CaptureGemHow to Record From CAM4: A Quick Guide
Updated
Record public Cam4 shows with the CaptureGem desktop app on Windows, macOS, and Linux. You don't need a Cam4 account.
1. Install CaptureGem
CaptureGem is free to download and use, and you don't need an account. Download CaptureGem for your computer, or update to the latest version, then:
- Windows: right-click the .zip file, choose Extract All, and run CaptureGem.exe from the extracted folder, not from inside the zip. If Windows SmartScreen warns you, click More info, then Run anyway. When Windows Firewall asks, allow CaptureGem.exe and recorderd.exe.
- macOS: open the .dmg file, drag CaptureGem into your Applications folder, and open it from there.
- Linux: extract the archive, make the AppImage executable with
chmod +x, and start CaptureGem with the included launcher.sh.
2. Copy the room link
Open the model's room and copy the address from your browser's address bar, such as https://www.cam4.com/model_username. The username is the part after cam4.com/.
3. Add the stream
- On the Record tab, paste the link into Enter URL or Username in the Add Stream panel. CaptureGem selects Cam4 for you. You can also choose Cam4 under Select Website and type just the username.
- Leave Monitor Only off so the stream is saved.
- Click Add Stream.
4. Record the show
If the model is broadcasting, the status changes to Recording within a few seconds. Otherwise it shows Offline. Cam4 only tells CaptureGem whether a room is live, so there is no separate Private status for Cam4. Errored means the room could not be checked or recorded.
Hover over a status to see more detail, including the reason for an Errored status. Select a model to see its Actions, such as End Recording and Open Video Folder.
Try it free, then upgrade for full shows
The free version is enough to check that recording works on your computer before you pay for anything.
- Free: saves up to 5 minutes per recording and lets you add up to 10 models. It records a model only if they're live when you add or start them, so start the recording again if the model was offline.
- Premium: removes those limits and adds auto-record, which starts recording whenever the model comes online and restarts after a disconnect. See Premium plans.
Auto-record (Premium): select the model on the Record tab, click Modify Auto Record under Actions, choose Record Always, and click Confirm. To auto-record every model you add, turn on Auto Record All Newly Added Models in Settings.
Open the Monitor tab to see live previews of everything you are recording.
5. Find your recording
When a recording ends, CaptureGem converts it into a video file; long recordings take a little while. Then:
- Open the Review tab to play, trim, tag or delete it.
- Or click Open Video Folder on the Record tab to open the folder it was saved in.
Recordings are saved as MP4 files by default. With Premium, each file is up to 60 minutes long by default, and auto-record starts the next file straight away. You can change the save location, the file length (Cap Video Segments at Duration (Minutes)) and the file container in Settings.
Cam4 notes and troubleshooting
- Quality: CaptureGem records the best quality the model streams. To save bandwidth and disk space, set a lower limit for Cam4 under Max Resolution Per Site in Settings > Advanced Settings.
- Low-resolution start: Some Cam4 rooms start at a low resolution and switch up after a few seconds. CaptureGem re-encodes only that low-resolution stretch, so these recordings still convert quickly.
- "No playable video": A very short recording with no playable picture is listed as No playable video in Unfinished recordings instead of being retried. This usually means the stream ended or stalled right after it started. You can retry or delete it there.
If a recording keeps failing, update CaptureGem to the latest version, check that the stream plays in your browser, and ask in our Discord community. Premium members can also send a failed recording to support.