Everything you need to know
Direct answers about recording, pricing, formats, and Windows requirements.
What is ninesixteen.video?+
ninesixteen.video is a native Windows screen recorder for true 9×16 portrait and 16×9 landscape capture. You frame with your cursor, zoom with Alt + scroll, lock the full frame in Game mode for gameplay, and export MP4s without cropping in post. Record and preview free; Pro export is a one-time $49 purchase.
How is ninesixteen different from OBS or generic screen recorders?+
OBS records your full desktop or a manual crop — you still reframe for Shorts, Reels, or TikTok. ninesixteen records natively in 9×16 or 16×9 from frame one, follows your cursor for intentional framing, and ships a lightweight Tauri app with Windows Graphics Capture for lower CPU use. OBS is better for live streaming and multi-source setups.
Do I need to crop video for TikTok, Reels, or YouTube Shorts?+
No. Pick 9×16 in Studio before you record. The live overlay, capture region, and exported MP4 are already vertical — no letterboxing and no crop step in your editor.
Can I record widescreen 16×9 demos and tutorials?+
Yes. Switch to 16×9 in Studio for SaaS demos, course walkthroughs, or any widescreen edit. Same cursor framing workflow — native aspect from frame one.
What is Game mode?+
Game mode locks the full 9×16 or 16×9 frame with zoom disabled — built for gameplay and fixed-view captures. In portrait, choose Crosshair to keep the frame centered, or Cursor to pan horizontally as you move. Recordings use your system cursor, not the cinematic pointer.
Is there a subscription or is it one-time?+
One-time. Pro is $49 USD with no renewals. You own every export forever, including future Pro features. Recording and in-app preview stay free without an account.
Can I try before buying Pro?+
Yes. Download the Windows app, record, and preview clips locally without signing in. Purchase Pro only when you want to export decrypted MP4 files to disk or Google Drive.
What are the Windows system requirements?+
Windows 10 or 11 (64-bit), WebView2 (the installer sets this up), 8 GB RAM minimum (16 GB recommended), DirectX 11 GPU with 2 GB VRAM, 1920×1080 display or higher, and ~500 MB free disk for the app. Studio recommends quality settings based on your hardware.
Where are recordings stored?+
On your machine, encrypted at rest under your user Videos folder. Nothing uploads until you choose to export with Pro. The app is local-first by design.
Why does Windows SmartScreen warn about the installer?+
The installer is not code-signed yet (working on it). SmartScreen may show an unknown publisher warning — click More info, then Run anyway. You are downloading directly from ninesixteen.video.
Does it support macOS or Linux?+
Not yet. ninesixteen.video is Windows-only today. macOS and Linux are on the roadmap.
What resolution and frame rates are supported?+
Portrait: up to 1080p at 30 or 60 fps. Landscape: 720p through 4K at 30 or 60 fps — including 1440p and 4K @ 60 fps with Pro export. Studio defaults to 720p @ 30 fps and recommends the highest settings your PC can encode reliably, using adaptive H.264 (NVENC, AMD AMF, Intel QSV, or software fallback).
Can I use ninesixteen as a virtual camera in OBS or Zoom?+
Yes. Enable the virtual camera in the app and select ninesixteen.video in OBS, Zoom, Google Meet, or any app that picks a webcam. Screen capture starts when that app opens the camera feed.