Studio Mode

Studio Mode gives you a professional recording and editing workflow inside Cap. Unlike Instant Mode, Studio Mode saves your recording locally first, letting you edit, polish, and customize before sharing. This is ideal for product demos, tutorials, presentations, and any content that benefits from a professional touch.

How Studio Mode Works

Studio Mode separates recording from sharing:

Record your screen, camera, and microphone. The footage is saved locally on your machine.
Edit in the Cap Studio editor. Trim, add effects, customize the background, and more.
Share when you are satisfied. Upload to Cap cloud and get your shareable link.

This workflow gives you full creative control over the final result without sacrificing the simplicity Cap is known for.

Starting a Studio Mode Recording

Open Cap Desktop.
Switch to Studio Mode in the recording mode selector.
Choose your capture source (full screen or specific window).
Optionally enable your camera and microphone.
Click Record to begin.

Recording works the same as Instant Mode. The difference is what happens after you stop.

During Recording

While in Studio Mode, you have the same recording experience as Instant Mode:

A recording indicator shows that capture is active
Use your computer normally while everything is recorded
Pause and resume as needed
Stop with the toolbar button or keyboard shortcut

The key difference is that your recording is saved locally rather than streamed to the cloud.

Opening the Editor

After stopping a recording in Studio Mode, Cap will present you with the option to open the recording in the Studio editor. You can also access any of your local recordings from the Cap Desktop library.

The Studio editor opens in a dedicated window where you can preview and edit your recording before sharing.

Editing Tools

Trimming

Remove unwanted sections from the beginning and end of your recording:

Drag the start handle on the timeline to trim the beginning.
Drag the end handle to trim the ending.
Preview your trimmed result with the play button.

Background Customization

Replace the default background with something more polished:

Solid colors - Choose from preset colors or pick a custom one.
Gradients - Select from a library of gradient backgrounds.
Wallpapers - Use built-in wallpaper images.
Custom images - Upload your own background image.

The background is visible around your screen recording when padding is applied, creating a professional framing effect.

Padding and Rounding

Control how your screen recording sits within the frame:

Padding - Add space around your recording to reveal the background. More padding creates a more stylized look.
Border radius - Round the corners of your screen recording for a softer, modern appearance.

Zoom Effects

Add zoom effects to draw attention to specific parts of your screen:

Click on the timeline to set a zoom keyframe.
Define the zoom area by selecting the region you want to focus on.
Cap smoothly animates into and out of the zoom.
Stack multiple zoom effects throughout your recording to guide the viewer's attention.

Camera Overlay Adjustments

If you recorded with a camera, you can adjust the overlay in the editor:

Reposition the camera overlay anywhere in the frame.
Resize the overlay to be larger or smaller.
Change the shape and style of the overlay.

Previewing

Use the playback controls in the editor to preview your recording with all edits applied:

Play/Pause - Preview the full edited recording.
Scrub - Drag the playhead along the timeline to jump to any point.
Timeline zoom - Zoom into the timeline for precise editing.

All edits are non-destructive. Your original recording is preserved, and you can adjust or undo changes at any time.

When you are happy with your edits:

Click the Share or Export button in the editor.
Cap will process the video with your edits applied.
The recording is uploaded to Cap cloud (or your self-hosted instance).
A shareable link is generated and copied to your clipboard.

From there, sharing works exactly like Instant Mode. Paste the link anywhere, and viewers see your polished recording.

Exporting Locally

In addition to sharing via link, you can export your edited recording as a local video file:

Export as MP4 for maximum compatibility.
Choose your preferred resolution and quality settings.
Save the file anywhere on your machine.

This is useful if you need to upload the video to YouTube, include it in a presentation, or archive it locally.

When to Use Studio Mode

Studio Mode is the right choice when:

Quality matters - Product demos, client presentations, and marketing content benefit from the editing tools.
You need to trim - Remove mistakes, long pauses, or irrelevant sections.
Visual polish is important - Custom backgrounds, rounded corners, and zoom effects make recordings look professional.
You want to review before sharing - Preview the final result before anyone else sees it.
Offline recording - Record without an internet connection and share later.

Studio Mode vs Instant Mode

Feature	Studio Mode	Instant Mode
Saves locally	Yes	No (streams to cloud)
Editing tools	Full suite	None
Background customization	Yes	No
Zoom effects	Yes	No
Trimming	Yes	No
Share speed	After editing and upload	Instant
Best for	Polished content	Quick communication

For quick, informal recordings where speed is the priority, Instant Mode is the better choice. For everything that benefits from a professional look, Studio Mode delivers.