Get started
Getting started
Install Clink and save your first clip.
This page covers what you need, which download to pick, and how to save your first clip with Clink 0.4.4.
Requirements
| Item | Needed |
|---|---|
| Windows | Windows 10 version 2004 (build 19041) or later, or Windows 11. 64-bit only. |
| Graphics card | A hardware video encoder: NVENC (NVIDIA), AMF (AMD) or Quick Sync (Intel). H.264 and HEVC are supported; AV1 needs a newer GPU (RTX 40, RX 7000 or Arc). |
| Runtime | None for Clink.exe. Clink-framework.exe and the installer need the .NET 10 Desktop Runtime (the installer offers to install it). |
| Admin rights | Not needed. |
If your GPU has no hardware encoder, Clink says "No hardware H.264 encoder found on" followed by your GPU's name, and tells you to update the GPU driver. Recording isn't possible without one.
Pick a download
Download Clink from the Clink section of euphoric.software. It has two download buttons: Download Clink (portable) gets Clink.exe (recommended), and Download installer gets Clink-Setup.exe. A third file, Clink-framework.exe, is on the releases page on GitHub.
| File | What it is | Choose it if |
|---|---|---|
Clink.exe | A single portable file with the runtime built in. | You want to run Clink from any folder with nothing to install. |
Clink-Setup.exe | A per-user installer. | You want a Start menu shortcut and an entry in Windows' installed apps. |
Clink-framework.exe | A smaller file that needs the .NET 10 Desktop Runtime installed. | You already have the runtime and want the smaller file. |
Clink isn't code-signed, so Windows may show "Windows protected your PC" the first time. Choose More info, then Run anyway.
Install
Download
Get Clink-Setup.exe for the installer, or Clink.exe for the portable copy.
Run it
The installer installs for your Windows account only, into %LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\Clink. It adds a Start menu shortcut. A desktop icon is an option, off by default. If the .NET 10 Desktop Runtime is missing, the installer offers to install it. Only that step asks for administrator approval.
Launch Clink
Tick Launch Clink at the end of setup, or open it from the Start menu. For the portable copy, double-click Clink.exe.
There is no setup wizard on first launch. Clink opens its window with the default settings, and runs in the tray.
Save your first clip
Start your game
By default Clink only records while it sees a game: a fullscreen or borderless window on the captured monitor, a game from a known game-library folder, or an app you added under Custom apps. Until then the header reads "Waiting for a game…". While it records, it reads "Recording · " and the game name.
Press Alt+C
Clink plays a short click and saves the replay. By default the replay is the last 45 seconds.
Find the clip
A Clip saved notification appears with Share to Copium (or Share), Trim and Folder buttons. The clip is in Videos\Clink.
Not seeing a clip? See the FAQ. See Saving clips for quality options and trimming.
Where things are stored
| What | Where |
|---|---|
| Clips | Videos\Clink (change it under Clips) |
| Manual recordings | Recordings inside your clips folder |
| Screenshots | Screenshots inside your clips folder, unless you set another folder |
| Settings, clip index, screenshot history | %APPDATA%\Clink (App tab, Open folder) |
| Log | %APPDATA%\Clink\clink.log |
| Downloaded updates | %LOCALAPPDATA%\Clink\updates |
Uninstall
Quit Clink
Use Quit in the tray menu.
Uninstall
Remove Clink from Windows' installed apps. For the portable copy, delete Clink.exe.
The uninstaller removes the startup entry for you. For the portable copy, untick Run at startup on the App tab before you delete Clink.exe, so Windows doesn't keep trying to start it.
Uninstalling removes the program files. It keeps your settings in %APPDATA%\Clink and your clips and screenshots. Delete those folders yourself if you want them gone.