Recording Countdown and HUD Controls

Highlight Studio gives you a countdown before recording starts and a floating HUD panel for controlling your recording session.

The 3-2-1 Countdown

When you start a recording, Highlight Studio displays a 3-2-1 countdown before capture begins. This gives you time to:

Switch to the window or app you want to record.
Position your cursor where you want it.
Prepare what you want to say.

The countdown appears as a large number in the recording HUD. Recording begins automatically after the countdown reaches zero.

The Recording HUD

The floating HUD panel stays on top of all windows during recording. It provides quick access to:

Source selector — See and change your recording source.
System audio toggle — Mute or unmute system audio capture.
Microphone toggle — Mute or unmute your microphone, with a live audio level meter.
Camera toggle — Enable or disable the camera overlay on the fly, even mid-recording.
Stop button — Stop the recording and open it in the editor. Shows the elapsed time.
Abort button — Discard the recording entirely without saving.

Quick Record

You can also start recording quickly from the menu bar by selecting a source under Quick Record. This opens the HUD and begins the countdown automatically.

HUD Positioning

The HUD appears at the top center of your screen by default. You can drag it to any position. The HUD is excluded from screen recordings, so it will never appear in your captured video.