ScreenToGif records screen, webcam, and sketchboard captures into GIF, APNG, and video

What ScreenToGif records and exports

ScreenToGif is a Windows tool for capturing motion. Per the README, it records a selected area of your screen, a live feed from your webcam, or live drawings from a sketchboard. After recording, you can edit and save the animation as a gif, apng, video, psd, or png image. The project is distributed through its own site at screentogif.com and is published on the Microsoft Store under the listing id 9n3sqk8pds8g, as well as on Chocolatey under the package name screentogif.

The README frames the tool around three input sources rather than one, which sets it apart from a plain screenshot utility. A user can capture a region of the desktop, a camera stream, or a hand drawn board, then move into the editor. The output formats cover both animated and static targets, from gif and apng through video and standalone png frames, plus layered psd for further work in image editors.

Runtime requirement: the .NET 9 Desktop Runtime

The README states plainly that the app requires the .NET 9 Desktop Runtime, or a later version. This is flagged at the top of the document with a warning note, so the dependency is not buried in install steps. Anyone running the tool must have that runtime present on the machine before ScreenToGif will work.

This matters because the project is built on .NET rather than shipped as a fully self contained binary in every channel. The Microsoft Store build and the Chocolatey package both deliver the application, but the underlying runtime still has to be installed on the system. Users who skip this step will hit a failure on launch, which the README heads off by calling it out early in the page.

Where the app is distributed

Beyond the Microsoft Store and Chocolatey, the README lists several additional distribution points. The creator also distributes the app via Chocolatey, FOSSHUB, and the Microsoft Store, and the GitHub releases page carries the latest build with a total downloads badge. These channels give users a choice between a curated store install and a portable or package managed route.

The README also links a documentation page on the GitHub wiki marked as work in progress, and it points to an issues tracker and a Discord server for community contact. Screenshots in the README show the recorder, the startup window, the editor, the options panel, and a keystroke overlay, so a first time user can see the interface before installing. Mentions of the tool appear from sites such as Chip, Softpedia, and PortableFreeware, which the author lists as coverage.

Licensing stance and contribution

The README takes a relaxed view of source reuse. The author writes that they do not care if you copy the source code to use in your project, but asks that you avoid simply changing the name and selling it as your work. That line makes the intent clear: the code is shared to be built upon, not rebranded and resold.

On the contribution side, the README notes that anyone can still contribute to the localization of the app, the website, or the installer, with a link to a LOCALIZATION.md file in the repository. This keeps the door open for translators even though the document is light on engineering contribution steps. The donation and feedback links round out a page aimed at a community around a single maintained tool.

Funding and support channels

ScreenToGif is supported by its users through several donation and subscription routes listed in the README. These include a PayPal donation link, a Patreon subscription, a Ko fi donation page, a Flattr subscription, and wishlist entries on Steam, GOG Galaxy, and Amazon. The README also points to the author's Twitter for feedback such as bug reports and feature ideas, and it invites users to leave a review.

This spread of options reflects a solo or small team project that runs on community backing rather than a company. The presence of multiple storefront wishlists alongside standard donation buttons shows an effort to let supporters contribute in whatever way fits them, from one time tips to ongoing subscriptions. The page treats funding as part of keeping the project alive.

Limits of what the README tells you

The README is a project front page rather than a technical manual. It describes what the tool does and where to get it, but it does not document the recording engine, the editor features in detail, or the file format internals. The documentation link is marked work in progress, so deeper how to content lives in the wiki and is still being written.

For a reader evaluating the tool, that means the README confirms the core promise, the platform requirement, and the distribution channels, while the practical editing workflow has to be learned inside the app or from the wiki. The screenshots give a solid preview, but the document itself stays at the level of an overview and a call to download.

Editorial conclusion

ScreenToGif is a Windows screen capture tool that records a screen region, a webcam feed, or a sketchboard and exports the result as gif, apng, video, psd, or png. It depends on the .NET 9 Desktop Runtime and is available through the Microsoft Store, Chocolatey, FOSSHUB, and GitHub releases. The README opens the source for reuse while asking that the name not be resold, and it keeps localization open to contributors. What the document does not do is serve as a deep manual, the linked wiki is still in progress, so the app itself remains the place to learn the editing workflow.

Frequently asked questions

Official sources

1. License: MS-PL
2. NickeManarin/ScreenToGif on GitHub
3. Project website
4. README
5. Releases