To create clips with Streamlabs Desktop, configure Replay or the legacy Highlighter replay buffer, save moments with a hotkey, then trim and arrange the clips and export a highlight reel. Streamlabs now calls Highlighter “Replay”; the current Replay guide was updated September 22, 2026. The exact labels and available destinations can vary by Desktop version.
Before you start: Highlighter is now Replay
Streamlabs’ current Replay guide identifies Replay as the successor name for Highlighter and describes automatic recording and additional capture and editing features. The older Highlighter instructions still document the manual hotkey-and-buffer workflow below. If the labels in your installation differ, follow the Replay controls available in your version.
There is also an operating-system discrepancy in Streamlabs’ official pages: the current Replay guide says Replay is supported on Windows only, while a Highlighter product page lists Windows 10+ and macOS 12+. If you are on macOS, check the current Streamlabs Desktop download page or the app itself; those pages do not establish whether legacy Highlighter remains available in current macOS builds. Streamlabs’ Replay guide · Highlighter product page
How to clip gameplay on Streamlabs Desktop
1. Configure the capture buffer
- Open the Highlighter tab from the left navigation. In newer versions, look for Replay or Replay Buffer; the name and controls may differ.
- Set a hotkey you can press during gameplay without conflicting with game controls or other shortcuts.
- Choose the replay or clip duration. This determines how much recent gameplay the saved moment covers.
The legacy Highlighter workflow relies on Replay Buffer, so configure the buffer and hotkey before trying to capture a moment. Streamlabs’ setup guidance explains Replay Buffer and recording functionality.
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2. Capture a moment
For the documented Highlighter workflow, go live and press your configured hotkey when something worth saving happens. The buffer saves the recent interval you configured; it is not a command to start recording only from the instant you press it.
You do not have to broadcast publicly to use the legacy Replay Buffer flow. Streamlabs says you can manually start Replay Buffer beside the Go Live button, then save replays while offline. Look for the Replay Buffer control and start it before gameplay; pressing the capture hotkey before the buffer is running will not save the intended replay.
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Can I make clips without streaming?
Yes, with Replay Buffer: start it manually beside Go Live and use the hotkey to save replays without starting a stream. This is different from simply opening Highlighter after a session—the buffer needs to be running while the gameplay happens.
Streamlabs also describes Replay as automatically recording and saving clips for later editing. That is a separate approach from manually saving a recent window with Replay Buffer. For the distinction, see Streamlabs’ guide to clipping gameplay on PC.
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Edit clips into a highlight reel
After ending your stream or gameplay session, return to Highlighter to access the saved clips. The legacy editor supports arranging individual moments into a longer reel:
- Trim a clip by dragging its edges.
- Reorder clips to set the reel’s sequence.
- Choose transition type and length.
- Add an intro or outro, and add background music.
- Enable or disable clips to include or omit them without deleting them; delete clips you no longer need.
Preview the full reel and adjust timing or ordering before export. The Highlighter editor and these controls are documented in Streamlabs Support’s Highlighter instructions.
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Export and share the finished clip or reel
- In Highlighter, select Export and choose the export settings offered by your installed version.
- Export the finished reel and locate the downloaded file on your computer.
- Upload or share that file through the platform you want to use.
The current Replay guide lists export destinations including the computer, YouTube, Discord, and phone. Do not assume all of those choices appear in every older Highlighter build; exporting to the computer and then uploading the downloaded file is the documented legacy route.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Common problems and fixes
- The hotkey saves nothing: Confirm Replay Buffer is running, check that the hotkey is assigned, and make sure the buffer duration is configured. If you are offline, start the buffer manually beside Go Live first.
- The saved moment is too short or misses the beginning: Increase the replay duration before the next capture. The hotkey saves a recent window, so a shorter buffer cannot recover earlier gameplay.
- You cannot find the clips after the session: Return to the Highlighter or Replay area in Streamlabs Desktop; the documented workflow accesses clips there after the stream. Check the export location only after you have exported the reel.
- Your menus do not match the instructions: Streamlabs has renamed and expanded the feature. Look for Replay or Replay Buffer in the current app, and use the controls shown by that version.
- Replay is missing on macOS: Streamlabs’ current Replay guide says Windows only, despite a separate Highlighter page listing macOS 12+. Confirm availability in your installed build rather than assuming the older page describes current support.
Or let it run in the cloud
Streamlabs Highlighter is for capturing and assembling gameplay clips. If your separate goal is to keep a prerecorded YouTube channel live 24/7, StreamNeo is a cloud service for looping uploaded videos—not a camera stream or a clip editor. Upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key, and go live; the cloud keeps the stream running without a computer or home connection staying on.
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