games, including League of Legends, VALORANT and PUBG, it also creates highlight clips automatically when it detects moments like kills. Game sound and your microphone are captured on one track, and you can trim any part in the app to 16:9, 9:16 or 1:1. For anything that is not a game, use screen recording (default hotkey F7). See how DOR records games automatically for the details.
