12 Best 4K Screen Recorders for Any Device

Try Movavi Screen Recorder:

  • Capture your screen in 4K
  • Record your screen and webcam
  • Easily edit and share your recordings
Edited by Ben Jacklin
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What is 4K video recording? Video resolution is undergoing huge improvements in recent days, especially when it comes to screen recording. We’ll share the best 4K screen recorders to help you capture your screen.

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  • When selecting products to include in our reviews, we research both demand and popularity.

  • All products mentioned in this article have been tested by Movavi Content Team.

  • When testing, we aim to highlight the best features of a product and what it’s best suited for.

  • We study user reviews from popular review platforms and make use of this information when writing our product reviews.

  • We collect feedback from our users and analyze their opinions of Movavi software as well as products from other companies.

Best 4K screen recorders for Windows

Movavi Screen Recorder

Best for: powerful interface

OS: Windows, macOS

Price: free trial, full version for HK$169/year

G2 rating: 4.5 out of 5, 50 reviews

Movavi Screen Recorder is one of the best screen recorders for PC with great UI. It allows users to set recording parameters according to their needs without hassle. Also, you can record video and audio at the same time. You will only require to hit the record button and start recording your desktop or laptop screen in 4K. You can edit your screen recordings using simple editing tools if you want. It can be a great feature to make your videos perfect. If you need to start recording at a particular time, you can do so by setting a timer. The best thing about this application is that you can draw on videos while recording.

Key features:

  • Capture keystrokes and mouse actions to create in-depth guides and explainers
  • Grab your screen in HD and 4K and share hi-res screencasts right from the app
  • Draw notes, shapes, and figures on videos in real time
  • Set a timer and save important meetings that you can’t attend
  • Capture webcam and  overlay it where you want on the screen
  • Take meaningful screenshots: capture a single window, a full page, or just part of it

Pros:

  • A powerful app to improve efficiency with simple, lightweight recordings

  • Zero hassle editing to create screencasts on the go

  • Smooth performance on macOS and Windows systems

Cons:

  • No limits to your creativity in the full version of the program

Bandicam

Best for: drawing on screen recordings

OS: Windows

Price: free, full version for $39.95

G2 rating: 4.3 out of 5, 32 reviews

Bandicam is a screen recorder that will let you record 4K videos without putting extra pressure on the system. It is a lightweight screen recorder with 4K capture that can run on any Windows system. You can use this application to record a particular area of your screen or even record games. The application permits users to capture their screens with a high compression ratio while maintaining the actual quality. You can save all your recordings as AVI or MP4 files. You can record from your webcam as well. The best thing about this application is that it allows scheduling screen recording. Users can seamlessly mix their voice and system audio at the same time. All of these features make it one of the best 4K screen recorders for PC.

Key features:

  • Schedule recording
  • Drawing on screen recordings

Download Bandicam

Pros:

  • Record directly from the webcam

  • Mix user’s voice

  • Add animation at the time of recording

Cons:

  • Lacks professional tools

  • It might lag at times

ShareX

Best for: lightweight UI

OS: Windows 10

Price: free

TechRadar rating: 4.5 out of 5

ShareX is one of the best 4K screen recorders that’s free. The UI is lightweight and simple, which can make your screen recording task easier. You can use this program to record your desktop or directly from your webcam. Users can select one sound and visual input for every recording. The best aspect of this application is that you can access many choices with just one key. You can make your work instructions a lot more professional with the help of this application. It is possible to edit your recordings with shapes, highlights, text, etc.

Key features:

  • Easy to use UI
  • Basic editing tools
  • Lightweight program

Download ShareX

Pros:

  • One key access to various choices

  • Versatile program

Cons:

  • Outdated design

  • Excessive choices can be overwhelming

ScreenRec

Best for: one-click capture

OS: Windows, macOS, Linux

Price: free

G2 rating: 4.9 out of 5, 5 reviews

ScreenRec is a 4K screen capture software that will let you record your screen for free and without any watermark. You can start recording with one click and share the same instantly. You can record your voice and system audio and mix the two. Also, you can record directly from your webcam. Despite being a free video screen recorder, it does not come with a recording time limit. The UI is lightweight, and you will face zero lag as you work with this application. The best thing about this application is that you can either record the whole screen or mark a certain area you want to capture. It has an easy sharing feature with which you can share your recordings within a few seconds.

Key features:

  • Record from webcam
  • Mix system audio and own voice

Download ScreenRec

Pros:

  • Free-to-use application

  • No watermark

  • No time limit on recording

Cons:

  • It does not come with any editing tools

Recording with a lightweight program

ShareX

Editor’s rating

4.6
/5
Editor’s choice

Recording in 4K and drawing on videos

Movavi Screen Recorder

Capturing gameplay

NVIDIA ShadowPlay

Editor’s rating

4.7
/5

NVIDIA ShadowPlay

Best for: recording games

OS: Windows

Price: free

G2 rating: 4.5 out of 5, 20 reviews

NVIDIA ShadowPlay is a powerful and free 4K screen recorder application for recording games. Also, this application comes with a live-streaming feature besides recording in 4K. You can record up to half an hour. As this application is hardware accelerated, it automatically turns on when any game is running. Remember that this application only works when you have an NVIDIA-powered graphics card.

Key features:

  • Allows instant sharing
  • Free application

Download NVIDIA ShadowPlay

Pros:

  • Great performance as it is hardware accelerated

  • Various keyboard shortcuts for easy recording

Cons:

  • It can only work with NVIDIA graphics card

  • Not meant for normal screen recording

Action! Screen Recorder

Best for: webcam recording

OS: Windows

Price: free, full version for $29.95

G2 rating: 4.8 out of 5

Action! Screen Recorder is great video capture software that comes with various kinds of features. The application is powerful enough that it can make sure you can record everything that appears on the screen. It allows users to record directly from their webcam. The best thing about this application is that you can record in 4K or any other high resolution and save the same in any format you need. Also, you can record audio with the help of this application that also includes your voice. The user interface is quite simple for any basic user. You can easily edit anything that you record with the help of the in-built editing feature.

Key features:

  • Simple UI
  • Great editing options for both audio and video

Download Action! Screen Recorder

Pros:

  • Supports screenshot capture and live streaming

  • Record audio commentary and webcam

  • Very low CPU usage

Cons:

  • Limited free trial usage

  • No option to adjust the bitrate

  • Cannot set the custom frame rate

Icecream Screen Recorder

Best for: easy annotation

OS: Windows, macOS

Price: free, full version for $29.95

G2 rating: 4 out of 5, 24 reviews

Icecream Screen Recorder is a simple screen-recording application that comes for free. You can get the full version if you need to. You can record any screen area or save it as a screenshot. It is possible to record system audio and your voice simultaneously. You can easily add arrows, text, and shapes to your recordings. The best thing about this application is that it allows users to add watermarks to their videos. However, this feature is only available in the full version. You can share your recordings quickly using shareable links. You can trim your recording if you want to remove any part. Also, you can hide your desktop icons or cursor at the time of screen recording.

Key features:

  • Simple editing options
  • Record any area of the screen

Download Icecream Screen Recorder

Pros:

  • Easy annotation feature

  • Change video speed

  • Schedule screen recording

Cons:

  • Professional features are only available with the full version

Best screen recorders with 4K capture for a Mac

Movavi Screen Recorder for Mac

Best for: recording on a Mac with webcam, mic, and internal audio

OS: macOS

Price: free trial, full version for HK$169/year

G2 rating: 4.5 out of 5, 50 reviews

Movavi Screen Recorder is one of the most Mac-friendly programs available. The Mac version of Movavi Screen Recorder offers pretty much the same functionality. It allows you to grab 4K video, webcam, and audio, annotate and draw on your video while you’re recording, and schedule recording sessions for meetings and webinars you can’t attend. When you’re done recording, you can cut out the unwanted parts from the resulting video and save it in popular formats like MP4, MOV, and more.

Key features:

  • Grab your entire screen, a portion of it, or a window
  • Record your webcam’s output
  • Choose whether you want to capture just your mic, your system audio (no plugin required), or both
  • Annotate your video while recording using shapes, figures, and captions
  • Schedule your recordings with the built-in feature to grab meetings you can’t attend

Pros:

  • Extremely easy to use

  • Can be used to capture online videos, meetings, calls, webinars, etc

  • Can edit your video and convert it in a popular format

Cons:

  • Even more functionality available in the full version

QuickTime Player

Best for: free recording

OS: macOS

Price: free

QuickTime Player is a media player from Apple that also allows screen recording. You will be able to record your screen using this application. You can record audio using a microphone. However, you cannot record anything from the system’s default output. You can start recording your screen with two clicks only. It also comes with various kinds of editing features.

Key features:

  • Quick and easy recording
  • Great editing options

Pros:

  • No requirement to download any extra software

  • Easy to use

Cons:

  • The overall number of features is quite low

ScreenFlow

Best for: powerful editing tools

OS: macOS

Price: free, full version for $149

TechRadar rating: 4.5 out of 5

ScreenFlow is a screen recorder for a Mac that is well known for high-quality screen recording. Whether you use multiple or retina displays, it has the best screen-recording feature. The application is easy to use, and you can learn to use it easily. The UI is simple and allows everyone to develop great videos. It comes with a built-in media library. With this, you can step up your videos with access to more than 400,000 images, video clips, and audio. The application supports high-quality editing that will allow you to add transitions, animations, texts, multichannel audio, and many more. It has closed caption support where you can edit, add, and burn the same in ADA-compliant soft subtitles. You can save your screen recordings in any format you want to. The best thing about ScreenFlow is that it comes with a new feature where you can record independent audio from various applications at the same time.

Key features:

  • Great quality recording
  • In-built media library
  • Easy to use

Download ScreenFlow

Pros:

  • Superb editing tools

  • Professional grade animations

  • Multi-application recording

Cons:

  • It might be a bit confusing and complex for beginner users

OBS Studio

Best for: professional screen recording

OS: Windows, macOS, Linux

Price: free

TechRadar rating: 4 out of 5

OBS Studio is a free screen-recording application that can help you capture audio and video simultaneously. It is well known in the professional world for its seamless audio and video mixing capabilities. You can create scenes from various sources, including images, texts, window captures, webcams, etc. You can easily set up an unlimited number of scenes that you can switch between with the help of seamless transitions. It comes with easy-to-configure and powerful configuration options. You can add new sources and adjust necessary properties according to your need. The best thing about this application is that you can arrange the UI layout the way you want. It comes with various customizable transitions that you can add to your screen recordings.

Key features:

  • Easy to use UI
  • Great quality audio and video recording
  • Professional mixing tools

Download OBS Studio

Pros:

  • Customizable UI layout

  • A wide array of transitions

Cons:

  • It might lag at times

Best screen-recording apps for iOS and Android

No time limit screen recording

AZ Screen Recorder

Editor’s rating

4.6
/5
Editor’s choice

Recording in 4K on desktop and drawing on videos

Movavi Screen Recorder

Recording with webcam reactions and filters

Record it!

Editor’s rating

4.7
/5

AZ Screen Recorder

Best for: one-click share

OS: Android, iOS

Price: free

Google Play rating: 4.5 out of 5, 1.6M reviews

App Store rating: 4.3 out of 5, 533 reviews

AZ Screen Recorder is one of the best 4K screen recorders for Android and iOS devices. Every feature that comes with it is free to use. It can fulfill all the basic screen-recording needs for mobile device users. Despite being a free application, it has no time limit for screen recording. Also, there will be no watermark on your recordings. You can record video calls, gameplay, or in simple terms, everything on your screen. The application has a floating toolbar that provides users easy access to the necessary features and settings. The application also has a drawing feature that can help with easy annotations. The best thing about this application is that you can keep using it while recording. However, the only downside of this program is that it comes with many advertisements if you go for the free version. You can remove the advertisements with the pro version.

Key features:

  • Easy screen recording
  • Simple and clean UI

Download the app for Android

Download the app for iOS

Pros:

  • Every feature is functional in the free version

  • No need to root the device

  • Superb option for recording video games, video calls, etc.

Cons:

  • You will need the pro version to remove unnecessary advertisements

Record it!

Best for: great video filters

OS: iOS

Price: free

App Store rating: 4.3 out of 5, 533 reviews

Record it! is an easy-to-use screen recorder that you can use to record gameplay, video calls, tutorials, and many more on your iOS device. After you finish your recording, you can easily add video reactions using audio commentary to enhance your recordings. It comes with a one-tap recording feature that will start recording your whole screen using a single tap. Also, this application comes with a video editor that will let you trim your videos, adjust playback speed, and add video filters. It allows users to share recordings seamlessly to YouTube.

Key features:

  • Simple application
  • Lots of features

Download Record it!

Pros:

  • One tap recording feature

  • Various kinds of video filters

  • Addition of voice commentary

Cons:

  • It only serves basic functions

How to record a screen with Movavi Screen Recorder

Here is how to screen record in 4K with Movavi Screen Recorder:

Step 1. Download and launch the program

Start by downloading Movavi Screen Recorder. Run the installation file and complete the installation process.

Step 2. Specify the recording parameters

After you finish the installation process, click the Screen recording button and specify the recording area. To record system audio or microphone, make sure that the corresponding icons are highlighted in green.

Step 3. Record your screen

To start recording, click REC. After you finish recording your screen, click on Stop.

Step 4. Save the recording

Cut unwanted parts if needed and save your video by clicking the Export button. Specify the saving settings and hit Save.

How to choose the best 4K screen recorder

If you cannot be sure which screen recorder to opt for to record your screen in 4K, now you have a wide array of choices. You can choose any application from above according to your need. But it would be better to consider certain factors before choosing a program.

Usability: the program that you go for should be simple and easy to use. Also, you will need to ensure that it can record how you want to. Going for a program with many features can make it difficult to understand and use the program.

Price: try to find an application that fits within your set budget. It would be great if you could choose a program that offers a free trial. It can help you to be sure if the program can meet all your needs before you go for its subscription.

Features: make sure that the program you choose has the necessary features. Also, the features you get with a program should balance the amount you pay when you go for the full version.

Support: having efficient customer support can be a great advantage. Check if the program provides support like email support or chat option.

Program

Best for

OS

Download

Drawing on screen recordings

Windows

One-click share

Android, iOS

Show more

12 best 4K screen recorders

  1. Movavi Screen Recorder – best for video and audio capture.
  2. Bandicam – best for recording videos and gameplay on a PC or Xbox.
  3. AZ Screen Recorder – no time limit (mobile app).
  4. ShareX – best for users who want a free and open-source screenshot tool.
  5. ScreenRec – best for users who want a one-button snip tool.
  6. NVIDIA ShadowPlay – suitable for NVIDIA ShadowPlay Professional live streaming.
  7. Action! Screen Recorder – best for recording and streaming gameplay for Windows Vista.
  8. Icecream Screen Recorder – best for simple navigation on Mac or Windows.
  9. QuickTime Player – best for users who want an all-in-one recorder and player.
  10. ScreenFlow – enhanced editing.
  11. OBS Studio – suitable for live broadcasting on Windows/Mac/Linux.
  12. Record it! – great video filters.

Summary

We hope this article has helped you choose 4K screen recording software. These programs have different features, so feel free to check out the screen recorders from the article and pick the one that suits you best.

Movavi Screen Recorder

The perfect way to record anything from your screen

Disclaimer: Please be aware that Movavi Screen Recorder does not allow capture of copy-protected video and audio streams.

Frequently asked questions

Is 4K a resolution?

4K indicates the horizontal resolutions of about 4,000 pixels. The K indicates a kilo or a thousand. Most 4K displays come with 3840 × 2160 pixels. It is 4x the pixel count of HD displays, which is 1920 × 1080 pixels.

Can you screen record in 4K?

You can record the screen in 4K using any screen recording application like Movavi Screen Recorder. Here are the steps to follow.

  1. Download and install the application.
    Download Movavi Screen Recorder for Windows
    Download Movavi Screen Recorder for Mac

  2. Click Screen recording and select the screen or specific area that you want to record.

  3. Click on REC.

  4. Click Export to save your video.

What’s the highest quality screen recorder?

Some of the best video quality screen recorders are:

  • Movavi Screen Recorder

  • ScreenRec

  • Bandicam

  • ShareX

  • Icecream Screen Recorder

Can OBS screen record in 4K?

It is possible to record in 4K using OBS Studio only when your video capturing device – digital camera or webcam – can record video in 4K. If the device supports video recording in 4K, you can alter your device’s settings to enable this feature.

Do you need a 4K monitor to record in 4K?

Yes, you do need a 4K monitor to record in 4K. Apart from that, make sure the app you’re recording supports 4K resolution. So, before capturing, make sure that a streaming video or a video game runs in 4K 60FPS to make high quality recordings.

Is there a 4K recorder?

Yes. Try Movavi Screen Recorder to capture videos in 4K and HD. Create high-quality screencasts, capture your webcam and both mic and system audio, and export in any popular format of your choice.

Can QuickTime record in 4K?

Yes. QuickTime, the pre-installed macOS media player, can grab 4K videos. It allows you to capture your screen, webcam, and audio. Just open the player and select the New Screen Recording option from the menu.

Can I record 4K video on a 1080p monitor?

Yes you can. It’s possible to record 4K video even if you’re using a monitor that doesn’t support this resolution. If you’re using an Nvidia graphic card, you can make it simulate 4K resolution on a 1080p monitor by enabling its Dynamic Super Resolution feature. To do this, go to the Nvidia Control Panel, find Global Settings, scroll to DSR – Factors, and make your GPU put out a 4K signal. Be careful to not overuse this method as it can be too much for some PCs.

Movavi Screen Recorder

The perfect way to record anything from your screen

An easy way to record from your screen in HD. Make video footage of any application, record online streaming video, webinars, even Skype calls, and save clips in all popular formats.

4.620,293 reviews
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