Open Recorder’s export dialog exposes a focused set of options that let you trade off between file size, visual quality, and compatibility. Understanding what each setting does helps you pick the right combination for your use case — whether you’re sharing a quick screen walkthrough in a chat thread or preparing a high-quality tutorial for a video platform.Documentation Index
Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.openrecorder.xyz/llms.txt
Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
Resolution
Resolution controls the output canvas size. For the standard presets, the setting targets the short edge of the output in pixels; the long edge is calculated from the aspect ratio preset active in the editor. For 2K, the long edge is targeted instead.| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| 480p | Scales the short edge to 480 px |
| 720p | Scales the short edge to 720 px |
| 1080p (default) | Scales the short edge to 1080 px |
| 4K | Scales the short edge to 2160 px |
| Source | Keeps the original recording dimensions |
| Custom | Uses the exact pixel dimensions from the crop dialog |
The Source option preserves the dimensions of the raw recording file. The Custom option is set via the crop dialog in the editor and reflects whatever crop size you defined there.
Frame rate
Frame rate controls how many frames per second appear in the exported file. Lower frame rates produce smaller files; higher frame rates are smoother and better for recordings with rapid motion.| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| 15 FPS | Smallest file size |
| 24 FPS | Cinematic motion |
| 30 FPS (default) | Smaller file, smooth playback |
| 60 FPS | Best for fast cursor movement |
| Source | Keeps the original recording frame rate |
Format
Open Recorder currently exports in MOV (QuickTime Movie) format only.- The file is encoded using
AVAssetExportPresetHighestQuality, which targets the highest quality the export session supports. shouldOptimizeForNetworkUseis enabled, which moves themoovatom to the front of the file (sometimes called “fast start”). This means the file begins playing in a browser or media player before it has fully downloaded.- The file extension is
.mov.
MP4 and GIF export are not yet supported. These formats were available in an earlier version of Open Recorder and are planned for a future release.
Background styling
The background you configured in the editor is baked into every exported frame at render time. This includes:- Background style — gradient, solid color, wallpaper image, or transparent
- Padding — the gap between the recording canvas and the outer edge of the frame
- Border radius — rounded corners on the recording window
- Shadow — drop shadow behind the recording window
- Inset — an inner border or letterbox area around the recording
Aspect ratio and crop
The aspect ratio preset in the editor — 16:9, 4:3, 1:1, or others — determines the shape of the output canvas. The recording is fitted inside that canvas, with background styling filling any remaining space. When you use the crop dialog to set a specific crop region, the cropped area becomes the source content for export. If you set a custom pixel size in the crop dialog, Open Recorder sets the resolution to Custom and uses those exact dimensions as the output size. If the crop dialog uses a named resolution preset (such as 1080p), the resolution picker in the export dialog updates to match.Cursor overlay
When the cursor overlay is enabled in the editor, a stylized animated cursor is composited into the exported video. The cursor position is sampled from the telemetry recorded during capture and mapped frame-by-frame to the correct position in the output. The cursor overlay is only available when:- Accessibility permission was granted before the recording started — this is what allows Open Recorder to capture the cursor position during recording.
- The recording contains cursor telemetry samples.