How to Screen Record Protected Videos [Detailed Guide]

Since some websites have no download option, users record videos directly using their screen recorders. For recording video from website, this approach is quite effective. Nevertheless, many screen recorders will not record a DRM-protected video because of the blank screen. Digital rights management (DRM) is a technology that some website use to secure copyrighted materials.

Protected videos should not be recorded due to the potential for regulatory violations. However, if necessary, the good news is you can record protected videos. And if you’re unaware of How to Screen Record Protected Videos, you’re at the right spot. In this article, you’ll discover the finest ways to record protected videos on Windows, Mac, and smartphones. Let’s dive into the details!

Can We Screen Record Protected Videos?

You cannot screen-record protected videos because Digital Rights Management (DRM) technology encrypts or protects the content. These measures prevent unauthorized access, copying, or distribution of copyrighted material. However, some tools, such as iTop Screen Recorder, etc., claim to be able to bypass DRM and enable screen recording of protected videos but using them may violate copyright laws.

If you still want to screen-record protected videos, you can consider using screen-recording software, a capture card to record the video output from a device, or playing the video on a device that doesn’t have DRM protection and recording the screen using another device.

How to Screen Record Protected Videos on Windows 10?

Wondering how to screen-record protected videos on Windows 10? This section has the answer! Since DRM-protected videos cannot be recorded by normal screen recording tools, such s OBS, Bandicam, or the Windows Built-in Xbox Game Bar. You need a high-quality professional tool for the job. And due to the plethora of screen recording apps option in the market, finding one that can bypass the DRM-protection is difficult. To help you, we’ve reviewed the finest option, i.e., iTop Screen Recorder, in this section.

The iTop screen recorder allows you to record your screen in an encrypted format while recording from the device’s microphone or other audio sources. The tool’s hardware acceleration means it can capture protected 4K UHD or 1080P 60fps films without lagging. You can be sure that your CPU use won’t exceed 80% while recording, guaranteeing a fluid video capture of your screen. It can also export movies in various formats, including MP4, AVI, MOV, MKV, MP3, FLAC, and more, ensuring your videos play on various devices and platforms.

To understand how to record the protected videos using iTop Screen Recorder on Windows 10 PC, follow the steps below:

Step 1: Download and install the iTop Screen Recorder on your Windows 10 PC. After installing successfully, launch it.

Step 2: First, you must set the preferences, such as microphone, webcam, mouse, and speaker. The iTop Screen Recorder records the screen in Full-Screen mode by default. Click the side arrow next to Full Screen to adjust the selected region. Moreover, you can also adjust the frame rate, bit rate, and other settings by clicking on the Settings icon.

Step 3: Now, click the red REC button to start recording the screen. After that, open the protected video you wish to record. Once done, press the F9 key on your keyboard to stop the recording, and the video will be saved to the My Creations folder.

How to Screen Record Protected Videos on Mac?

Want to screen record a protected video on your Mac? This section has got you covered! Compared to Windows 10 PC, you don’t need a third-party tool to screen record a protected video on Mac. It comes with a high-quality built-in screen recorder QuickTime, allowing you to screen record the protected videos without discomfort.

QuickTime Player, developed by Apple, is amongst the finest screen recorders available for screen recording on Mac. With QuickTime Player, a Mac user can record any video and then edit it using the built-in editor of the tool. Moreover, it lets you play iPhone video files (.mov), which some of the well-known screen recorders do not support. Besides the MOV video files, it supports other video formats, such as AVI, MP4, FLAC, etc. With QuickTime Player, you can also easily change the format of an existing video or screen recording.

To record the protected videos on Mac using the built-in Quick Time Player, follow the steps below:

Step 1: Launch the QuickTime Player application on your Mac and click on File. In the dropdown menu, select the New Screen Recording option to proceed.

Step 2: In the Screen Recording prompt, click on the down arrow next to the red recording button and open the Internal Microphone by selecting the Internal Microphone option if you want.

Step 3: Now, click the Red Circle button and select the region you wish to record. For the whole screen, click anywhere to start the recording.

Step 4: Go to the protected video you wish to record, and after completing the video, click on the Stop button from the side menu to stop the recording. In the QuickTime Player interface, click on File and select Save to save the recorded protected video to your Mac.

How to Screen Record Protected Videos on a Phone?

Looking for a way to record a protected video on your smartphone? You’ll find the answer here! Since you cannot screen record a DRM-protected video, such as Netflix videos, with normal or built-in screen recorders on your smartphone, you need a high-quality screen recorder to bypass the DRM protection. And finding such an app, especially for smartphones, is no easy task. So, we came up with the best app, i.e., Zoom, to bypass the DRM protection on your smartphone.

Zoom is a popular video conferencing platform allowing you to conduct online meetings and webinars. In addition to its video conferencing feature, it also allows you to record the meeting. Its Screen Sharing feature allows you to broadcast the complete or a selected region of your phone’s display, while the built-in record meeting function allows you to record the meeting. It will be effective in getting over applications’ protection. However, these recordings will not be your local screen recordings, normally stored immediately on your device. Instead, these will be cloud recordings stored in Zoom’s cloud folder.

For screen recording the protected videos on your smartphone using the Zoom app, follow the steps below:

Step 1: Install the Zoom app on your iOS or Android smartphone. After successfully installing, open the app and create a new meeting by tapping the New Meeting option.

Step 2: In the Zoom Meeting screen, tap the Share Content (for iOS) or Share Screen (for Android) option in the bottom menu to share the whole screen.

Step 3: Now, hit the More icon from the bottom menu and select the Record (for Android) or Record to the Cloud (for iOS) option to start recording the screen.

Note: To get the Record or Record to the Cloud option on your smartphone in Zoom, you need its premium account.

Step 4: Go to the protected video you wish to record, and once you’re done, tap the Stop option in the Recording menu to stop the recording. After that, hit the End button at the top left to end the recording. You can access the recorded video in the My Recordings folder on Zoom’s official website.

Bonus Tips-Try Gemoo Recorder

Gemoo Recorder stands out as a versatile tool for recording video and audio, as well as managing your video content. Despite being a newcomer to the market, Gemoo Recorder offers superior features compared to Panopto and is gaining popularity rapidly. As you can see, Gemoo Recorder can record all kinds of videos, including protected ones. With Gemoo Recorder you can enjoy a wonderful video recording experience.

Step 1: Download and install Gemoo Recorder on your PC and log in with your account and password.

Step 2: Open the protected video you want o record. Choose the “Screen only” mode on Gemoo Recorder.

Step 3: To begin recording, there will be a 3-second countdown. If you wish to annotate the video, you can click on the Pencil icon located on the side menu. Once the meeting has ended, simply click on the red Stop button on the sidebar to stop recording the Google Meet session.

Step 4: After that, click on Finish Recording to save the recording on your PC.

FAQs about How to Screen Record Protected Videos

There are many screen recording tools available, such as OBS Studio, Camtasia, and ScreenFlow. However, not all of them may be able to record protected videos. You can try using a screen recording tool that allows you to capture audio and video from your computer screen, and see if it can record the protected video.

It depends on the circumstances. If you are screen recording a protected video for personal use, such as to watch later or to create a backup, it may be legal in some countries. However, if you are screen recording a protected video with the intention of distributing or selling it, it is likely illegal and may result in legal consequences.

Yes, you can get in trouble for screen recording a protected video if it is illegal in your country or violates the terms of service of the website or platform where the video is hosted. You may face legal consequences, such as fines or even imprisonment, depending on the severity of the offense.

Final Thought

Videos on some websites, such as Netflix and Amazon Prime, cannot be recorded due to the protection. While screen recording those protected videos can be challenging due to DRM technology and copyright laws, there are still ways to do it. And we hope you know How to Screen Record Protected Videos after reading this article. Moreover, if you have any thoughts or experiences on screen recording protected videos, we encourage you to leave them in the comments. Also, feel free to share the article with others.

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