In more ways than one, the arrival of the native “Game Recording” feature is a welcome addition to Steam. As someone who spends a good chunk of his life looting, shooting, and hacking gems, this new add-on has already made it to my special playlist.
But that hasn’t been the case for a handful of gamers out there. While some have reported that the Steam game recording is not working at all (point blank), others have complained that it’s not yet available on their devices. If you are also on the same fence, check out these 7 reliable solutions to resolve the game recording malfunctioning in Steam.
How to Fix Steam Game Recording Not Working on Windows PC & Mac
From the clogged-up storage to the app-related bug to a wrong configuration to the app compatibility, there could be many reasons why the built-in game recorder is throwing all sorts of tantrums.
1. Does Your Game Support Game Recording?
Bear in mind that the game recording feature is still pretty new. As a result, there could be quite a few games that might not yet be onboard. Therefore, ensure that your game is compatible with Steam’s native gaming recorder.
2. Update the Steam Desktop Client on Your Device
To begin with, ensure that the “Steam Desktop Client” is updated on your device. If you are still running the outdated version of the video game distribution platform, it could be the major reason why the game recording feature is not yet showing up.
- On your device, head over to the Steam Desktop Client > hit the Steam menu at the top left > Check for Updates and then do the needful.
- Alternatively, navigate to the App Store/Microsoft Play Store > Updates/Library tab in the left sidebar > find the Steam client and update it just like any other update.
3. Master the 2 Easy Ways to Record Games in Steam
To ward off any confusion, make sure to master the multiple straightforward ways to record games in Steam.
Enable Steam Game Recording from the Settings App
- Dive into the Steam menu at the top left corner of the screen > Settings > Game Recording > Now, ensure that the Record Manually (Ctrl+F11) or Record in the Background option is selected.
Activate Steam Game Recording from the Overlay Menu
- Besides, you can also head into Steam and kickstart a game > Look for the Steam Overlay > hit the Game Recording and go about the job.
- After that, navigate to the View menu at the top > Recordings & Screenshots to check your recordings.
4. Ensure That Your Device has Enough Storage
If you can’t save your recordings yet, make sure that your computer is not cluttered for space.
- On your Mac: Dive into the System Settings app > General > Storage > Check the storage status and take all the required measures to wipe out the clutter to reclaim as much storage space as possible.
- On your Windows device: Fire up the Start menu > Settings > System tab > Storage > Have a look at the storage consumption status and go your all out to declutter your device.
5. Record Slightly Lower Quality Video to Prevent Your Storage from Being Clogged Up
Steam provides a dedicated way to let you manage the video resolution depending on your needs. It goes without saying that the higher the video resolution, the higher the file size.
- In Steam, go to the Steam menu at the top left > Settings > Game Recording > Scroll down to the Video Settings.
Here, you should see five pivotal options including –
- Recording Quality: It lets you choose the quality of your recording. Whether you prefer higher resolution or smaller file sizes, hit the drop-down menu and select the desired resolution.
- GPU Hardware Encoding: Allows you to turn on/off GPU hardware encoding to enhance performance. If you are dealing with lower-end systems, it can prove to be handy.
- HEVC (H.265) Video Codec: Get the most out of this option for more efficient compression and smaller file sizes.
- Maximum Frame Rate: For smooth and consistent recording, it would be better to set the maximum frame rate.
- Maximum Video Height: Fine-tune the video height to match your desired recording aspect ratio.
6. Change the Steam Game Recording Folder
Should the problem persist, try changing the game recording folder.
- Launch the Steam client > Steam menu at the top > Settings > Game Recording.
- Scroll down to the Recordings Folder section and hit the Change Folder button > select the preferred folder and restart your device to make the change come into effect.
- Now, record a game and check whether or not your recording is saved.
7. Reinstall the Steam Desktop Client
If nothing has worked in bringing the game recording functionality back on track, delete the Steam Desktop Client and reinstall it.
Make Sure to First Back Up All of Your Games
- To get going, head over to the Steam Library and right-click the game’s title.
- Now, select Properties….
- From the Installed Files tab, choose Backup game files.
- After that, click on the Browse… option to browse to the folder where you would like to create the backup files.
- Then, hit the Create Backup to start the backup process.
- When the backup is complete, select “Open folder” in order to move or burn copies of the backup files based on the requirement.
Restore Games from Backup Files
- After you have reinstalled the Steam client, sign in to the correct Steam account.
- Click on the Steam menu in the upper left corner > Select Restore Game Backup…
- Then, browse to the location of the game’s backup files and restore your games.
Wrapping up…
There you have it! Hopefully, the game recording feature has returned to normal and so has your gaming. Now, feel free to share your feedback about your savior. Since Steam Support is already there to help you out, be sure to contact them; if you need further assistance.
