Recording Gameplay With Icecream Screen Recorder — Setup Checklist

Gaming setup being configured for recording with Icecream Screen Recorder

Icecream Screen Recorder isn’t gaming-specialized software (see our full review for context on what it’s actually built for), but it can handle gameplay capture adequately with the right settings. This checklist gets you there.

Before you start: set expectations correctly

[ ] Understand this isn’t Bandicam or Mirillis Action! — no hardware-encoding mode specifically built for gaming; performance will be more CPU-dependent than a dedicated gaming recorder
[ ] Check your free tier limits if not upgraded — length cap and watermark apply to unpaid recordings

Settings to configure before recording

[ ] Select the game window specifically, not full-screen capture, if your game runs windowed or borderless — reduces unnecessary capture overhead
[ ] Set frame rate deliberately — don’t leave it at a low default if your game runs at 60fps; mismatched capture frame rate produces visibly choppy output
[ ] Enable system audio for in-game sound, and microphone separately if you’re commentating
[ ] Check available storage — gameplay recording at higher frame rates produces larger files faster than typical tutorial recording

During recording

[ ] Monitor actual in-game performance, not just the recording indicator — if your frame rate visibly drops once recording starts, the capture overhead is too high for your hardware at current settings
[ ] Avoid alt-tabbing away from the game if you selected window-specific capture — can interrupt what’s being captured

⚠️ What actually breaks:

On mid-range or older hardware, Icecream’s lack of hardware encoding means gameplay recording noticeably impacts frame rate more than a dedicated gaming recorder would. If your game becomes unplayable once recording starts, this is the expected trade-off of using general-purpose software for a gaming-specific task — not a bug.

After recording

[ ] Check the output file plays back smoothly before assuming the capture succeeded
[ ] Note the file size relative to recording length — helps you predict storage needs for future sessions

When to actually switch to a dedicated gaming recorder instead

If frame rate impact during recording is a recurring problem, or you’re recording gameplay regularly rather than occasionally, Bandicam or Mirillis Action! (both covered in full reviews on this site) are purpose-built for this and will perform noticeably better.

Frequently asked questions

Can Icecream Screen Recorder handle gaming recording well?
Adequately for occasional use, but it lacks the hardware-encoding optimizations dedicated gaming recorders like Bandicam offer — expect more noticeable frame rate impact.

Why does my game lag more once I start recording with Icecream?
No hardware encoding means the CPU handles both the game and the recording simultaneously — on less powerful hardware, this is a real, expected performance cost.

Marcus Webb — Marcus ran technical support for a software company before this, and covers gaming, streaming, and workplace-facing recording use cases. Read the full editorial standard →