Getting started

QACut lives in the system tray. There is no window to open first: press a hotkey, drag a region, do the thing.

Install

Download the installer from the latest release and run it. Windows 10 (2004 or later) or Windows 11, 64-bit.

The installers are not code-signed yet, so SmartScreen will warn on first run. Choose More info, then Run anyway.

After install, look for the coral scissors in the tray. Left-click it for the menu.

Two products, one tray

The menu has two sections.

QACut Studio is the main event: a screen recording edited into something polished, with zooms, a camera bubble and narration, exported as a video. Read Polished screen recordings.

QACut is the lightweight half: screenshots, auto-captured clips, notes and groups, bundled into a folder for an AI agent to work from. Read Bundles for agents.

Both put their files under ~/QACut/. Everything is plain files you can open, move or delete.

Your first Studio recording

1. Press Ctrl+Shift+3, drag the region to record, adjust its edges, and press Record. A three-second countdown lets you get in place.
2. Do the thing. Press Ctrl+Shift+Z to zoom in where the cursor is, and again to zoom out.
3. Press Ctrl+Shift+3 to stop. The studio opens on the recording.
4. Trim, adjust the zooms, add a title, and press Export….

Turn on the microphone and camera toggles in the tray's Studio section first if you want narration and a camera bubble.

Your first bundle

1. Press Ctrl+Shift+2. The screen freezes. Drag a region.
2. Type what is wrong, or what this is, and press Enter. Press Esc to keep the shot with no note.
3. Repeat. Press Ctrl+Shift+G when you move to a new page or area, and give the group you just finished a master note.
4. Press Ctrl+Shift+Enter to write the bundle. The folder path is on your clipboard and the bundle window opens showing the result.

Point an agent at the folder, or use Copy agent prompt in the bundle window for a ready-made instruction.

Where things go

~/QACut/
  2026-09-17_143022-settings-review/   a bundle
  Studio/2026-09-18_125833-onedrive/   a studio recording
  brand/                                your logo, colours and voice notes
  settings.json                         shortcuts and toggles