Skip to main content

How to record gameplay on the Xbox Series X

Hit an unbelievable buzzer-beater in NBA 2k21 that the squad needs to see? Or do you need to prove to the world that you’re a top-tier sniper in Call of Duty: Warzone? If you’re playing on the new Xbox Series X or Series S, recording and sharing your top clips has never been easier.

Microsoft has given players multiple options for recording and sharing footage from the next-generation console — whether you’re uploading content as quickly as possible or on the go, or you need to sift through a large collection of clips.

Recommended Videos

This guide will go through all the ways you can record gameplay on the Xbox Series X.

Further reading

Capturing footage using an Xbox controller

The newest Microsoft controller that comes with the Xbox Series X has a dedicated Capture button in the center of the controller. To capture gameplay footage with the latest controller, press and hold Capture for about one to two seconds to record your gameplay clips.

Playing games on the Xbox Series X but using an older Xbox One controller? Don’t fret — you can still record gameplay footage with ease just like you used to on the Xbox One. Thankfully, Microsoft has made sure older Xbox accessories are compatible with the latest console. If you’re using an Xbox One controller, press the Guide button during your game, and then press X to record gameplay. When the gameplay footage is captured, you will get a notification letting you know your footage has been saved.

Capturing footage using a mobile device

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Another way to capture footage is by using the Xbox App on your Android or iOS device. On the app, tap My Library (symbolized as three books), then select Consoles. Select the Xbox that you are currently playing on, then tap Open Remote Control. The app screen layout depicts a simplified version of the Xbox controller’s face buttons. Like the Xbox controller itself, tap the Xbox Guide button and select X to record what happened.

How to access your captures on your console and Xbox Live

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Once your captures are recorded, they can be stored on your Xbox’s internal hard drive, Xbox Live, Onedrive, or an external hard drive.

To access your recordings on your console, press the Home button on your controller, and go over to the Capture & Share column. This column gives you access to all of your recordings and other recording options. Choosing Recent Captures will give you access to up to eight recent captures, but if you want to see all your captures, select the Show All button.

Capture settings

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Xbox consoles default to 30 seconds for footage recording, but you can capture longer footage within the Xbox settings.

In the Settings menu, select Preferences, and then Capture & Share. This feature allows you to change the recording length, resolution, capture location, and even what the share button does.

Now that you have the methods of recording gameplay on your Xbox Series X|S console, it is time to start recording all your epic gaming moments and share them with your friends.

James Holloway
James is a techie at heart; he covers Home Theater and Gaming for Digital Trends with a focus on how to get the best out of…
Xbox is testing a handheld device, but it’s a long ways off
Phil Spencer at the Bethesda roundtable.

Xbox CEO Phil Spencer confirmed that the company is working on a handheld device, which has been heavily rumored for quite some time. However, don't expect it any time soon.

In a Bloomberg interview, Spencer said Microsoft said that a potential device is only in the prototyping stage at this time. Even if the team was set to bring a product to market, it would still be a few years out.

Read more
The most common Xbox Series X problems and how to fix them
Xbox Series X

Like any other consoles, the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S aren't without issues. We all hate being interrupted when playing the best Xbox games with some technical glitch. This is even worse when you're locked in on an intense multiplayer game with your headset on and are ready to go. Even after several years on the market giving Microsoft time to push out updates and fixes, there are still some issues that can crop up.

In this guide, we're going to cover the most common Xbox Series X problems, as well as how to fix them, including:

Read more
All upcoming Xbox Series X games: 2024, 2025, and beyond
Emmerich Voss holds an artifact in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle.

The Xbox Series X and Series S have now been out for over four years, bringing better resolution, higher frame rates, and ray tracing to gamers around the world. And the best upcoming video games continue to show off all those bells and whistles in fun, new experiences.

If you're eager to find out what Microsoft has in store for the years ahead, we've rounded up every game confirmed so far, including new offerings, franchise installments, and ports of existing titles. We're looking beyond the first-party projects here to encompass all the great games coming to this powerful piece of gaming hardware. Maybe some of them will end up being among the best games on Xbox Series X.
Upcoming Xbox Series X games 2024
The games listed below either have 100% confirmed release dates or solid release windows that we expect them to hit in 2024. Any games with more ambiguous release windows will be listed below the confirmed releases.

Read more