To record gameplay with NVIDIA ShadowPlay, use the NVIDIA App: enable the in-game overlay, press Alt+F9 for a full recording, or enable Instant Replay before playing to save recent moments.
To record gameplay with NVIDIA ShadowPlay, install or update the NVIDIA App, enable the in-game overlay, then press Alt+F9 to start and stop a recording. For moments that already happened, enable Instant Replay before playing and use its save-replay shortcut to preserve the configured preceding interval.
ShadowPlay is the familiar name for NVIDIA’s gameplay-capture features. For new installations, the current workflow is handled through the NVIDIA App, not the older standalone GeForce Experience interface. You need a Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC with a supported NVIDIA GPU. Capture options such as AV1, HDR, resolution, and frame rate depend on the GPU, driver, application version, and the game or desktop content being captured.
Before you start
- Operating system: Windows 10 or Windows 11.
- Graphics hardware: a supported NVIDIA GPU. Not every NVIDIA GPU supports every resolution, codec, HDR mode, or frame rate.
- Software: the current NVIDIA App and an up-to-date NVIDIA graphics driver are recommended.
- Storage: enough free disk space for the selected resolution, frame rate, bitrate, HDR mode, and recording length.
If GeForce Experience is still installed, upgrade to the NVIDIA App rather than following old instructions that refer to the GeForce Experience “Share” panel. NVIDIA has been moving users away from the legacy application as its web services are retired, while the NVIDIA App retains the overlay and capture features.
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How to set up ShadowPlay in the NVIDIA App
- Install or update the NVIDIA App. Open the app and complete any available application or graphics-driver update.
- Enable the in-game overlay. In the NVIDIA App, open Settings and make sure the In-Game Overlay option is enabled.
- Launch your game. Press Alt+Z by default to open the NVIDIA overlay. If nothing appears, check the troubleshooting section below.
- Open capture settings. Select the overlay’s Settings gear, then open Video Capture.
- Choose your capture options. Set the resolution, frame rate, bitrate, codec, audio, microphone behavior, and Instant Replay duration before recording.
- Make a short test recording. Check picture quality, game audio, microphone levels, and the save location before committing to a long session.
How to record an entire gameplay session
Manual recording is the right mode for a complete match, walkthrough, tutorial, speedrun attempt, or any session you know you want to keep.
- Open the game and press Alt+F9 to begin recording.
- Play normally. A recording indicator may appear in the overlay, depending on your settings.
- Press Alt+F9 again to stop.
- Open the NVIDIA App gallery or the save location shown in Video Capture to review the file.
Manual recording continues until you press the hotkey again or the game session ends. NVIDIA describes this as hardware-accelerated capture, but the practical result still depends on the game, GPU, encoder settings, storage device, and overall system load. Long or unlimited recordings are limited by available storage and the settings you select.
How to save a clip with Instant Replay
Instant Replay is a rolling buffer, not a way to recover footage from before it was enabled. Once turned on, it continuously retains the most recent configured period. Saving a replay writes that preceding period to a video file.
- Open the overlay with Alt+Z.
- Turn on Instant Replay. The default-style enable/disable shortcut documented in NVIDIA App guidance is Alt+Shift+F10, but confirm the assignment in your own Keyboard Shortcuts panel because shortcuts can be changed.
- In Settings > Video Capture, choose the replay length. NVIDIA’s product guidance commonly describes saving the last 30 seconds, while the NVIDIA App lets you configure the interval available in your installation.
- After an interesting moment, use the assigned Save Instant Replay shortcut. NVIDIA App guidance describes Alt+F10 for this action, but your installation may use a different assignment.
- Check the gallery or the current save location for the resulting clip.
For example, if Instant Replay is configured for five minutes and you save a clip immediately after a match-winning play, the saved file contains the preceding five minutes—not the entire session and not footage from before Instant Replay was activated.
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NVIDIA Highlights
NVIDIA Highlights is separate from ordinary manual recording and Instant Replay. In supported games, it can automatically capture designated events such as eliminations or other achievements. It requires integration by the game, so it will not be available in every title. If Highlights does not appear for a particular game, that does not necessarily indicate a problem with ShadowPlay.
Recording the desktop
ShadowPlay can also capture tutorials, applications, and other out-of-game activity when desktop capture is enabled in the overlay’s privacy or capture controls. Protected or DRM-restricted content may block capture. Do not assume that a black screen or missing video from a protected application can be fixed by changing the recording bitrate.
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Recommended ShadowPlay settings
There is no single best configuration. Start with the output you actually need, then adjust quality and file size after a short test.
| Goal | Good starting point | Why |
|---|---|---|
| General YouTube or social upload | 1080p at 60 fps | Practical image quality, manageable files, and easier editing. |
| Higher-detail gameplay upload | 1440p at 60 fps | More detail when the game and display support it, with larger files. |
| Short highlight clips | 1080p or 1440p at 60 fps | Usually sufficient for clips while keeping replay files reasonable. |
| High-end archival or slow-motion workflow | Higher frame rate or HDR when supported | Requires substantially more storage and compatible editing and playback hardware. |
Resolution and frame rate
Match the capture resolution and frame rate to the intended destination. As editorial starting points, 1080p60 and 1440p60 balance quality, file size, and editing workload for many gameplay uploads.
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NVIDIA advertises capture capabilities as high as 8K HDR at 30 fps and 4K HDR at 120 fps on supported configurations. NVIDIA has also documented 240 fps recording for GeForce RTX 40- and 50-series GPUs in NVIDIA App version 11.0.8 release highlights. These are maximum capability claims, not universal presets: the available combinations depend on the GPU generation, codec, display and capture configuration, HDR mode, game, driver, and installed app version.
Codec: H.264 or AV1?
- H.264: choose this for the broadest compatibility with video players, editors, and publishing platforms.
- AV1: choose it when your GPU and editing workflow support AV1 and you want better quality per bitrate or smaller files at a comparable visual result. NVIDIA documents AV1 recording on RTX 40-series GPUs and says it can preserve more detail than H.264 at the same bitrate.
AV1 is not automatically the best choice if your editor or intended platform handles it poorly. A short compatibility test is more useful than recording an entire session and discovering that your workflow cannot import or process the files.
Bitrate and storage
Higher resolution, frame rate, bitrate, and HDR all tend to increase file size. Check the available space on the recording drive before starting a long session, and avoid filling the system drive while a game and Windows are using it heavily.
NVIDIA notes that recording to the same drive used by the game can add input/output pressure. If long high-resolution recordings fill your drive or cause storage-related stutters, an internal SSD for ShadowPlay recordings is an optional hardware solution. It is not required for basic capture, and a new drive will not fix an invalid codec or unsupported GPU setting.
HDR
HDR capture works only with supported hardware and configurations. If the result looks washed out, overly dark, or incorrectly colored, check the complete chain: the game’s HDR setting, Windows display mode, NVIDIA App capture mode, editor, media player, and playback display. HDR advertised at high-end resolutions does not mean every GPU and application supports every HDR combination.
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Game audio and microphone
Use Video Capture settings to configure game audio and microphone input. Before recording a tournament match or a long session:
- Select the intended microphone or input device.
- Confirm that the microphone is not muted in the overlay.
- Check Windows microphone permissions.
- Record a short test with game audio and speech.
- Play the test file and verify that neither source is missing or distorted.
ShadowPlay does not require a separate microphone. If commentary is important, a USB microphone for gaming commentary can be an optional upgrade, but correct device selection and levels matter more than buying new equipment. Also check whether your editor or media player is selecting the expected audio track.
Useful default shortcuts
| Action | Default or documented shortcut | Important qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Open NVIDIA overlay | Alt+Z | Can be changed in Keyboard Shortcuts. |
| Start or stop manual recording | Alt+F9 | Documented for the current NVIDIA App workflow; confirm if it does not work. |
| Enable or disable Instant Replay | Alt+Shift+F10 | Shown in NVIDIA App guidance as a default-style assignment; may be changed. |
| Save the recent Instant Replay interval | Alt+F10 | Confirm the assignment and replay duration in your app. |
| Take a screenshot | Alt+F1 | Associated with the legacy Share workflow and configurable in the current app. |
To avoid relying on an outdated shortcut list, open Alt+Z and inspect Settings > Keyboard Shortcuts in your installed NVIDIA App version.
Where ShadowPlay recordings are saved
Do not assume every installation uses the same folder. Open the NVIDIA overlay’s Settings and Video Capture panel and verify the current save location. You can also use the NVIDIA App gallery to locate recent captures. The path and file naming can vary with user settings and application versions.
How to fix common ShadowPlay problems
Alt+Z does nothing
- Confirm that the NVIDIA App is installed and running.
- Open NVIDIA App settings and enable In-Game Overlay.
- Check whether another application or your own shortcut changes have reassigned Alt+Z.
- Update the NVIDIA App and NVIDIA graphics driver.
- Restart the app and game after changing the overlay setting.
Recording will not start
Check available disk space, the selected resolution and codec, and whether the target game or desktop content is supported. Protected or DRM-restricted content can block capture. If a high-end setting fails, temporarily test 1080p60 with H.264; if that works, the original combination may exceed the GPU, app, display, or software support available on that system.
Instant Replay saved nothing
Instant Replay must have been enabled before the event. Confirm that the rolling buffer was active, the replay duration is not set unexpectedly low, the save shortcut is assigned correctly, the destination drive has free space, and the file is being sought in the current Video Capture location.
The video file is too large
Reduce one or more of the following: resolution, frame rate, bitrate, replay duration, or HDR. If the GPU supports it and your editor accepts it, test AV1. Lowering replay length is especially effective for Instant Replay because it limits how much footage is written when a clip is saved.
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The video is blurry or stutters
A blurry image usually needs a higher bitrate or a lower resolution/frame-rate combination that allows the available bitrate to preserve more detail. Stuttering can result from the game, GPU encoder, capture settings, storage device, or overall system load. Try a short test with a lower capture setting and, where possible, record to a drive that is not simultaneously handling the game’s heaviest I/O.
ShadowPlay is hardware accelerated and designed to reduce capture impact, but there is no universal performance-overhead figure that applies to every game and PC. Actual results vary.
Microphone or game audio is missing
- Reopen Settings > Video Capture and check the audio options.
- Select the correct microphone and output device.
- Confirm Windows microphone permissions.
- Check that the microphone is not muted in the overlay.
- Make and play a short test recording.
- In an editor or media player, confirm that the expected audio track is selected.
What to do after recording
Review the clip before deleting the source footage. Trim dead time, balance game and microphone levels, add subtitles if needed, and export using settings appropriate for the platform where you will publish it. A generic video editor for gaming clips is the natural next step for creators who need trimming, captions, or multiple audio tracks; choose one that supports the codec and HDR format you recorded.
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A 24-hour 720p/30fps trial is free with no card at signup, so you can test continuous distribution before deciding whether it fits your channel.
If you want to distribute finished recordings rather than edit them into individual uploads, an optional downstream idea is to stream recorded gameplay 24/7 through a cloud streaming service that accepts uploaded videos and loops them as a continuous live broadcast. That is separate from ShadowPlay: ShadowPlay creates the files, while the streaming service handles distribution, scheduling, and recovery.
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For a complete session, use manual recording with Alt+F9. For unexpected moments, enable Instant Replay before playing and save the recent interval afterward. Start at 1080p60 or 1440p60, use H.264 for compatibility or AV1 when your hardware and editor support it, verify audio and the save folder with a test clip, and treat NVIDIA’s headline 4K, 8K, HDR, and 240-fps figures as hardware- and version-dependent maximums rather than universal settings.
Frequently Asked Questions
For new installations, NVIDIA ShadowPlay capture is provided through the NVIDIA App. GeForce Experience users should upgrade rather than rely on the legacy workflow.
What replaced GeForce Experience for ShadowPlay?
Alt+F9 starts and stops manual recording in NVIDIA’s documented NVIDIA App workflow. Shortcuts can be changed, so confirm the assignment under the overlay’s Keyboard Shortcuts settings.
What is the shortcut to record with ShadowPlay?
Yes, but only if Instant Replay was enabled before the event. Instant Replay maintains a rolling buffer and saves the configured preceding interval; it cannot recover footage from before activation.
Can ShadowPlay save gameplay that already happened?
Check that the overlay and capture settings are enabled, the selected settings are supported by your GPU, and the target content is not protected or DRM-restricted. Test with a normal game and a conservative 1080p60 H.264 configuration.
Why is my ShadowPlay video black or missing?
The Bottom Line
Quick answer: Install the NVIDIA App, enable In-Game Overlay, press Alt+F9 to start or stop a full recording, and enable Instant Replay before gameplay if you want to save moments after they happen. Confirm shortcuts, audio, storage, and the save location in your own NVIDIA App version.
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