For most software walkthroughs, start at 1920×1080 (1080p) and 30 frames per second (FPS), if your recorder and publishing destination support it. Use 60 FPS when scrolling, cursor movement, or animation looks noticeably smoother and your computer can sustain the recording. Set zoom by checking whether viewers can read the smallest important text at the size they will watch—not by following a universal percentage.
Choose settings for the kind of demo you are recording
| Demo or situation | Starting point | Adjust when |
|---|---|---|
| Mostly static software walkthrough | 1080p, 30 FPS | Use a lower output resolution if file size, bandwidth, or computer limits matter. Increase interface zoom or enlarge the content if text is hard to read. |
| Frequent scrolling, animation, or cursor movement | Try 60 FPS if available | Keep 60 FPS only if the motion looks meaningfully smoother and the computer records reliably. Return to 30 FPS if recording load is high or frames are dropped. |
| Recorder with quality presets | Check the preset’s actual output dimensions and frame-rate ceiling | Choose by the output you need, not by a preset name alone. Presets and software versions can impose different limits. |
| Browser-based screen sharing | Check the service’s resolution, frame-rate, aspect-ratio, and scaling behavior | Choose the whole screen, window, or tab intentionally; selected window dimensions may produce a smaller or differently shaped recording. |
These are practical starting points, not universal standards. The right choice depends on the recorder, destination, content, and computer.
Understand resolution, capture area, and zoom
Resolution is the output image size
Resolution describes the resulting image dimensions—for example, 1920×1080. A larger number does not guarantee a clearer demo if the recorder scales the image down or captures a small window. In OBS, the base canvas resolution usually corresponds to the monitor or game resolution; the output scaled resolution is the size used for the recording or stream. Those values can differ, so check both in the OBS overview guide.
Capture area determines what is included
A full display, application window, browser tab, or selected region can each yield different dimensions and framing. Aspect ratio matters too: a source that is not 16:9 may be preserved rather than stretched or cropped. Riverside documents browser screen sharing at up to 1920×1080 and 30 FPS. In its described browser-capture behavior, a 16:10 display can produce 1728×1080 to preserve its aspect ratio; sharing a window or tab uses that window’s dimensions, which may be smaller than 1080p and not 16:9. Riverside’s guidance for full 1920×1080 browser capture specifies a 16:9 monitor at 1920×1080, 100% display scaling, and sharing the entire screen. These are Riverside-specific conditions, not requirements for every recorder.
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Zoom changes apparent interface size
Application or browser zoom can make controls and text easier to read, but it cannot restore detail missing from the captured source. Increase it enough for the smallest important labels to remain legible in the final playback, while keeping the menus and surrounding context viewers need. There is no established universal zoom percentage for screen-recorded demos. Make a short sample and inspect it at the size and in the player where viewers will watch.
When 60 FPS helps—and when it does not
More frames can make fast or repeated movement appear smoother, which may help when a demo relies on scrolling, dragging, cursor motion, or animation. For a mostly static interface, higher frame rate may add recording load or file size without making text clearer. OBS cautions that 60-FPS streaming can be more taxing than 30-FPS streaming in its overview guide. If the system struggles or the result shows dropped frames, 30 FPS is the more reliable choice.
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Available rates vary by tool. The OpenShot 4.0.1 recording guide documents 15, 24, 30, and 60 FPS options, with controls dependent on platform and build. Those are OpenShot choices, not a ranking of what every demo should use.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why the recorded video may not match the setting label
- Quality presets can have different ceilings. TechSmith says Snagit High at 1080p captures up to 30 FPS, while Very High at 1080p or 4K supports up to 60 FPS in Snagit 2024.2.0 and later. Earlier versions differ for some 4K presets. See TechSmith’s Snagit frame-rate explanation.
- A service may cap or scale the output. Browser capture may have lower resolution or frame-rate limits than the source display, as Riverside’s documented browser limits illustrate.
- The chosen area may be smaller or a different shape. A selected window or tab, screen aspect ratio, or scaling behavior can alter the resulting dimensions.
- Source and output resolutions may differ. OBS separates its base canvas from output scaled resolution.
Snagit’s explanation that it captures only necessary frames describes Snagit’s implementation; it should not be assumed to explain every recorder. In all cases, verify a short exported or uploaded sample in the workflow you will actually use, rather than relying on a setting label alone.
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A quick setup and review checklist
- Set the output to 1920×1080 and 30 FPS if both your recorder and destination support it.
- Choose the capture area deliberately. Confirm that it includes the controls and context viewers need, and check whether its aspect ratio or window dimensions change the output.
- Set application or browser zoom so the smallest important text is readable in a short sample at the intended playback size.
- Try 60 FPS if the demo contains motion and smoother playback would help. Keep it only if the computer records without unacceptable performance problems.
- Export or upload a brief sample. Check its actual dimensions and motion, legibility, framing, and playback—not just the settings shown in the recorder.
- If the result is unclear, first identify whether the problem is small interface text, a low-resolution capture, scaling, or a frame-rate limit; adjust that specific control rather than increasing every setting.
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