StreamYard Recordings: 10 Steps to Easily Record on StreamYard

What is StreamYard?

StreamYard calls itself the ‘easiest way to livestream and record’. It started out as a browser-based livestreaming platform but now also offers users the ability to record content from their browser. 

You can broadcast with up to 10 guests on screen (and more behind the scenes) and multistream your content to all the major platforms. If you’re a livestreamer, it seems to tick all the boxes.

So how does it perform if you’re more interested in recording video? 

Can you record video on StreamYard?

Yes, you can record video on StreamYard. In fact, you can record with a maximum of 10 remote guests from around the world. StreamYard is browser-based, so you can join from any device without problems. 

Additionally, bad internet does not affect StreamYard’s recording quality because they offer local recording. That means each participant is recorded on their own device rather than over the internet. Bear in mind, though, that you can only download your local recordings as separate tracks. There’s no way to download a compiled version of all your participant’s local recording tracks. They also don’t offer 4K video recording, which is higher quality and better for editing. 

If you’d like 4K video with a separate track, or compiled local recording, you’re better off trying Riverside. Unlike StreamYard, Riverside specializes in studio-quality remote recording.

StreamYard recordings vs pre-recordings

You have two options when it comes to recording videos on StreamYard: recording your livestream or pre-recording your video. 

Live video recordings are where you live stream as usual but save the recording and repurpose it later. 

Pre-recordings are where you record a video without live viewers and then publish it later. With StreamYard, you can even livestream using a pre-recorded video. 

How to record video with StreamYard: 10 Steps

Let’s take a look at how (pre)recording video with StreamYard works: 

Step 1: Login to your StreamYard account. In your dashboard, click the button that says ‘+ Create’ 

Step 2: Click ‘Recording - Record in the Studio’ in the pop-up. Note that this isn’t a reusable studio. You’ll need to create a new recording each time you’d like to record.

Step 3: Give your recording a title and select local recording for each participant for maximum recording quality. Click ‘Create Recording’. 

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Step 4: You’ll need to give StreamYard access to your mic and camera before entering the studio. 

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Step 5: Check your mic is working and that your camera is showing up properly. Give yourself a Display Name. And then ‘Enter Studio’. 

Step 6: You’ll land in the recording studio. To invite your remote guests, head to the bottom bar and click ‘invite’. Since your studio isn’t reusable, you’ll need a new link every time you record with guests. 

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Step 7: A pop-up will allow you to copy and paste the invite link, email it directly, or send it via messenger. 

Step 8: When your guests have joined, you need to add each individual to the stream. Do this by hovering over their video and clicking ‘Add to stream’. 

Next, you can choose to switch up the video layout by selecting any of the templates you see below the stream box. 

Step 9: When you’re ready to record, click the blue ‘record’ button in the top right corner. 

Step 10: When you’ve wrapped, click the red ‘end recording’ button in the top right corner. And then the ‘return to dashboard’ button in the same place. This is where you’ll be able to see your recording. 

How to stream pre-recorded video on StreamYard

To stream your pre-recorded video on StreamYard, you need to be a paying subscriber. First, you need to head back to Broadcasts on your dashboard, then follow these steps: 

Step 1: First of all, you need to pre-record your video. Once you’ve done that, click ‘+ Create’ and then ‘Live Stream’ in your ‘Broadcasts’ page. 

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Step 2: Next, select ‘pre-recorded video’ and then choose ‘select recording’.

Step 3: Select your video by clicking onto the ‘upload’ tab and browsing your computer’s files.

Step 4: Next, decide which platforms you want to stream to and when. You’ll also need to give your stream a title and write out a description. 

You can also choose to ‘schedule an announcement’ which pops up on your chosen streaming platform announcing when your video is live. 

Step 5: Lastly, select ‘create broadcast’. You can check back on the broadcast page to see whether it streamed correctly or not.

Tips for StreamYard Recordings

Always choose local recording 

The biggest tip for optimizing the quality of your StreamYard recordings is to choose local recordings. This will ensure that your recording won’t be affected by the strength of you or your guests’ internet connection. 

Get your setup right 

StreamYard can only do as much as your setup lets it. That’s why it’s important to get your recording set up right. Make sure to research and choose equipment that’ll enhance your workflow and maximize the quality of your recording. 

Understand the differences between Livestreaming & Pre-Recording 

Lastly, make sure you know whether you want to livestream or pre-record your video. 

Live Streaming is great for including your audience in your recording sessions. They usually flow more organically, and there’s definitely a risk of mistakes or mishaps. 

Pre-recorded videos give you the space to re-do segments and follow a more planned-out structure, but of course, you don’t have the same ability to include audience members. 

Is StreamYard suitable for recordings?

Sure, you can record on StreamYard, but it’s worth remembering that they’re a streaming platform at heart. Their recording tools are new and don’t offer you the same quality or flexibility you receive using a dedicated recording platform. 

StreamYard doesn’t provide constant frame rate files when recording, which complicates syncing audio and video in post-production. You also can’t record in 4K, which is a big dealbreaker if you’re looking for top-quality. 

So what are your options, instead? We suggest trying a StreamYard alternative like Riverside.

Riverside: A StreamYard alternative for studio-quality video creation

Unlike StreamYard, Riverside is a dedicated remote recording platform. It’s an industry leader with clients including Microsoft, Netflix, and The New York Times. Riverside prides itself on studio-quality recordings, and you can expect unlimited local recordings on all plans and up to 4K video on a paid subscription.

But let’s dive into some of Riverside’s features a little deeper. 

Studio-quality recordings

While 1080p is a good standard for recording resolution, 4K gives you much better quality. Plus, the higher your recording resolution, the more editing flexibility you have. Luckily with Riverside, you can record up to 4K video and 48kHz audio from anywhere in the world. 

Mixed file and separate track local recording

As mentioned, Riverside’s local recordings are unlimited on all plans. You can capture local recordings in separate audio and video tracks for all participants, but you can also save this as one mixed file. There’s no need to sacrifice recording quality just because you want to merge your tracks together. You also don’t have to download everything separately, only to edit everything together on another platform. Instead, with Riverside, you can do it all seamlessly in one workflow.

That said, Riverside offers synced constant frame rate files should you choose to download your separate tracks. This means your audio and video will stay in sync and share the same frame rate throughout. 

Automatic transcriptions straight after recording

Want to add subtitles or captions to your recordings? Riverside makes this an effortless process! We offer highly accurate Ai transcriptions in over 100 languages. With just the click of a button, you can download SRT (subtitle) files for captions or TXT (transcript) files for easy content repurposing. Better yet, use your transcriptions for editing, or burn them into your video for easy open captions.

Easy text-based video editing

It’s official. If you can edit a text doc, you can now edit video hassle-free! Just try Riverside’s text-based editor. 

By editing your videos’ transcription, you can trim out unwanted sections or even find where a specific phrase is in your video. You no longer need to re-watch everything. Just read over and edit your transcript, and any changes you make there automatically reflect in your video editing timeline. You’ll make precise edits faster and easier than ever. Plus, no matter what you record or edit, all your files remain aligned with our multi-syncing tracks. 

Our editor also has automated tools to customize your layout, background, and branding. Plus, you can automatically remove background noise or normalize audio levels. You can create a polished video on Riverside effortlessly from beginning to end.

Intuitive and client-friendly interface

With Riverside, your recording process is straightforward. Any studio you create is reusable, so you don’t need to send out a new link whenever you want to record. For guests, it’s as simple as clicking the link to join. With our automated tools, local recording, and user-friendly interface, we offer you a seamless recording experience. 

Recording on the go

Riverside’s iOS and Android mobile app gives you the freedom to record on the go. It’s a hassle recording from your phone using a browser. Instead, Riverside turns your phone into a full-recording studio in one simple app. You can turn your phone into a secondary camera angle, and everything you capture saves straight to your desktop. Better yet, if you’re on the Business plan, hosts can control their guests' phone settings to ensure the best results! 

If you’re looking for a comprehensive professional recording platform, we’d say Riverside is the place to go. But let’s compare Riverside to StreamYard to help you make the right decision:

StreamYard Recordings vs Riverside Recordings: Which should you choose?

On the surface, Riverside and StreamYard might seem quite similar. And though some of their features and offerings do overlap, some key differences make a substantial difference to your video’s recording quality and your user experience. 

Similarities between Riverside and StreamYard 

Now let’s take a look at the similarities between these two platforms: 

Remote & local recording 

Both platforms offer remote and local recording. You can record with up to 8 remote guests from the get-go with Riverside. Whereas the number of people you can include in your recording or stream depends on what plan you’re on with StreamYard. 

Separate Track  

StreamYard and Riverside offer multitrack recording, meaning each participant’s audio and video records onto individual tracks rather than a single merged one for everybody. 

Live Streaming & multistreaming 

You can livestream to all the major platforms using either Riverside or StreamYard. 

Read more: The 8 Best Streaming Software For Online Creators (2024) 

Customized logos & branding 

You can customize your recordings and livestreams with your branding on both platforms. With StreamYard, you can choose your brand colors, change up your themes, and even add an overlay. If you’re on Riverside’s Teams plan you can brand the entire experience by customizing your studio and guest lobby. 

Differences between StreamYard and Riverside 

The biggest distinction is that Riverside is a dedicated high-quality recording platform that offers live streaming too. Meanwhile, StreamYard is a broadcasting and streaming platform offering mediocre recording ability. 

Recording quality 

StreamYard and Riverside do both offer local recording. But StreamYard can only record to a maximum of 1080p (for Professional Plan subscribers), whilst Riverside offers the ability to record at up to 4K video. 

Price 

Riverside gives you unlimited recording on its free plan. You also get a 2 hour taster of separate audio and video tracks in its free plan. 

Though Streamyard does have a free plan, it’s important to bear in mind that it is pretty limited (you only get 2 hours of recording per month and a maximum of 6 participants). 

The big difference is clear when you look at both platform’s first tier paid subscriptions. Riverside’s starts at $15 per month whilst StreamYard’s Basic plan is $20/month. 

Transcriptions 

StreamYard doesn’t have a built-in transcription tool which means that you’ll need to pay extra for a third-party platform. On Riverside you get free and automatic transcription to make it easy for you to repurpose your content and make it as accessible as possible. Riverside's AI transcriptions are available in over 100 languages and you can even turn them into video captions in the Editor.

Built-in editor 

StreamYard only offers very rudimentary editing tools, whereas Riverside has an entire built-in text-based Editor. You can only trim and split your video footage using StreamYard’s tools. With Riverside’s Editor, you can customize your video, add branding, trim, cut, and get your video ready for publication. Riverside's Editor also works with AI transcriptions, so trimming your content is as easy as removing words in a transcript of your recording.

Downloading your recording 

Currently, StreamYard doesn’t offer the ability to download your separate locally recorded footage as a synced recording. Riverside lets you choose between downloading your local recordings as separate tracks or a merged video. 

Social media content 

Though both platforms offer the ability to repurpose your content for social media, Riverside’s Magic Clips feature is far more intuitive, and uses AI, saving you time and effort. With StreamYard, you can only manually convert recordings into short-form Reels and Shorts after you’ve finished recording. Though it is pretty convenient that you can publish to your social media profile directly. 

Riverside’s Magic Clips feature lets you create short-form promotional videos for socials in just one quick click. Magic Clips uses AI to find key moments in your recordings and turns them into short, shareable clips. You can download these as is, or you can adjust them in the Editor, with the freedom to change their length, layout background and even add captions to them if you wish.

Audience Participation During Your Stream 

Riverside lets you include your audience members in your livestream with their live call-in feature. This is a completely native feature. Meanwhile, if you want to accept call-ins on StreamYard, you’ll need to use a third-party plugin or software. 

That said, StreamYard lets you add static text banners or moving tickers to your stream which is a great way to animate and customize your content. They also have a Giveaway tool that lets you reward a random audience member during your stream. 

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StreamYard vs Riverside: Which To Choose 

If you weigh up between StreamYard and Riverside, you should start by thinking about your main priorities. If you’re all about livestreaming and want to dabble in recording your content, then StreamYard makes sense. This is especially the case if you’re on a budget or don’t plan to be that active. But for anyone who is more serious about recording high-quality video and wants to gain access to the most high-caliber features, then Riverside is the obvious choice. 

FAQs on StreamYard recordings:

How does StreamYard recording work?

Recording with StreamYard is straightforward. As we outlined in our instructions above, all you need to do is head to your browser-based studio, invite your guests, and hit record. Simple!

Can you record on StreamYard free version?

Yes, you can record on StreamYard even if you’re a free subscriber. But bear in mind that the free plan comes with a limit of 2 hours of local recording per month. 

Can you record with StreamYard from your phone?

StreamYard works across devices because it’s browser-based. They don’t have a mobile app, but all you need to do is open it up on your browser and start recording.