Step-by-step guide to recording your screen as a timelapse on macOS and Windows — without any complicated setup.
Most screen recorders capture full-length video. That’s great if you need to document a bug or walk someone through a process — but it’s useless if you want to show people your work in a way they’ll actually watch.
A screen timelapse compresses hours of work into a 30-second clip. Coding sessions, design sprints, 3D renders, writing a doc — it all becomes shareable content that people actually sit through.
This guide walks you through how to do it on both Mac and Windows using Tau.
What you need
- Tau installed on macOS or Windows
- A license key (available at trytau.app)
- About 2 minutes to set up
Step 1: Open Tau and start a new recording
Launch Tau from your Applications folder (Mac) or Start Menu (Windows). On the main screen, click New Recording.
Step 2: Select your screen as the source
In the source dropdown, you’ll see all available inputs — cameras, connected devices, and your display(s). Select the screen you want to record. If you have multiple monitors, each one will appear as a separate option.
Step 3: Set your frame rate
This controls how fast the timelapse plays back. A lower frame rate (e.g. 1 frame every 10 seconds) creates a faster, more dramatic timelapse. A higher rate (1 frame every 2 seconds) produces smoother playback that’s better for detailed work.
A good starting point for most coding or design sessions: 1 frame every 5 seconds.
Step 4: Add overlays (optional)
If you want to show elapsed time in the final video, open the Overlays panel and add a stopwatch or clock overlay. You can adjust the font, size, colour, and position. It’ll be composited directly into the export.
Step 5: Hit Record and do your work
Tau runs quietly in the background. It won’t slow down whatever you’re actually working on. Come back when you’re done.
Step 6: Trim and export
When you stop the recording, Tau takes you straight to the editor. Drag the handles to trim the start and end, optionally attach background audio, then click Export. Choose MP4 for sharing on Twitter, YouTube, or Discord — or GIF for quick social posts.
Tips for better screen timelapses
Zoom in before you record. If you’re showing code or a design tool, increase your font size or zoom level slightly. It makes the final video much easier to follow.
Use a clean desktop. Notifications popping in and out look messy at timelapse speed. Turn on Do Not Disturb before you start.
Record in a defined session. A timelapse of 2 focused hours looks better than one that captures you switching tabs for 6 hours. Start and stop intentionally.
Add a title overlay. Tau supports text overlays — a quick label like “Day 3 — building the auth system” gives context to the viewer without needing a voiceover.
That’s it. Screen timelapse recording in Tau is the same workflow as camera recording — select your source, set your rate, record, export. No extra configuration needed.
If you haven’t tried Tau yet, you can download it and get started at trytau.app.