Questions? Ask us!

Camtasia Instructor Guide

Camtasia is a desktop-capturing software that also supports video editing. You can choose the area of the computer screen you wish to record and include audio or other media to create dynamic educational videos, such as lectures and presentations.
Access Immediate You can access Camtasia from your computer as soon as you download and install the Camtasia application.
Cost Yes Free.
Bandwidth Yes (Does not run online.)
Canvas Integration No Since Camtasia runs offline, it does not automatically connect with Canvas. But you can export media from Camtasia and upload it to Canvas.
Privacy Yes Does not run online, so privacy is not a concern as long as your device is secure.
Similar UBC-Supported Tools Y Kaltura is also centrally supported for recording and editing videos.

What can I use it for?

You can use Camtasia for recording and editing videos:

  • Capturing your computer screen and webcam, to display both your slides and you for a stronger instructor presence
  • Adding audio tracks and motion animations to videos, which can help increase student engagement
  • Encouraging students to create their own recording for activities or assignments
  • Editing videos created with other tools

A note about Camtasia

Camtasia’s online video quizzes feature cannot currently be used. This feature gives Camtasia license to reproduce, distribute, display, and otherwise use your quiz content. To add quizzes to Camtasia-produced videos, you can instead upload videos to Kaltura, a built-in video streaming and storage service in Canvas that has a robust quizzing feature.

This tool guide was last reviewed in December 2022 with version 2022.3.0 of Camtasia.

What do I need to use Camtasia?

The Camtasia application

Camtasia is a desktop application, meaning you will download and install the Camtasia software on your computer, as outlined below. Not all operating systems can support the Camtasia software; Windows XP and Linux are two operating systems that are not compatible. Check the Camtasia system requirements for details.

Audio/visual equipment

You can record your desktop with Camtasia without additional equipment. But if you plan on recording other video or audio, you will need a webcam and microphone. We recommend using either an external microphone or headphones with a microphone attached, to ensure good audio quality.

Tips

  • UBC Audio/Visual and UBC Studios also offer lecture-recording opportunities on campus:

How do I use Camtasia?

UBC offers free access to Camtasia for faculty, staff, and students. You will first download and install the software on your computer, then open it to start making projects.

Click any bar below for instructions and tips for using Camtasia.

Expand All

> Download and install the Camtasia application

Download and install the Camtasia application

  1. Log in to Canvas with your UBC CWL (Campus-Wide Login).
  2. Click the Help menu in the Global Navigation on the left side of the page, and select Software Distribution.
  3. You may need to log in again and confirm that UBC Software Downloads can access your UBC CWL information. Once you arrive at the software selection page, select Camtasia from the options.
  4. Click Add to Cart.
  5. In the cart pop-up, click Check Out, and continue to the order details page.
  6. Copy the License Key code, because you will need it to complete the installation. Once you've copied this code, click Download to be taken to the downloads page.
  7. Click the Download button for your operating system (Windows or Mac), and follow the instruction prompts to complete installation of the Camtasia application.
  8. When you first open Camtasia, follow the prompts to enter the License Key you copied in step 6 above.

Tips

  • If you want to access the License Key again, you can find it on the UBC Software Downloads page. Follow steps 1-2 in this accordion to access the page. On the top right corner of the page, click your name and select “Your Account/Orders”. Locate your order and click “View Details” to obtain the code.

> Record a lecture with Camtasia

Record a lecture with Camtasia

With Camtasia, you can record a lecture while presenting PowerPoint slides or other content on your screen.

If you are on a Windows system, Camtasia adds a quick recording feature within PowerPoint, which you may find to be the quickest route for recording a lecture with Camtasia.

If you are not on a Windows system or not using PowerPoint for your lecture, you can record directly in Camtasia.

  1. If you have not installed Camtasia, follow the steps for installing the Camtasia application in the accordion above.
  2. Open PowerPoint with the slides you want to use, and click the Add-Ins tab.
  3. Click the Record button.
  4. Test your audio and, when you are ready, click Click to begin recording. Present the slides as you talk over them.
  5. When you are done, press the escape key and click the Stop Recording button.
  6. Name the recording and click Save.
  7. Select Produce your recording, and click OK.
  8. Once Camtasia opens, from the drop-down menu, choose MP4 with Smart Player (up to 1080p), then click Next.
  9. Name your video file and choose a location to save it to. If you want to preview the video, leave the “Play video after production box” ticked, and it will open a new tab on your web browser. If you want to skip this step, untick the box.
  10. Click Finish. A new folder containing your .mp4 file will be saved on your computer, and you can upload this video file to share with students.
  1. If you have not installed Camtasia, follow the steps for installing the Camtasia application in the accordion above.
  2. Open PowerPoint with your slides or any other application with content you want to use during the recording. By default, Camtasia will record the whole screen, so it’s easiest if your presentation spans the whole screen too.
  3. Open Camtasia, click Get Started and select New Recording.
  4. A toolbar will open with four icons representing your screen, webcam, microphone, and system audio. Enable the toggle below each of the items you would like to record during the presentation. If prompted, adjust your system permissions to allow recording in Camtasia.
  5. Once you are ready, click the red rec button. Present the slides as you talk over them.
  6. When you are done, navigate back to your Camtasia application and click the white stop button (on Windows) or red rec button (on Mac) to stop recording.
  7. Your recording will open automatically. If you would like to edit your recording, you can find instructions in the next accordion.
  8. Once you are happy with the edits, export your recording to a video file you can upload to your course. Click Export and select Local File.
  9. Enter a name for your file, and check that the file format is set to Export to MP4 (.mp4), then click Export.
  10. Once the export finishes and the file is downloaded to your computer, you can upload this video file to your course to share with students.

Tips

  • You may want to prepare notes or a script ahead of time, which you can use later to add a transcript to your recording. Recordings are more accessible to students when you provide transcripts and add closed captioning.
  • Clap if you make a mistake while recording. The spike in audio that your clap creates will make it easier to locate the section and remove it during editing.
  • You don’t have to record all your slides at once and can instead make recordings of subsets of your slides. Shorter videos may be easier for students to concentrate on and learn from.
  • Save your Camtasia project file as well the exported MP4 file. You can then open the Camtasia project file for future editing and export a new MP4 with your changes.
  • UBC Studios provides tips on successfully recording lectures in this quick 3-minute video:

> Edit your lecture recording in Camtasia

Edit your lecture recording in Camtasia

After recording in Camtasia, you can edit your screen recordings, audio clips, titles, and more. You can also drag existing videos and media files into Camtasia’s Media or Library tabs to help build your video.

In Camtasia, videos are represented on a timeline, moving sequentially from left to right. This timeline is where you access the main editing features.

As you build, you can preview your work on the canvas. The canvas is a working area where you can position, resize, and rotate content. Everything that’s shown on the canvas is captured in the final video export.

Use the trimming tool to remove time from the beginning or end of a media clip on the timeline:

  1. Click to select a clip on the timeline.
  2. Hover the cursor over the beginning or end of the clip, depending on which part you want to remove from the clip.
  3. Click and drag the edge of the clip in or out to trim.

A cut removes a selected portion of your media clip, which is helpful when you want to remove or move parts of the media on the timeline:

  1. Click and drag the green or red handles on the playhead (the indicator that shows where you are in the timeline) to make a selection. The selected area will be highlighted in blue.
  2. Click the cut icon (scissors). The media on the timeline will shift to remove the selection.
    • Alternatively, you can press Delete on the keyboard to delete the selection. This action will remove the selected area but leave space on the timeline for new media in its place.
  3. To paste the cut selection elsewhere on the timeline, move the playhead to a new location and click the paste icon (clipboard).

Tips

  • The Media Bin in Camtasia always maintains the original version of your media, even as you make edits to media on the timeline, in case you want to go back and use the original.
  • To fine-tune your editing, use the zoom slider to zoom in on the timeline for more granular control. If you zoom in too much or want to see your project in full, click the magnifying glass to fit your entire project to the timeline again.
  • Trimming and cutting will allow you to do most of the basic editing you'll need, but Camtasia has documentation and tutorials if you want to learn more about video editing.
  • In Camtasia, you can split the timeline for video, audio, images, or captions. You may also choose for the timeline to include all elements on the same timeline.

> Share your Camtasia lecture recordings in Canvas

Share your Camtasia lecture recordings in Canvas

You can share your video export in many different ways, but the easiest way is to use Canvas and Canvas's built-in media storage and streaming service, Kaltura.

In Canvas, you can share media using Kaltura in two main ways: by embedding the media within other course content (like a page, assignment, or discussion) using the Rich Content Editor and/or by including the media in the Media Gallery course repository. The benefit of embedding the media is being able to contextualize it with other content; the benefit of using Media Gallery is being able to give quick access to students, share transcripts (if added), and track metrics.

The Rich Content Editor in Canvas is a way to add content that can be styled and arranged around media. In any course for which you are an instructor, you can add media from the My Media personal repository or from the Media Gallery course repository. We recommend embedding no more than ten media items on a single Canvas page.

  1. Log in to your Canvas course. In an area where you would like to embed your video (e.g., a page, assignment, discussion), click Edit to access the Rich Content Editor.
  2. In the Rich Content Editor, click the Embed Kaltura Media icon (the multicoloured icon).
  3. Click Add New and choose Media Upload.
  4. Click Choose a file to upload and select the video you would like to embed.
  5. Assign the appropriate copyright permission.
    • With The Permission of The Copyright Holder(s) - Applies if you have created the media, have the permission of the copyright holder, or are using a Creative Commons license
    • The use of the materials falls within the Fair Dealing Exception - Applies when media qualifies under the Fair Dealing Exception
    • The material is in the Public Domain - Applies when the media is in the public domain (i.e., expired copyright or copyright has been waived)
    • Other - Applies for cases outside the above uses that require additional explanation
  6. Click Save and Embed. The video will be uploaded to Kaltura and placed in your content.
  7. Click Save to save your changes.

The Media Gallery is a course-level media repository in Canvas that creates a searchable gallery of media that is available to everyone in your course. All media can be viewed by students at any time. You can upload media directly to the Media Gallery.

  1. Log in to your Canvas course and click Media Gallery in the Course Navigation. If you don't see this option:
    • Click Settings in the Course Navigation.
    • Click the Navigation tab.
    • Find the "Media Gallery" menu item, click the options menu (the 3 vertical dots), and choose Enable.
    • Save your setting changes.
    • Click to Authorize Kaltura, if prompted.
  2. Click Add Media.
  3. Click Add New and choose Media Upload.
  4. Click Choose a file to upload and select the video.
  5. Select the appropriate permission from the "Copyright Permissions" drop-down menu.
    • With The Permission of The Copyright Holder(s) - Applies if you have created the media, have the permission of the copyright holder, or are using a Creative Commons license
    • The use of the materials falls within the Fair Dealing Exception - Applies when media qualifies under the Fair Dealing Exception
    • The material is in the Public Domain - Applies when the media is in the public domain (i.e., expired copyright or copyright has been waived)
    • Other - Applies for cases outside the above uses that require additional explanation
  6. Click Save.

Tips

  • Align the timing of your lecture uploads with the regular schedule of your course, so it can mirror students attending a weekly lecture.
  • Additional features of the Media Gallery include the following: customizable playlists, enhanced media analytics (e.g., number of plays, average time spent on videos), and engagement/contribution reports (i.e., who engaged with what content).
  • If you use “Student View” to test your course in Canvas, you won’t see Kaltura videos in your course content or in the Media Gallery course repository. This absence does not mean the videos are unavailable to students; it is simply a technical quirk of the Canvas student view.
  • Once you add videos in Canvas using Kaltura, you'll also be able to add closed captioning and transcripts. These captions and transcripts are auto-generated by Kaltura but can be edited to fine-tune what students see.

Where can I get more support with Camtasia?

Technical support

If you have trouble with Camtasia:

Pedagogical support

Learn more

« See all tools

Except where otherwise noted, this content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.