Recording File Size¶

RDP session recording sizes depend on the client's screen resolution and how much of the screen changes during the session. Recordings of static desktop work produce minimal files, while full-motion video at high resolution generates significantly larger files.

Size Examples¶

The following table shows observed recording sizes under different conditions:

Resolution	Activity	Duration	Approximate Size
1920×1080	Light desktop work	5 min	~5 MB
3840×2160 (4K)	Video playback (e.g., YouTube)	1 hour	Up to 4 GB

These values are real-world observations. Actual sizes vary based on the factors described below.

Factors That Affect Recording Size¶

Screen resolution — higher resolution captures more pixels per frame. A 4K session records four times the pixel area of 1080p.
Screen change frequency — recordings capture pixel differences between frames. Static screens produce minimal data. Video playback or animations generate significantly more.
Redrawn area — only the portion of the screen that changes is recorded. A blinking text cursor uses far less space than a full-screen video.
Activity type — office tasks such as email and text editing produce much smaller recordings than media-heavy activities like video streaming.

Key Takeaway

The biggest factor in recording size is how much of the screen changes and how often. Sessions with mostly static content produce recordings that are orders of magnitude smaller than sessions with full-screen motion.

Storage Planning¶

When planning storage capacity for session recordings, consider:

Average session duration and typical user activity
Number of sessions accumulated over time
Retention period configured for your deployment