Record Screen with Cursor Spotlight – Free OBS Demo Trick

Struggling to see your mouse pointer in screen recordings? A tiny cursor can vanish on busy interfaces, leaving viewers guessing where you clicked. You can record screen with cursor spotlight using OBS Studio—no extra plugins or cost.

How to Record Screen with Cursor Spotlight in OBS Studio

OBS Studio is already my go‑to for screen recording because it’s free, open‑source, and works on Windows, Mac, and Linux. The best part? You can add a cursor highlight without any plugins or extra cost. Here’s how I set it up, and I’ll walk you through it step by step so you can try it on Everyday Tips too.

First, open OBS and add a Display Capture source for your monitor. Right‑click the source, choose Filters, and click the plus sign under Effect Filters. Look for Color Key—that’s not what we need, but it shows where the filters live. Instead, scroll down to the list of Video Filters and find Highlight. If you don’t see it, you can add it by clicking the plus and typing “highlight” in the search bar; it should appear as a built‑in filter.

Once you add the Highlight filter, a small window pops up with a few sliders. The key ones are Size, Opacity, and Color. I usually set the Size to around 20–30 pixels so the highlight is noticeable but not overwhelming. Opacity around 70% gives a soft glow that still lets you see the cursor underneath. For Color, I pick a bright yellow or cyan—something that contrasts well with both dark and light backgrounds. You can preview the effect in real time; move your mouse around and see the highlight follow.

Now, when you start recording, the highlight is baked into the video. No extra steps in post‑production, and the file size stays about the same as a regular capture. I’ve used this for software demos, quick tip videos, and even recording gameplay where I wanted to show exact clicks. It’s especially handy when I’m making a tutorial for Everyday Tips because my audience can instantly see where I’m clicking, even if they’re watching on a small phone screen.

If you ever want to tweak the look, just go back to the filters and adjust the sliders—no need to re‑record. And because OBS handles everything in real time, you can switch scenes or add other sources (like a webcam) without losing the highlight effect. It’s a tiny tweak that makes a huge difference in clarity, and it costs nothing beyond the time it takes to set up once.

That’s all there is to it—open OBS, add the Highlight filter to your display source, pick a size and color you like, and you’re ready to record software demos where the cursor never gets lost again. I hope this little trick saves you some frustration and makes your videos easier to follow. If you found it useful, consider swinging by Everyday Tips and signing up for the newsletter; I send out quick, no‑fluff tips like this every week. And if you know a friend who’s been battling the same cursor‑invisibility issue, feel free to share this post with them. Thanks for reading, and happy recording!---