How to Use the Steps Recorder in Windows

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Are you that one geeky friend whom everyone calls when they need PC help? Reading this article will change the way you give them instructions. One amazing yet hidden feature of Windows is its step recorder, an app that notes your activity once you hit the record button and generates an instruction page, with text and screenshots, to explain what you did. The article will show you how to record steps in Windows with this built-in app.

Steps

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  1. Go to the Start Menu and type run in the search box. Select 'Run' from the search results to open it.
    • You can also open it using the keyboard shortcut ⊞ Win + R
  2. Type psr and press ↵ Enter to open the Steps Recorder app.
    • Another way to open the app is by searching for Steps Recorder in the Start Menu (this doesn't work for everyone).
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  3. Select Start Record to start the recording. Make sure that you perform all the steps you want to demonstrate as precisely as possible. Since the app is recording your every move, make sure that you only do what you want others to see. Don't keep any sensitive information visible or minimized in the taskbar.
  4. While recording your steps, if you want others to know more about something, you can use the comments feature of the app (skip this if not necessary).
    • Select Add Comment from the window; this will blur the screen and it will ask you to select the area where you want other's attention to be focused. Add your comment in the text box and click on OK to save it.
  5. Once you're done with recording, select Stop Record so that it can generate a preview for you.
    • Once you're done checking the preview, select Save to save your work. A dialog box will open asking you to specify the location where you want the steps to be saved.
    • The steps are saved in HTML format which can be opened by any Windows system using popular Internet browsers like Microsoft Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Safari, etc.
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    Can this work on a mac computer, too?
    Christopher
    Top Answerer
    No. This program is installed by default on Windows computers from Windows 7 and newer. Windows did not sell this program to Apple/Macintosh so they don't have access to this program.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
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  • Question
    Does this work for the latest Windows editions, e.g., Windows 10?
    Community Answer
    Yes, it does. Follow the same steps.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
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    Not Helpful 3 Helpful 7
  • Question
    Can I use the steps recorder as a desk top recorder?
    Mohil Khare
    Community Answer
    No, because it doesn't record your screen, it just documents your steps and clicks.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
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      Tips

      • For better results, avoid keeping the mouse stationary while recording the steps. It otherwise records where the mouse pointer is pointing at.
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      • If the saved instructions come in ZIP format, use WinZip, WinRAR, 7-Zip, etc. to extract the file.
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