Streaming Video Recorder – How to Record Streaming Videos on Windows and Mac
Last Updated on September 22, 2025 by Jane Joe
Live stream video is the most popular method to enjoy entertainment online. Twitch, for example, is a popular platform to watch gameplays in real time. Of course, YouTube provides the largest video contents for most of the themes. How to record streaming video offline on your computer?
Whether you need to enjoy the video smoothly, or playback the files anywhere without a Wi-Fi connection, download and record streaming video is always a suitable solution. The article shares 13 frequently used methods to record the desired movies from the article.
Part 1: The Most Efficient Method to Capture Streaming Videos
How to download and capture online streaming videos with a high quality? To enjoy the best audio-visual experience, you can tweak the frame rate, video quality and more other settings. Screen Recorder is a versatile method to capture video/audio and take snapshots as your requirement. It also has advanced editing features, annotation and drawing, and other customization features.
- Capture live streaming videos and music files within a single click.
- Customize the recording screen for the online screen video files.
- Support the high quality output video formats for streaming video.
- Add your face and reaction to the streaming video through webcam.
- Make screenshots for important moments during recording process.
Step 1: Once you have installed screen recorder, you can launch the program on your computer. Go to the Video Recorder menu to record streaming video from YouTube or other websites. It also provides 7 modes to capture videos with different scenarios.
Step 2: Enable the DISPLAY1 option and choose the Custom icon. It enables you to adjust the recording area of the streaming window. You can also turn on the System Sound option and disable the Microphone option to capture streaming video with audio.
Step 3: Click the REC button to start the recording. During the whole recording process, you can add annotation, shapes, watermarks, lines, and more others. When you want to take snapshots, you can click the Camera icon to get the snapshot on your computer.
Step 4: When you get the recording, click the Stop button to save the file. You can preview the recorded streaming video within the built-in media player, trim the desired part with the start point and endpoint, remove the unwanted file, or even share to social media website.
Part 1: 8 Methods to Record Streaming Videos on Windows/Mac
Method 1: The Default Method to Download Streaming Videos
When you need to record Spotify, Pandora, or other music streaming website, there are some default methods to download the streaming video or audio file. But you have to subscribe to its service to download the streaming video on any device.
Step 1: If you have already subscribed to the Pandora service, you can login to the account on your Pandora.
Step 2: Select the desired song you want to download on Pandora and click the bar at the bottom of the screen.
Step 3: Click the three-dot icon and choose the Download button to download the streaming music on your device.
Method 2: How to Record Streaming Video via WMRecorder
WM Recorder is more than a screen recorder to capture online stream, it also enables you to download a streaming video. The recording files can be saved as a video or an audio file. You have to install Real Player 10 or high on your Windows in order to record streaming video.
Step 1: Open the streaming video recorder and set the program on Windows or Mac.
Step 2: Launch your web browser and click the RECORD button when the live stream starts. Then the RECORD button will turn to the STOP button.
Step 3: When the streaming video finishes, hit the STOP button and select the desired action from the pop-up.
Note: WM Recorder cannot record content protected by Digital Rights Management.
Method 3: How to Capture a Streaming Video with VLC Media Player
VLC is an open-source media player that you can play any video file on Mac and Windows. It has extensive bonus features including record streaming videos via a URL or captures the video within the media player. The complex workflow is the major drawback.
Step 1: Go to the Media menu and choose the Capture Device option in the VLC Media Player.
Step 2: Pull down the Capture mode and select the Desktop option. Change the frame rate to 30 in the Options section.
Step 3: Click the Downward icon next to the Play button, and then choose the Convert button.
Step 4: Select an output format from the Profile option and set the destination folder. Click the Start button to begin capturing streaming video.
Method 4: How to Record Streaming Movies via OBS
OBS is another open-source screen recorder and broadcasting software. You can record live streaming videos with high quality H.264 and AAC encoding on your computer. Moreover, you can also custom screen capture and the frame rate.
Step 1: Open OBS on your computer and go to the Sources section, click the + icon and choose the Display Capture option.
Step 2: Enter a name and click the OK button. After that, you can click the Start recording button and play the target streaming video.
Step 3: When recording streaming process is done, you can click the Stop recording button to save the recording.
Method 5: How to Capture Streaming Videos through ShareX
When you are searching for open-source screen recorder, ShareX is a must-try option to record streaming videos. The advanced feature of the program is scroll recording. Moreover, there are multiple screenshot features to get the desired snapshots.
Step 1: Once you have installed ShareX, you can launch the program. Right-click the icon in system tray, click the Capture menu and choose the Screen recording option.
Step 2: When prompted, click the Yes option to download ffmpeg. Click the Screen recording option again. Set up the recording area according to the streaming video.
Step 3: When you captured the streaming video, you can click the Stop button in the toolbar to save the video. After that, you can preview the video and edit the files on your computer.
Method 6: How to Record Streaming Movies with CamStudio
CamStudio is a free and easy-to-use screen recorder for streaming videos. It is available to Windows 7/8/10. The recorder will save videos in high quality AVI files. It enables you to record flash video, add screen captions, and apply video annotations to your recordings.
Step 1: Launch CamStudio on your computer click the Record button to begin capturing streaming video. Advanced users can click the Options menu and customize options on the popup dialog.
Step 2: Enter the screen you want to record. Turn to CamStudio and click the Region option on the menu bar and select a record mode, such as the Full Screen before clicking the red circle button.
Step 3: When you are done with the recording, you can click the Stop button in the drop-down menu. After that, you can preview the video and save to your hard drive.
Method 7: How to Capture a Streaming Video via QuickTime Player
QuickTime Player is the built-in method to record streaming video on Mac. The Screen Recording feature only enables you to capture video on screen video. But you have to install an add-on to get audio files. Just learn more about the process as below.
Step 1: Open QuickTime Player on your MacBook. Go to the File menu and choose the New Screen Recording option.
Step 2: Click the Downward icon and set the video quality, audio source and more other parameters for recording streaming video.
Step 3: Play the streaming video on your computer. Click the Record button to set up the recording region and click the Start Recording button.
Step 4: To stop recording, you can click the gray icon at upper right side to save the recorded streaming videos on your computer.
Method 8: How to Capture a Game Streaming Video via Game DVR
Game DVR is a preinstalled streaming video recorder on Windows 10. It can capture everything on your desktop in full screen including live streaming and save it as MP4 files. But you cannot customize the recording area according to the streaming video.
Step 1: Press both Windows + G keys on your keyboard. When prompted, check the Yes, this is a game option.
Step 2: Play the streaming video on your desktop and click the Record button to begin recording Facebook Live video.
Step 3: Click the Stop icon on the toolbar when you want to stop the recording process on your computer.
Part 2: 4 Free Methods to Record Streaming Videos Online
Method 1: How to Record Streaming Videos via Screencast-O-Matic
Screencast-O-Matic is a free method to record streaming video online. It will not add watermark to your video. It enables you to create, edit, and manage the photos and videos easily. But you can only capture streaming videos up to 15 minutes.
Step 1: Search for Screencast-O-Matic on your browser and open the screen recorder on your computer.
Step 2: Click the Settings icon and enable the Screen icon to set the video quality in the Size menu. Enable Computer Audio while disable Narration.
Step 3: Hit the Rec button to begin capturing streaming video. When you capture the desired file, you can save the video.
Method 2: How to Capture Streaming Videos with Screen Capture
As its name indicated, Screen Capture is a simple way to record streaming video, including the onscreen activities with audio files. But the free version will add watermark on your recordings, you have to remove it by subscribing to the service online.
Step 1: When you find the desired streaming video to record, create a new tab in browser and visit https://www.screencapture.com/.
Step 2: Click the Start Recording button. When prompted, you can go to the desired window, select the video page and click the Share button.
Step 3: When recording completes, you can click the Stop Recording button to save the recorded video.
Method 3: How to Record Streaming Videos via FlexClip
FlexClip is another free and online streaming video recorder. It will capture the video on your desktop without installing software. Moreover, there are multiple templates to create and design videos online. It is not a good choice to capture long video.
Step 1: Open screen-recorder option from the tool when you go to Flexclip in your browser.
Step 2: Click the Start Recording button, and then choose the audio source to initiate the streaming video recording.
Step 3: Choose the Stop Recording button. Then, you can download your screencast or edit it instantly with online video editor.
Method 4: How to Capture Streaming Video with Online Screen Recorder
For beginners, Online Screen Recorder is a simple way to record streaming video online. You can also add microphone recording or webcam recording. It allows you to capture a video up to 15 seconds per time. Before recording, you can decide the chunk size.
Step 1: Visit https://www.screenrecorder.online/, set the webcam recording, the microphone recording, and more other options.
Step 2: Click the Start Capture option and choose the desired mode, such as the Entire Screen, Window, or Chrome Tab.
Step 3: When you want to stop recording streaming video online, you can click the Stop button and download the video.
Part 4: FAQs about How to Record Streaming Videos
This is the title
It depends. It is illegal to record the streaming videos without permission. When you need to capture the videos for business use, you have to contact the publisher for permission. Of course, you can also save the recordings to your computer for personal use only.
When you need to record streaming video with high quality, you’d better record the videos on your computer and make sure there is enough storage space. If there is any video and audio settings, you can customize the files before recording.
You can search for the screen recorder for your smart TV to record streaming TV programs. There are some programs, such as PlayOn that enables you to record and download any streaming movie, show or video from Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, HBO, and more.
Conclusion
Here are 13 best methods to record streaming videos online or your computer. You can choose an appropriate tool and begin capturing a favorite streaming video according to your requirement. But when you need to capture VIPBox Sport streaming and other scheduled programs, screen recorder should be the best choice.