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How to Recover an Unsaved Screen Recording After Shutdown
Question details
The user needs to recover a screen recording that was lost because the computer shut down unexpectedly before the application could finalize and save the file.
- Product
- Screen Recording Applications
- Device & OS
- Windows
- Scenario
- An unexpected power outage or system crash caused the computer to shut down during or immediately after a screen recording session.
- Observed behavior
- The screen recording file is missing from the destination folder or appears to have never been saved.
Do not restart any recording applications immediately, as doing so might overwrite the temporary cache files created during your previous session. Ensure that hidden files and folders are visible in your File Explorer settings before you begin searching.
Check the Xbox Game Bar Gallery and Captures Folder
If you used the built-in Windows Xbox Game Bar, there is a chance the system managed to save a temporary or final version in its default directory before shutting down.
Xbox Game Bar automatically saves captures to a dedicated folder. While it does not have a robust temporary recovery feature for crashes, it may have finalized the file seconds before the shutdown.
Press the Win + G keys simultaneously on your keyboard to open the Xbox Game Bar overlay.
Click on the 'Widget Menu' at the top of the screen and select 'Gallery' to view your recent recordings.
If the video is not in the Gallery, open File Explorer and navigate to C:\Users\[Your Username]\Videos\Captures to see if a playable file was left behind.
Search Windows Temporary Folders for Video Caches
Many third-party screen recording tools save temporary video data in the Windows AppData Temp folder before finalizing the video file.
Record Your Screen Safely Using WPS Office
Avoid losing your work due to unexpected shutdowns by using the stable, built-in Screen Recorder in WPS Office. Integrated directly into the suite, it allows you to capture your screen, audio, and webcam effortlessly while ensuring your data is handled securely.
- 1. Open WPS Presentation: Launch WPS Office and create a new presentation or open an existing one.
- 2. Access the Screen Recorder: Navigate to the 'Tools' or 'Slide Show' tab located on the top ribbon.
- 3. Launch the recording widget: Click on 'Screen Recorder' to bring up the screen capture overlay.
- 4. Start recording securely: Select your desired recording area, toggle your audio or webcam preferences, and click 'REC' to begin.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do screen recording apps normally store temporary files?
Most screen recording applications store temporary files in the local AppData Temp folder (%temp%) or a designated cache folder within their installation directory. Always check your specific application's settings to find the exact 'Temporary directory' path.
Can I recover an unsaved screen recording if I used OBS Studio?
Yes, if you configured OBS Studio to output files in the .mkv format, the recording is saved continuously. You can find the file in your default Videos folder, and it will be playable even if your computer crashed. If you recorded directly to .mp4, the file is usually corrupted upon crash and cannot be easily recovered.
Is there any software that can fix a corrupted MP4 file from a crash?
Yes, there are dedicated video repair tools that can attempt to reconstruct the index of an incomplete MP4 file. The built-in repair feature in VLC Media Player or third-party video repair software can sometimes fix these files, provided the raw video data was successfully written to your disk before the shutdown.
