GNOME Screen Recorder review

Every Ubuntu and Fedora Workstation install already has a screen recorder: the screencast mode in GNOME's screenshot tool. Press the Print key, switch the overlay to screencast mode, choose a selection or the whole screen and click the red button, or skip the overlay with Shift+Ctrl+Alt+R. A red indicator in the top bar counts the elapsed seconds and ends the recording when clicked, and the video lands in Videos/Screencasts with the date and time in the file name. For a quick clip of a bug, a settings change or a short how-to, nothing on this list is faster to reach. The trade is control. GNOME's help page documents Selection and Screen as the capture choices, with a pointer toggle, and does not describe options for audio sources, file format or a webcam. Anyone recording narrated tutorials or games will outgrow it quickly and should install Kooha, OBS Studio or GPU Screen Recorder.

Who it is for

Ubuntu and Fedora users who need a quick recording of the screen or a selection with no install at all.

Price

Free, built into the GNOME desktop; no paid plan.

Their goal: to take on the tech giants of the day, and build a completely free desktop operating system.
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 10, 2026.

Key features

• Screencast mode in the screenshot overlay, opened with the Print key
• Records a selection or the whole screen, with an option to show or hide the pointer
• Shift+Ctrl+Alt+R starts a screencast directly
• A red indicator in the top bar shows elapsed seconds and stops the recording
• Videos saved automatically to Videos/Screencasts with a date and time file name

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Already on Ubuntu's default desktop, so there is nothing to install
• Strength: Two clicks or one shortcut to start recording
• Strength: Works well for short clips to share in chat or email
• Weakness: GNOME's help page lists Selection or Screen for screencasts, not single windows
• Weakness: No settings for audio sources, formats or webcam in the documented tool
• Weakness: Only available on the GNOME desktop

Key facts

• Shortcut: Shift+Ctrl+Alt+R
• Capture areas: Selection or Screen
• Save location: Videos/Screencasts
• Desktop: GNOME (Ubuntu and Fedora default)

Where it ranks

GNOME Screen Recorder is No. 7 in our Best Screen Recorders for Linux verdict.