Recording Storage Calculator
Plan disk space for one screen recording or a whole batch. Enter session length and bitrates to compare per-recording size with decimal and binary totals.
Estimate your recording storage
Planning estimate: variable bitrate, file-container overhead, temporary files, and editing cache can make actual disk use higher or lower.
Calculations stay in this tab. No recording is uploaded.
Why use this recording storage calculator?
- Estimates per-recording and batch storage from combined video and audio bitrate
- Shows decimal MB, GB, and TB alongside binary MiB, GiB, and TiB
- Includes practical starting presets for 1080p, 1440p, 4K, and training batches
- Supports silent recordings by allowing a zero audio bitrate
- Separates estimated video and audio storage for a clear bitrate breakdown
- Runs instantly in your browser without uploading or storing any recording data
Frequently asked questions
How do you estimate recording storage from bitrate?
Add video and audio bitrate in kbps, multiply by 1,000 to get bits per second, multiply by duration in seconds, then divide by eight to get bytes. Multiply the per-recording result by the number of recordings to estimate the batch total.
Why are the GB and GiB totals different?
A decimal gigabyte (GB) contains 1,000,000,000 bytes, while a binary gibibyte (GiB) contains 1,073,741,824 bytes. Storage vendors commonly advertise decimal GB, while operating systems may display binary units or label them differently.
Will the real recording use exactly this much space?
Usually not exactly. Variable-bitrate encoding changes with screen motion and visual complexity, and the file container adds metadata and overhead. Use the estimate for planning and leave extra headroom for long sessions.
What bitrate should I use for a screen recording?
The presets are practical starting points, not quality guarantees. UI detail, resolution, frame rate, codec, and movement all affect the bitrate needed. Mostly static slides can use less data than fast scrolling or full-screen video at the same resolution.
Should I include audio bitrate?
Yes when the recording contains microphone or system audio. Common compressed audio rates range from 96 to 192 kbps. Enter zero for a silent recording; uncompressed audio requires a much higher bitrate.
How much free space should I keep before recording?
Keep more than the estimate so the recorder, temporary files, editing cache, and export process have room to work. For an important long session, a safety margin of at least 20% is a sensible starting point.
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