Before opening Camtasia to begin the video screen capturing process, you should prepare the recording area by opening the application that you plan to use.

	Once Camtasia is open, you can get started right away. When you select Make a recording from the Task List, a new window will open. From this window you will be able to select the exact proportions of the screen or the window that you plan to capture.
Once you have selected Make a Recording, the Camtasia Recorder window will appear that will allow you to choose your settings and designate what you wish to record. You can record the entire screen, a specific window, a region of your screen that you define, or the last area that the recorder used.
	Prior to selecting the area you wish to record, you need to decide whether or not to record narration. If you wish to record a narration alongside your video, check the checkbox next to the word “Microphone;” leave the box unchecked if you do not wish to not record narration. If you are going to record audio, you should also check your computer’s audio settings (especially when running for the first time) by clicking the “Audio options…” to run the Audio Wizard.

Once the Audio Options window opens, click on the “Audio Setup Wizard…” to check the input levels of the microphone. If you are not recording an audio narration, you can skip this section and proceed to the Capture Options below.

Once you have pressed Next >, you will be asked to conduct a test recording to ensure that the microphone is working properly. Speak clearly, as you would in your recording, and ensure that the volume level is set appropriately. Once you are satisfied with the recording levels click Finish on the “Audio Setup Wizard…” and then OK on the Audio Options. You are now ready to capture.

Click the Select area to record to select a region or window/application.

If you wish to define a specific region of your screen to be recorded, you can left click and drag the cursor (holding the left mouse button down while dragging) to the appropriate dimensions. Once you have reached the desired dimension, release the left mouse button and the “Camtasia Recorder Selection Area” dialog box will appear. If you wish to select a specific window or application, place the cursor over the window/application. When a green border appears over the desired window/application, click the left mouse button. Next, the “Camtasia Recorder Selection Area” dialog box will appear.

The final product delivery method should generally determine the screen size you want to record. However, if you wish to use the smart focus (zooming in to highlight particular part of the screen) during the editing phase it is recommended that you capture the full screen or at least a good portion of it.

Additional tweaks to the selection area can still be made before recording at this stage. A good first step if you are recording a specific application/window before making changes to the dimensions is to check the “Lock to application” checkbox. This will keep the recording area locked to the application or window. Moreover, you can select one of the specific “Preset Sizes” from the dropdown menu, and if you make any changes in size, the aspect ratio will also be locked in place.

Now you are ready to record. Press the Record button to begin capturing video from your screen. Once you have started capturing the record window will display the elapsed time.

As you capture, you can use the Pause button (or F9 shortcut) to temporarily halt your recording. At the point of pausing the “Camtasia Recorder” window will be displayed providing you with information about your capture, as shown in the screenshot on the next page. This information will continue to update throughout the length of your capture. This information includes:

• the number of frames captured
• the frame rate
• the length in minutes of your capture
• audio volume
• size of the video capture in pixels
• colors
• video codec

Note: The Camtasia Recorder window also appears when you stop the recording along with a preview of your capture.

Pausing is often useful when you need to prepare, but don't need to record the process of setting up. You do not have to pause the capture at any time, because you can edit your video later to remove any recorded segments you do not wish to keep. If you wish to discard a recording entirely, choose Delete.

Once you are finished recording, click on the Stop button (shortcut – F10). A preview window will open automatically, providing you with a full preview of your recording. If you are satisfied with your recording, click Save. Once you have saved your capture, you will have the option to edit your recording, produce it in a sharable format, or create another recording.

If you choose to edit the recording, the audio and video will automatically open in Camtasia's Project Window allowing you to view, edit, and/or organize your presentation. But first, you will be asked about your Project Settings. Although you might have chosen specific dimensions, you can decide among some presets based upon how you would like to deliver (share) your captured recording.