FastStone Capture is a portable screen capture and screen recording tool that can be stored and run entirely from a USB flash drive. It allows users to capture anything displayed on a Windows computer screen, from a single window or selected region to the entire desktop.
Portable Screen Recorder | FastStone Capture
FastStone Capture combines screenshot capturing, screen recording, and lightweight image editing into a single compact utility. Its floating capture panel and customizable hotkeys make it fast and efficient for everyday screen capture tasks.
Despite its small footprint, FastStone Capture includes a surprisingly rich set of features that make it useful for tutorials, documentation, technical support, presentations, and general screen recording.
What Is FastStone Capture and How Does It Work?
FastStone Capture runs quietly in the system tray or as a floating toolbar. From there, you can instantly capture screenshots or start recording your screen using mouse clicks or keyboard shortcuts.
It supports multiple capture modes, allowing you to choose exactly what you want to record or capture.
Key Features
- Screen Capture Modes: Capture full screen, active window, specific region, fixed region, or scrolling web pages.
- Screen Recording: Record on screen activity as video, including mouse movement and optional audio input.
- Floating Capture Panel: Always accessible toolbar for quick screenshots and recordings.
- Image Editing and Annotation: Crop, resize, draw shapes, add arrows, highlights, text, and watermarks.
- Video Editing: Trim and merge recorded clips for quick cleanup.
- Screen Magnifier: Zoom into areas of the screen to capture small details.
- Color Picker: Sample and copy color values from anywhere on the screen.
- Clipboard Support: Copy captures directly to the clipboard for easy pasting.
- Batch Conversion: Convert multiple images between formats in one step.
- File Output Options: Save images and videos in common formats and send via email or FTP.
Why Use FastStone Capture?
FastStone Capture is ideal for users who want an all in one screen capture and recording solution without installing large or complex software.
Common use cases include:
- Creating tutorials and how to guides
- Recording software demonstrations
- Capturing scrolling web pages
- Annotating screenshots for documentation
- Providing remote technical support visuals
Because it is portable, it is especially useful for technicians and educators who work across multiple computers.
Portability Notes
FastStone Capture can be run directly from a USB flash drive. While it is technically portable, it may store some settings locally depending on configuration. For most users, this does not affect normal portable usage.
FastStone Capture Specifications | Official Site | Download
- Author's Website: Project Page
- Developer: FastStone Soft
- License: Shareware
- Supported Operating Systems: Windows
- Category: Screen Capture, Screen Recording
- Downloading: FastStone Capture Download
Final Thoughts
FastStone Capture is a powerful yet lightweight screen capture and screen recording tool that punches well above its size. Its ease of use, extensive capture options, and portable design make it an excellent choice for both casual users and professionals.
If you need a dependable screen recorder and screenshot tool that fits easily on a USB flash drive, FastStone Capture remains one of the best all around solutions available.
If you are looking for a fully open source alternative, you may also want to explore Greenshot.