Recording your computer screen has become a common necessity for gamers, streamers, content creators, and users who simply need to capture what's happening on their system. If you have an NVIDIA graphics card, you've probably heard of its built-in recording feature: Shadow Play. This utility is included within GeForce Experience, and allows you to record games, your desktop, take screenshots, and even stream live.
In this article we will explain step by step and in great detail How to use NVIDIA ShadowPlay to record your screen, from basic settings to advanced features like instant replay and customizing keyboard shortcuts. We'll also explore the new features included in the NVIDIA App, analyze the performance impact, potential issues, and recommend alternatives like Wondershare DemoCreator, OBS, or EaseUS RecExperts.
What is NVIDIA ShadowPlay and what is it used for?
Shadow Play is an in-app video capture tool GeForce Experience Designed for compatible NVIDIA graphics cards, this feature allows you to record what's happening on screen, especially for video games, but is also useful for capturing your desktop or any program you're using.
One of its main advantages is that uses the NVENC hardware encoder, found on many NVIDIA GPUs, allows for high-quality video recording with minimal impact on system performance. This is ideal for maintaining stable FPS while gaming or working.
Requirements to use NVIDIA ShadowPlay
Before you start recording, it's essential to check if your graphics card has the necessary support:
- NVIDIA GPU with NVENC supportNot all cards have it, especially older or low-end models.
- GeForce Experience installed and updated.
- Windows operating system; is not available for macOS or Linux.
To make sure you can use ShadowPlay, open GeForce Experience, go to Settings, and see if it allows you to enable the in-game overlay.
Initial ShadowPlay Setup in GeForce Experience
With the app already installed, follow these steps to activate and configure ShadowPlay:
- Opens GeForce Experience and access the menu Configuration (gear in the upper right corner).
- Activate the option In-game overlay.
- Balance ALT+Z to open the ShadowPlay floating interface.
- From this panel you can adjust recording, streaming, capture, microphone, and other options.
Key tip: If you want to record the desktop or windows outside of a game, it is essential to enable the setting privacy which allows you to capture everything that happens on screen.
How to record your screen with NVIDIA ShadowPlay step by step
Once you have the in-game overlay enabled, recording is really simple:
- Open the game or application you want to record.
- Balance ALT+Z to open the panel.
- Click on Record and later Start or use the shortcut directly ALT + F9.
- To stop recording, press again. ALT + F9.
Videos will be saved by default in the folder Videos, within the system user, although you can change the path from the settings.
Advanced Features: Instant Replay
One of the jewels of ShadowPlay is the instant replay functionThis feature constantly records in the background and saves the last few minutes of video whenever you decide.
To use it:
- Open ShadowPlay with ALT+Z.
- Activate the option Instant replay or use ALT + SHIFT + F10.
- When something worth saving happens, press ALT + F10.
This recording is automatically saved, preventing you from missing epic moments you might not be able to repeat.
Using ShadowPlay for Live Streaming
If you're a streamer, you can also use ShadowPlay to send your live stream to platforms like YouTube, Twitch, or Facebook:
- Open the overlay with ALT+Z.
- Press on Broadcast live.
- Select the platform, adjust title, privacy, quality and then press Go LIVE.
- To stop streaming, press ALT + F8.
Important: You need to sync your streaming account from settings for this option to work. If you want to expand your knowledge of recording and streaming on Windows, check out How to use OBS Studio to record and stream.
Screenshot and Photo Mode
In addition to recording video, you can take screenshots with ALT + F1 or use the Photo mode (ALT + F2) to apply filters to your in-game screenshots. All these images are saved in the same path as your recordings.
Hotkeys and customization
The keyboard shortcuts are customizable to suit your workflow:
- ALT + Z: Open the ShadowPlay panel.
- ALT+F9: Start/stop recording.
- ALT+F10: Save instant replay.
- ALT+F1: Screenshot.
- ALT+F8: End live stream.
To change these shortcuts, go to Configuration > Hot keys from the ShadowPlay panel.
What if your GPU isn't supported or you don't have ShadowPlay?
If your graphics card lacks NVENCShadowPlay won't work. This can cause problems if you're using an integrated GPU in a laptop or a very old card. Also, if you're using an NVIDIA GPU but it's inactive because you're using the integrated one, the app won't be able to access the VRAM to record.
Recommendation: Force the use of the NVIDIA GPU for desktop and gaming from the NVIDIA Control Panel. If you want to learn how to record your screen without relying on ShadowPlay or GeForce Experience, you might be interested in How to record your Windows 10 screen without installing any programs.
Transition: From GeForce Experience to NVIDIA App
Starting in late 2025, NVIDIA is migrating GeForce Experience features to a new platform: NVIDIA AppThis new app unifies both driver settings and capture options, with a revamped interface.
To record with the new app:
- Active NVIDIA Overlay from the Settings > Function menu.
- Balance ALT+Z to access functions such as recording, replay, camera, filters, etc.
The features are the same, but organized differently. It's a good idea to familiarize yourself with this new app if you upgrade.
Impact on team performance
ShadowPlay consumes resources, especially VRAM y GPU processingThe impact depends on:
- Litigation, Arbitration at which you record (the higher the speed, the higher the consumption).
- FPS and bitrate selected in the settings.
- Video memory total available.
If your GPU is at its maximum requirements or barely meets the game's minimum, using ShadowPlay may cause FPS drops or graphical errors. In these cases, the best option may be a external capture device.
Common problems and solutions
- ShadowPlay does not record the desktop: Enable the desktop recording option in privacy.
- The ALT + Z shortcut is not working: restart GeForce Experience or check for conflicts with other programs.
- Missing recordings: Check the save folder or change the default path.
- The Overlay is not showing: Make sure the option is enabled in settings.
Alternatives to NVIDIA ShadowPlay
If you're looking to record without relying on an NVIDIA GPU or need more comprehensive editing tools, here are your best options:
Wondershare DemoCreator
- Allows recording in up to 8K/120FPS.
- Compatible with Windows and Mac.
- Allows you to record screen, webcam and audio simultaneously.
- Includes built-in editor and advanced AI features.
EaseUS Rec Experts
- Record in full screen or just a region.
- Capture webcam, system and microphone audio.
- It has mode automatic recording scheduled.
- Includes editing and export tools.
OBS Studio
- Software free and open source.
- Compatible with Windows, Linux and macOS.
- High customization for recording and streaming.
- Low consumption if configured correctly.
Windows native tools
Windows also offers basic solutions without installing anything:
Xbox game bar
- Activate with Win+G.
- Allows you to record your desktop and add voice with a microphone.
- Ideal for light tasks.
Cuts in Windows 11
- Allows you to record your screen without installing anything additional.
- Limited to global recording, with no option to select specific areas.
Therefore, Shadow Play It's a powerful tool for capturing screens if you have an NVIDIA graphics card, but it's not the only one, nor is it always the most recommended for all cases. If you're looking for higher quality and customization options, options like Wondershare DemoCreator may be a better choice. In resource-limited scenarios, solutions built into Windows can also be useful.