September 25, 2023
The Dropbox app on a phone.
Picture: wavemovies/Adobe Inventory

File storage web site Dropbox gives a instrument designed to allow you to create and share particular varieties of content material with colleagues and different professionals. Referred to as Dropbox Seize, the instrument lets you document your display, digital camera and microphone to create video messages, audio recordings, screenshots and extra. After devising the precise kind of content material, you possibly can share it with different individuals.

Why use Dropbox Seize as a substitute of one other instrument? The aim behind this program is that will help you keep away from pointless conferences or convention calls anytime you want to convey or share one thing with workforce members and different colleagues. As just a few examples, you should utilize Dropbox Seize to create and share a software program tutorial, a gross sales proposal, a design format or standing updates for a selected undertaking.

Dropbox Seize is obtainable on all Dropbox plans, although the quantity of recording time varies primarily based in your plan. Customers of Dropbox Primary, Plus and Household plans can document as much as two hours with no restrict on particular person recordings. Customers of Dropbox Skilled, Customary, Superior and Enterprise plans have limitless recording time as much as their storage restrict.

Set up Dropbox Seize

To get began, obtain the Dropbox Seize program for Home windows from the Dropbox website. After putting in the software program, log in together with your Dropbox account, after which, give this system permission to hook up with your account.

Dropbox Seize opens from its icon on the taskbar displaying the several types of actions you possibly can carry out, comparable to screenshot, display recording and display recording plus digital camera. Click on Present extra to see different actions, together with audio recording and digital camera. A thumbnail video seems within the middle. Click on the Play button for the video to look at a quick tutorial (Determine A).

Determine A

Dropbox Capture offers video tutorials to help you get familiar with it quickly.
Dropbox Seize gives video tutorials that will help you get conversant in it rapidly.

Take a screenshot

With Dropbox Seize, you possibly can take a screenshot of your whole display, any space you choose or a selected window. From the Seize window, click on the primary choice for Screenshot, or press the Print Display key. You may click on or press Enter to seize your whole display, or click on and drag together with your mouse to seize a sure space of the display. To take a screenshot of a selected window, press the spacebar, transfer your mouse pointer to the window you need to seize (which then turns pink) and click on your mouse (Determine B).

Determine B

Using Dropbox Capture to take a screenshot of a specific window is simple.
Utilizing Dropbox Seize to take a screenshot of a selected window is easy.

After you are taking the screenshot, the ensuing picture seems within the decrease proper nook of the display. To mark up the picture, click on the Markup button (Determine C).

Determine C

Once captured, you can leave notes or markings on a screenshot with the Markup feature.
As soon as captured, you possibly can go away notes or markings on a screenshot with the Markup characteristic.

The picture opens in a window with a instrument set on the prime. From the icons, you possibly can add textual content, strains, arrows, circles, squares and blurs. You may even change the width and coloration of the strains, crop the picture and undo your final motion (Determine D). When executed, click on Save, or click on the down arrow, and choose Save and duplicate picture or Save and duplicate hyperlink. Anybody with the hyperlink can then view the screenshot.

Determine D

Dropbox Capture’s Markup feature can be a great way to collaborate with others on image and video files.
Dropbox Seize’s Markup characteristic may be an effective way to collaborate with others on picture and video recordsdata.

Report your display

Subsequent, you possibly can document your display as a video. From the Seize window, click on the choice for Display recording. Then, click on or press Enter to document your whole display, or click on and drag together with your mouse to document a sure space of display exercise. Just like the screenshot perform, you too can press the spacebar to document a selected window, then transfer your mouse pointer to the window you need to document and click on your mouse. Click on the Begin button to begin the recording (Determine E).

Determine E

Dropbox Capture offers screen recording, which can be useful for making video tutorials or presentations.
Dropbox Seize gives display recording, which may be helpful for making video tutorials or displays.

Whereas the recording is energetic, click on the pencil icon to attract on the display recording. When executed, click on the Cease button. The video is generated and displayed in a Dropbox Seize webpage. From right here, you possibly can play the video, rename it, view a transcript of the audio and share a hyperlink to the video. You may as well obtain the video as an MP4 file. Folks with whom you share the hyperlink can then play the video and go away feedback about it (Determine F).

Determine F

Dropbox Capture video recordings can be shared as a webpage link or MP4 file.
Dropbox Seize video recordings may be shared as a webpage hyperlink or MP4 file.

Report your display and your self

When you want to document a video of your self narrating the display recording, click on the choice for Display recording + digital camera. Click on or press Enter to document your whole display; drag together with your mouse to document a sure space of display exercise; or press the spacebar to decide on and document a selected window. Click on the Begin button to begin the recording (Determine G).

Determine G

You can make screen recordings that include a video of yourself narrating the video.
You can also make display recordings that embrace a video of your self narrating the video.

The markup and sharing course of is identical as with a daily display recording. Whereas the recording is energetic, you possibly can click on the pencil icon to attract on the display recording. As soon as completed, the video will show as a Dropbox Seize webpage. From right here, you possibly can play the video, rename it, view a transcript of the audio, and share a hyperlink to the video or put it aside as an MP4 file. Folks with whom you share the hyperlink can then play the video and go away feedback about it (Determine H).

Determine H

Sharing a screen recording that includes a video of yourself is the same as sharing a regular Dropbox Capture screen recording.
Sharing a display recording that features a video of your self is identical as sharing a daily Dropbox Seize display recording.

Create an audio recording

To document simply audio, click on the Present extra hyperlink and choose Audio recording. Press the beginning button to begin the recording. Then, communicate or play the audio you want to document (Determine I).

Determine I

Dropbox Capture features an option to record audio only.
Dropbox Seize options an choice to document audio solely.

While you’re completed, press the Cease button, and a participant window will seem (Determine J). Click on the Play button to hearken to the recording, or click on the View button to see and listen to the recording in a Dropbox webpage. From there, you possibly can share the recording with different individuals through a hyperlink.

Determine J

Once finished with an audio recording in Dropbox Capture, an audio player will appear.
As soon as completed with an audio recording in Dropbox Seize, an audio participant will seem.

Report your self

When you want to merely document your self or somebody or one thing else together with your PC’s digital camera, select the choice for Digital camera. Place your self or one other topic, and click on the Begin button. When executed, click on Cease. The video then seems in a webpage the place you possibly can play it, view the transcript and share it with different individuals (Determine Ok).

Determine Ok

Using Dropbox Capture, you can record and share videos of yourself.
Utilizing Dropbox Seize, you possibly can document and share movies of your self.

The Dropbox Seize window retains observe of all of your recordings. Hovering your mouse over a selected recording will produce a toolbar with choices to edit or view the recording, copy its hyperlink, obtain it or delete it (Determine L).

Determine L

Dropbox Capture saves all of your recordings, which you can view, edit or share at any time.
Dropbox Seize saves your entire recordings, which you’ll be able to view, edit or share at any time.

Use Dropbox Seize your manner

If you need, you possibly can tweak a number of the choices for Dropbox Seize. On the Seize window, click on the three-dot icon on the prime, and choose Preferences. On the Settings tab, you’re capable of change the digital camera, audio supply, video decision and different choices. And on the Shortcuts tab, you possibly can change the shortcuts that set off completely different actions (Determine M).

Determine M

Configure Dropbox Capture’s settings and shortcuts to suit your needs.
Configure Dropbox Seize’s settings and shortcuts to fit your wants.

Lance Whitney shares extra ideas for Dropbox right here: use Dropbox Switch to securely share recordsdata with different individuals and how one can use Dropbox Backup to again up your recordsdata to the cloud.