Windows 10 currently comes with built-in video recording tool
that is part of the Xbox app and it works very well if you have
to record a simple video of your actions in apps and games. To
make video and GIF recording and editing easier for you,
Microsoft is working on a new lightweight tool for Windows 10.

Screen recording is a feature Microsoft has been avoiding for a
while on Windows 10. With a future PowerToys update, Microsoft
is finally introducing a lightweight video and GIF recorder
with a quick settings toggle and familiar user interface.

This new tool will allow you to create videos of your desktop
and apps. In addition, you can also create GIF, but you won’t
be able to convert your videos to GIF, at least for now.

Likewise, Microsoft is also including an editing tool that will
help you customize the quality and length of videos or GIFs.

Currently called “Video GIF Capture”, this new tool is supposed
to immediately start Windows 10’s screen recorder when you
press and hold Win + Shift + R. The recording feature is long
overdue but was always possible using Xbox Game Bar and
third-party tools.

It’s also worth noting that Microsoft wants to create a simple
and lightweight free recording tool, and there are no plans to
introduce advanced features. Microsoft’s native recording app
will be an alternative to feature-heavy apps like ScreenToGIF
and other apps.

Microsoft says the
goal is to offer “efficient recording” experience with basic
editing options. With the app, you can press Windows + Shift +
R to darken your screen and pull up the video or GIF recording
interface, which lets you draw a rectangular snip or a snip of
the full screen.

Once you’ve selected the area, Windows app will begin recording
the screen for video or GIF. Clicking on the pause button will
take you directly to the app and from there you can edit the
media content.

As you can see in the above screenshots, the experience similar
to Windows 10’s Snip and Sketch app.

Microsoft is planning to use a familiar interaction experience
that looks like other Windows apps, such as Snip and Sketch,
Xbox Game Bar, Photos, and more.

The project is still in early days of development and Microsoft
is currently looking for
feedback from PowerToys users, so we don’t know when
Microsoft’s native video editing app will come to life.

In addition to a video editor,
Microsoft is also testing a new PowerToys feature that will
come handy if you use Microsoft Teams for your online
classes and meetings.