Record Stream: One-Click Recording for Live Streams
Want to keep a whole stream, not just a 60-second clip? The Record Stream button adds one-click recording to the Twitch, YouTube, and Kick player. Pick your format, codec, frame rate, and quality, hit record, and the live broadcast saves straight to a video file on your computer. No OBS, no capture card, no second monitor.
When a clip is not enough
Clips are great for a moment. But sometimes you want the whole thing - the full tournament, the entire speedrun attempt, the three-hour just-chatting session you want to rewatch later, the stream you are worried will get deleted. Clips top out at a minute. A recording does not.
The usual way to record a stream is a whole production: OBS or a screen recorder in the background, a second monitor so the capture does not grab your other windows, and a lot of fiddling. The Record Stream button skips all of that. It records the stream itself, straight from the player, to a video file - one click to start, one click to stop and save.
How the Record Stream button works
Once the Record Stream button is enabled, a record icon appears in the player controls on Twitch, YouTube, and Kick. Click it (or press R) to start recording, and click again to stop and save the file. Before you start, a Recording panel lets you set exactly how the capture is made.
Recording captures the stream as it plays in your browser, so you do not need a second monitor or a separate capture app, and it does not grab your other windows - just the stream. The recording also stops and saves itself automatically if the player hits an error, the stream changes, or you mute the volume, so a crashed player does not cost you the whole recording.
It also pairs perfectly with keyboard seeking: if a great moment just happened and you were not recording, seek back a few seconds in the live buffer and start the recording from there. You can catch a moment you almost missed instead of waiting for the next one.
Format, codec, FPS, and quality
The Recording panel gives you real control over the output, not just a start button:
- Format: MP4 or WebM. MP4 is the universal format that plays and uploads everywhere. WebM is open and efficient, and is what you get on browsers that do not support MP4 recording (more on that below).
- Codec. The codec list changes with the format. MP4 offers Auto, H.264, HEVC, and AV1. WebM offers Auto, VP9, VP8, and AV1. Leave it on Auto and the extension picks the best available codec for your format, or pick a specific one if you know what you want.
- FPS: Auto, 30, or 60. Auto follows the stream's own frame rate, which is usually what you want. Force 30 to save space, or 60 for high-frame-rate streams.
- Quality (Bitrate): Auto, High, Med, or Low. Auto picks a sensible bitrate for your format and codec. Drop it to save disk space, raise it for archival-quality recordings.
- Record audio. On by default. Turn it off for a silent video-only recording.
The codec options are filtered by a live capability check, so the list you see is always the set your specific browser and operating system can produce. If a codec is missing from your list, your browser does not support recording in it - that is expected, and Auto will always pick something that works.
Browser support: MP4, WebM, Firefox, and Windows N
Recording is built on what your browser can do natively, so format support varies a little by setup. The short version: everyone can record, but MP4 is not available everywhere.
- Chrome, Edge, Brave, and other Chromium browsers typically support the full set, including MP4 with H.264 and often HEVC or AV1.
- Firefox does not support MP4 recording, so Firefox users record in WebM (usually VP8, or whatever else that build supports). The recording still works perfectly - it just saves as WebM rather than MP4. If you need an MP4 afterward, the Recordings Video Player can convert WebM to MP4.
- Windows N editions ship without the media components MP4 needs, so MP4 may be missing there by default. The free Media Feature Pack from Microsoft adds them back and restores MP4 support.
In all of these cases the codec picker reflects reality, so you never have to guess whether a recording will work.
Playing back your recordings
One browser quirk worth knowing: due to a limitation in how browsers save in-progress recordings, the files are written without duration metadata. They are complete and intact, but some video players show the wrong length or struggle to scrub them.
Previews ships a Recordings Video Player to handle this - a button right next to the record button. Open your recording in it for correct playback and proper seeking, and it can convert a WebM recording to MP4 when you need a universal file to share or upload.
How to enable it
- Install Previews from the Chrome Web Store, Firefox Add-ons, or Edge Add-ons.
- Click the Previews icon in your browser's toolbar.
- In the settings panel for each platform you use (Twitch, YouTube, Kick), find Record Stream Button. Toggle it on for each.
- Refresh any open Twitch, YouTube, or Kick tab.
- Click the record icon in the player controls (or press R). Set your format, codec, FPS, and quality in the Recording panel, then start.
- Click again (or press R) to stop and save. Open the file in the Recordings Video Player for clean playback.
What else Previews can do for you
If you record streams, you are probably the kind of viewer who wants the rest of the Previews capture toolkit too:
- Stream Screenshot - capture a single frame or a rapid-fire burst at full stream resolution. The still-image companion to recording.
- Twitch Clip Downloader - one-click MP4 downloads on every Twitch clip page, for when a clip is all you need.
- Fast-Forward & Seek - keyboard seeking pairs well with recording for catching the exact moment you want to capture.
- Multi-Stream & Multi-Chat - watch multiple streams at once. Record any of them from its embed.
- Plus FlashBang Defender, picture-in-picture, voice typing, hover previews, predictions sniper, and more.
Frequently asked questions
How do I record a Twitch stream?
Install Previews and enable the Record Stream Button in the Twitch settings panel. A record icon appears in the Twitch player controls. Click it (or press R), choose your format, codec, FPS, and quality in the Recording panel, and recording starts. Click again to stop and save the file. No OBS, capture card, or second monitor needed.
Should I record in MP4 or WebM?
MP4 if you want a file that plays and uploads everywhere without thinking about it - it is the universal choice. WebM if you want an open, efficient format, or if your browser does not support MP4 recording (Firefox, for example). You can always convert a WebM recording to MP4 afterward in the Recordings Video Player.
Which codec should I pick?
Leave it on Auto unless you have a reason not to - Auto picks the best available codec for your chosen format. If you want a specific one: MP4 offers H.264 (most compatible), HEVC (smaller files, newer), and AV1 (smallest, newest). WebM offers VP9, VP8, and AV1. You only see the codecs your browser can actually produce, so anything in your list is safe to use.
Does recording work on Firefox?
Yes - recording works on Firefox, but not in MP4. Firefox does not support MP4 recording, so on Firefox you record in WebM (usually VP8). The recording works exactly the same way, it just saves as a WebM file. If you need an MP4 afterward, the Recordings Video Player can convert it. On Windows N editions, MP4 may also be missing until you install Microsoft's free Media Feature Pack.
Why does my recording show the wrong length or look like a black screen?
Two known browser quirks, both with easy fixes. For the wrong length: browsers save in-progress recordings without duration metadata, so open the file in the Recordings Video Player (the button next to the record button) for correct playback and seeking. For a black screen on playback: toggle hardware acceleration in your browser to the opposite state, restart the browser, and record again - then switch hardware acceleration back afterward if you prefer it on.
Does this work on YouTube and Kick too?
Yes. The Record Stream Button has its own toggle for each platform in Previews settings, so you can enable it on Twitch, YouTube, Kick, or any combination. The format, codec, FPS, and quality controls work the same way on all three.