Blueberry FlashBack Express 2022 review TechRadar Skip to main content TechRadar is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here's why you can trust us. Blueberry FlashBack Express 2022 review Record your screen and webcam for free with FlashBack Express By Steve Paris last updated 7 September 2022 (Image: © Blueberry) TechRadar Verdict FlashBack Express is a free, PC-only screen recording software that works as you'd expect. You can also record your webcam at the same time, as well as external audio. There are limitations - it is free, after all. This includes the recording size (only 720p), and your post-editing capabilities are pretty much nonexistent. Still, if you need to record something quickly and don't mind the lack of bells and whistles, FlashBack Express works pretty well. Pros + Free+ Easy to use+ Works well Cons - PC-Only- No Post Editing Tools- Recording size limited to 720p Jump to: Pricing Interface Recording Editing & exporting Should I buy Alternatives Having the ability to record your screen, be it to show something that's glitching for tech support, explain a feature to someone, or just for fun, is becoming an increasingly useful and important thing to do. And no, using your phone to record your computer screen is far from ideal, which is why we're taking a look at FlashBack Express. Blueberry FlashBack Express PricingFree screen recorder with no watermark, only some limitations PC-only FlashBack Express (opens in new tab) is free. However, the tool has limitations that are only lifted once you grab a Pro license. The Pro version is a perpetual license - no on-going subscriptions here. You pay once and you own the software. In addition to offering a screen recorder, FlashBack Pro also includes a full video editing software suite. You can add text, images, sound and video effects to your project, and you're offered more exporting options than the 720p MP4 offered in FlashBack Express. And your footage has no watermarks, either. You purchase Pro via licenses, and the more licenses you buy, the cheaper the price for each gets. For instance, one license is $49 / £34, while two is $74 / £50. Academic discounts are also available. If you're looking for free streaming software to broadcast and record your gaming experience, neither free screen recorder Express nor Pro might be up to that task. But the developers also offer FBX (opens in new tab), with Free and Pro versions, too. Pricing: 4/5 Blueberry FlashBack Express Interface The interface is very simple and easy to use, with most options found in that black rectangle at the center (Image credit: Blueberry)Simple parameters, in an easy to understand interface, with some limitations Once you've launched FlashBack Express, you're graced with a very small window containing a handful of options. This is where you get to set your parameters, and you'll find that there are a surprisingly fair number of them. First of all, you've got 'Screen'. By default, it's set to 'full screen'. Top left, you'll find a menu with different size options (depending on your computer's own dimensions), along with options to only record a specific window, or set a custom size. Look around the edge and you'll notice a selectable border. Click and drag on any of its handles to resize the area you'll be capturing. It's a very simple and hands-on approach. Your next parameter involves your webcam. Here it's simple: whether you have it switched on or not. This is also true of your microphone, along with a choice of devices should you have more than one connected. You then get to choose whether or not to record your computer's audio, and you're done. We found one of the most interesting options is the Scheduling tool (Image credit: Blueberry) But what about the video quality? Well, it's a bit of a fake menu: it's set to 720p, and that's the only option open to you when working with FlashBack Express. Pro can record at HD and 4K. You'll find a cog wheel at the top of that small window, where the software's settings and preferences are located, and to its right, is the ability to schedule a recording. This is an interesting concept, and you're offered numerous parameters, such as when to start the recording, and for how long to record. You'll also find additional features such as how often to repeat the schedule, and what to record (whether audio, video, or both).Interface: 4/5 Blueberry FlashBack Express Recording Hit the record button, and after 3 seconds, you're live - so to speak (Image credit: Blueberry)Lights, camera, action - everything has to be done live With FlashBack Express, you have no post-editing capabilities. Everything you want to see happening, you need to do it live so to speak. This obviously involves performing the right action at the right time that you wish to record, but it also applies to your webcam footage. By default, you'll find that video as a picture-in-picture, lower left of the interface. You can move it anywhere on the screen, and as you do so, you'll notice you have three size options, the largest one being full screen. If you fancy doing a two camera setup, moving from yourself to your desktop, this is something you'll have to do during the recording process. Otherwise, just leave it where it is, perform your actions, and stop your recording. This is done either via a keyboard shortcut, or by using the onscreen controls to the left.Recording: 3/5 Blueberry FlashBack Express Editing & exporting Editing - if you can call it that - consists of trimming the start and end of your clip (Image credit: Blueberry)No real editing, can only trim, although direct upload to YouTube is a plus Your recordings are stored within the app itself, and to access your editing tools, you simply double-click on the one you wish to work on. Except, calling that editing is a pretty generous way of referring to trimming. That's right: you can trim the start and end of your recording and that's it. This is no Adobe Premiere Pro-style video editor. These are the only options at your disposal. At this point, you can understand why FlashBack Pro might become a tempting alternative. All your clips are stored in the app's library (Image credit: Blueberry) When it comes to exporting, you're able to save the file to your computer, or directly via cloud storage through your Google Drive or DropBox. If you're satisfied with your recording, you also have the option of uploading it straight to YouTube.Editing & exporting: 2/5 Should I buy (Image credit: Blueberry) Buy it if You want a simple free screen recorder FlashBack Express is ideal for anyone working to budget, who needs to be able to do a quick recording of their screen and webcam. Don t buy it if You need a full HD screen recorder and editor FlashBack Express isn't built with powerful editing features, and at the free level won't export above 720p. Being able to do everything live and perfect in one take is a skill not everyone possesses. Alternatives (opens in new tab) OBS Studio (opens in new tab) is our top choice for best free screen recorder. In our review, we found the open-source recording and streaming software offered outstanding performance capturing footage. A few glitches and a somewhat complex interface marred an otherwise excellent experience. (opens in new tab) Camtasia is a professional screen recorder. It's not a budget option, but it houses almost every feature you'd need to take your screen capturing to the next level. This includes the functioning video editor that FlashBack Express sorely lacks. (opens in new tab) Debut Video Capture and Screen Recorder (opens in new tab) might, at first glance, appear a little dated. But the screen recording software is great at capturing video and audio from a variety of sources. It's free for personal use, while commercial users can get a perpetual license or take out a subscription. Steve Paris Steve has been writing about technology since 2003. Starting with Digital Creative Arts, he's since added his tech expertise at titles such as iCreate, MacFormat, MacWorld, MacLife, and TechRadar. His focus is on the creative arts, like website builders, image manipulation, and filmmaking software, but he hasn't shied away from more business-oriented software either. He uses many of the apps he writes about in his personal and professional life. Steve loves how computers have enabled everyone to delve into creative possibilities, and is always delighted to share his knowledge, expertise, and experience with readers. Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter Sign up to theTechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed! Thank you for signing up to TechRadar. You will receive a verification email shortly. There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again. 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