How to screen record on an HP laptop (Windows 11 and 10)

HP laptops ship no screen recorder of their own. OMEN Gaming Hub records macros and tests your microphone, and that is all. The recording tools are Windows 11’s Snipping Tool and Xbox Game Bar on Windows 10 and 11, and both work on every HP, Pavilion, EliteBook and OMEN. The one HP-specific detail is the action-key mode on the top row.

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Step by step

1

Check HP's action-key mode

On HP consumer laptops the F-row works as media keys without pressing fn. That does not affect Win + Alt + R or Win + Shift + R, which use the Windows key, but it matters if a guide tells you to press F12 or PrtScn: you may need fn as well. To flip the default, shut down, power on and tap F10 to enter BIOS Setup, then System Configuration > Action Keys Mode. On ProBook 4x0 G5 and EliteBook 830/840/850 G5, fn + left Shift toggles it instead.
2

Record any region with the Snipping Tool (Windows 11)

Press Win + Shift + R, drag a rectangle over what you want, and click Start. Click Stop when you are done. The recording saves as an MP4 under Videos > Screen Recordings by default, and you can open it in Clipchamp to trim. This records the desktop and File Explorer too. Windows 10 does not have this mode.
3

Record the active app with Xbox Game Bar (Windows 11 and 10)

Click into the app, press Win + Alt + R, and a small timer appears. Press it again to stop. The clip lands in Videos > Captures as an MP4. Game Bar records one app on one monitor and refuses the desktop. If it says the app is not a game, press Win + G and tick “Enable gaming features for this app to record gameplay”.
4

Set the audio and the length

Press Win + G, open the capture widget and set Audio to record to Game only, All (microphone and every system sound) or None. The maximum clip length is a dropdown in Settings > Gaming > Captures; the recording saves itself when it hits it. If you use OMEN Cam & Voice Enhancer, Windows may list its virtual device as your microphone, so check which one is selected.
5

Record a tutorial or demo that looks edited

For a video you will publish, record with Rapidemo instead. Choose Screen, a window or an area, add your camera and microphone, and press Record. Zooms land on your clicks, the cursor is smoothed, subtitles are generated on your computer and the camera sits in a styled overlay. Export MP4 up to 4K or a GIF. The trial has every feature except the final export.

What is specific to HP laptops

Action keys. HP calls the top-row icons action keys and ships consumer notebooks with them on: pressing F5 changes the brightness, not the function key. The Windows recording shortcuts use the Windows key, so they are unaffected. The quirk bites when a guide says “press PrtScn” and your HP has a combined key, or when an app maps a hotkey to an F-key. Flip the default in BIOS Setup (System Configuration > Action Keys Mode) or, on the G5 ProBook and EliteBook, with fn + left Shift; an fn light shows the state.

OMEN Gaming Hub. On OMEN and Victus machines the hub binds Shift + F2 to its overlay selector and fn + p to Performance Control. Neither conflicts with Win + Alt + R or Win + Shift + R. Its Key assignments feature can remap any key except fn, so if a Windows shortcut stopped working after you set up a macro, look there first.

Graphics switcher. OMEN laptops with a MUX switch offer Hybrid, Discrete and AMD Smart Access modes. HP documents no Game Bar failure tied to the mode, and the fix when recording stops working is the same on every brand: update the graphics driver, press Win + G once inside the app so Windows registers it, and end bcastdvr.exe in Task Manager.

OMEN Cam & Voice Enhancer installs a virtual camera and microphone. If you turned it on, that virtual device may be the one Windows and Rapidemo record from. Pick the physical microphone in the recorder if the enhancer’s processing is not what you want.

Where the files go

Game Bar writes MP4 files to Videos > Captures, named after the app and the time. Move that folder anywhere in File Explorer and Windows keeps saving there. The Snipping Tool shows its folder in its settings; by default it is Videos > Screen Recordings.

From a raw clip to a video you can publish

Both built-in tools give you raw footage: no camera, no zoom, the cursor wobble intact. For a walkthrough you post or send to a client, Rapidemo records the same screen on your HP and adds the polish while you record. The full Windows guide compares every method; system audio and camera and microphone cover the setup.

How to screen record on an HP laptop (Windows 11 and 10): FAQ

Common questions, answered briefly.

Does HP have a built-in screen recorder?

No. OMEN Gaming Hub records macros, not the screen. Use the Snipping Tool (Win + Shift + R) on Windows 11 or Xbox Game Bar (Win + Alt + R) on Windows 10 and 11; both are part of Windows and already on your HP.

Why does PrtScn or F12 do something else on my HP?

HP ships consumer laptops with action keys on: the F-row runs the printed icon without fn. Hold fn for the plain key, or change Action Keys Mode in BIOS Setup (F10 at startup) > System Configuration.

Where do screen recordings save on an HP laptop?

Game Bar saves MP4 clips to Videos > Captures. The Snipping Tool saves under Videos > Screen Recordings by default; the folder is shown in its settings.

Can I record my screen with sound on an HP laptop?

Yes. Game Bar records the app’s audio by default; turn the microphone on in the capture widget or with Win + Alt + M, and pick All under Audio to record for system-wide sound. The Snipping Tool has microphone and system audio toggles on its toolbar. Rapidemo records both on separate tracks.

Can I try Rapidemo for free?

Yes. Download Rapidemo and use every feature for free. You only need a license to export your finished video or GIF.

How much does Rapidemo cost?

Rapidemo starts at $9/month billed annually, with a monthly plan and a one-time lifetime license also available. See the pricing page for full details.

Can I get a refund?

Yes. Lifetime license purchases are refundable within 7 days. Subscriptions and lifetime renewals are non-refundable.

Keep exploring

How to screen record on a Dell laptop (Windows 11 and 10)

Dell points its own customers at Game Bar. The shortcuts, the Fn + Esc lock on XPS and Latitude, and where the clip lands.

How to screen record on a Lenovo laptop (Windows 11 and 10)

Lenovo installs no recorder. The Windows shortcuts, Lenovo's Hotkey Mode and Vantage settings, and where the clip lands.

How to screen record on a ThinkPad (Windows 11 and 10)

ThinkPads put FnLock on Fn + Esc and open the Snipping Tool with Fn + PrtSc. The recording shortcuts, and where the clip lands.

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