Microsoft Expression Encoder 4: how to record your PC screen for free (in HD)

In the following you can find how you can easily and for free make a PC screen recording, allowing also to add, in a side windows, your speaking image if you think that it can be useful for the listener. I know that there are also other free available alternative SW (e.g. CamStudio) … but not with the same quality and features (e.g. to add, in a side windows, your speaking image), even though they can be useful anyway and may be even easier to be used: anyway, in case you will decide to use for example CamStudio, as I did in the past, be careful to click the proper button that download that SW, that is nearly at the end of the page; moreover do during the installation, do not agree to the installation of all the other companion useless sw!!! Moreover I know that several versions of CamStudio, that you can find on Internet, are now not virus and worm free …. 😦

Microsoft Expression Encoder 4 is part of the Microsoft Expression tools that Microsoft decided to leave available for free so you can download the last version (4 with Service Pack 2) form here. You can find a guide in this link related to previous Visual Studio versions. I think that is a pity that Microsoft leave this SW development .. but it is wonderful than the tool (as it was) was leaved available for free!!

NOTE: even though I read that this tool can be used for free, installing the las t release from here , it is asked a key code in order to have all the available features on: therefore, if you need them, you could use the one made available from this YouTube video (6WDDQ-K7D4F-GQGF4-2VYBJ-8K6MB).

You can download the SW from the following link the Microsoft Expression Encoder 4 with Service Pack 2 (SP2) (you can use also this different link if you want to choose a language different than English): be careful that online there are also previous versions, so please download that SP2 one that, also if dated (11/2/2011), it is (till now) the last one. It works great! … even in Windows 10 (see note at the end of this post).

Download of Microsoft Expression Encoder 4 SP2 also in different languages

If you will need more detailed instructions on how to use this application, you can have a look in the online manual at the following link, even though I believe that only my few instructions will be sufficient to do what you need: Working with Screen Capture.

So, let’s go on! First, you have to launch the installer, downloaded from the previously provided link. This will install on your Windows PC both the Expression Encoder 4 and the Expression Encoder 4 Screen Capture: this last one will be used for doing the screen capture!

Installation of Expression Encoder 4 SP2

After the installation, you will have two new application listed among the available ones, as shown in the following screenshot related to a Windows 10 PC.

Two new applications available

Clicking on the following image, you will see the recording I did with Expression Encoder 4, three years ago with a Windows 7 PC: you can notice my speaking face at the bottom right side of the screen.

Example of screen recording

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NOTE

I had problems with a PC updated to Windows 10 (see this post in Microsoft Forum where there are different testimonials and the support seems iffy. It seems that with new PCs (so with new graphic cards), it works also with Windows 10 …). With Windows 10 Pro Insider Preview build 14257 release 160131-1800, I did not succeed to make it works because of the error showed below: … but it was only a matter of some preview version of Windows 10 as it was already pointed out in the following post I found in the Feedback app where it seems that in retail Windows 10 it works …