How To Capture Video Clips on PS4 Console Using the Capture Gallery

If you’re trying to catch those epic moments or funny fails on your PS4, recording video clips is actually pretty easy—once you get the hang of it. Although Sony made it straightforward, sometimes the buttons refuse to cooperate or the clips don’t save right, so here’s a little walkthrough based on classic experiences with the console.

Step 1: Prepare to Play

Fire up your game, and get into the part you wanna record. Usually, it’s better to be a bit in the action rather than trying to capture the boring bits, but hey, your call. Just check that you’re actually in the gameplay section, because if you hit record on the loading screen or menu, it might turn out empty or just record the menu.

Step 2: Initiate Recording

When you’re ready to start, press the Share button twice quickly (Share + Share) on the controller. That little icon will pop up, telling you it’s recording. Why it’s double-press, I don’t exactly know—used to be single press, but Sony must’ve changed it recently. Anyway, it helps prevent accidental clips. Be aware that this feature works best when your game is running smoothly—if your system’s lagging or overloaded, it might glitch or not start at all. Sometimes it takes a second to kick in, especially on older machines or if you have a lot of background apps running.

Step 3: Stop Recording

When you’re done, stopping is just as important. The fast way: press the Share button twice again (Share + Share) or wait for the recording to stop automatically if you set it to auto-stop after a set time. To manually stop from the menu, press Share once, then select Save Video Clip. On some setups, this menu can be a bit laggy or not appear immediately—sometimes a quick restart helps if the menu refuses to show up. The clip then magically appears in your Capture Gallery.

Step 4: Access Your Recorded Clips

Head over to the Capture Gallery—it’s usually on the main menu or inside the Media section. If it’s missing, look through your library or app section—sometimes it’s buried. Here, you’ll see all your clips waiting to be edited, uploaded, or deleted. And yes, they usually save pretty quick unless your storage is full, then it might throw a fit.

Step 5: Adjust Recording Settings (Optional)

This is where it gets a little trickier—if you want to limit clip length or improve quality. Go into Settings > Sharing and Broadcasts > Link Settings. Here, you can tweak the maximum recording length, toggle auto-upload, and set recording quality. For example, you can set it to 30 seconds or even a full 15 minutes—although larger clips might take forever to upload or get corrupted if your system isn’t stable. A handy shortcut: if you permanently want shorter clips, set the maximum length to like 1 minute in this menu. Because of course, PS4 has to make it harder than necessary sometimes.

Step 6: Edit and Share Your Clips

If you’re into trimming or splicing your clips, a nice free tool is Winhance. Or just hit the Share Factory app pre-installed on the PS4. It’s basic but gets the job done. To use it, go to your clips in the Capture Gallery, choose edit, and mess around. If you want to get clips off the console fast, plug in a USB drive into one of the front USB ports, select the clip, then choose Copy to USB Storage Device. Easy to upload later or check on your PC. Or, for instant sharing, upload directly to YouTube or Twitter—hit the share button, select upload, and follow the prompts. Just keep in mind, some videos might be too long or in the wrong format—then you’ll need to trim or convert them beforehand.

Extra Tips & Common Issues

Make sure your PS4 isn’t running out of space—clipping a large video on a full drive can lead to errors. Check storage via Settings > Storage.
If you press the Share button and nothing happens, or the clip doesn’t save, try a reboot or reconnect your controller. Sometimes it’s just a glitch.
Head to Settings > Sharing and Broadcasts > Link Settings to verify or reset your preferences. Some updates reset these settings without warning.
On one setup it worked fine, on another, no matter what, clips just refused to save—so double-check permissions and extensions. Sometimes deleting and recreating your user profile helps, too.

Conclusion

All these steps can be a little fiddly, but once you get the rhythm, recording on your PS4 becomes second nature. Whether sharing clips online or just reliving the moments, it’s pretty awesome. Just keep an eye on storage and system updates—sometimes a simple restart fixes weird glitches. Now go grab that funny glitch or epic kill—your future self will thank you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I adjust the quality of my recordings?

The PS4 doesn’t directly let you change resolution or bit-rate for clips, but making sure your system software is up-to-date can help with stability. Also, set the maximum recording length in the sharing settings—shorter clips tend to be clearer and easier to upload.

How do I delete unwanted clips?

In the Capture Gallery, highlight the clip, press the Options button on your controller, then choose Delete. Easy, but sometimes the gallery gets slow or corrupt, especially if you’ve got tons of clips stored. Deleting in batches might help.

Is there a time limit on recordings?

Default is about 15 minutes, but it’s configurable in the share settings. If you want longer, increase the limit—though be warned, longer clips can sometimes corrupt or get cut off if your system isn’t stable. Maybe keep it to 10-20 minutes max?

Summary

Double-pressing Share starts recording.
Pressing it again stops and saves clips.
Check your Capture Gallery to find files.
Adjust maximum clip length in settings if needed.
Edit or share directly from the gallery or USB.

Hopefully this shaves off a few hours for someone.