Settings → Gaming → CapturesThe game captures background recording settings in Windows 11 are on one page in Settings. There you control how long a recording can be, how its audio is handled and how its video looks. The steps below cover each option, so you can match recordings to your PC and your habits.
- Open Settings → Gaming → Captures and adjust the recording options.
- If recordings affect game performance, lower Game Captures video frame rate and Game Captures video quality first.
- On a work or school PC, an organization policy can manage this page.
How to change game captures background recording settings in Windows 11
1. Open the captures page in Settings
Press Windows + I to launch Settings. In the left navigation pane, select Gaming, then select Captures.
Alternatively, open the page directly:
Open "Captures" in Settingsor press Win+R, type ms-settings:gaming-gamedvr, and press Enter
The recording options are collected in the Recording preferences group. It is divided into Record this, Recorded audio and Recorded video.
2. Set the maximum recording length
Under Record this, find Game Captures maximum recording length. Choose the longest recording you want Windows to allow.
Full path: Settings › Gaming › Captures › Recording preferences › Record this
A shorter limit keeps individual recordings small. A longer limit lets you keep more of a session in one recording.
3. Decide whether to record audio
In Recorded audio, use Record audio when I record a game to turn sound in your recordings on or off. Turn it off if you only want silent video.
The Record game audio only when using Captures option is in the same group. Turn it on if you want recordings to contain game audio only, without other sounds from your PC.
4. Adjust audio volume and quality
Also in Recorded audio, three options shape how the sound turns out:
- Game Captures microphone volume sets how loud your voice is in the recording.
- Game Captures system volume sets how loud the game and system sound is.
- Game Captures audio quality settings sets the audio quality of the recording.
If your voice drowns out the game, or the other way round, adjust the two volume options against each other.
5. Adjust the video options
Under Recorded video, set the following:
- Game Captures video frame rate controls how many frames per second the recording uses.
- Game Captures video quality controls the picture quality.
- Capture mouse cursor in game recordings decides whether your mouse cursor appears in the recording.
Higher frame rate and quality generally give smoother, sharper clips. They also use more disk space and more of your PC’s processing power. If recordings affect game performance, try lowering these values first.
What each group on the page controls
- Record this: the maximum length of a recording.
- Recorded audio: whether audio is recorded, microphone and system volume, audio quality, and game-only audio.
- Recorded video: video frame rate, video quality and mouse cursor capture.
Windows also lists these options under search terms such as recording settings, background recording settings and game DVR settings. That is why the “game captures settings” wording leads to this page.
If you cannot find a background recording switch
This page does not show an option named after background recording. The settings that Windows lists under that wording are the ones described above: recording length, audio and video. Open Captures under Gaming and work through the three groups.
If an option is missing or you cannot change it on a work or school PC, an organization policy may manage this page. Ask your administrator in that case.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I find game captures background recording settings Windows 11?
Open Settings, select Gaming, then Captures. There you can change recording length, audio options and video options such as frame rate, quality and cursor capture.
How do I limit how long a game recording can be?
Open Captures in Settings and change Game Captures maximum recording length under Record this. Pick a shorter or longer limit, depending on how much of a session you want in one recording.
How do I turn off audio in my game recordings?
Turn off Record audio when I record a game under Recorded audio in Captures. Recordings then contain video only, until you switch the option on again.
Where do I show or hide the mouse cursor in game recordings?
Use Capture mouse cursor in game recordings under Recorded video in Captures. It decides whether your mouse cursor appears in the clips you record.
Can my organization control these recording settings?
Yes, on a work or school PC an organization policy can manage all of Captures. If an option is missing or cannot be changed, ask your administrator.
Official Microsoft documentation
