dadams, well, it doesn't require to be installed and is portable in that sense but it isn't stealth (since it leaves traces behind). It also will need to write the registration details and other stuff onto the hosts registry. So if you carry it to another machine, you need to re-register it again and re-do all of the settings. So not a true portable, just the installation folder zipped up and that you can do on your own.

Chasm, Same experience: used in Win10 and later in Win8.1 I needed to register it again.
The same program and the same folder: so portable?? I don't think so.

A comparison against the free solution available to those of us who have Windows 10 (presumably the majority) is a very useful comment. One wonders why the negativity.

Look for the program icon in the tray bar, left click it, click the about, and there you have it.

Morgan, This was a tough one. Found it! Right click on the red X and then click on About.

Gideon, thanks. There’s no way I would have found that!

Gideon, thanks. Tough one--- thatis correct.

Rena,
Hi, I usually press 'windows' button and that allows me to see desktop bar where my screen capture icon is, and use it this way (bar and rest of icons are not captured in the process, only full screen of whatever), perhaps it will work for You??

Rena, you can set the Hotkey for start/stop recording. I have mine set to F9, works great for full-screen video captures. Click the gear below the red X to access settings, then "Configure Hotkeys".

Rena,
Most of the stuff I capture is full-screen. You can use the program's hotkeys (and they can be changed). Explore the Settings options (the 6-point gear symbol).

Generally, I don't keep this program loaded after recording due to conflicts with hotkeys and no way to save my preferred changes to them. I have accidentally turned on the Drawing mode (making markings on screen) or had my coding editor's hotkeys be ignored but ZD Soft Screen Recorder thinking they are for it. So usually, I am starting the program fresh (I do keep an icon on the Taskbar).

When the "What do you want to do?" comes up I choose to "Capture online video," which then prompts me to select a region on the screen. I click, drag, and release for a small section anywhere on the screen because I am not going to use it anyway, which puts the dimensions in the Screen Recorder app top area. Then I right click the dimension on the app, and choose Select Entire Desktop.

Since the dimensions are set, I click the record (red dot) on the app, then when I see the numbers counting, I click on the "Minimise" (underscore) symbol to the left of the red X. That puts the app into the system tray and off the screen.

Now, whatever is happening onscreen is being recorded. When I have finished recording, I can go to the System tray, right click on the ZD Soft Screen Recorder icon, and choose to Stop recording.

I like to capture some before main data and some trailing data to ensure I get what I want recorded fully. Then I use a non-reencoding video cutter to chop of the excess start and end pieces. I end up having consistent videos, all with the same dimensions of my desktop, which makes any of the individual video parts easy to combine into other videos.

Webmaster, I'm not so certain of that assertion. Is it possible the ratings are a combination? I've looked at the comments here, and there's a ton more than 6 negatives. So it doesn't seem it's exactly as you claim, "about comment," alone.

Webmaster, ..... ratings are about comments, not of the offered software. Or other software that is better!

tb, yes, you're correct, there is a mixture and the ratings don't help separate 'software ratings' from 'comment ratings' -- which is my point, actually.

Benny Garfield, exactly. Some comments are gold about alternate choices when the offer of the day might be a dog (I am NOT commenting about today or any other specific day). In such cases--and they are frequent--you can't get a 'snapshot' of whether to install today's offer without reading numerous comments....

Dan Cou, in the taskbar, right click on the icon that looks like a red dot, select About... and then the version number is displayed at the top of the window.

Aaron Barwick, On my windows 7 down in the right corner where the clock is there is a red circle icon when the program is open left click on it then select about

Trev, thats LEFT click not right

Trev, sorry i did it again RIGHT CLICK

Both. Right click on the icon and left click on "About".

Finn Andersen, in the taskbar at the bottom right, right click the the red dot, select About... and enter the registration details there in the window that pops up.

Dan Cour, i updated from version 11.1.16.0 to Version 11.1.18.0 and it works, give it a try
for this giveaway version they didn't send me an email.

Seemed to register automatically for me. So, I guess you just ignore the readme instructions.

Ignore my comment above. I had registered to a previous version, so that's why it auto-registered for me.
You should see an option to register once you close out the program.

Dan Cour,
After finishing installing v11.1.17.0 i accepted the offer and updated to v11.1.18.0, wih status "Unregistered". I simply repeated registration steps, entering the data given in Readme.txt file and it was accepted.

Dan Cour, you can always try updating. Not every giveaway has such a strict license term that it will completely invalidate the registration on a newer version.

But just remember, the majority of giveaways have a fixed license for a certain version number given away here, everything above that is pure luxury and a license can be invalidated pretty quickly when a new version comes out.

F Tummelumsen, you can find the changelog here https://www.zdsoft.com/screen-recorder-history.html

As for the license, it is good for v11.1.17.0 and doesn't expire.

It's probably up to the developers if they allow you to update to minor newer versions, so don't feel surprised if updating stops working with the current license at some point.

Kermit, Surely you can easily replace a desktop icon as long as the programme it represents is not affected? Uninstalling (not this but in general) can sometimes do serious damage, especially in the registry, and needs care, but a mere disappearance of an icon is nothing.

Zen , I agree, it's very minor but still it shouldn't happen.

I panicked when the icon disappeared that I had accidentally uninstalled the software I wanted to keep - and it too was giveaway software that I wouldn't be able to reactivate - that's the only reason for my warning. Once I checked it was a simple matter to replace the icon.