This wikiHow teaches you how to record video using a webcam on Windows and Mac computers. You can use the Windows built-in Camera app or the Mac's built-in QuickTime app.
Step
Method 1 of 2: For Windows
Step 1. Make sure the webcam is connected to the computer
If your computer does not have a built-in webcam, you will need to connect the device to one of the computer's USB ports.
You may need to install the webcam first before proceeding to the next step
Step 2. Open the “Start” menu
Click the Windows logo in the lower-left corner of the screen.
Step 3. Type in camera
After that, the computer will look for the Camera application which is the main webcam manager application in Windows 10.
Step 4. Click Camera
This option is indicated by the camera icon at the top of the “Start” window. After that, the Camera application will be opened.
Step 5. Switch to recording mode
Click the video camera icon. It's on the right side of the Camera app window, just above the camera icon.
If you have never set up a webcam before, you may be asked to allow Windows to access the webcam
Step 6. Click the “Record” button
The circle button with the video camera image is in the far-right corner of the window.
Step 7. Record your video
The webcam will record whatever is caught by the camera lens.
Step 8. Click the "Stop" button
It's a circular button with a red square on the right side of the window.
The video is automatically saved in the Photos app on your computer
Method 2 of 2: For Mac
Step 1. Open the Spotlight feature
Click the magnifying glass icon in the upper-right corner of the screen. After that, a search bar will be displayed.
Step 2. Type in quicktime
After that, the computer will search for the QuickTime application.
Step 3. Double-click QuickTime Player
This option appears in the top row of search results in the Spotlight window. After that, the QuickTime Player window will open.
Step 4. Click File
It's in the upper-left corner of your computer screen. After that, a drop-down menu will be displayed.
Step 5. Click New Movie Recording
It's at the top of the drop-down menu " File " Once clicked, QuickTime Player will switch to recording mode.
Step 6. Click the “Record” button
It's a red circle button at the bottom of the QuickTime window. After that, QuickTime will start recording what the webcam captured.
Step 7. Record your video
The webcam will record whatever is captured by the camera lens.
Step 8. Stop recording
Click the "Record" button again to stop recording.
Step 9. Save the recording
Click the menu " File ", choose " Save ” to open the " Save " window, enter a name in the " Export As " text field, and click " Save ” at the bottom of the window.
You can also change the file extension from MOV to MP4 by selecting the " mov " segment at the end of the file name and replacing it with mp4
Tips
- Check the room lighting. Place the lamp on the table and cover it with a sheet of paper. You can also shine light indirectly on the lamp to soften the exposure and improve video quality.
- Turn off background noise such as radio or television as the webcam's microphone will pick up on the noise and make it sound worse.
- Brightly patterned clothing or stripes can interfere with the appearance of your face during the recording process. Red is the most difficult color for a camera to reproduce, while blue is the easiest color to reproduce. If you wear white, your skin will appear darker. Meanwhile, if you wear black clothes, your skin will look brighter.
