Camtasia Quick Start Guide

Camtasia is a screen recording and video editing application that lets you capture your computer screen, microphone audio, and (optionally) webcam video to create polished instructional videos and presentations. Camtasia is available to faculty and staff who need to record and edit course content on a PC or Mac. 

This guide walks you through downloading and installing Camtasia, setting up your microphone, recording a presentation, saving and making basic edits, and sharing your recording as either a Camtasia project file or an MP4. For the latest Camtasia license key, Contact the Help Desk 

If you would like to learn more about how to use Camtasia and view video tutorials, you can enroll in the Boot Camptasia training course. Please note that you are required to login with your JHED in order to enroll in this course. If you have any issues with enrolling in the course or accessing course content, contact the Help Desk.

Download and Install

To download and install Camtasia on your computer:

1. Download the installer file from the following URL:
   • PC – https://www.techsmith.com/download-camtasia-win-thankyou.html
   • Mac – https://www.techsmith.com/download-camtasia-mac-thankyou.html
2. Once the download is complete, navigate to the file’s location on your hard drive (e.g., Downloads folder).
3. Double-click the installer file (PC – ‘Camtasia.exe’ Mac – ‘Camtasia.dmg’). Your operating system may prompt you with a security warning. Dismiss the warning, approve the installation, and follow onscreen prompts provided by the installer.
4. When prompted for a license key, copy and paste or type in the license key provided.
5. When the installation completes, Camtasia automatically opens and a sample project begins to play.
6. Close the sample project.

Setting Up to Record

These steps explain how to prepare to record a presentation using Camtasia. You should follow these steps each time you use Camtasia.

1. Connect your USB microphone headset.
2. Go to your system’s sound settings and select the USB microphone headset as the input device.
   • PC – You can find this in Sound settings in the Control Panel.
   • Mac – You can find this in Sound settings in System Preferences.
3. Open your presentation application (e.g., PowerPoint, Keynote).
4. Open Camtasia.

Recording a Presentation

These steps explain how to record a presentation using Camtasia. You should follow these steps each time you record to ensure consistently good audio and video quality for each recording.

1. Close all applications (especially your email client or any other applications with onscreen notifications) except Camtasia and your presentation application (e.g., PowerPoint, Keynote).
2. In Camtasia, click New Recording or Record. The recorder window displays.
   In the recorder window:
   a. Choose Full Screen for the recording area.
   b. Disable webcam recording, unless you want to record your webcam as well.
   c. Select your USB microphone headset as the audio input device.
   • IMPORTANT: Not selecting the USB microphone is a common pitfall and leads to poor audio quality and re-recording.
   d. Disable system audio recording.
   e. Click the red Record button. After a 3-2-1 countdown, Camtasia begins recording your microphone and computer display.
3. Begin Slide Show mode in the presentation software and deliver your presentation.
4. When you are finished, stop the recording:
   • PC – Press F10 on the keyboard. The recording stops and the Camtasia project window displays with your recording in the timeline.
   • Mac – Press ⌥ + ⌘ + 2 (Option + Command + 2) on the keyboard. The recording stops and the Camtasia project window displays with your recording in the timeline.

Saving and Editing Your Project

When you stop a recording, Camtasia automatically places the recording in a project. A project file contains all the media assets for a video. For video lectures, the media asset is usually only a single video recording. It is important to save your project as soon as you stop recording. Editing is optional, however consider making basic edits (such as trimming the beginning or end) before sharing your video. These steps explain how to save your project and perform basic edits.

Saving

1. Go to File > Save As…
2. Navigate to the location on your hard drive where you would like to save the project.
   • TIP: Save the project file in the same area you save other course-related files.

Editing

You may want to edit your video by trimming the beginning and/or end of the video or cut out any mistakes you made.

1. Drag the playhead to the area of the timeline you want to edit.
2. Use the green and red handles to the left and right of the playhead to select the area you want to cut from the video.
   • TIP: Press the spacebar on the keyboard to play the selection.
3. Click the scissors icon to cut the selection from the video.

Sharing Your Recording

There are two ways to share your video. You can 1) share the Camtasia project file, or 2) you can share your video as an MP4. You should discuss these options with the recipient to select the best option. These steps explain how to share your video using each option.

Sharing the Camtasia Project File

Sharing the Camtasia project file (.comproj) is faster than sharing the MP4, but only people with Camtasia can view the video. The process for sharing the project file differs depending on whether or not you (content creator) and the recipient(s) are PC or Mac users. The table below explains how to share the project file for each possible scenario.

Sharing an MP4

Sharing an MP4 takes longer, but creates a standard video file that can be viewed on most computer and mobile devices.

PC: Export an MP4

1. In the Camtasia editor, click Export in the upper right-hand corner.
2. Select Local File… The Export Local File displays.
3. In the drop-down of the Export Local File, select MP4 Only (recommended).
4. Name the file, and choose a save location.
5. Click Export. Camtasia renders the MP4 which can take a very long time depending on the length of the video and the processing power of your computer.
6. Upload the .mp4 to SharePoint.

Mac: Export an MP4

1. In the Camtasia editor, click Export in the upper right-hand corner.
2. Select Local File…
3. Name the file, and choose a save location.
4. Select the file format, Export to MP4 (.mp4).
5. Click Options…
6. Make sure the dimensions are set to 1920 x 1080 HD and click Ok.
7. Click Export. Camtasia renders the MP4 which can take a very long time depending on the length of the video and the processing power of your computer.
8. Upload the .mp4 to SharePoint.