OBS Studio (FREE) - Record Background Window with Audio on Windows – Can Hear While Recording

You can do something else while the app is recording a screen but the result contains black part when window is resized or the target area won’t fit the frame.

The test steps – OBS Studio 32.0.1

On: Windows 11 Home

Download from https://obsproject.com/download

1. Go to the link above to download a file.

Open the downloaded file.

The dialog ‘User Account Control’ shows, click ‘Yes’

Follow the on-screen window to install the app.

When it’s done, click ‘Finish’.

2. OBS Studio opens.

I chose ‘Optimize just for recording….’ by clicking in front of the line, the blue circle will be placed.

The next window shows.

You can see the options I chose in the picture above.

The final result shows, click ‘Apply Settings’.

The picture above is the target window. Video and audio playing with the app called ‘VLC’.

3. The main window shows.

At section ‘Source’, click +.

Select ‘Window Capture’.

The new window shows, click ‘OK’.

The next window shows, I selected ‘VLC…’ in the list of windows. And I checked ‘Capture Audio (BETA) then click 'OK'.

In the picture above, you can see the frame and the target window. You can resize or move the target window.

At ‘Control’ section, I clicked ‘Start Recording’.

The button will be changed to ‘Stop Recording’.

The result is, this app can not recording video playing in ‘VLC’ player.

But it can record audio coming from ‘VLC’ player.

In the picture above is properties of the output video, you can see the audio and video info.

When I resized the target window while recording, there is no issue.

I moved the target window while recording but the video in the output file was not moved.

I made the target window a background window while recording but the video in the output file, the target window did not stay in the background.

4. I changed target window to Firefox browser. There was no issue, it could record audio and video playing in the browser.

When I resized the target window while recording, the background window did not show in the video in the output file.

I don’t like the black part in the output file, I remember version of this app on macOS, there is no black part if I don’t resize the target window.

 

The test steps – OBS Studio 32.0.1

On: Windows 11 Home

Download from https://obsproject.com/download

 

AutoHotkey (FREE) – Hold Down a Mouse Button with a Keyboard Shortcut on Windows 11

I don’t know the reason why people want to do this thing, it might be because of the computer screen is too big to drag something for too long. The script helps, just move the mouse, not holding anything.

I found the script here https://stackoverflow.com/questions/1993003/holding-down-the-left-mouse-button-in-autohotkey

The code is below.

F2::

alt := not alt

if (alt)

{

Click down

}

else

{

Click up

}

Return

Code explanation:

Pressing F2 (FN+F2) will hold down a left mouse button.

Usage: run the code (read how-to below), locate a mouse pointer where you want to drag it or do something else, press F2 then start dragging something. To cancel holding down, click a left click.

How to run the code.

1. Download AutoHotkey from https://www.autohotkey.com/

Click a button ‘Download’.

You will see there are 2 versions, I download both of them because some code can not be run with the old/new version.

Open the downloaded files and follow steps to install apps.

From my memories, you don’t have to open the apps because after installation is done, the apps will run in the background.

2. Copy the code above, open new document of Notepad, paste the code. You can change the first line to F2, F3…

Save it then add the extension .ahk.

To run the code, right click at .ahk file, then click the menu ‘Open’ near the icon ‘AutoHotkey’. (see the picture below)

You can see the script by clicking an arrow at the taskbar.

The code below is for holding down a right click button.

F3::Click % "right " (GetKeyState("RButton") ? "Up" : "Down")

Code explanation:

Pressing F3 (FN+F3) will hold down a right mouse button.

Usage: run the code (read how-to above), locate a mouse pointer where you want to drag it or do something else, press F3 then start dragging or something else. To cancel holding down, press F3 again.

You can change F3 to something else, such as F2,F4…

Important note: for 1^st code, to cancel holding, just click a left click button.

For 2^nd code, to cancel holding, press F3 again.

I tested 2^nd code with Gesturefy (Firefox add-on) by setting a right click button as a target button to be held for performing gestures. It works fine.

 

X-Mouse Button Control – Speed Up Mouse Scrolling for Specific Apps FREE on Windows 11

Settings in Windows allows users to sett scrolling speed but you can not set for specific app or window title.

This free app can do that for you.

The test steps – X-Mouse Button Control 2.20.5

On: Windows 11 Home

Download from https://www.highrez.co.uk/downloads/xmousebuttoncontrol.htm

1. Go to the link above, download the app, open the downloaded file, install it then open the application.

In the picture above, click the arrow at the taskbar, then double click the app icon to open the main window.

Open the target app.

Click the ‘Add’ button at the bottom-left of the window.

Select the target app in the list.

You can select windows title of specific app too.

To do that, in the picture below, click specific window.

A new window ‘Find Window’ will open. Drag the icon in the picture above over the target window then release.

You will see the info of that window showing.

Check the check box near the caption box then click OK.

At the main window, the info of that window shows.

2. I using logitech M720 Triathlon mouse and I don’t use the software from logitech for this mouse.

Select the target app at the list in the left pane of main window.

Click the drop-down menu at ‘Wheel Up’

Selected ‘Simulated Keys’

Click the arrow that is near the box ‘Enter the custom keys’ then select ‘Mouse Buttons’ and select ‘Wheel Up’.

In the picture above I added the code 2 times that means x2.

If I add it 3 times, I will get the speed x3.

For ‘Wheel Down’, you use ‘Wheel Down’

For ‘Tilt Wheel Left’, you use ‘Wheel Tilt Left’

For ‘Tilt Wheel Right’, you use ‘Wheel Tilt Right’

From my test: for scrolling left/right ( Tilt Wheel Left/Right), I get more distance (you can say ‘more speed’) but it is not stable as scrolling up/down.

The test steps – X-Mouse Button Control 2.20.5

On: Windows 11 Home

Download from https://www.highrez.co.uk/downloads/xmousebuttoncontrol.htm

Net Speed Meter – Monitor Uploading and Downloading Speed FREE on Windows 11

I uploaded a very big size of file and switched to other windows but wanted to know the process of uploading. I had to switch to uploading window to check it. So I wanted a better way, what I’ve found is network monitoring app.

It doesn’t tell my uploading is done or not but I can check the speed. If the speed is in KB, I’m pretty sure that my uploading is done.

The test steps – Net Speed Meter 4.0.8

On: Windows 11 Home

Download from Microsoft Store

1. Open the app ‘Microsoft Store’ ( you don’t have to install, it comes from Windows 11). Then search the name of the app and install it.

I went to netspeedm.com. It says ‘Free and easy to use’. I went to ‘our product’ section, then click ‘Net Speed Meter’. It took me to Microsoft store, I downloaded the app.

I opened the downloaded file.

A new window showed and installation started.

2. After installation is done, a small floating window shows at the right corner of the screen.

You can move that window to where you want by dragging.

I tested downloading something.

1^st value is downloading speed.

2^nd value is uploading speed.

I tested uploading something.

You can quit the app by right clicking at the window, then select Exit.

You can see in the picture above, there are menus for customizing but what I get from

the default setting is enough for me.

The test steps – Net Speed Meter 4.0.8

On: Windows 11 Home

Download from Microsoft Store