Dropbox is known as a service for securing your files in the cloud, but more and more additional functions are being added all the time. One of them is Dropbox Capture, which allows you to record your screen. We explain here how that works.
The cloud service comes with a feature to take screenshots and screenshots that it saves directly to the cloud: Dropbox Capture. That way you can use screenshots and video messages to put together presentations and tutorials. Of course, you must first have a Dropbox account. Then you surf to the website of Dropbox Capture to download the desktop application installer.
The software is available for Windows and macOS. Dropbox would like to point out that this is a beta version. So there are still some loose ends, for example Capture only works in English.
Three options
After installation, open the new app in Windows from the Windows system tray. In macOS, the icon is in the top right main menu. When opened, the app asks if it can be linked to your Dropbox account. Then you get three options.
You can take a screenshot, a screen recording or a screen recording where the camera also frames you. At the bottom of those three buttons is a small video explaining the possibilities of the new app. At the top right you will see an icon that opens the Capture folder on Dropbox when clicked.
Screenshot and Screen Recording
Are you going for the first option? Screenshot, then you can capture the entire screen with a mouse click. With the spacebar pressed, you print an active window and by dragging you photograph a specific area on the desktop.
If you Screen Recording or Screen Recording + camera select, the app will ask for your permission to use the webcam and microphone. In macOS you go to the System Preferences†Then you have to close the app and open it again.
To capture what’s happening on screen in a movie, first drag over the zone you want to capture, then use the red record button.
preferences
The webcam function did not work for us at first. In the bottom corner of the screencast, just the profile picture we use by default on Dropbox appeared. On closer inspection, this was because the correct webcam was not selected in the program’s preferences.
Click the three dots in the top right corner of Dropbox Capture and open the Preferences†In the preferences you can indicate with a switch that the app should start together with the system. Here you can select the correct camera and microphone and indicate the desired quality. There is also a tab Shortcuts where you link the three recording options of this app to keyboard shortcuts.
Copy image or link
With a screen recording, the program counts down three-two-one after you press the start button. That way, you’ll be prepared when you come into the picture. During the recording it is possible to make notes on the screen and you can also pause. The videos come as mp4 files in the capturefolder.
Screenshots are saved as PNG file. In the preferences you can also specify whether images you create are automatically kept in the clipboard, so that you can immediately paste them into a document.
In addition, it is possible that you always put the links to the images or videos in the clipboard. This makes it easier to share these files via email, for example, with people who do not have Dropbox.
gifs and more
The Capture window expands when you press Show more clicks. Then you can reach the button GIF to create gif animations of the selected screen area. This choice provides you with a screen film without sound. Below the GIFbutton you will find two more options: the option to make a sound recording and a button to only talk to via the webcam.
Thumbnails of recent recordings appear at the bottom of the panel. When you hover over such a thumbnail, four buttons appear. You can view the recording and it will open in a web page. Or you will receive the link. You can also download or delete the recording.
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