How To

Recording With VLC Media Player in 9 Easy Steps

May 18, 2021
Updated: July 2, 2025 at 4:06 AM

Recording With VLC Media Player in 9 Easy Steps

VLC Media Player is a great program to play movies, videos, and music on Windows and Mac devices. But, did you know that you can also use this media player to make recordings?

This function is not one of the best-known features because it’s not available on the home screen as it’s an advanced setting and a very useful feature if you want to record from a DVD or stream, or even record your desktop.

Open VLC
Launch VLC by clicking the app icon.
Go to ‘Media’ and Then ‘Convert/Save’
Navigate to the ‘Media’ tab in the top right corner of the media player. In the drop-down list, click ‘Convert/Save.’
Click on the ‘Capture Device’ Tab
In the new window, choose the tab on your right titled ‘Capture Device.’
Set Capture Mode
The first line lets you set the capture mode. By clicking this option, a drop-down list will appear with the available options. DirectShow taps into your webcam and allows you to record with the webcam. The TV-Digital option lets you record from a TV tuner card. Finally, the Desktop option enables you to record what’s happening on your desktop screen, such as streaming videos and DVDs.
Set Your Frame Rate
Set your desired frame rate; we recommend using about 10f/s (frames per second), as this will be enough for most recordings.
Click ‘Convert/Save’
Click ‘Convert/Save’ at the bottom of the screen.
Choose the File Name and Destination for Your Saved Recording
Next, type in the file name and destination folder you would like to save the recording to once completed.
Click on ‘Start’
Click on ‘Start’ to start with your recording.
Click on ‘Stop’ When Finished
Click ‘Stop’ once you have finished your recording.