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Open Source AI Screen Recorder — Why It Matters in 2026

4 min read
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Open Source AI Screen Recorder — Why It Matters

An AI screen recorder captures your screen, runs OCR on every frame, and lets you search through everything you've seen. It's like browser history but for your entire computer.

Now imagine that tool is closed-source. You can't see what it does with your screenshots. You can't verify where they're stored. You can't check if they're being uploaded somewhere. You just have to trust the company.

That's why open source matters more for screen recorders than almost any other category of software. These tools see everything — your passwords, DMs, bank accounts, medical records. The code handling that data should be auditable.

Open Source Options in 2026

Screenpipe (MIT License)

Screenpipe is the most complete open source AI screen recorder available. It captures screen + audio continuously, runs OCR locally, and provides AI-powered search across everything.

What makes it different:

  • Fully open source — MIT licensed on GitHub, every line auditable
  • Local-first — all processing on your device, no cloud
  • Screen + audio — OCR on screen content, transcription on system + mic audio
  • Cross-platform — macOS, Windows, Linux
  • Developer API — full REST API for building custom workflows
  • AI-flexible — use Claude, GPT, Ollama, or Apple Intelligence

The search is instant. Type a keyword and find anything you've seen or heard, filtered by app, time, or content type. Or ask the AI: "What was the URL from this morning's standup?" For a deep dive into the recording features, see the AI screen recording use case.

OBS Studio

OBS is the gold standard for manual screen recording and streaming. It's fully open source (GPLv2) and incredibly capable.

But: OBS is a recording tool, not a search tool. It doesn't run OCR, doesn't transcribe audio, and doesn't let you search through recordings. You'd need to record, then manually scrub through hours of video. It solves a different problem — broadcasting and content creation, not screen memory.

ShareX (Windows)

ShareX is open source (GPLv3) and great for screenshots and short screen recordings on Windows. It has OCR built in for individual screenshots.

But: It's manual capture, not continuous. No always-on recording, no audio transcription, no AI search. It's a powerful screenshot tool, not an AI screen recorder.

Closed-Source Alternatives (And Why You Might Avoid Them)

Microsoft Recall

Microsoft Recall captures screenshots periodically and lets you search them. It's built into Windows 11 on Copilot+ PCs.

The privacy concerns are real — when it launched, security researchers found that screenshots were stored unencrypted and accessible to any app. Microsoft fixed this, but the code is closed-source, so you're trusting their fix. Plus: Windows-only, no audio, no API. Full comparison →

Limitless (Formerly Rewind)

Limitless was the first popular AI screen recorder (as Rewind). They pivoted to a hardware pendant and cloud processing. Your screen data now goes through their servers. Closed source. $20/month. Full comparison →

Why Open Source Matters for Screen Recording Specifically

1. You Can Verify Privacy Claims

Every screen recorder claims to be "private" and "secure." With open source, you don't have to trust the claim — you can read the code. Screenpipe's entire codebase is on GitHub. Any developer (or your company's security team) can verify that data stays local.

2. You Own Your Data Pipeline

With a closed-source recorder, your data is in the tool's proprietary format. If the company shuts down, pivots (like Rewind → Limitless), or changes pricing, your data is trapped.

Open source means your data is always accessible. Screenpipe stores data in a local SQLite database — standard, portable, queryable with any tool.

3. Community Security Auditing

Closed-source screen recorders get audited by... the company that made them. Open source screen recorders get audited by thousands of developers. Bugs and vulnerabilities get found faster and fixed transparently.

4. You Can Extend It

Screenpipe has a developer API that lets you build custom integrations. Pipe screen data into Obsidian, build custom search UIs, or create AI agents with Claude MCP. Closed tools give you what they give you — open source gives you building blocks.

Getting Started

  1. Download Screenpipe (macOS, Windows, or Linux)
  2. Grant screen recording and microphone permissions
  3. It starts capturing — search through your screen history immediately
  4. Build custom workflows with the REST API

If you're evaluating screen recorders for a team or organization, the open source license means no vendor lock-in, no per-seat cloud dependencies, and full compliance with data residency requirements.

Try Screenpipe →