When recording fails, it’s usually one of a few repeat offenders. Here’s the short list.

If you need the official docs hub, CaptureGem publishes guides here: https://www.capturegem.com/guide

Black screen (window capture)

Common causes:

• Capturing DRM-protected video
• OS permissions (screen recording permissions on macOS)
• Capturing the wrong GPU output (some Windows setups)

Fixes to try:

• Switch to screen capture instead of window capture
• Restart CaptureGem and the target app
• On macOS: confirm screen recording permission is granted

Lag / stutter

Fixes:

• Drop to 30 fps
• Lower resolution one step
• Use hardware encoding
• Close extra tabs/apps

No audio

Fixes:

• Verify the correct input device is selected
• Do a 10-second test clip and confirm playback
• If using Bluetooth audio: try wired (Bluetooth can be flaky for capture)

Audio out of sync

Fixes:

• Reduce load (fps/quality)
• Prefer hardware encoding
• Avoid running multiple recording tools at once

If you tell me your OS + GPU (NVIDIA/AMD/Intel/Apple Silicon), I can give you a “best-known” stable profile.

Related guides

• Start Here (recommended order): /start-here/
• Best settings (quality vs file size): /blog/2026-02-27-capturegem-best-settings/
• Audio setup: /blog/2026-02-27-capturegem-audio-setup/
• Proxy Mode (Windows): /blog/2026-02-27-capturegem-proxy-windows/
• Reset CaptureGem (clean reinstall): /blog/2026-02-27-reset-capturegem-installation/