NVIDIA ShadowPlay is now delivered through the NVIDIA App overlay. Open the overlay with Alt+Z, choose your capture settings, then use Instant Replay to save a recent moment or Record to capture a complete session. NVIDIA currently advertises Instant Replay clips of the last 30 seconds, manual recording up to 8K HDR at 30 fps or 4K HDR at 120 fps, and AV1 recording on supported RTX hardware. Live-broadcast controls are less certain: NVIDIA’s current App material confirms capture features, while its detailed Twitch, YouTube Live and Facebook Live instructions belong to the older GeForce Experience interface.
What ShadowPlay does in the NVIDIA App
ShadowPlay is NVIDIA’s gameplay-capture feature, built into the NVIDIA App rather than offered as a separate recorder. Its overlay provides four related tools:
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- Instant Replay: continuously keeps a rolling buffer and saves the most recent gameplay when you request it.
- Record: captures a longer session from the moment you press Record until you stop it.
- Screenshots: saves a still image of the game.
- Highlights: can save selected in-game events when a supported game and configuration expose that feature.
NVIDIA’s current product description says Instant Replay saves the last 30 seconds. That is the current App description; older NVIDIA Share documentation described longer replay windows for the legacy interface, so those older values should not be treated as current App defaults.
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Install or update the NVIDIA App and make sure your NVIDIA graphics driver is current. ShadowPlay’s maximum resolution, HDR support, codec choices and frame-rate options depend on the GPU generation, the game, the display mode and the settings exposed by your installation. A value shown in NVIDIA’s marketing material is a capability ceiling, not a promise that every GeForce card or every game can use it.
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- Use a supported NVIDIA GPU and a current driver. If the overlay is unavailable, open the NVIDIA App settings and enable the in-game overlay.
- Leave enough free storage for the recording. High-resolution, HDR and high-frame-rate files consume storage rapidly, especially when you record long sessions.
- Decide whether you need a short reaction clip, a full local recording, or a live broadcast. Each use case has a different workflow.
- Close or pause applications that compete for GPU encoding, disk bandwidth or microphone access if you see dropped frames or missing audio.
An optional webcam and microphone can add a camera feed or commentary, but neither is required for ShadowPlay gameplay capture.
Open the overlay and choose capture settings
- Launch the NVIDIA App and start the game you want to capture.
- Press Alt+Z to open the NVIDIA App overlay. If nothing appears, return to the App’s settings and turn on the in-game overlay, then restart the game.
- Open the overlay’s settings and enter the video-capture controls. Choose resolution, frame rate, HDR, microphone behavior and the recording codec that your installation offers.
- Apply the settings, close the overlay and make a short test clip. Check the resulting file before recording an important match or event.
Button names and the exact gallery or save-location labels can change between App releases. Use the labels displayed by your installed version rather than relying on screenshots from the older GeForce Experience interface.
Use Instant Replay to save the last 30 seconds
Instant Replay is the right choice when something unexpected has just happened and you did not start a manual recording.
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- Turn Instant Replay on before you begin playing. The rolling buffer must be active when the event occurs.
- Play normally. ShadowPlay retains the recent segment in the background rather than writing every moment as a permanent clip.
- When the moment is over, open the overlay and choose the command to save the Instant Replay. NVIDIA currently describes the saved window as the previous 30 seconds.
- Open the App’s capture gallery to preview the clip and confirm that the file was written to storage.
Instant Replay does not recover gameplay from before the buffer was enabled. If you want the entire session, use manual Record instead. If a game pauses, changes display modes or loses the overlay, make another short test after returning to gameplay.
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Make a longer recording with Record
Manual recording is intended for a complete round, tutorial, speedrun attempt or stream archive.
- Open the NVIDIA App overlay with Alt+Z.
- Open the capture controls and verify the destination, resolution, frame rate, HDR and audio choices.
- Select Record and start the capture. A recording indicator should appear according to your App’s overlay design.
- Play the section you want to keep. Avoid changing encoder, display or driver settings while recording.
- Open the overlay again and stop the recording. Wait for the file to finish saving before closing the game or shutting down the computer.
- Use the App’s capture gallery to play the file and confirm that game audio, microphone audio and any camera layer were recorded as intended.
NVIDIA advertises manual-recording ceilings of up to 8K HDR at 30 fps or 4K HDR at 120 fps. Those are NVIDIA-stated maximum capabilities, not independent performance measurements. Your available options may be lower because of GPU generation, game output, display mode, HDR support, driver version or storage performance.
Configure high frame rates, HDR and codecs
240-fps recording
NVIDIA App release highlights for version 11.0.8 state that 240-fps ShadowPlay recording is available for GeForce RTX 50-series and RTX 40-series GPUs. The release notes give this route: Alt+Z > Settings > Video Capture. Do not assume that a 240-fps option will appear on every NVIDIA GPU, or that a game outputting 240 fps will produce a 240-fps file. Both the hardware and the installed App must expose the mode.
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HDR
HDR recording is useful when you intend to preserve a game’s high-dynamic-range output, but the resulting file and the application used to play or edit it must handle HDR correctly. If a clip looks washed out or unexpectedly dark, test playback in an HDR-aware player and compare an SDR capture before changing your game settings.
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AV1 versus H.264
NVIDIA says RTX 40-series owners can record in AV1. NVIDIA App release material also describes AV1 support for Record, Instant Replay and Highlights, and claims up to 40% compression efficiency compared with H.264. That percentage is NVIDIA’s vendor comparison, not an independent test.
| Codec | What the NVIDIA material establishes | Practical choice |
|---|---|---|
| AV1 | Available for supported RTX hardware, including RTX 40-series; App release notes list it for Record, Instant Replay and Highlights. | Choose it when your editing, playback or streaming software accepts AV1 and you want NVIDIA’s advertised compression advantage. |
| H.264 | Listed as the comparison codec in NVIDIA’s AV1 claim and generally used by a broad range of video software. | Choose it when compatibility with older players, editors or services matters more than the newest codec option. |
Check the codec selector in your own App. GPU support alone does not guarantee that every resolution, HDR mode or frame rate is available with both codecs.
Find, review and manage your clips
Use the NVIDIA App’s capture gallery or media controls to open a saved recording. The gallery is the reliable way to identify the current save location because folder paths and labels can change between App versions. From there, verify:
- the clip begins and ends where you expected;
- game audio is present and at a sensible level;
- microphone audio is included only when you intended it to be;
- the frame rate and HDR appearance survive playback; and
- the file can be imported into your chosen editor or uploaded to the destination you use.
Copy important clips to another drive before deleting the originals. A rolling Instant Replay buffer is not an archive: once new gameplay replaces the buffer, the unsaved moment is gone.
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Can ShadowPlay stream directly to Twitch, YouTube Live or Facebook Live?
NVIDIA’s current NVIDIA App product material confirms local capture features, but it does not provide a current, destination-specific broadcast procedure in the material available for this guide. NVIDIA’s older GeForce Experience Share guide documented direct broadcasting to Twitch, YouTube Live and Facebook Live. That guide describes a legacy interface and should not be used as proof that the same destinations or controls remain in the current App.
To check your installation, open Alt+Z and look for a live or broadcast control. If your version exposes one, follow the destination and account prompts shown there and perform a private test before going live. If no broadcast control is present, ShadowPlay can still make the local gameplay file; use the capture input supported by your preferred streaming application for the live program instead of assuming an older Share menu is still available.
Do not announce a stream until you have confirmed all three paths: the game feed, the microphone and the service connection. A local test recording will reveal audio and video problems that a public broadcast can make embarrassing.
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NVIDIA Broadcast is separate from ShadowPlay. It can process a microphone, speaker output or webcam and present the processed device to a streaming or communication application. It is an optional enhancement, not a prerequisite for recording gameplay.
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- Download and install NVIDIA Broadcast.
- Open Broadcast and choose the physical microphone, speakers or camera you want to process.
- Select the effects you need in Broadcast.
- In your streaming or communication application, choose the corresponding NVIDIA Broadcast device as the input or camera.
- Make a short recording and listen for doubled audio, excessive noise removal or an incorrectly selected camera before starting a live session.
NVIDIA’s current Broadcast page lists these requirements: Windows 10 64-bit; an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060, Quadro RTX 3000, TITAN RTX or higher; at least 8 GB of RAM; and NVIDIA driver R570 or higher. NVIDIA recommends an Intel Core i5-8600 or AMD Ryzen 5 2600 or higher. Requirements are version-sensitive, so check the live NVIDIA page when installing a newer release.
| Broadcast requirement or feature | NVIDIA’s stated detail |
|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 10 64-bit |
| Minimum listed GPU class | GeForce RTX 2060, Quadro RTX 3000 or TITAN RTX, or higher |
| Memory | At least 8 GB RAM |
| Recommended processor | Intel Core i5-8600 or AMD Ryzen 5 2600, or higher |
| Driver | NVIDIA driver R570 or higher |
| Virtual Key Light and Studio Voice | NVIDIA’s FAQ says these require an RTX 3060 desktop GPU or higher |
NVIDIA also says Broadcast effects can optionally be toggled with a Stream Deck. That accessory is a convenience for effect switching; it is not required for ShadowPlay or Broadcast.
Choose the right ShadowPlay workflow
| Your goal | Recommended workflow | Important setting or check |
|---|---|---|
| Save an unexpected play | Enable Instant Replay before playing, then save the recent segment after the event. | Current NVIDIA App description: last 30 seconds. |
| Capture a complete match or lesson | Start and stop Record manually. | Confirm storage space and audio before beginning. |
| Preserve maximum image detail | Use the highest supported resolution and HDR mode your GPU and workflow can handle. | NVIDIA advertises up to 8K HDR at 30 fps or 4K HDR at 120 fps; actual options vary. |
| Capture very high frame rates | Use the Video Capture settings exposed by the App. | 240-fps ShadowPlay recording is scoped by NVIDIA’s 11.0.8 notes to RTX 50- and RTX 40-series GPUs. |
| Reduce file size with a newer codec | Use AV1 when your hardware and editing or playback tools support it. | NVIDIA’s up-to-40% efficiency statement is a vendor claim versus H.264. |
| Go live | Check whether the current overlay exposes broadcast controls; otherwise feed the local capture into your streaming application. | Do not rely on legacy GeForce Experience destination instructions without confirming the current UI. |
| Add processed voice or camera | Install NVIDIA Broadcast and select its virtual devices in the streaming application. | Broadcast has separate hardware, operating-system and driver requirements. |
Troubleshooting common ShadowPlay problems
The overlay does not open
- Open the NVIDIA App settings and enable the in-game overlay.
- Restart the game after changing that setting.
- Update the App and driver, then test in a supported game.
- Check whether another overlay or security utility is intercepting the hotkey.
Instant Replay saved nothing
- Confirm Instant Replay was turned on before the event occurred.
- Check the App gallery and available storage.
- Make sure the game is the active capture target and that a display-mode switch did not interrupt the buffer.
The recording has video but no microphone
- Reopen the overlay’s audio controls and select the intended microphone.
- Check the operating system’s microphone permission and input level.
- Make a short test recording before returning to a long session.
The file stutters or frames are missing
- Lower the capture resolution or frame rate and test again.
- Close applications using substantial GPU or disk resources.
- Record to a drive with adequate free space and sustained write performance.
- Do not assume that a high-refresh display guarantees an equally high recording frame rate.
AV1 will not play or edit
Switch to H.264 for the next recording or use a current player and editor with AV1 support. The codec choice is a compatibility decision as well as a compression decision.
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When using NVIDIA Broadcast, ensure the streaming application receives only one microphone path. Disable the duplicate physical microphone input or the duplicate Broadcast input, then make another private test.
Quick Recap
Best-practice checklist
- Enable the overlay and test it before the match starts.
- Turn on Instant Replay before you need the clip.
- Use Record for anything that must include the whole session.
- Match codec, resolution and frame rate to the software that will edit or publish the file.
- Keep sufficient free storage and verify the gallery after each important capture.
- Test game audio, microphone audio, camera video and HDR appearance separately.
- Treat 8K, 4K120, AV1 and 240-fps figures as supported maximums subject to GPU and App availability.
- Confirm current broadcast destinations in the installed NVIDIA App instead of copying legacy GeForce Experience instructions.
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