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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.

Find quick answers about Open Recorder below. If your question isn’t covered here, check the Troubleshooting page or open an issue on the GitHub repository.
Open Recorder is a native Swift app built with Swift 6.2 and uses ScreenCaptureKit APIs that require a recent version of macOS. macOS Ventura (13) or later is recommended for the best experience.
Open Recorder exports recordings as MOV (QuickTime) files. The export dialog lets you choose a resolution (480p, 720p, 1080p, or 4K) and a frame rate (15, 24, 30, or 60 FPS). MP4 and GIF export are not currently available.
ContentLocation
Recordings~/Movies/Open Recorder
Screenshots~/Pictures/Open Recorder
Project files~/Library/Application Support/Open Recorder/Projects
Nothing is uploaded to any server. Open Recorder is entirely local-first — all captures, project metadata, and exports stay on your Mac.
Yes. When you select Display as the capture source, all connected displays appear in the source list. Select the display you want to record. To record a different display, switch your source selection before starting the next recording.
Yes. Open Recorder supports system audio capture via ScreenCaptureKit. A system audio toggle is available in the recording HUD. When system audio is on, the audio from your Mac’s output is mixed into the recording alongside any microphone audio you have enabled.
No. Open Recorder has no account system, login, or cloud service. All recordings, screenshots, project metadata, and exports remain on your Mac. The Rust service that runs alongside the app communicates only over a local pipe — no network traffic is involved.
Yes. Open Recorder is free and open source, published under the Apache License 2.0. You can use, modify, and redistribute it under the terms of that license.
Open Recorder includes a lightweight background service that handles project metadata, file path bookkeeping, and export coordination. It starts automatically when Open Recorder launches.You do not need to manage it. If you want to confirm it is running, open Settings and check the Service section — it shows the service name, version, and a Check Service button you can use to ping it on demand.
Open Recorder stores the file path to each recording in its project metadata. If you move or delete the recording file outside of Open Recorder (for example, in Finder), the project document still exists but the path it references no longer points to a file, so the library marks it as missing.To resolve this, move the file back to ~/Movies/Open Recorder with its original name, or remove the project from the library and re-open the file from its new location using Open Project… (⌘ O).
Open Recorder is open source on GitHub at github.com/imbhargav5/open-recorder under the Apache 2.0 license. See the CONTRIBUTING.md file in the repository for contribution guidelines, including how to build the project locally and submit pull requests.