CaptureGemHow to Record From CAM4: A Quick Guide
Record public Cam4 shows with the CaptureGem desktop app on Windows, macOS, and Linux. You don't need a Cam4 account.
1. Install CaptureGem
Download CaptureGem for Windows, macOS, or Linux and open the desktop app. Use the latest version. CaptureGem 2.14.12 and later join Cam4 recordings without small gaps or stutter, and 2.14.13 and later convert rooms that start at a low resolution faster.
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, then 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.
Free version and auto-record
The free version saves up to 5 minutes per recording and lets you add up to 10 models. It records a model when you add or start them while they are live, so start the recording again if the model was offline. Premium removes those limits and adds auto-record: select the model on the Record tab, choose Modify Auto Record under Actions, and pick Record Always. CaptureGem then starts recording whenever the model comes online and restarts after a disconnect. To do this for 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 can take a little while. Open the Review tab to play, trim, tag or delete it, or click Open Video Folder on the Record tab. 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 (applied in 2.14.11 and later).
- Low-resolution start: Some Cam4 rooms start at a low resolution and switch up after a few seconds. CaptureGem 2.14.13 and later re-encode only the low-resolution stretch instead of the whole recording, so these recordings convert faster.
- "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.
- Segment checks: Segment Verification Per Site is set to None for Cam4 by default. If you turn on Basic or Full verification, use CaptureGem 2.14.12 or later; earlier versions could reject every Cam4 segment.
If a recording keeps failing, update CaptureGem, check that the stream plays in your browser, and ask in our Discord community. Premium members can also send a failed recording to support.