XSplit Broadcaster can record PC gameplay by adding a supported game or a screen or application window to a scene, then choosing Record > Active Scene. Set the local recording options first, because the recording captures the scene shown in preview rather than making a separate choice of game when you press Record.
For console gameplay, you need a capture card to pass the console’s video into the PC running XSplit. The steps below cover both paths, along with where to find the recording controls and saved files.
Choose the capture method for your setup
Start by identifying where the gameplay is running. If the game is on the same PC as XSplit, try Game Capture first when the title is supported. It is designed to capture the game directly; XSplit lists support for games using DirectX, OpenGL or Vulkan. Check the XSplit Game Capture guide for current instructions and compatibility details. Support for an API does not guarantee that every game, anti-cheat setup or system configuration will work with it.
If direct capture does not detect the game or behaves unexpectedly, use Screen Capture or Application capture as an alternative. Screen Capture records the chosen display area, while Application capture targets a desktop window. These approaches can help with a browser game or a title that does not work with Game Capture, but they may include other visible material if the captured area is not arranged carefully. Close unrelated windows and notifications before you record.
A console is different: its video does not enter the PC merely because XSplit is installed. XSplit’s console guide specifies a capture card to get console gameplay into Broadcaster. Exact connections and supported video modes depend on the console and capture card, so check their documentation before buying or wiring equipment.
| Where the game runs | Capture source to try | Extra capture hardware |
|---|---|---|
| On the XSplit PC, with a supported game | Game Capture | Not required for the documented direct-PC path |
| On the XSplit PC, if direct capture is unsuitable | Screen Capture or Application capture | Not required for the documented desktop path |
| On a console | Camera/Capture Card source | A capture card is required to bring console video into the PC |
| On another PC | Capture-card feed to the XSplit PC | An external or internal capture card is a possible hardware path |
The right choice is the one that captures the intended picture reliably on your particular system. If you are setting up a separate gaming and production computer, plan for the capture card and check both machines’ connections. A capture card is not a prerequisite for the ordinary same-PC Game Capture workflow.
Add Game Capture or an alternative
Open the scene you intend to record, then choose Add Source and select Game Capture. Launch the game if needed, and check that the source appears on the stage and that its picture is visible in preview. Resize or reposition the source if the scene also includes overlays or a camera. XSplit describes Game Capture as a way to add compatible DirectX, OpenGL or Vulkan PC games as a source; its support article has the current product-specific steps.
If XSplit does not detect a DirectX 12 or Vulkan game, check the relevant capture options under Tools > Settings > General. The setting names and available choices can vary by version. If enabling the relevant option does not help, switch to Screen Capture or Application capture rather than assuming the game will be captured. A title’s own restrictions and the computer’s configuration can affect the result.
For Screen Capture, add that source and select the display or area that contains the game. For Application capture, choose the game window where available. Verify the preview before recording: confirm the game is the intended size, not hidden behind another window, and not cropped in a way that removes important content. If you capture the whole display, remember that anything appearing there may also appear in the recording.
You do not need a webcam for gameplay capture. Add one only if you want a camera image in the recorded scene, and then arrange it so it does not cover important game information. The scene preview is a useful final check: it shows the composition that Active Scene recording will capture.
Set up local recording output
Open the Record menu and use the gear icon beside the target scene or Active Scene to open Local Recording Properties. Select the scene you want to record and review the available video codec, quality and audio options. XSplit’s local recording guide describes those controls; the choices visible to you depend on your installed hardware and version.
XSplit documents software encoding with x264 and hardware options that can include NVENC H.264, AMD VCE, Intel QuickSync or AVerMedia H.264, depending on the system. These are not interchangeable performance guarantees. A hardware encoder may reduce work on the CPU, while a software encoder uses CPU resources; either way, the game and recording compete for available capacity. Try a short test in the game you actually intend to record before relying on the setting for a longer session.
Choose a quality level that matches the picture you need and what the PC can handle. XSplit offers presets from standard through ultra high, as well as custom options. Higher quality can require more CPU or GPU resources, so there is no single best preset for every resolution, frame rate, game and computer. If the game stutters during a test, lower the recording demand or adjust the game’s workload, then test again.
The local recording options include documented FLV and MP4 output choices. MP4 can be split by duration or size in the documented controls. Force constant frame rate is enabled by default according to XSplit’s Record Menu documentation. An “Optimize for YouTube” option is also described, but selecting it is not a guarantee that a video will be accepted by YouTube or that it will suit every upload or editing workflow. Check the current XSplit Record Menu documentation for details that match your version.
Audio options include bitrate and mono or stereo choices. Availability can depend on the licence and version, so check the options in your installation rather than relying on an old menu description. If you want separate editing control of microphone and game audio, look for the multitrack recording options and assign sources in the mixer. XSplit’s documentation describes separate tracks for system sound, microphone and stream-only audio, but the available behaviour depends on capture mode and version. Make a test recording and inspect it in your editing software before recording a long session.
Record the scene shown in preview
Arrange the sources first, then use Record > Active Scene. That command records the active scene displayed in preview; it does not automatically switch to another scene simply because a different game is running. If you have multiple scenes, select the one you want and check the preview again before starting.
The distinction matters if you have a title card, intermission scene or camera layout alongside your gameplay scene. For example, if the active scene still shows a title card, the local file will capture that scene rather than the gameplay source you meant to record. Keep the preview visible while you check the source and scene selection.
After starting, confirm the recording status in XSplit’s interface. Avoid changing scenes or source visibility without intending to include that change in the recording. If you want to make a YouTube upload afterwards, treat the local recording and a live broadcast as separate workflows: recording to a file does not itself publish a video or start a live stream.
If you are planning a longer YouTube project, it is useful to separate the editing file from any continuous broadcast workflow. A guide to looping a nature video for YouTube Live with FFmpeg covers a different, file-based use case; it is not a substitute for checking the gameplay scene and local recording in XSplit.
Pause or stop from the Record menu
Use the Record menu to pause or stop the active recording. Check the interface’s recording status rather than assuming the file is being written because the game is still visible. When you stop, allow XSplit to finish closing the recording before opening or moving on to another task.
Pausing is useful when you want to exclude a break without creating an uninterrupted capture of it. Remember to resume before the gameplay you want to keep. If you are unsure whether the recording resumed, check the status indicator in XSplit; a brief test makes the control behaviour familiar before a longer session.
For a long capture, consider whether your available disk space and editing workflow are suitable before starting. This is a practical check, not a promise that a particular file size or duration will result: output depends on settings and the content being recorded. If you are also planning an always-on stream, think separately about whether keeping your own PC running is acceptable; this guide to whether a PC must stay on for a 24/7 YouTube stream addresses that different operating question.
Capture console gameplay with a capture card
To record a console in XSplit, first connect the console’s video through a compatible capture card to the PC running Broadcaster. The capture card is the bridge that brings the console picture into the computer; without that required device, XSplit cannot capture console video from the console directly. Consult the documentation for your specific console and card for cabling, input and supported modes.
In XSplit, open the scene and use Add Source > Camera/Capture Card, then select the capture device. Confirm that the console picture appears in preview before you record. If it does not, check the card’s connection and selection, the console’s output, and the device’s own documentation. Do not assume that a connection or format supported by one card will work on another.
A two-PC setup follows a related but distinct path: the gaming PC provides a video feed to the computer running XSplit, commonly through an internal or external capture card. This can separate game and production work across machines, but adds hardware, cabling and configuration to check. It is worthwhile only if that arrangement suits your needs; a capture card is not needed for a compatible game running directly on the XSplit PC.
If you are comparing ways to run a continuous YouTube channel rather than making a local gameplay file, this overview of streaming recorded lessons continuously explores a different workflow. For the gameplay recording covered here, verify the console feed in the XSplit preview and make a short test before a full session.
Check audio and find saved recordings
Listen to a short test with the game sound and microphone you intend to use. A visible waveform or moving mixer indicator is not a substitute for listening to the result. Check that the game is audible, your microphone is at a usable level, and neither is unintentionally missing or overpowering the other.
Audio capture can vary with the selected source and mode. XSplit’s documentation for Presentation Sources, for example, describes a mode in which adding Game Capture captures game audio, even when the game plays through the default system device. Because that guidance is version-specific, check your installed version and the mixer assignments rather than assuming one audio route will work in all configurations. Multitrack options can help if you need separate editing control, but verify the result in a test file first.
To locate a saved recording, use File > My Recordings in XSplit. This in-app route is safer to rely on than assuming a universal filesystem path, which can depend on local settings. Open a test file from there and confirm the picture, sound and expected scene before you record something difficult to repeat.
If the file is intended for an edit or upload, keep the original until you have checked the exported result. A recording can look correct in preview yet reveal a missing audio source or unintended window only when played back. For the separate question of licensing or a later claim on a YouTube live stream, see this guide to what a Content ID claim can mean for an always-on stream; it does not replace checking rights for the game, music or other material you record.
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FAQ
How do I record PC gameplay in XSplit?
Add Game Capture to a scene for a supported game, or use Screen Capture or Application capture if direct capture is unsuitable. Set the local recording options, make sure the intended scene is active in preview, then choose Record > Active Scene.
How do I capture a console in XSplit?
You need a capture card to pass console video into the PC running XSplit. Add the device through Add Source > Camera/Capture Card, select it and confirm the console picture appears in preview before recording.
Where does XSplit save recordings?
Use File > My Recordings to open XSplit’s local files window. Check the file there rather than relying on a universal disk path, and play it back to verify its picture and audio.
Can I record game audio and my microphone separately?
XSplit documents multitrack recording options for separate editing control, but behaviour depends on the version, capture mode and mixer assignments. Enable and assign the options available in your installation, then make and listen to a test recording before relying on separate tracks.