Desktop mode
Records your selected monitor, uses direct Game Capture when usable, and keeps desktop video active when a game cannot be hooked.
Windows replay utility · v0.2.3 preview
Instant Replay that tries to stay on.
Captail keeps recent gameplay ready, watches its capture pipeline, and attempts recovery when recording stops or stalls.
Free · GPL open source · 11 UI languages · Local recordings · No account
01 / THE MOMENT
Replay failure is easy to miss.
The moment is not.
A game crashes. A source disappears. A graphics driver restarts. If recording stops quietly, the only warning arrives after you press Save.
Captail is built around supervision: show the real state, attempt a controlled restart, then retry instead of pretending the buffer is healthy.
Recovery reduces lost footage. It cannot recreate frames Windows, a game, anti-cheat software, or a failed driver never delivered.
02 / THE RECOVERY LOOP
Always checking.
Never claiming blindly.
Rolling capture and recovery are treated as one system.
-
01
Buffer armed
Compressed video and audio packets stay in RAM until you save.
-
02
Stall detected
Watchdog checks for a stopped module or missing new frames.
-
03
Controlled retry
Captail restarts the pipeline, reports failure, and backs off between retries.
-
04
Recording again
The optional click-through indicator shows when replay is active, recovering, unavailable, or saved.
03 / CAPTURE PATH
Desktop coverage.
Direct game capture.
Game Capture mode
Keeps a low-rate detector ready while the buffer sleeps, then wakes for a plausible game. The desktop is never recorded.
04 / HARDWARE ENCODING
Use the encoder your GPU exposes.
Captail detects available hardware encoders and hides unsupported codec choices.
AV1
Best compression on supported modern hardware. Newer format; check player and editor support.
HEVC
Strong compression with broader modern-GPU support than AV1.
H.264
Most compatible choice for playback, editing, and sharing.
Encoder families implemented: NVIDIA NVENC · AMD AMF · Intel Quick Sync
05 / SAVE WHAT MATTERS
Sound intact.
Timing under control.
- 15 sec–15 minConfigurable rolling duration, with an optional RAM limit.
- Flexible audioMixed, separate, or per-application tracks with independent microphone routing.
- Global hotkeysSave with Ctrl+Shift+F10. Toggle with Ctrl+Shift+F9. Both configurable.
- 30–240 FPSReal requested capture rates; useful only when source and hardware sustain them.
06 / APPLICATION AUDIO
Choose the apps.
Keep the tracks.
Route individual applications and your microphone to the tracks supported by the selected audio format.
- Find the right processSelected apps stay first; active audio sessions follow, with every other running process searchable.
- See what is liveReal application icons and level meters make sources easier to identify.
- Recover without disarmingRouted sources recover after an application exits or restarts without stopping the replay buffer.
07 / REPLAY WORKBENCH
Play now.
Trim when it matters.
Open a replay immediately, seek or change playback speed, then continue into the multi-track editor only when you need it.
08 / PRIVACY
Your replay stays yours.
No Captail account. No ads. No analytics or telemetry. No automatic upload. Captures, settings, thumbnails, and logs stay on your PC.
Honest network note: GitHub builds may contact the GitHub Releases API to check for updates. An update package downloads only after you click the update control. Store builds use Microsoft Store updates.
Read privacy policy09 / CHOOSE FOR THE JOB
Focused replay, not a streaming suite.
Scope comparison, not a performance benchmark.
| Workflow | Captail | ShadowPlay | OBS Replay Buffer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary shape | Single-purpose replay utility | NVIDIA capture overlay | Recording and streaming studio |
| Capture setup | Desktop auto-switch or game-only | Instant Replay through NVIDIA overlay | Configure scene, source, output, and save hotkey |
| Recovery promise | Explicit watchdog, visible state, retries | Not evaluated here | Not evaluated here |
| Best fit | Leave replay armed in tray | Use NVIDIA’s integrated capture tools | Build scenes or combine replay with production tools |
| After capture | Replay player and multi-track trim editor | Varies by NVIDIA software version | No focused clip library |
Sources: Captail README · NVIDIA App · OBS overview · Captail is not affiliated with NVIDIA or OBS Project.
10 / HARDWARE TRUTH
Early preview.
Tested scope stated plainly.
- Windows
- 10 version 2004+ or 11 · x64
- RTX 40 / 50
- Tested
- Older NVIDIA
- Needs public testing
- AMD / Intel
- Detection implemented · testing needed
11 / QUICK START
Three steps. Then leave it armed.
-
01
Install
Use Microsoft Store for managed updates, Setup for a normal installer, or Portable for a self-contained folder.
-
02
Choose capture
Select Desktop or Game Capture, then set duration, codec, FPS, and mixed, separate, or application audio.
-
03
Save the moment
Leave Instant Replay enabled. Press Ctrl+Shift+F10 when something happens.
12 / FAQ
Before you press download.
Is Captail a full OBS Studio replacement?
No. Captail uses libobs, but deliberately omits scenes, streaming, transitions, and plugin management. It is focused on Instant Replay.
Which download should I choose?
Use Microsoft Store for Store-managed installation and updates. Use the Setup EXE for a normal per-user installer and uninstaller. Use Portable ZIP for a movable folder; extract the entire archive before launching Captail.exe.
Can Captail record only selected applications?
Yes. Per-application audio routing can assign individual running apps and the microphone to available recording tracks. The selected audio codec and container determine how many tracks are available.
Which interface languages are available?
English, Russian, Ukrainian, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, German, French, Japanese, Korean, and Polish. First launch follows Windows when its language is supported.
Does Captail upload clips or use telemetry?
No. Captail has no cloud clip service, account, analytics, advertising, telemetry, or automatic upload. Non-Store builds may contact GitHub for update checks.
Will it work on AMD or Intel graphics?
AMD AMF and Intel Quick Sync capability detection is implemented, but those GPU families still need broader public hardware testing. RTX 40 and RTX 50 series are currently tested.
Why does Windows show an unknown-publisher warning?
GitHub release binaries are not Authenticode-signed yet. Verify the package against SHA256SUMS.txt and GitHub build provenance before running it.
Can recovery guarantee every replay?
No. Captail can detect some stopped or stalled pipeline states and attempt recovery. It cannot recreate frames never delivered by Windows, the game, anti-cheat software, or a failed graphics driver.
I am on Captail 0.1.3 or 0.1.4. How do I update?
Download and run the 0.1.5 Setup EXE manually once. Those two versions contain a Windows file-lock bug in their updater. In-app updates work normally starting with 0.1.5.
Free · Open source · Windows
Keep the last moment within reach.
Install from Microsoft Store or choose the latest Setup and Portable packages from GitHub.