How to Record Videos on FiveM

Use MKV while recording because it is safer if OBS or Windows crashes. After recording, use OBS' built-in remux feature to convert the file to MP4 for editing.

OBS capture source

Use Game Capture first:

1. Open FiveM and join the server.
2. Open OBS.
3. Add a source.
4. Choose Game Capture.
5. Set mode to capture a specific window.
6. Select FiveM.

If Game Capture shows a black screen, use Window Capture or Display Capture as a fallback. Display Capture is less private, so close sensitive windows before recording.

Method 2: Use Rockstar Editor in FiveM

Rockstar Editor is useful for cinematic FiveM footage because it lets you adjust camera angle, movement, depth of field, markers, and cuts after the clip is captured. Rockstar's PC support page documents the default GTA V recording controls: F1 starts recording and F2 stops recording in the normal GTA V flow.

In FiveM, the exact controls can vary. Some servers use built-in recording controls, some use a /record command, and some provide a small script with commands such as /record start and /record stop. If your server has custom recording commands, follow the server documentation.

Basic Rockstar Editor workflow

1. Join the FiveM server where you want to record.
2. Move to the scene location.
3. Set time, weather, clothing, vehicles, and emotes before recording.
4. Start recording using the available control or server command.
5. Keep each take short, usually 10-30 seconds.
6. Stop recording.
7. Return to the FiveM main menu.
8. Launch the replay/Rockstar Editor.
9. Load the clip, set cameras, add markers, and export.

Keep clips short. Long editor clips are more likely to become hard to edit, especially on servers with many custom assets.

Prepare the scene before recording

Cinematic FiveM footage is mostly preparation. Before pressing record, decide:

• Location: street, MLO interior, police station, car meet, hospital, club, highway.
• Time: sunrise and sunset usually look better than noon.
• Weather: clear, extra sunny, rain, fog, or thunder depending on mood.
• Characters: outfits, props, vehicles, weapons, and emotes.
• Movement: who walks, who drives, who turns, who speaks.
• Camera plan: wide shot, medium shot, close-up, detail shot, exit shot.

For roleplay trailers, write a simple shot list. Five good shots beat 30 random clips.

Cinematic shot list for FiveM trailers

Use this structure when filming a server trailer:

Avoid making every shot a drone-style flyover. Viewers need people, actions, and stakes.

Camera tips inside Rockstar Editor

When editing a clip:

• Use free camera for controlled movement.
• Set markers at important moments.
• Use smooth camera blends for slow cinematic movement.
• Keep depth of field subtle so the scene stays readable.
• Use close-ups for emotion and wide shots for location.
• Avoid fast spinning camera moves unless the scene is action-heavy.

Good FiveM cinematics are not just high graphics settings. They are clear scenes with intentional framing.

Audio workflow

Rockstar Editor is not ideal for preserving a live roleplay voice mix. If dialogue matters, record with OBS at the same time.

Recommended audio tracks:

1. Game audio.
2. Your microphone.
3. Discord or external voice chat.
4. Music, if you are using it live.

Separate tracks make editing much easier. You can lower Discord, remove a bad mic take, or keep engine sounds while replacing music.

Export settings

For YouTube:

• 1920x1080 or 2560x1440.
• 60 FPS for gameplay.
• High bitrate export from your editor.
• Upload in MP4/H.264 or H.265.

For TikTok, Reels, and Shorts:

• 1080x1920 vertical.
• Keep important action in the center.
• Add subtitles if people are speaking.
• Cut dead time aggressively.

If your original footage is horizontal, do not simply crop the center without checking the subject. Reframe each important shot.

Fix: Rockstar Editor crashes with FiveM clips

Try this order:

1. Rejoin the same server where the clip was recorded.
2. Let all assets finish loading.
3. Return to the menu and open the editor again.
4. Clear FiveM cache if the same clip keeps crashing.
5. Test a short new clip in a simple area.
6. Use OBS instead for that server if custom streamed assets keep breaking the editor.

Editor crashes are common on heavily customized servers. It does not always mean your PC is the problem.

Fix: recording hotkeys do not work

If F1/F2 or your usual recording controls do nothing:

• Check GTA V/FiveM keybinds for conflicts.
• Ask whether the server has disabled or replaced recording controls.
• Try the server's documented /record command if it has one.
• Test in FiveM single player or another server.
• Use OBS while you troubleshoot.

Some servers bind menus, emotes, radios, or admin tools to keys that conflict with recording.

Fix: footage stutters or looks choppy

Stutter usually comes from encoding overload or unstable FPS. Fix it before recording important scenes:

• Lower FiveM graphics settings.
• Cap FPS to a stable value.
• Use hardware encoding in OBS.
• Record to an SSD.
• Close browser tabs and overlays.
• Avoid recording while shaders or server assets are still loading.

For more client-side performance work, use our FiveM cache guide and FiveM FPS guide.

Legal and server-rule notes

Recording public roleplay scenes can create privacy and moderation issues. Follow the server's content rules, especially for:

• Voice chat in public areas.
• Staff scenes and admin sits.
• Ban appeals or evidence clips.
• Children or sensitive roleplay topics.
• Paid assets or private interiors.

For YouTube monetization, also be careful with copyrighted music. Game radio tracks and Discord music bots can create claims.

Fast workflow for a clean FiveM video

1. Join the server early and let assets load.
2. Set OBS to MKV recording.
3. Record a short test clip.
4. Check audio levels.
5. Film your live scene with OBS.
6. Capture extra Rockstar Editor clips for cinematic cutaways.
7. Export only the best shots.
8. Edit with a simple structure: intro, setup, payoff, outro.

That workflow gives you reliability from OBS and polish from Rockstar Editor without depending on either one for everything.

Related FiveM creator guides

• How to bind emotes in FiveM
• Best FiveM settings for FPS
• How to show FPS in FiveM

Conclusion

The best way to record FiveM videos is to treat recording like production, not luck. Use OBS for dependable footage, use Rockstar Editor for short cinematic shots, keep scenes planned, and test audio before the real take. If Rockstar Editor breaks on a heavily customized server, do not fight it all night. Capture the scene with OBS and move on.