Elgato Studio is our brand-new capture app for Windows and macOS, built from the ground up for creators who want less clutter and more control. Preview, device settings, and recording all live in one clean interface. Just open and hit record.
This guide covers the software interface of Elgato Studio.
Table Of Contents
Software Setup
1) Visit the Elgato Downloads page to get the latest version of Elgato Studio. It is available for Windows and macOS.
2) Install the software and launch it. Elgato Studio will then ask for Microphone and Camera permissions. This is to record and monitor audio from your capture device, and to capture and preview video.
3) You will then be asked to connect a compatible Elgato capture card.
4) In Windows, Elgato Studio will open a window where you can turn on App Permissions for the Camera and Microphone.
Note: To control Elgato Studio via Stream Deck, please download the Elgato Studio plugin from Marketplace.
General Interface
Elgato Studio has a simple yet powerful interface. All of the controls you need are either on the top or bottom of the window.
1) The top left hand corner of the window has a Pop-Up menu. It lets you view your device and see the serial number and firmware. It also includes as setting for third party HDR Tone mapping support.
More info on Tone mapping can be found here.
2) Next, there is a readout of the resolution and frame rate. Click on that for more information.
3) Specifically, Elgato Studio will list your Input source, Capture device, Output, Audio input, and Recording Format with estimated recording size per minute.
4) On the top right corner of the window is the expanded controls section. This lets you Show/hide the Software Settings panel which includes a Recording, Video or Audio tab for making changes.
5) The Recording Settings will appear on the right side of the window.
6) The Settings section has specific categories as seen here:
Recording
Video
Audio
Audio and Full Screen
Audio
- To adjust the Volume, move the blue slider at the bottom right corner of the window.
Mute
- To mute or unmute the Volume, click the speaker icon.
Full Screen
- To move in and out of Full Screen, press the square icon to the right slide of the Volume slider.
Analog or HDMI
- To change between HDMI or Analog (for use with a Elgato Chat Link Pro Cable). navigate to the Audio section and select from the dropdown
Recording
Note: Elgato Studio software does not have the Flashback Recording feature at this time. You will not be able to rewind live video to record it.
1) To Record, press the red circle at bottom of the screen.
2) The circle will expand while recording. The time of the recording will be listed in seconds, and the size of the growing recording appears on the right side.
3) Click anywhere in the red oval to stop recording.
Screenshots
1) To take a Screenshot, press the square to the right hand side of the recording button.
2) A thumbnail of the screenshot will appear at the bottom left corner of the window.
3) Click on the screenshot thumbnail there, depending on your last action. This will open the folder where your recordings and screenshots are saved. You can change the location of this folder in the Recording Preferences, discussed below.
Note: Elgato Studio does not have a built in video editor. You can import your .mp4 recordings from this folder, into your editor of choice that supports the resolution and frame rate that you are using.
Preferences
To open the Settings, use the Settings and Gear icon at the bottom left side of the window.
General (Personalization)
- Color theme - Choose from Same as system, Dark, and Light.
- Language - English, Danish, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Dutch, Portuguese (Brazil), Portuguese (Portugal), Russian, Swedish and Chinese (Traditional).
Software Updates
- Version - The version number is listed here for your reference. You can copy and paste this number to share it easily.
- Check for updates -You can Check for updates, and if there is a newer version, it will automatically be downloaded.
- Automatically install updates - Can be turned on or off
- Release channel - Stable is for release versions, and Beta is for test versions.
Recording
- Recording Path - Where your recordings and screenshots are stored. This path can be changed.
- Filename prefix - By default, the Filename prefix is "Elgato Studio", but this can be changed.
- Filename formatting - Date and time, or Incrementing number.
- Restore default settings - Will change all Recording settings back to their defaults for future recordings and screenshots.
Help
- Ask the community - Connect with other Elgato creators and professionals via Reddit or Discord
- Find an answer - Browse setup and troubleshooting articles at the Elgato Help Center.
- Additional resources - View log files, or View third-party licenses.
Troubleshooting
-
USB 2.0 detected - If Elgato Studio detects a USB 2.0 connection, it will remind you to connect your device to an USB 3.0 port for the best performance. You can dismiss this warning by pressing the X at the right hand side of the yellow bar.
- No Input signal - Your device may be ready, but no signal is coming through. Check that your input source is on and connect via a HDMI cable.
- HDCP On - For a PlayStation, also make sure that HDCP is turned off. If it is on, your screen may flash between a black screen and No input signal.
4K X - Enable 10Gbits on Mac
For users on Mac you can now enable 10Gbps when using 4K X to take full advantage of increased capture resolution, frame rate and video formats.
To show the 10Gbps settings, hold the command and then click the sidebar view. The next time you open the sidebar you’ll find the setting under the Video tab.