What is the best screen recording software for Windows PC now?

Here are the 3 main things to consider when choosing the bests screen recording software for Windows 11 and Windows 10:

1. What you're recording and why

Gaming needs low overhead and high frame rates; tutorials/webinars need clear audio, cursor highlighting, and annotation tools; meetings need reliable system + mic audio capture together. Match the software's strengths to your actual use case rather than picking the "most popular" option.

2. Performance impact on your system

Screen recording competes for CPU/GPU resources, especially if you're also running a game or other demanding software at the same time. Look for hardware-accelerated encoding (like NVENC or Quick Sync) if your PC supports it, and check if the software offers a lightweight recording mode for lower-end hardware.

3. Output quality, format, and editing needs

Consider what resolution/frame rate you actually need (1080p/30fps is often enough; 4K/60fps files get huge fast), what file format works for your sharing platform, and whether you need built-in editing or just raw footage you'll edit elsewhere. Also check file size — some tools compress on the fly, others leave you with massive raw files to deal with afterward.