ScreenPal: Download and Launch

ScreenPal (formerly Screencast-O-Matic) is a screen/webcam recording, screenshot, and video editing tool for macOS and Windows.

ScreenPal is available to all University of Minnesota faculty, staff, and students, EXCEPT students who have suppressed their directory information. When a directory-suppressed student logs in to screenpal.com/uofminn, they receive a blank screen. UMN IT staff will resolve that issue early in 2024

Downloading and Launching ScreenPal

  1. Go to https://screenpal.com/uofminn and log in with your University of Minnesota Internet ID. The ScreenPal - Videos page appears.
  2. In the upper right, select your initials (for example, "GG" for Goldy Gopher). In the menu that appears, confirm that it says "Team Member" under your name. 
    • If the menu says "Free User", select Sign Out and return to step 1.
  3. In the upper right, select Launch Recorder.
  4. At the bottom of the window, select Download app and follow the prompts.

Note: After completing the above steps you will stay logged in for 30 days, and you can open the ScreenPal app on your computer without logging in again. After 30 days, you will be prompted to log in. Repeat steps 1-4 in this section to log in again. 

Fix: Recorder Has Max Time of 15 Minutes

When the ScreenPal Recorder shows a Max Time of 15 minutes, it is because your Team Member session has ended and you are considered a Free User. Follow these steps to resolve the issue:

  1. Open the ScreenPal app menu
    • macOS: In the menu bar at the top of the screen, select ScreenPal
    • Windows: In the Windows taskbar at the bottom of the screen, select ScreenPal . You may need to select ^ (Show hidden icons) to find it. 
  2. In the upper right of the ScreenPal menu, select your initials (for example, "GG" for Goldy Gopher). In the menu that appears, select Quit.
  3. Go to the Download and Launch ScreenPal section in this article and complete steps 1-4.

Usage Notes

Be Mindful of What You Are Recording

Consider what you have on screen or on camera when you are recording, especially if you are sharing with a wide audience. When ScreenPal's Recorder interface loads, there is a checkered box around the recording area noting: "Recorder will record anything that happens in this frame."

Do not record Protected Health Information (PHI) or Personally Identifiable Information (PII).

Avoid Publishing to ScreenPal.com; Save to Desktop Instead

  1. To save a recording to your computer, from the Options panel, select Save as Video File.
    Screenpal Options menu. Save as Video File highlighted
  2. In the pop-up window, update the publishing options, then select Publish to save the file to your computer.
  3. To share and publish your recording, use University-provided tools such as Kaltura in Canvas, Kaltura MediaSpace, or Google Drive.

Additional Resources

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