Understanding CaptureGem Recording Files

CaptureGem captures the stream a site provides and produces a finished MP4 recording by default. In Settings > Advanced Settings, Saved Video Format lets you choose MP4 or MKV for new recordings; existing videos are not converted. The source codec and quality still depend on the available stream and provider. There is no separate Auto-convert to MP4 toggle.

During recording, temporary HLS segments can be written under a configured temporary folder. Conversion or finalization creates the finished file in the configured video folder. If conversion fails, the recording’s temporary files stay in place and it is listed under Unfinished recordings in Queue Status (the status dot in the top-right corner), where you can retry it. After a successful conversion, CaptureGem keeps the source files for Temp File Retention (Hours) (3 by default), so a bad video can be converted again with View Temp Files > Re-transcode in the Review tab. Use those options before attempting any manual FFmpeg command.

A file extension alone does not prove the media is healthy. Open the result and check duration, audio, and representative frames. If a finished recording is missing or unplayable, use troubleshooting and file locations to locate the source and logs. Do not clear temporary files until recovery is complete.