Where OBS Studio is built around long video sessions, ScreenToGif is built around short clips that end up as animations. It is a free Windows recorder by Nicke Manarin, currently at version 2.43.2 and 71.7 MB. It captures a selected screen area, a webcam feed or a sketchboard, then opens the result in its own editor.
Three recording sources and one built-in editor
The defining point is that recording and editing live in the same program. You can capture a selected area of the screen, a live webcam feed, or drawings made on a sketchboard.
The editor opens after the capture, so you trim and adjust the result without moving files into a second tool.
How a session goes from capture to export
You pick a source, record the clip, and then edit the frames in the editor. When you are done, you save the animation as a GIF, APNG, video, PSD or PNG image.
That list of formats matters because it covers both looping animations and ordinary video files.
Against OBS Studio, ShareX, Loom and Camtasia
OBS Studio, ShareX, Loom and Camtasia are the alternatives to ScreenToGif.
Its focus is the sketchboard source and the GIF-first export list, and it is free under the MS-PL licence. If you need something other than short animated captures, check those alternatives against your own needs.
What's new in 2.43.2
Version 2.43.2 is a bug-fix release. It fixes problems with exporting and importing videos using FFmpeg 7 and newer, and addresses possible memory leaks.
ScreenToGif pros and cons
Pros
- Free, under the MS-PL licence
- Records a screen area, webcam or sketchboard
- Integrated editor, so no second tool is needed
- Exports to GIF, APNG, video, PSD or PNG
- Latest release fixes FFmpeg 7 import and export issues
Cons
- 71.7 MB download is large for a small GIF tool
- Limited visual previews of the interface
- Ratings and install counts are not shown here
Is ScreenToGif safe?
The developer is Nicke Manarin and the license is MS-PL, a Microsoft open source license. The latest release, 2.43.2, only contains bug fixes, including fixes for FFmpeg 7 video import and export and for possible memory leaks. As with any download, scan the file before you run it.
How to install ScreenToGif
- Press the download button to get the official file.
- Run the installer you saved and confirm the Windows security prompt if the publisher matches.
- Follow the setup steps, then start ScreenToGif from the Start menu.
