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A native C/C++ screen recorder for low-spec Windows machines. FFmpeg for encoding, no GPU requirement, no background services. Free and open source (GPLv3) - no activation, no license keys, no paid features.
- Overview
- Features
- System requirements
- Installation
- Usage
- Plugins
- Diagnostics and troubleshooting
- Development
- Contributing
- License
- Support & community
HomRec targets a specific problem: general-purpose screen recorders (OBS, Bandicam) assume more CPU/GPU headroom than a lot of real-world machines have. HomRec is built to avoid that assumption entirely - no compositor, no GPU dependency, no background services beyond what active recording requires.
The application is 100% native C/C++: UI (wxWidgets), capture pipeline, audio, plugin host (Lua 5.4), and console all compile into hr.exe. At runtime it needs FFmpeg for encoding and the runtime .dll files that ship beside it (wxWidgets and the MinGW runtime); the installer and the portable archive include both. Note that this refers to the application - a small number of Python scripts exist under tools/ for maintainer use (build packaging, environment checking, language file conversion) and are not part of hr.exe or required to run it.
HomRec is currently Windows-only: the capture engine uses DXGI/D3D11/Win32. Linux (X11 and Wayland) is planned but there is no Linux build yet - see src/platform/linux/ for the intended design.
- Video capture - full desktop, a chosen monitor, or a specific window; output scaled or at an exact resolution
- Encoding - automatic hardware-encoder detection (NVENC, AMD AMF, Intel Quick Sync) with software fallback (libx264/libx265); MP4, MKV, or both
- Audio capture - microphone and/or desktop audio (WASAPI loopback), combined or exported as separate tracks
- Audio Mixer - dockable mixer with horizontal or vertical layout; add extra microphones, browser or per-application audio (Windows 10 2004+), or audio files; per-source mute, volume, rename and auto-reconnect
- Dockable interface - rearrange, float, lock and reset the Controls, Audio Mixer and Overlays panels; layout is remembered
- Multi-monitor support - select which display to record
- Overlays - text, image, GIF, webcam, and an input overlay (on-screen keypress/mouse-click display); each overlay is placed and configured in a visual editor (position, size, opacity, font, files)
- Instant Replay - background rolling buffer, saved on demand via hotkey, independent of active recording
- Hotkeys - start/stop, pause/resume, fullscreen toggle, save-replay, all user-rebindable
- Presets - keep several named
.hrcsettings profiles and switch between them (File > Set Preset...), plus Export/Import Settings - Custom languages -
.hrltranslation files, applied without restarting - Plugin system - Lua-scripted, filesystem/network access, lifecycle and overlay hooks, plus the
homplugin package manager - Console - built-in command console with optional autorun scripts
- GPU-assisted capture - unchanged desktop frames are skipped, only the changed screen region is read back and re-converted, and with a hardware encoder the D3D11 video processor scales + converts to NV12 on the GPU (Settings > Video > GPU colour conversion). Optional full-GPU capture + encode through ffmpeg 6+
ddagrab(experimental; no overlays/plugins/pause) - falls back to the normal pipeline automatically - Performance controls - live preview can be disabled at the pipeline level (not just hidden in the UI), with independently adjustable preview resolution/FPS when left on
- Diagnostics - log viewer, PC analytics (CPU/RAM/disk), optional system and plugin logs, and a crash handler that writes a
.dmpyou can attach to a bug report - System integration - system tray, always-on-top, desktop shortcut, launch-at-startup, in-app self-update
| Component | Minimum |
|---|---|
| OS | Windows 10 (64-bit) or later |
| CPU | Intel Core i3-M370 or equivalent |
| RAM | 2 GB or more recommended |
| Graphics | Integrated (Intel HD Graphics) or dedicated GPU, DirectX 10 |
| Disk | ~170 MB for installation + space for recordings |
These figures are estimates - if HomRec runs (or doesn't) on hardware below them, please tell us.
Some features need a newer Windows 10 build: whole-window capture needs 1903+ (older systems use the screen-crop method), and per-application audio capture needs 2004+. An elevated (admin) window can't be captured by a non-elevated HomRec - the screen crop is used instead - and a minimised window produces no new frames.
- Download
homrec-setup-win64-<version>.exefrom Releases. - Run it. Installs per-user (
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\HomRec), no admin rights required. - Optional tasks (all off by default): desktop shortcut, launch at Windows startup, and associating
.hrc(settings) and.hrp(plugin package) files with HomRec. The first two can also be changed later in Settings > System.
The installer registers a standard uninstaller (Windows Settings > Apps); it asks once whether to also delete homrec.hrc and logs\ - your recordings are never touched. Installed copies can update in-app via Help > Check for Updates, which downloads the latest release's Setup exe and upgrades in place - no need to re-run the installer by hand.
- Download the latest
.zipor.7zfrom Releases. - Extract to any location.
- Run
hr.exe. FFmpeg and the required.dllfiles are included in the archive.
Settings (homrec.hrc), logs and plugins live next to hr.exe, so keep them if you replace the files with a newer version.
Note on antivirus warnings: some antivirus products (reported with Kaspersky and Avast) flag hr.exe heuristically as a new/unsigned binary. This is a false positive - the source is public in this repository. Add an exception if needed.
Requirements: an MSYS2 MinGW-w64 toolchain, wxWidgets 3.2 (MSW, Unicode, DLL build) and Lua 5.4 (headers + library). See Build dependencies.
git clone https://github.com/homaaio/HomRec.git
cd HomRecInstall the toolchain and wxWidgets (via MSYS2, MinGW-w64 shell):
pacman -S mingw-w64-x86_64-toolchain mingw-w64-x86_64-wxwidgets3.2-mswObtain Lua 5.4 - the amalgamation or binaries from lua.org (the Makefile expects C:/lua54/include and C:/lua54/lib by default), or:
vcpkg install lua:x64-mingw-dynamicPoint the build at a different location with the Makefile's LUA_CFLAGS/LUA_LDFLAGS variables.
Build:
make # hr.exe
make hom # optional: hom.exe, the plugin package managerThe Makefile assumes MSYS2 is installed at C:\msys64 (wxWidgets paths are set at the top of the file). A CMake build that mirrors the Makefile is also provided, with the paths exposed as cache variables:
cmake -B build -G "MinGW Makefiles" -DLUA_INCLUDE_DIR=C:/lua54/include -DLUA_LIB_DIR=C:/lua54/lib
cmake --build buildBoth build systems list the source files by hand - when you add or remove a .cpp, update both Makefile and CMakeLists.txt.
To run: hr.exe links wxWidgets dynamically, so the wxWidgets/Lua .dll files from your toolchain must sit next to it (or be on PATH). FFmpeg is looked for next to hr.exe, in its ffmpeg\ or bin\ subfolder, in a few common C:\ locations, and on PATH; ffmpeg 6+ is needed for the experimental ddagrab option.
hr.exeTo reproduce the installer itself, see installer/README.md.
The preview sits in the centre; Controls (Start/Pause/status/time), Audio Mixer and Overlays are panels around it. Drag a panel's title bar to dock it on any side, or drop it outside the window to float it. Use View > Move panel to (Left, Right, Top, Bottom, Floating window), View > Lock layout to freeze everything, and View > Reset layout to return to the default. The layout is saved between sessions.
Add an extra audio source with + Add source in the Audio Mixer; pick horizontal or vertical strips in Settings > Audio > Mixer layout. Extra sources are not included in Instant Replay.
Choose File > Select Window... to record a single window. By default HomRec uses Windows Graphics Capture so the whole window is recorded regardless of what covers it; if the window is resized while recording, the picture is fitted into the recording's fixed size (aspect kept, black bars). Under Settings > General > Window capture you can switch the method between auto and crop (the older screen-region crop) and choose whether to capture the whole window or only its client area.
| Key (default) | Action |
|---|---|
F9 |
Start / Stop recording |
F10 |
Pause / Resume recording |
F11 |
Toggle HomRec's own window fullscreen |
F8 |
Save Instant Replay |
All shortcuts are configurable in Settings > Hotkeys.
Settings are stored in homrec.hrc next to hr.exe. File > Set Preset... manages several named .hrc profiles (kept in a presets\ folder) and switches between them; a preset can also be a partial file, such as one containing only overlays. Export and Import Settings handle one-off files.
Language files use the .hrl format (compressed JSON, keyed against the built-in English template).
To install: Settings > General > Add Language... > select file > Save. Applies immediately, no restart required.
To create one: use tools/hrl_tool.py to pack/unpack .hrl files against plain JSON:
python tools/hrl_tool.py unpack en.hrl en.json # export a template to translate
python tools/hrl_tool.py pack xx.json xx.hrl # build your .hrlCommunity translations are commonly shared via Discord.
HomRec has a built-in developer console for scripting and diagnostics. Commands include status, info, log, echo, alias, batch and hom (the plugin manager, see Plugins), and anything not built in is passed to loaded plugins. ls lists files - ls . shows the HomRec folder, ls plugins any folder, and ls plugins/name.hrp the contents of a plugin package without extracting it (a bare ls still lists console aliases).
Most settings are also exposed as console variables by key (for example ui_locked = 1), and by the same keys in .hrc files, cfg scripts and plugins. See docs/commands/Commands.md for the command reference and the documentation page for the console, config scripts, plugins and hom.
Two optional, plain-text script files under cfg/ (auto-created next to hr.exe on first run):
| File | Runs when |
|---|---|
autoexec.cfg |
Every application launch |
startrec.cfg |
Start of every recording |
Format: one console command per line; // or # for comments. Copy autoexec.cfg.example / startrec.cfg.example to try them. See cfg/README.md for details.
Plugins are written in Lua and packaged as a directory under plugins/:
plugins/
my_plugin/
plugin.json { "id": "my_plugin", "name": "My Plugin", "version": "1.0", "entry": "main.lua" }
main.lua
Plugin code has full filesystem and network access (io, os, homrec.http_get/http_post), a homrec.* API (toasts, color helpers, cross-plugin events), and lifecycle hooks:
| Hook | Called when |
|---|---|
on_load / on_unload |
The plugin is loaded / unloaded |
on_recording_start / on_recording_stop |
A recording starts / stops |
on_replay_saved |
An Instant Replay clip is saved |
on_overlay_added / on_overlay_removed |
An overlay is added / removed |
on_custom_event |
Another plugin raises an event |
Given this access level, only install plugins from trusted sources. Plugin output is logged to logs/plugins.log (toggle in Settings > Security).
A packaged plugin (.hrp, a renamed .zip) can be installed by:
- placing it in
plugins/manually and restarting HomRec, or - File > Import Plugin (.hrp)... in the app, which loads it without a restart, or
hom install <plugin-name>, using thehompackage manager
hom is a small command-line package manager for .hrp plugins (hom.exe, kept next to hr.exe; prebuilt in Hom/, or make hom). Besides install, it supports search, show, list, upgrade, remove and purge, and can update itself with hom update. It also runs inside HomRec's console. See Hom/README.md for the full command list.
For the plugin API, see the plugins section of the documentation page.
- Logs are written under
logs/next tohr.exe; system logging and plugin logging can be toggled in Settings > Security. - Crashes produce a
.dmpfile and a log entry - please attach both to a bug report. - Environment check:
python tools/homrec_check.pyinspects RAM, Windows version, GPU, disk space, FFmpeg, your settings, cfg scripts, plugins and recent logs, and runs a short smoke test. - Antivirus flagging
hr.exeis a known false positive - see Portable. - Bug reports are most useful with your HomRec version, Windows version, steps to reproduce, and a log or screenshot - see
SUPPORT.mdor open an issue.
| Dependency | Needed for |
|---|---|
| MinGW-w64 toolchain (g++, gcc, windres, make) | building hr.exe and hom.exe |
| wxWidgets 3.2 (MSW, Unicode, DLL build) | UI - links aui, xrc, html, qa, core, base, xml, net |
| Lua 5.4 (headers + library) | plugin host |
| FFmpeg | runtime encoding (6+ for ddagrab) |
| CMake 3.15+ | optional alternative to make |
| Python 3 | optional maintainer scripts in tools/ |
| Inno Setup 6 | optional, building the installer |
src/
core/ capture (DXGI, WGC), pipeline, audio, overlays, settings, hotkeys
ui/ wxWidgets UI: main window, dialogs, panels, settings, console window
utils/ logging, crash handler, updater, system integration, archives
plugins/ Lua engine and the homrec.* API
commands/ console commands (ls)
platform/ placeholders for future Linux (X11 / Wayland) capture
ffmpeg/ ffmpeg process runner
Hom/ prebuilt hom.exe and its version file
tools/ hom source, homrec_build.py, homrec_check.py, hrl_tool.py
installer/ Inno Setup script and notes
cfg/ example console startup scripts
docs/ project website and command reference
scripts/tests/ unit tests
icons/ app, tray, overlay and mixer icons
A small doctest suite covers the pixel-conversion helpers; it needs no wxWidgets or Windows APIs:
g++ -O2 -c src/core/encoder_helpers.c -o /tmp/hr_encoder_helpers.o
g++ -std=c++17 -Iscripts/tests scripts/tests/test_encoder_helpers.cpp /tmp/hr_encoder_helpers.o -o /tmp/hr_tests.exe
/tmp/hr_tests.exepython tools/homrec_build.py builds the release archives into dist\ and can optionally build the installer; the version is read from src/ui/version.h (HR_APP_VERSION), the single place to bump on release.
Pushing a version tag (for example v2.4.0) runs .github/workflows/release.yml, which creates the GitHub Release with notes taken from the matching CHANGELOG.txt section. It does not build binaries - attach the Setup exe to the release yourself, since in-app update checks look for a release asset ending in .exe.
Bug reports, translations (.hrl), plugins and code are all welcome. Fork the repository, make your change, and open a pull request against main; add yourself to CONTRIBUTORS.md in the same PR. Use the issue templates for bugs and feature requests, and see SUPPORT.md for other ways to get in touch.
HomRec is released under the GNU General Public License v3.0. By contributing you agree to license your contribution under the same terms.
- Releases: github.com/homaaio/HomRec/releases
- Issues: github.com/homaaio/HomRec/issues
- Telegram: t.me/homaexe
- X: x.com/homrec_dev
- Discord: discord.gg/Gv4t6Xhy7E
- Support (Boosty): Boosty