# Recording Types

> There are five types of recordings available in Studio:

There are five types of recordings available in Studio:

* **Basic** – Generates a full selector for each activity and no container. The resulted automation is slower than one that uses containers and is suitable for single activities.
* **Desktop** – Suitable for all types of desktop apps and multiple actions. It is faster than the **Basic** recorder, and generates a container (with the selector of the top-level window) in which activities are enclosed, and partial selectors for each activity.
* **Web** – Designed for recording in web apps and browsers, generates containers and uses the **Simulate Type/Click** input method by default.
    :::note
    It is recommended to run your web automations on Internet Explorer 11 and above, Mozilla Firefox 50 or above, or the latest version of Google Chrome.
    :::
* **Image** – Used to record virtualized environments (such as VNC, virtual machines, Citrix, and more) or SAP. It permits only image, text and keyboard automation, and requires explicit positioning.
* **Native Citrix** - Is the equivalent of the **Desktop** recorder, but for Citrix environments. Only use this in your Native Citrix automation projects. For more information, refer to [About Citrix technologies automation](https://docs.uipath.com/activities/other/latest/ui-automation/about-automating-citrix-technologies).

To see all the available types of recordings and select the one most suited for your project, click **Recording**, in the **Wizards** group of the **Design** ribbon tab.

![docs image](https://dev-assets.cms.uipath.com/assets/images/activities/activities-docs-image-167641-99a36ddb.webp)

All recording types come with their own controllers (or toolbars) that give you access to actions particular to each environment, but also some common ones.

![docs image](https://dev-assets.cms.uipath.com/assets/images/activities/activities-docs-image-169432-ad2d6986.webp)

![docs image](https://dev-assets.cms.uipath.com/assets/images/activities/activities-docs-image-170013-5c43c0dc.webp)

![docs image](https://dev-assets.cms.uipath.com/assets/images/activities/activities-docs-image-167097-3beb98c2.webp)

The **Desktop**, **Basic** and **Web Recording** toolbars are quite similar and enable you to:

* Automatically record multiple actions performed on the screen
* Manually record single actions, such as:
  + Starting or closing an application or web browser
  + Clicking an interface element
  + Selecting an option from a drop-down list
  + Selecting a check box
  + Simulating keystrokes or keyboard shortcuts
  + Copying text from a UI element or performing screen scraping
  + Looking for elements or waiting for them to vanish
  + Finding an image
  + Activating a window

![docs image](https://dev-assets.cms.uipath.com/assets/images/activities/activities-docs-image-168521-bc1412e1.webp)

The **Image Recording** toolbar enables you to:

* Click an image or text
* Simulate keystrokes or hotkeys
* Select and copy text from a window
* Scrape UI elements
* Look for elements or wait for them to vanish
* Find an image or wait for it to vanish
* Activate a window
    :::note
    The **Image Recording** toolbar supports only manual recording (single actions).
    :::

![docs image](https://dev-assets.cms.uipath.com/assets/images/activities/activities-docs-image-167673-67512e80.webp)

The **Native Citrix Recording** toolbar enables you to:

* Automatically record multiple actions performed on the screen
* Manually record single actions, such as:
  + Clicking an interface element
  + Selecting an option from a drop-down list
  + Selecting a check box
  + Simulating keystrokes or keyboard shortcuts
  + Copying text from a UI element or performing screen scraping
  + Looking for elements or waiting for them to vanish
  + Finding an image
  + Activating a window

To figure out if you should use automatic or manual recording in your project, you should better understand the differences between the recording types and their capabilities.

 <colgroup>
  <col/>
  <col/>
 </colgroup>
 
  
     Automatic Recorder  
     Manual Recorder  
  
 
 
  
   
      
         Left-click on windows, buttons, check boxes, drop-down lists etc. 
         Text typing 
      

   
      
         Keyboard shortcuts 
         Modifier keys 
         Right-click 
         Mouse hover 
         Getting text 
         Find elements and images 
         Copy to Clipboard 
      

  
 

Keyboard shortcuts that you can use while recording:

* F2 – pauses for 3 seconds. A countdown timer is displayed in the bottom left corner of the screen. Can be useful with menus that automatically hide.
* Esc – exits the automatic or manual recording. If you press the Escape key again, the recording is saved as a sequence, and you return to the main view.
* Right-click – exit the recording.