Recording Modes in Zella: Full Screen, Region, Window & Camera

Animated diagram of Zella's recording modes — Full screen, Region, Window and Camera

Quick answer: In Zella’s Setup panel, the Screen toggle plus the Full / Region switch give you four capture modes. Full screen captures the whole display; Region captures a rectangle you draw (with aspect presets for vertical/square); Window follows one app window; Camera-only (Screen off, Camera on) records just your webcam. Turn on Camera + Screen together for the classic creator “screen + face bubble” shot.

On this page: the four modes · full screen · region · window · camera-only · screen-plus-bubble · which to pick · FAQ

What recording modes does Zella have?

Four, all chosen in the Setup panel (menu bar → Zella icon):

Mode	Sources	Best for
Full screen	Screen	Whole-app walkthroughs, presentations
Region	Screen (rectangle)	Focused demos, vertical reels
Window	Screen (one window)	One app, no desktop clutter
Camera-only	Camera	Intros, vlogs, talking heads

Annotated diagram of Zella's Setup panel with source toggles and the Full/Region switch used to choose a recording mode

Figure: the Setup panel — ① sources and ② the Full/Region switch select your mode.

How to record the full screen

Setup panel → Screen on → switch to Full.
(Optional) Camera and Mic on.
⌘⇧R to start.

Where to use it: full-app walkthroughs and presentations where the whole screen matters. You can always reframe to vertical later.

How to record a region (or vertical area)

Setup panel → Screen on → switch to Region.
Pick an aspect preset (16:9, 9:16, 4:5, 1:1) or Free.
Drag the dashed overlay to position it; drag corner handles (Free) to resize.
⌘⇧R to start.

Where to use it: a single window, a browser viewport, or a phone-shaped 9:16 area for Reels. Zella records the region at native resolution so the frame rate stays smooth; the quality tier applies at export.

How to record one app window

Setup panel → Screen on → choose Window and pick the target window.
Start as usual.

Where to use it: recording a specific app cleanly, following it if it moves, without catching your desktop or other windows.

How to record camera-only

Setup panel → Screen off, Camera on, Mic on.
(Optional) open Studio to set a background, bubble shape, and mirror (see Camera & backgrounds).
Pick an aspect (Portrait/9:16 is common) → ⌘⇧R.

Where to use it: intros, outros, reaction shots, vlogs, and segments you’ll cut between screen recordings.

Low-light note: in a dark room your webcam lowers its frame rate to expose properly — that’s the camera, not Zella. Add light for smooth 30 fps; audio and sync are unaffected.

How to record screen with a webcam bubble

The format most tutorials use — screen recording with your face composited in a bubble:

Setup panel → Screen on, Camera on, Mic on.
(Optional) Studio → set bubble shape, size, corner, and background (Blur / AI Remove / solid).
Frame a region or use Full → start.

Zella keeps your lips in sync with the audio even when the bubble uses a composited (blurred/AI-removed) background — normally the hardest case to get right.

Which recording mode should you use?

Goal	Mode	Sources
App tutorial with voice	Full or Region	Screen + Mic
Tutorial with your face	Region + bubble	Screen + Camera + Mic
Vertical reel of a demo	Region 9:16 + bubble	Screen + Camera + Mic
Talking-head intro	Camera-only	Camera + Mic
Silent UI GIF	Region	Screen only
Single window, clean	Window	Screen (+ Mic)

Impact of picking the right mode: the right mode means less to fix later — a tight Region keeps files small and the viewer focused; a bubble builds the personal connection that drives follows; camera-only intros give you reusable bumpers. Choosing well up front saves an editing pass.

Recording modes FAQ

What’s the difference between Full and Region recording? Full captures the whole display; Region captures a rectangle you draw — smaller files, more focus, and it can be shaped vertical/square for social.

Can I record my screen and webcam at the same time? Yes — turn on Screen and Camera for a screen recording with a face bubble.

How do I record just my webcam? Turn Screen off and Camera on (camera-only mode).

Why is my camera-only recording choppy / low fps? Usually low light — webcams drop frame rate in the dark. Add light. (See Troubleshooting.)

Can I change the bubble background after recording? Position and style are adjustable in the Webcam tab, but background replacement is a record-time setting in Studio Settings.

Pro tips & gotchas

Full screen is simplest for talks; Region keeps file size and GPU load down; Window follows a single app; Camera-only is a clean talking-head.
Region capture records at the region’s exact point size — quality tiers (1080p/4K) apply at export, not capture.
For a webcam-only take, the camera and mic share one clock, so A/V sync is automatic.
Switch cameras mid-setup without restarting — the device is hot-swappable in the Setup panel.