4

There is an integrated feature in Windows 10 which allows us to do a screen recording without resorting to a third-party software: How to Screen Record in Windows 10 or Windows 11 by doing WIN+ALT+R.

How to make that "clicks" are recorded as circles (to show where the clicks happened)?

There is an option in the settings to record the cursor movement, but I haven't found the option for the clicks visibility.

Something like this when we click (or with any other look):

enter image description here

Can we do this without a third party tool in Windows 10?

Edit: it seems a third-party software is needed: useful link: Software recommendations - Highlight mouse cursor when clicking.

Improve this question
20
  • 1
    The closest you can get is enabling the "Ctrl highlights mouse pointer" mouse option but then you need to use a 3rd party tool anyways to bind LMB to also send Ctrl, which can also be a nuisance. Relying on Windows tools for screen recording and similar features is not a good idea, there are many good 3rd party options, including lightweight ones if you're worried about space.
    – Destroy666
    May 3, 2023 at 13:09
  • Thank you for your idea of binding LMB to CTRL, I can probably use AutoHotkey. Sideremark (offtopic as an answer, but just as a comment): would you have a good 3rd party lightweight option in mind? I have tried a good number of options, and haven't found a really good solution (something you end up with bloated software in which you need to create an account, etc., takes 1 GB, when, in fine, just a 10 MB single .exe should be enough ;))
    – Basj
    May 3, 2023 at 13:25
  • 1
    @Basj, indeed Xbox Game Bar screen recorder doesn't record mouse click highlights, even when enabled sing something like PowerToys
    – Yisroel Tech
    May 3, 2023 at 13:33
  • 1
    Nope. But Sharex for screen recording is awesome and pretty lightweight (uses ffmpeg in the background, but makes it easy to use)
    – Yisroel Tech
    May 3, 2023 at 13:36
  • 1
    No (it simply uses ffmpeg for this screen recording, and ffmpeg doesn't have the option.)
    – Yisroel Tech
    May 3, 2023 at 14:24

4 Answers 4

Reset to default
3

No, it is not possible.

The Xbox Game Bar screen recorder doesn't offer this, and Windows doesn't have any built-in way to highlight mouse clicks.

You will need to use 3rd party utilities for this.

Improve this answer
3
  • Thank you for your answer. Is this Windows 10 feature called "Xbox Game Bar"? Good to know!
    – Basj
    May 3, 2023 at 13:26
  • Yes, the Windows+Alt+R Screen Recorder is part of the Xbox Game Bar (which comes with Windows.)
    – Yisroel Tech
    May 3, 2023 at 13:30
  • Thanks again! I started a bounty here: softwarerecs.stackexchange.com/questions/37287/…
    – Basj
    May 3, 2023 at 13:56
2

I am giving this as a separate answer, because I do not have the possibility to comment on prior answers yet. The mouse highlighting given by Microsoft PowerTools is now being recorded by the screen capture functionality, as opposed to an earlier answer.

That means, if you have PowerTools, this is the most straightforward method:

  • Starting Mouse highlighting from PowerTools (Part of the Mouse Utilities, standard shortcut: Win + Shift + H)
  • Starting the recording with Win + Shift + R
Improve this answer
1
  • "is now being recorded", when did this behaviour change?
    – Basj
    Oct 26, 2023 at 13:10
1

Summary:

  • PowerToys has a solution for click highlighting

  • But this click highlighting won't be recorded by the Windows 10 built-in recording (WIN+ALT+R)

  • We have to use an external tool for this, such as (free, opensource, portable) ShareX.

See also Highlight mouse cursor when clicking.

Improve this answer
1

Some additional thoughts on how to go about achieving the results OP wants:

  • One way to possibly approach this may be to alter the method of capture, e.g., using screen capture hardware that encapsulates everything visually rendered on-screen, etc.
  • Another possiblility might be to use AHK; the AHK forums has a sample script that populates labels on-screen for any focusable controls, but perhaps it can be altered to meet your needs? The script I had in mind was called LabelControl, but I can't seem to find it among the current version of the official showcase scripts at this time, so either it's been deprecated or for whatever reason no longer shown on that page. In any case, that script was designed to show an on-screen tool-tip-style "numbered label" any time there was a control available to be focused upon, and mediated activation of that control via keyboard input. The function isn't what you need as-is, but the premise and capability to render such a label might still be adaptable for your needs?
    • I assume it would be rather simpler to modify the behavior to fire on mouse-click at the pointer's location. I might have a copy of the script in question still backed up somewhere, but unless you are well versed with AHK's (presumably the GUI featureset specifically), you might have better luck just asking on the Discord whether it might be viable to make such a script first.

Let me know if you'd still like to take a look at that script in either case, I can dig it up when I get back home later.

Improve this answer

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .