Comprehensive Guide to YouTube Video Captioning

How To Add Captions to YouTube Videos

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

By captioning your YouTube videos you help to make them accessible to more potential viewers. Subtitles are useful to viewers who have hearing impairments, whose first language is different from yours, or who are unable to watch your video with sound. Closed captioning can also be useful for you as a YouTuber because it helps with your SEO, or search engine optimization. Practicing better SEO can get your videos ranked higher in search results. Google and YouTube both index subtitles and transcripts much like they do your video’s description, unless you use automated captions.

This article will first explain how you can turn on subtitles for the videos you watch and then walk you through adding captions to your own videos.

How To Turn On Captions on YouTube

In order for you to be able to view subtitles for a YouTube video the uploader of the video will need to have added them, unless you change your account settings to display automatic captions.

To toggle subtitles on and off click on the Closed Captioning icon in the bottom right of your video player.

If the creator of the video has not added captions then you can enable automatic captions by going into your Account Settings and selecting Playback. Check the box next to Always Show Captions, and then check Show Automatic Captions by Speech Recognition. These captions may be flawed, but you will still be able to see the more accurate user submitted captions on videos that have them. The Always Show Captions feature may be useful not only to the hearing impaired, but to users who do not speak the same language as the video producer.

If you want to change the language of the subtitles click on the settings icon (the one that looks like a gear) next to the closed captioning icon and choose your language next to Subtitles/CC . If the language you want is not there select Auto-Translate and then pick a language. Google Translate will be used to generate subtitles in your chosen language.

Adding YouTube Captions in 4 Steps

1. Go to Video Manager in your Creator Studio and then look at your videos. Decide which one you want to add captions to.

2. Click on the drop-down menu next to the video you want to add captions to and choose Subtitles and CC.

3. Select Add New Subtitles or CC.

4. Choose whether to create your captions, upload a file that has them, transcribe your video, use automatic captioning, or use captioning software.

Create Subtitles or Closed Captions will allow you to create your subtitles on YouTube.

Upload A File allows you to upload a pre-made subtitle file from your computer. Supported file types include SubRip (.srt) and SubViewer (.sbv). You cannot use a word or PDF document for your subtitles.

Transcribe and Set Timings is where you can type a transcript of your video and set timings to sync it to your video. This differs from Create Subtitles or Closed Captions in that your transcript is all typed in to one text field.

Use Automatic Captioning will automatically use speech recognition technology to create captions. You can edit these auto-generated captions later if there are mistakes.

Use Captioning Software or Services is what you choose if you want to use a program or service to create the subtitles for your video.

The easiest way to add subtitles to your videos is to use Automatic Captioning. However, Automatic Captioning is imperfect and may result in your viewers getting a sloppy, skewed, interpretation of your video. Automatic captions are also not indexed by YouTube and Google the way subtitles you create or upload are. This means that they will not have any value to your SEO strategy. If you do not input your own captions or transcript you are missing out on an opportunity for better search engine rankings. Automatic Captions are great if you do not have time to input subtitles and need a temporary solution, though.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

By captioning your YouTube videos you help to make them accessible to more potential viewers. Subtitles are useful to viewers who have hearing impairments, whose first language is different from yours, or who are unable to watch your video with sound. Closed captioning can also be useful for you as a YouTuber because it helps with your SEO, or search engine optimization. Practicing better SEO can get your videos ranked higher in search results. Google and YouTube both index subtitles and transcripts much like they do your video’s description, unless you use automated captions.

This article will first explain how you can turn on subtitles for the videos you watch and then walk you through adding captions to your own videos.

How To Turn On Captions on YouTube

In order for you to be able to view subtitles for a YouTube video the uploader of the video will need to have added them, unless you change your account settings to display automatic captions.

To toggle subtitles on and off click on the Closed Captioning icon in the bottom right of your video player.

If the creator of the video has not added captions then you can enable automatic captions by going into your Account Settings and selecting Playback. Check the box next to Always Show Captions, and then check Show Automatic Captions by Speech Recognition. These captions may be flawed, but you will still be able to see the more accurate user submitted captions on videos that have them. The Always Show Captions feature may be useful not only to the hearing impaired, but to users who do not speak the same language as the video producer.

If you want to change the language of the subtitles click on the settings icon (the one that looks like a gear) next to the closed captioning icon and choose your language next to Subtitles/CC . If the language you want is not there select Auto-Translate and then pick a language. Google Translate will be used to generate subtitles in your chosen language.

Adding YouTube Captions in 4 Steps

1. Go to Video Manager in your Creator Studio and then look at your videos. Decide which one you want to add captions to.

2. Click on the drop-down menu next to the video you want to add captions to and choose Subtitles and CC.

3. Select Add New Subtitles or CC.

4. Choose whether to create your captions, upload a file that has them, transcribe your video, use automatic captioning, or use captioning software.

Create Subtitles or Closed Captions will allow you to create your subtitles on YouTube.

Upload A File allows you to upload a pre-made subtitle file from your computer. Supported file types include SubRip (.srt) and SubViewer (.sbv). You cannot use a word or PDF document for your subtitles.

Transcribe and Set Timings is where you can type a transcript of your video and set timings to sync it to your video. This differs from Create Subtitles or Closed Captions in that your transcript is all typed in to one text field.

Use Automatic Captioning will automatically use speech recognition technology to create captions. You can edit these auto-generated captions later if there are mistakes.

Use Captioning Software or Services is what you choose if you want to use a program or service to create the subtitles for your video.

The easiest way to add subtitles to your videos is to use Automatic Captioning. However, Automatic Captioning is imperfect and may result in your viewers getting a sloppy, skewed, interpretation of your video. Automatic captions are also not indexed by YouTube and Google the way subtitles you create or upload are. This means that they will not have any value to your SEO strategy. If you do not input your own captions or transcript you are missing out on an opportunity for better search engine rankings. Automatic Captions are great if you do not have time to input subtitles and need a temporary solution, though.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

By captioning your YouTube videos you help to make them accessible to more potential viewers. Subtitles are useful to viewers who have hearing impairments, whose first language is different from yours, or who are unable to watch your video with sound. Closed captioning can also be useful for you as a YouTuber because it helps with your SEO, or search engine optimization. Practicing better SEO can get your videos ranked higher in search results. Google and YouTube both index subtitles and transcripts much like they do your video’s description, unless you use automated captions.

This article will first explain how you can turn on subtitles for the videos you watch and then walk you through adding captions to your own videos.

How To Turn On Captions on YouTube

In order for you to be able to view subtitles for a YouTube video the uploader of the video will need to have added them, unless you change your account settings to display automatic captions.

To toggle subtitles on and off click on the Closed Captioning icon in the bottom right of your video player.

If the creator of the video has not added captions then you can enable automatic captions by going into your Account Settings and selecting Playback. Check the box next to Always Show Captions, and then check Show Automatic Captions by Speech Recognition. These captions may be flawed, but you will still be able to see the more accurate user submitted captions on videos that have them. The Always Show Captions feature may be useful not only to the hearing impaired, but to users who do not speak the same language as the video producer.

If you want to change the language of the subtitles click on the settings icon (the one that looks like a gear) next to the closed captioning icon and choose your language next to Subtitles/CC . If the language you want is not there select Auto-Translate and then pick a language. Google Translate will be used to generate subtitles in your chosen language.

Adding YouTube Captions in 4 Steps

1. Go to Video Manager in your Creator Studio and then look at your videos. Decide which one you want to add captions to.

2. Click on the drop-down menu next to the video you want to add captions to and choose Subtitles and CC.

3. Select Add New Subtitles or CC.

4. Choose whether to create your captions, upload a file that has them, transcribe your video, use automatic captioning, or use captioning software.

Create Subtitles or Closed Captions will allow you to create your subtitles on YouTube.

Upload A File allows you to upload a pre-made subtitle file from your computer. Supported file types include SubRip (.srt) and SubViewer (.sbv). You cannot use a word or PDF document for your subtitles.

Transcribe and Set Timings is where you can type a transcript of your video and set timings to sync it to your video. This differs from Create Subtitles or Closed Captions in that your transcript is all typed in to one text field.

Use Automatic Captioning will automatically use speech recognition technology to create captions. You can edit these auto-generated captions later if there are mistakes.

Use Captioning Software or Services is what you choose if you want to use a program or service to create the subtitles for your video.

The easiest way to add subtitles to your videos is to use Automatic Captioning. However, Automatic Captioning is imperfect and may result in your viewers getting a sloppy, skewed, interpretation of your video. Automatic captions are also not indexed by YouTube and Google the way subtitles you create or upload are. This means that they will not have any value to your SEO strategy. If you do not input your own captions or transcript you are missing out on an opportunity for better search engine rankings. Automatic Captions are great if you do not have time to input subtitles and need a temporary solution, though.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

By captioning your YouTube videos you help to make them accessible to more potential viewers. Subtitles are useful to viewers who have hearing impairments, whose first language is different from yours, or who are unable to watch your video with sound. Closed captioning can also be useful for you as a YouTuber because it helps with your SEO, or search engine optimization. Practicing better SEO can get your videos ranked higher in search results. Google and YouTube both index subtitles and transcripts much like they do your video’s description, unless you use automated captions.

This article will first explain how you can turn on subtitles for the videos you watch and then walk you through adding captions to your own videos.

How To Turn On Captions on YouTube

In order for you to be able to view subtitles for a YouTube video the uploader of the video will need to have added them, unless you change your account settings to display automatic captions.

To toggle subtitles on and off click on the Closed Captioning icon in the bottom right of your video player.

If the creator of the video has not added captions then you can enable automatic captions by going into your Account Settings and selecting Playback. Check the box next to Always Show Captions, and then check Show Automatic Captions by Speech Recognition. These captions may be flawed, but you will still be able to see the more accurate user submitted captions on videos that have them. The Always Show Captions feature may be useful not only to the hearing impaired, but to users who do not speak the same language as the video producer.

If you want to change the language of the subtitles click on the settings icon (the one that looks like a gear) next to the closed captioning icon and choose your language next to Subtitles/CC . If the language you want is not there select Auto-Translate and then pick a language. Google Translate will be used to generate subtitles in your chosen language.

Adding YouTube Captions in 4 Steps

1. Go to Video Manager in your Creator Studio and then look at your videos. Decide which one you want to add captions to.

2. Click on the drop-down menu next to the video you want to add captions to and choose Subtitles and CC.

3. Select Add New Subtitles or CC.

4. Choose whether to create your captions, upload a file that has them, transcribe your video, use automatic captioning, or use captioning software.

Create Subtitles or Closed Captions will allow you to create your subtitles on YouTube.

Upload A File allows you to upload a pre-made subtitle file from your computer. Supported file types include SubRip (.srt) and SubViewer (.sbv). You cannot use a word or PDF document for your subtitles.

Transcribe and Set Timings is where you can type a transcript of your video and set timings to sync it to your video. This differs from Create Subtitles or Closed Captions in that your transcript is all typed in to one text field.

Use Automatic Captioning will automatically use speech recognition technology to create captions. You can edit these auto-generated captions later if there are mistakes.

Use Captioning Software or Services is what you choose if you want to use a program or service to create the subtitles for your video.

The easiest way to add subtitles to your videos is to use Automatic Captioning. However, Automatic Captioning is imperfect and may result in your viewers getting a sloppy, skewed, interpretation of your video. Automatic captions are also not indexed by YouTube and Google the way subtitles you create or upload are. This means that they will not have any value to your SEO strategy. If you do not input your own captions or transcript you are missing out on an opportunity for better search engine rankings. Automatic Captions are great if you do not have time to input subtitles and need a temporary solution, though.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Top Gamers’ Tools: Premium Gear Lists on YouTube

YouTube Equipment for Gaming Channels - Best Gaming Gears

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

You love gaming, you have a lot of know-how to pass on, and you have a magnetic personality: you are ready to become a great YouTube gaming commentator. All you need is gaming gear. We have already listed some of the best YouTube video shooting equipment lists for starting recording videos, here we will run through some of the best YouTube equipment for gaming channels, sorted into categories for game recording, audio, and video (facecam).

YouTube Equipment You Should Have for Gaming Channels [Gaming Gears]

1. Game Recording [Capture Card & Game Recording Software]

Game recording software, or hardware, is what you will use to capture your in-game footage. The worst thing you can do is try to point a camera at the screen of your computer or television; recording your screen directly is a must. What kind of game capture gear you need will depend on what kind of game you are playing.

For recording games on your computer screen, you may only need software, and there are a few quality game recording software out there for free. One popular option among YouTube gamers is called OBS , or ‘Open Broadcaster Software’. OBS is free to download from Obsproject.com. The thing that makes it great for gamers is it can be used for live streaming to YouTube, or other sharing sites like Twitch.tv (which has a focus on gaming videos).

For those who want to record the gameplay with ease and edit the recorded gameplay footage with the same tool, we recommend you to try Filmora , which is a 2-in-1 gameplay recording software and video editor on both Windows and Mac.

The advantages of using Filmora to record YouTube Gameplay video:

• Record 4K gameplay and high-space game
• Record gameplay and webcam at the same time
• Mark the important moment with the Marker feature when playing the game
• Basic video editing tools provide trimming, cutting, and merging features as well as annotation effects

If you are going to be making videos more related to consol games then you may need to invest in a Capture device. One of the best is the Elgato Game Capture HD60 featured above. It captures video directly onto either your Mac or PC, while a lot of the other top capture devices only work with a PC. It can record in 1080p with 60fps, and you can even live stream. The Elgato HD60 is compatible with PS4, Xbox One, Xbox 360, and the Wii U.

2. Audio Recording Devices

Your audio recording is extremely important. The thing that will set you apart from other people posting gaming commentary is your personality, and that will only come across if your videos have clear audio. It does not do you much good to be hilarious in a fuzzy commentary track.

A lot of YouTube gamers, especially gamers who are just starting to make videos, go with the Zalman ZM-Mic1 which can be used in combination with headphones. The Zalman might pick up background sounds, like mouse clicks, which is not ideal. However, it will give you significantly better audio than recording directly from your computer, and at under $10 it will not be a purchase you regret. The Zalman is a great starter-mic, especially if you download the free audio editing program Audacity and use it to clean up the little imperfections in your recording. Audacity can be downloaded at Audacityteam.org.

If you are looking for more control over your recording then you should consider the Blue Yeti Mic, which is featured above. This standalone mic is also used by a lot of vloggers and YouTube gamers. It has volume control and even a mute button. It plugs right into the USB drive of your computer using a ten-foot cable, which means you can take it pretty far from your computer. The Blue Yeti USB mic costs about $130.

Check our best list of audio recording devices: Best Microphones for YouTubers

3. Video Recording Devices

If you are going to add a facecam into your videos then it should be high quality, but it does not need to be a top-of-the-line 4K recording. Rather than buying a $1000 DSLR for reaction shots, you should go with a reliable webcam. Before you make a decision about what kind of webcam to get consider how often you will be using your facecam. Not all gaming videos need one. If you play a lot of survival horror games then your reactions will be a key element in your videos, but if you are not playing games that will cause you to have amusing reactions then a facecam will not really add anything to a viewer’s experience.

You may also like: how to use DSLR as a webcam

If your facecam is going to be an important element in your channel then you should expect to spend around $100 on your webcam. The above image is the Logitech C920, which is one of the best at this price point. It performs well in low light, has a good auto-focus feature, and the quality of its video recordings is quite high.

If you are only going to use a facecam occasionally then consider the Genius WideCam F100, which can be found online for around $30. Its 1080p HD recordings are not as smooth as they should be, but it performs very well at 720p and that is all you should need.

Check more options for the Best webcams for YouTuber

Conclusion

Once you have these gaming recording devices, you can now go to record a gameplay and upload it to YouTube. Before you move on, do check these 10 tips for shooting professional YouTube videos . In case you need to trim and edit the recorded gameplay video and present the most exciting moments, you can use some of the best video editing software for YouTube . Here, we recommend you try the Filmora video editor to achieve your goal.

Why choose Filmora to edit recorded YouTube gameplay videos?

• Intuitive interface for saving time
• Trim Video and Audio Quickly
• Record commentary and voiceover with ease or add royalty-free music sound from the Music Library
• 300+ stylish video effects built-in and more in Filmora Effect Store
• Upload to YouTube directly

In case you didn’t know Filmora before, here is a video tutorial for beginners about Filmora video editor, check and download it to edit your YouTube today.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

You love gaming, you have a lot of know-how to pass on, and you have a magnetic personality: you are ready to become a great YouTube gaming commentator. All you need is gaming gear. We have already listed some of the best YouTube video shooting equipment lists for starting recording videos, here we will run through some of the best YouTube equipment for gaming channels, sorted into categories for game recording, audio, and video (facecam).

YouTube Equipment You Should Have for Gaming Channels [Gaming Gears]

1. Game Recording [Capture Card & Game Recording Software]

Game recording software, or hardware, is what you will use to capture your in-game footage. The worst thing you can do is try to point a camera at the screen of your computer or television; recording your screen directly is a must. What kind of game capture gear you need will depend on what kind of game you are playing.

For recording games on your computer screen, you may only need software, and there are a few quality game recording software out there for free. One popular option among YouTube gamers is called OBS , or ‘Open Broadcaster Software’. OBS is free to download from Obsproject.com. The thing that makes it great for gamers is it can be used for live streaming to YouTube, or other sharing sites like Twitch.tv (which has a focus on gaming videos).

For those who want to record the gameplay with ease and edit the recorded gameplay footage with the same tool, we recommend you to try Filmora , which is a 2-in-1 gameplay recording software and video editor on both Windows and Mac.

The advantages of using Filmora to record YouTube Gameplay video:

• Record 4K gameplay and high-space game
• Record gameplay and webcam at the same time
• Mark the important moment with the Marker feature when playing the game
• Basic video editing tools provide trimming, cutting, and merging features as well as annotation effects

If you are going to be making videos more related to consol games then you may need to invest in a Capture device. One of the best is the Elgato Game Capture HD60 featured above. It captures video directly onto either your Mac or PC, while a lot of the other top capture devices only work with a PC. It can record in 1080p with 60fps, and you can even live stream. The Elgato HD60 is compatible with PS4, Xbox One, Xbox 360, and the Wii U.

2. Audio Recording Devices

Your audio recording is extremely important. The thing that will set you apart from other people posting gaming commentary is your personality, and that will only come across if your videos have clear audio. It does not do you much good to be hilarious in a fuzzy commentary track.

A lot of YouTube gamers, especially gamers who are just starting to make videos, go with the Zalman ZM-Mic1 which can be used in combination with headphones. The Zalman might pick up background sounds, like mouse clicks, which is not ideal. However, it will give you significantly better audio than recording directly from your computer, and at under $10 it will not be a purchase you regret. The Zalman is a great starter-mic, especially if you download the free audio editing program Audacity and use it to clean up the little imperfections in your recording. Audacity can be downloaded at Audacityteam.org.

If you are looking for more control over your recording then you should consider the Blue Yeti Mic, which is featured above. This standalone mic is also used by a lot of vloggers and YouTube gamers. It has volume control and even a mute button. It plugs right into the USB drive of your computer using a ten-foot cable, which means you can take it pretty far from your computer. The Blue Yeti USB mic costs about $130.

Check our best list of audio recording devices: Best Microphones for YouTubers

3. Video Recording Devices

If you are going to add a facecam into your videos then it should be high quality, but it does not need to be a top-of-the-line 4K recording. Rather than buying a $1000 DSLR for reaction shots, you should go with a reliable webcam. Before you make a decision about what kind of webcam to get consider how often you will be using your facecam. Not all gaming videos need one. If you play a lot of survival horror games then your reactions will be a key element in your videos, but if you are not playing games that will cause you to have amusing reactions then a facecam will not really add anything to a viewer’s experience.

You may also like: how to use DSLR as a webcam

If your facecam is going to be an important element in your channel then you should expect to spend around $100 on your webcam. The above image is the Logitech C920, which is one of the best at this price point. It performs well in low light, has a good auto-focus feature, and the quality of its video recordings is quite high.

If you are only going to use a facecam occasionally then consider the Genius WideCam F100, which can be found online for around $30. Its 1080p HD recordings are not as smooth as they should be, but it performs very well at 720p and that is all you should need.

Check more options for the Best webcams for YouTuber

Conclusion

Once you have these gaming recording devices, you can now go to record a gameplay and upload it to YouTube. Before you move on, do check these 10 tips for shooting professional YouTube videos . In case you need to trim and edit the recorded gameplay video and present the most exciting moments, you can use some of the best video editing software for YouTube . Here, we recommend you try the Filmora video editor to achieve your goal.

Why choose Filmora to edit recorded YouTube gameplay videos?

• Intuitive interface for saving time
• Trim Video and Audio Quickly
• Record commentary and voiceover with ease or add royalty-free music sound from the Music Library
• 300+ stylish video effects built-in and more in Filmora Effect Store
• Upload to YouTube directly

In case you didn’t know Filmora before, here is a video tutorial for beginners about Filmora video editor, check and download it to edit your YouTube today.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

You love gaming, you have a lot of know-how to pass on, and you have a magnetic personality: you are ready to become a great YouTube gaming commentator. All you need is gaming gear. We have already listed some of the best YouTube video shooting equipment lists for starting recording videos, here we will run through some of the best YouTube equipment for gaming channels, sorted into categories for game recording, audio, and video (facecam).

YouTube Equipment You Should Have for Gaming Channels [Gaming Gears]

1. Game Recording [Capture Card & Game Recording Software]

Game recording software, or hardware, is what you will use to capture your in-game footage. The worst thing you can do is try to point a camera at the screen of your computer or television; recording your screen directly is a must. What kind of game capture gear you need will depend on what kind of game you are playing.

For recording games on your computer screen, you may only need software, and there are a few quality game recording software out there for free. One popular option among YouTube gamers is called OBS , or ‘Open Broadcaster Software’. OBS is free to download from Obsproject.com. The thing that makes it great for gamers is it can be used for live streaming to YouTube, or other sharing sites like Twitch.tv (which has a focus on gaming videos).

For those who want to record the gameplay with ease and edit the recorded gameplay footage with the same tool, we recommend you to try Filmora , which is a 2-in-1 gameplay recording software and video editor on both Windows and Mac.

The advantages of using Filmora to record YouTube Gameplay video:

• Record 4K gameplay and high-space game
• Record gameplay and webcam at the same time
• Mark the important moment with the Marker feature when playing the game
• Basic video editing tools provide trimming, cutting, and merging features as well as annotation effects

If you are going to be making videos more related to consol games then you may need to invest in a Capture device. One of the best is the Elgato Game Capture HD60 featured above. It captures video directly onto either your Mac or PC, while a lot of the other top capture devices only work with a PC. It can record in 1080p with 60fps, and you can even live stream. The Elgato HD60 is compatible with PS4, Xbox One, Xbox 360, and the Wii U.

2. Audio Recording Devices

Your audio recording is extremely important. The thing that will set you apart from other people posting gaming commentary is your personality, and that will only come across if your videos have clear audio. It does not do you much good to be hilarious in a fuzzy commentary track.

A lot of YouTube gamers, especially gamers who are just starting to make videos, go with the Zalman ZM-Mic1 which can be used in combination with headphones. The Zalman might pick up background sounds, like mouse clicks, which is not ideal. However, it will give you significantly better audio than recording directly from your computer, and at under $10 it will not be a purchase you regret. The Zalman is a great starter-mic, especially if you download the free audio editing program Audacity and use it to clean up the little imperfections in your recording. Audacity can be downloaded at Audacityteam.org.

If you are looking for more control over your recording then you should consider the Blue Yeti Mic, which is featured above. This standalone mic is also used by a lot of vloggers and YouTube gamers. It has volume control and even a mute button. It plugs right into the USB drive of your computer using a ten-foot cable, which means you can take it pretty far from your computer. The Blue Yeti USB mic costs about $130.

Check our best list of audio recording devices: Best Microphones for YouTubers

3. Video Recording Devices

If you are going to add a facecam into your videos then it should be high quality, but it does not need to be a top-of-the-line 4K recording. Rather than buying a $1000 DSLR for reaction shots, you should go with a reliable webcam. Before you make a decision about what kind of webcam to get consider how often you will be using your facecam. Not all gaming videos need one. If you play a lot of survival horror games then your reactions will be a key element in your videos, but if you are not playing games that will cause you to have amusing reactions then a facecam will not really add anything to a viewer’s experience.

You may also like: how to use DSLR as a webcam

If your facecam is going to be an important element in your channel then you should expect to spend around $100 on your webcam. The above image is the Logitech C920, which is one of the best at this price point. It performs well in low light, has a good auto-focus feature, and the quality of its video recordings is quite high.

If you are only going to use a facecam occasionally then consider the Genius WideCam F100, which can be found online for around $30. Its 1080p HD recordings are not as smooth as they should be, but it performs very well at 720p and that is all you should need.

Check more options for the Best webcams for YouTuber

Conclusion

Once you have these gaming recording devices, you can now go to record a gameplay and upload it to YouTube. Before you move on, do check these 10 tips for shooting professional YouTube videos . In case you need to trim and edit the recorded gameplay video and present the most exciting moments, you can use some of the best video editing software for YouTube . Here, we recommend you try the Filmora video editor to achieve your goal.

Why choose Filmora to edit recorded YouTube gameplay videos?

• Intuitive interface for saving time
• Trim Video and Audio Quickly
• Record commentary and voiceover with ease or add royalty-free music sound from the Music Library
• 300+ stylish video effects built-in and more in Filmora Effect Store
• Upload to YouTube directly

In case you didn’t know Filmora before, here is a video tutorial for beginners about Filmora video editor, check and download it to edit your YouTube today.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

You love gaming, you have a lot of know-how to pass on, and you have a magnetic personality: you are ready to become a great YouTube gaming commentator. All you need is gaming gear. We have already listed some of the best YouTube video shooting equipment lists for starting recording videos, here we will run through some of the best YouTube equipment for gaming channels, sorted into categories for game recording, audio, and video (facecam).

YouTube Equipment You Should Have for Gaming Channels [Gaming Gears]

1. Game Recording [Capture Card & Game Recording Software]

Game recording software, or hardware, is what you will use to capture your in-game footage. The worst thing you can do is try to point a camera at the screen of your computer or television; recording your screen directly is a must. What kind of game capture gear you need will depend on what kind of game you are playing.

For recording games on your computer screen, you may only need software, and there are a few quality game recording software out there for free. One popular option among YouTube gamers is called OBS , or ‘Open Broadcaster Software’. OBS is free to download from Obsproject.com. The thing that makes it great for gamers is it can be used for live streaming to YouTube, or other sharing sites like Twitch.tv (which has a focus on gaming videos).

For those who want to record the gameplay with ease and edit the recorded gameplay footage with the same tool, we recommend you to try Filmora , which is a 2-in-1 gameplay recording software and video editor on both Windows and Mac.

The advantages of using Filmora to record YouTube Gameplay video:

• Record 4K gameplay and high-space game
• Record gameplay and webcam at the same time
• Mark the important moment with the Marker feature when playing the game
• Basic video editing tools provide trimming, cutting, and merging features as well as annotation effects

If you are going to be making videos more related to consol games then you may need to invest in a Capture device. One of the best is the Elgato Game Capture HD60 featured above. It captures video directly onto either your Mac or PC, while a lot of the other top capture devices only work with a PC. It can record in 1080p with 60fps, and you can even live stream. The Elgato HD60 is compatible with PS4, Xbox One, Xbox 360, and the Wii U.

2. Audio Recording Devices

Your audio recording is extremely important. The thing that will set you apart from other people posting gaming commentary is your personality, and that will only come across if your videos have clear audio. It does not do you much good to be hilarious in a fuzzy commentary track.

A lot of YouTube gamers, especially gamers who are just starting to make videos, go with the Zalman ZM-Mic1 which can be used in combination with headphones. The Zalman might pick up background sounds, like mouse clicks, which is not ideal. However, it will give you significantly better audio than recording directly from your computer, and at under $10 it will not be a purchase you regret. The Zalman is a great starter-mic, especially if you download the free audio editing program Audacity and use it to clean up the little imperfections in your recording. Audacity can be downloaded at Audacityteam.org.

If you are looking for more control over your recording then you should consider the Blue Yeti Mic, which is featured above. This standalone mic is also used by a lot of vloggers and YouTube gamers. It has volume control and even a mute button. It plugs right into the USB drive of your computer using a ten-foot cable, which means you can take it pretty far from your computer. The Blue Yeti USB mic costs about $130.

Check our best list of audio recording devices: Best Microphones for YouTubers

3. Video Recording Devices

If you are going to add a facecam into your videos then it should be high quality, but it does not need to be a top-of-the-line 4K recording. Rather than buying a $1000 DSLR for reaction shots, you should go with a reliable webcam. Before you make a decision about what kind of webcam to get consider how often you will be using your facecam. Not all gaming videos need one. If you play a lot of survival horror games then your reactions will be a key element in your videos, but if you are not playing games that will cause you to have amusing reactions then a facecam will not really add anything to a viewer’s experience.

You may also like: how to use DSLR as a webcam

If your facecam is going to be an important element in your channel then you should expect to spend around $100 on your webcam. The above image is the Logitech C920, which is one of the best at this price point. It performs well in low light, has a good auto-focus feature, and the quality of its video recordings is quite high.

If you are only going to use a facecam occasionally then consider the Genius WideCam F100, which can be found online for around $30. Its 1080p HD recordings are not as smooth as they should be, but it performs very well at 720p and that is all you should need.

Check more options for the Best webcams for YouTuber

Conclusion

Once you have these gaming recording devices, you can now go to record a gameplay and upload it to YouTube. Before you move on, do check these 10 tips for shooting professional YouTube videos . In case you need to trim and edit the recorded gameplay video and present the most exciting moments, you can use some of the best video editing software for YouTube . Here, we recommend you try the Filmora video editor to achieve your goal.

Why choose Filmora to edit recorded YouTube gameplay videos?

• Intuitive interface for saving time
• Trim Video and Audio Quickly
• Record commentary and voiceover with ease or add royalty-free music sound from the Music Library
• 300+ stylish video effects built-in and more in Filmora Effect Store
• Upload to YouTube directly

In case you didn’t know Filmora before, here is a video tutorial for beginners about Filmora video editor, check and download it to edit your YouTube today.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

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