How to Record a Presentation With Your Speaker Notes Still Visible

Recording a presentation sounds simple until you try it. The moment you switch to full-screen slideshow mode, your speaker notes disappear. Record the notes view instead, and your slides look small and unprofessional. Most guides skip this tension entirely.

Here’s how to actually solve it, depending on what setup you’re using.

Why it’s a problem

Most presentation tools (Google Slides, PowerPoint, Keynote) separate the presenter view — notes visible, slide controls, timer — from the audience view — full-screen slides only. The presenter view is designed to be seen only by you, on a second screen.

When you’re recording instead of presenting live, there is no second screen. You’re presenting to a camera while also being the audience for your own recording. You need the notes somewhere you can see them without them showing up in the final video.

Method 1: Record one tab, read notes in another

This works for browser-based tools like Google Slides.

1. Open your presentation in one browser tab. Put it in presenter mode (View → Presenter view in Slides). This opens a second window with your speaker notes and controls.
2. Arrange your screen so:
   • The slideshow window takes up most of the screen (this is what you’ll record)
   • The presenter notes window sits in a corner you can glance at
3. In ScreenKit, choose Tab as your recording source and select the slideshow tab.
4. Record. The notes window is on your screen but not captured in the recording — only the selected tab appears in the output.

This is the cleanest method when it works. The one limitation: tab capture records only that tab’s content, so any overlay or mouse movement outside the tab is invisible to the recording.

Method 2: Use a second physical monitor

If you have a second screen — a monitor, TV, or even a tablet with a display — this is the classic presenter setup:

1. Connect the second screen.
2. Put your presentation in presenter mode. The presenter view (with notes) goes to your primary screen; the slideshow goes full-screen on the secondary display.
3. Record your primary screen or just the slideshow window on your secondary display.
4. Read notes on the primary screen while the audience-facing recording captures only the slideshow.

For a recording without a second monitor, you’re essentially simulating this arrangement in software.

Method 3: Print notes and read from paper

For shorter presentations with complex notes: print your speaker notes before recording. Most presentation tools have a “Notes” layout for printing.

Place the printed notes just below or beside your monitor. You can glance down naturally during pauses. This is the simplest method and works with any recording setup — but it requires preparation and doesn’t help if your notes change frequently.

Method 4: Use a teleprompter app or browser tab

If you tend to read your notes more closely (narrated explainers, technical walkthroughs), a teleprompter approach works well:

1. Copy your script or notes into a teleprompter app or a simple full-page browser tab.
2. Make the teleprompter window tall and position it at the bottom of your screen, below where the camera captures.
3. Record your face with a webcam overlay or record your screen above the teleprompter area.

For screen recordings, use ScreenKit’s Window capture mode to capture just the presentation window, keeping the teleprompter outside the capture area.

Getting the recording right

A few things that matter regardless of which setup you use:

Do a dry run first. Record 30 seconds, play it back, and check that the notes are not in the captured frame before you do the full recording.

Check your audio. Presenter notes tend to produce more natural speech, but they also mean more pausing and scanning. Test that your microphone picks up your voice clearly even when you’re reading at a slight angle.

Keep notes short. Notes that require you to look down for more than a second interrupt your pacing. Bullet points you can absorb in a glance work better than full sentences.

Pause at slide transitions. If your recording will be edited later, a deliberate 1–2 second pause before each new slide gives you a clean edit point. This is also when you naturally glance at the next note without it being noticeable.

When to just re-record

For short presentations under five minutes, sometimes the fastest path is to record without notes and re-record any section where you lose your place. This works well for polished product demos or tutorials where the script is simple and familiar.

For longer or more complex content — training sessions, technical deep dives, lecture recordings — a proper notes setup pays off in fewer takes and smoother delivery.

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Ready to record? Add ScreenKit to Chrome — free, no account required, and tab or window capture built right in.