Live streams have been dominating the social space right from the onset. But live stream recordings are also gaining quick momentum —and with good reason.

More live stream recordings mean more content for repurposing, optimization, and visibility. So, learning how to record streaming video is as essential as going live for live streamers and content creators.

This guide will walk you through different ways to record streaming videos for smooth sailing. Let’s go!

What is a Live Stream Recording?

In short, a live stream recording is a copy of your live video. It is a recording of everything that happened while you were live. The recording documents the content of the stream, it shows how you interact with the audience, and record the broadcast for future use.

There are various benefits of keeping your live stream recordings. Let’s move on to them.

Why Record Live Streams?

To Repurpose Your Live Videos

Saving your live footage is essential to repurpose them into different content forms. For example, you can create graphics and GIFs from your live stream recordings and share them across online platforms; make short clips for social media networks like Instagram and TikTok. It will help you improve brand awareness and visibility while offering value to your audience.

To Expand Your Audience

Not all your followers can catch you live – no matter how much they want it. So, saving a recording and uploading it as a video-on-demand on various social channels can help increase your content’s reach and audience. Show your fans that you value them not only when they come to your live stream.

To Generate More Revenue

While you can always monetize your live streams, recording the broadcasts and sharing them, on-demand gives you an additional opportunity to generate revenue. Consider sharing the recordings on platforms with monetization features or post them on donation platforms and closed communities with exclusive content.

To Enable Replays

It’s only human to miss out on things the first time. Recording your live videos and publishing them online allows viewers to replay the content and understand it better. For instance, in a live cooking tutorial, if your viewers miss out on an ingredient, they can always go back and rewatch the recording.

6 Simple Options to Record Live Streams 

In our video-oriented world, recording your live streams is not just a good idea; it’s a necessity. Here are several options to do that:

1. Online Video Platforms

Online video platforms like Wave.video provide a seamless way to take your live streams to recorded videos in seconds. Besides saving your computer’s processing power and storage space, an online video platform can be used on any device.

You can even enjoy extended features like video editing, video hosting, and live streaming!

How To Record Live Streams Via Wave.video

Our live stream recording tool works automatically! Whenever you go live using Wave.video’s live streaming service, all your recordings are automatically saved.

To record your live streaming via Wave.video, follow these simple steps:

Step 1: Log In and Add Destination

Log into your Wave.video account and go to the live streaming dashboard to add a streaming destination.

Click “Destinations” and then “Add destination.”

Step 2: Create a New Stream

After successfully adding a live streaming destination, switch to the “Upcoming” tab and click “New stream.”

Step 3: Set Up The Live Stream

Give your live stream a title and select a folder to save the recording. Once done, click “Setup live stream” to broadcast your stream live and record it.

 

When prompted, enter the stream details and hit “Setup destinations.”

Step 4: Choose Destination

Now, click “Add destination” to add another destination or turn on the toggle bar to stream to an already added destination.

Once done, click “Create Live Stream.”

Step 5: Open Live Streaming Studio

Click the “Open studio” button and allow mic and camera access when prompted.

Step 6: Customize The Broadcast And Go Live

Finally, customize your live streaming studio with branding, captions, layouts, themes, etc. Then, whenever ready, hit the “Go Live” button to start your live stream.

Step 7: Go To The “Past” Streams

After your live stream is over, go to the “Past” tab to see its recording.

Now you can download the recording by hovering over the “More” icon and choosing “Download video” from the drop-down menu.

Alternatively, you can edit the recording before downloading, streaming, or sharing it on social. To edit the recording, hover over the “More” menu and select “Open video” from the options.

You can then edit some of the video settings, then stream or share it via the most popular social networks. You can also download the video to your computer.

Hit the “Download video and audio” tab on the bottom left and click “Original file” to download it.

That’s it! This is how Wave.video makes recording, editing, and downloading live streams completely effortless.

2. Built-In Screen Capture Tools

An easy way to record live streams is to use your computer’s built-in screen capture tools. Both Windows and macOS come with screen recording tools. Let’s check how you can use them to record your live streams.

Record Streaming Video on Windows

• Open the recording tool (Game Bar) by pressing “Win” + “G” on your keyboard;
• Adjust the settings if needed and click “Start Recording”;
• To stop recording, click the “Record” button on the floating bar;
• To access the recording, click the pop-up window and jump to the video’s location.

Note: If you cannot record videos using the Game Bar, disable the Game Bar or reinstall the Xbox app.

Record Streaming Video on macOS

• Open the recording tool by clicking “Shift” + “Command” + “5”;
• Select the part of the live stream you want to record by using the bottom control panel;
• Next, click “Record Entire Screen” or “Record Selected Portion”;
• Now, under the “Options” menu, choose the place where you want to save the recording;
• Finally, click “Capture” to start recording and press the “Stop” icon on the control panel to stop the recording.

3. Live Stream Screen Recorders

These are third-party tools to capture your screen, for example, CloudApp, Adobe Captivate, and even VLC. In best-case scenarios, they work well in recording live streams, and most of the software options can record live streams with or without audio.

A word of caution, though – use only a reliable live stream screen recorder to avoid risking your data and safety. Spot, test, and choose the right software that works with your requirements instead of downloading and launching any random tool.

4. A Hardware Encoder

We’ll bite: a hardware encoder is a dedicated device that doesn’t run on a PC. It comes with its own firmware and components, and you can surely benefit from its individual processor.

So, if high-speed usage is a necessary requirement and budget seems to be no bar, you can try a hardware encoder to record live streams. However, most hardware encoders come with a massive learning curve, and you may need to tweak the encoder settings to use it as a recorder.

5. A Browser Extension

If you are looking for a straightforward way to record your live streams, consider using a web browser extension. Most of these extensions are pretty secure and don’t really take up much space on your device. Some even boast excellent features.

For example, Loom helps you record your screen and integrates with different services to streamline your video production and marketing efforts.

6. Mobile Apps

If there’s one thing we can’t get over about live streams, it’s that you can create them on your mobile device as well! If you haven’t tried it, you’re not behind the curve.

So, if you want to stream on your phone, there are screen recording apps that you can use directly from your iOS or Android device. While this may be a bit heavy on the phone’s resources, if that’s the only way to go, you can use apps like Record it! :: Screen Recorder on iOS and Mobizen Screen Recorder on Android.

The Takeaway On How To Record Streaming Video

Live streams have helped us find a way to belong and discuss things we care about. While brands use live broadcasts to engage with their audience in real-time, their recordings help grow a community of happy viewers with on-demand playback and other benefits.

Use one of the ways mentioned above to make the most of live stream recordings and gain a competitive edge with your broadcasts. All these tools are pretty easy to set up and use.

Digging through your live stream recordings may provide a treasure trove of content that can elevate your overall content strategy. Ready to forge ahead? Check out this essential live streaming guide to live stream like a pro.