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How To Record The Screen & Upload It To YouTube On Windows
Aug 20, 2014WindowsComments (5)
Here is one way that you can record the screen, including audio, and upload it to YouTube for free. This is useful for recording game footage, creating a presentation, or showing how to perform some task on the computer.


Step 1: Download


Start by downloading Microsoft Expression Encoder 4. This software package includes the encoder and screen capture tool.

Microsoft Expression Encoder 4 Download


Step 2: Installation


Go through the software installation as you normally would. Once installed, there will be two shortcuts in your start menu. One is called "Microsoft Expression Encoder 4 Screen Capture", which is the tool you will use to capture the screen. The other is "Microsoft Expression Encoder 4", which is the program that converts the screen capture into a video suitable to upload to YouTube. You can ignore the SDK folder.

Microsoft Expression Encoder 4 Installed

Once you're ready to record something, open up the "Screen Capture" application.


Step 3: Configuration


Once you have the Screen Capture application open, you should see a little window that looks like this:

Microsoft Expression Encoder 4 Screen Capture Tool

Click the options cog button to bring up the options menu:

Microsoft Expression Encoder 4 Screen Capture Options

On the "Screen" tab you'll want to adjust the Frame Rate to something more usable like 30 or 60 (defaults to 15). And decide if you want to capture the mouse pointer or not:

Microsoft Expression Encoder 4 Screen Capture Options

On the "Audio" tab, be sure to check the audio device you use for audio output (so that it records the output). On most computers this will be "Stereo Mix", but it can vary depending on the audio hardware you have. Once set, click OK.

Microsoft Expression Encoder 4 Screen Capture Options

If you're unsure what audio device you should use, open up the "Sound" control panel in Windows and check the "Recording" tab. This can be accessed in the Control Panel link in the start menu. It should show your audio hardware and have a checkbox next to the one used for recording (you can change it to the same as device that you use for audio output).

If you have a mic that you want to use instead, be sure to select that.


Step 4: Capture/Record


Once you're ready to record, click the red recording button.

Microsoft Expression Encoder 4 Screen Capture Recording

The screen will now have an overlay where you can select the area that you want to record.

Microsoft Expression Encoder 4 Screen Capture Recording

Highlight the area you want to record. You can also select a preset resolution and then move the recording area around.

Microsoft Expression Encoder 4 Screen Capture Recording

Once you have the area selected, click the red recording button one more time. There will be a 3 second countdown and then it will start recording.

Microsoft Expression Encoder 4 Screen Capture Recording

Once you're done, click the stop button.

Microsoft Expression Encoder 4 Screen Capture Recording


Step 5: Encoding


The Screen Capture window will come back up and show the recording you just took. Click the "Send to Encoder" button.

Microsoft Expression Encoder 4 Screen Capture Encoding

The encoder application will open, which looks like a typical movie creator program. You don't need to do anything in this program other than click the "Encode" button at the bottom.

Microsoft Expression Encoder 4 Screen Capture Encoding

Once done, the completed video in WMV format (Windows Media Video) will be placed into the following folder:

C:\Users\USERNAME\Documents\Expression\Expression Encoder\Output

Step 6: Upload


Now all that's left to do is to log in to YouTube, click the Upload button, and select the file to upload.

YouTube Upload
Comments (5)
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Gordanswift   Jul 28, 2020
I used Shadowplay before as well. When I had Mac, I also changed it to Joyoshare Screen Recorder. It deserves credit for its success really. I usually use it to capture WOW to show my epic game skill hahah and then upload it into my youtube channel. Quick and easy. I would try Microsoft Expression Encoder as long as it is easy-to-use cause I'm certainly not a tech-savvy person. Has anyone used it so far? How is it work?
Carla Gomes   Apr 11, 2017
it says to allowedfor your platform
Peter Neslon   Nov 16, 2016
Cool, I never thought that Microsoft Expression Encoder 4 could have such useful function. I will try it later. Aside from using Microsoft Expression Encoder, Acethinker Free Screen Recorder is another good choice to do screen recording, It's a web-based application, you don't have to download or install anything. http://acethinker.com/free-screen-recorder/
Blake Kitt   Oct 06, 2015
I have NVIDIA Geforce Experience with Shadowplay to screen record, what does the encoder do? Shadowplay saves in .mp4 format and I've been able to upload a video thats recorded that way (it takes hours to process though), just wondering if the encoder has any benefit to help the quality (since youtube seems to compress?) or if it will help the uploading process take less time? Any information would be appreciated!
Stacy Ann Holland   Jan 30, 2015
how to name the youtube video please tell me please please please please please please please please please tell me just please