https://linuxhint.com/record-gnome-desktop-ubuntu/
Like we all know, the default screen recording only support .webm
Can we have a feature like option for change the recording type to .mp4 or other more supported type.
I can still use ffmeg to change, but thats an additional step which is not as easy as directly record on mp4.
This is a useful feature, hopefully be supported.
)
Until the default App includes that option, you could try Kazam (it is offered in the repo for UbuntuMATE, but I don’t know if it is in the repo for Ubuntu Desktop):
A review was done by ItsFOSS and offered here.
On the very few occasions that I want to record my screen I simply use ffmpeg either as a simple command or as the following shell-script
#!/bin/bash
ffmpeg -f x11grab -s 1920x1080 -r 15 -i :0.0 -s 960x540 -r 15 -qscale 0 Desktop/video.avi
but I can create an mp4 or mkv simply by changing the file type at the script end.
Very simple but it works very well!
I’m not sure that it would work if using wayland or anything except X11 of course, as it uses x11grab in the command.
Apparently, someone was able to use the following for a Wayland setup:
Since this is not a support request, more like a feature request, moved to the Lounge.
Any user is more than welcome to request new features upstream with the relevant teams/developers.
kazam does not work in wayland: https://askubuntu.com/questions/1546200/kazam-screen-recorder-working-problem
Yeah, totally agree. Having a built-in option for MP4 would save a lot of hassle — not everyone wants to mess with FFmpeg after every recording.
It already exists with output in MP4.
Ubuntu 24.04 with Gnome 46 in a Wayland session
Print Screen > Click Selection > Choose Window or Screen > Click Video icon > Click Red Button (to record)
To stop recording > Click Timer in top panel
Output file will be found in /home/user/Videos/Screencasts
I use 24.04 and it saves a .webm, not .mp4, both in x11 and in wayland session
is this configurable? I’m on defaults
mark@gmktec:~/Videos/Screencasts$ ls
'Screencast from 2025-11-09 10-09-12.mp4'
'Screencast from 2025-11-09 10-10-26.mp4'
mark@gmktec:~/Videos/Screencasts$
The application itself is a bit erratic, I only used it today (the first time for 2 years) to answer the question.
Configurable - I haven’t found anything so far.
Output.mp4 was default for me, but not for you?
It suggests that the utility may have a flaw or two.
I just booted up a live session of Ubuntu 24.04.3 and ran the gnome-screencast utility.
The output was .webm.
I have no idea why I now have output.mp4 - other than the OS (Ubuntu 24.04) has been upgraded via normal channels since April 2024.
A Gnome extension exists with some options.
I’ve not tried it but it may be worth a look:-
extension -easyscreencast
In 25.10, the built-in Gnome screen recorder’s default is to save in mp4.
So as a feature request, I suspect the Gnome developers would consider this ‘already implemented’ … just not for older versions.
I have been experimenting today with my test partition using Ubuntu 25.10 (Gnome 49) in a Wayland session:-
The default for gnome-screencast is webm
Install ubuntu-restricted-extras
Default changes to mp4
test@test:~/Videos/Screencasts$ ls
'Screencast From 2025-11-09 14-46-05.webm' 'Screencast From 2025-11-09 14-50-25.mp4'
test@test:~/Videos/Screencasts$
The default must depend on the availability of installed codecs?
It is. If it’s in Ubuntu MATE it’s in Ubuntu Desktop. There is no separation of repositories for different flavors. That’s one of the requirements for being an official flavor: they cannot have separate repositories.
Remember: an official flavor is simply a different .iso image, not a different distribution.
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