Problem Steps Recorder

I made an interesting little discovery today. Within Windows 7, there is a hidden application called “Problem Steps Recorder,” which enables a local user to record issues they are experiencing in any application they are accessing.

This application provides a MHT file (within a ZIP file) that contains all of the steps and information recorded in a session, helping a user to describe a problem. Passwords or other text typed are not recorded, excepting function and shortcut keys used.

The file displays the recorded problem steps in a screen shot for every click, function, or shortcut key, and logging related to the same, all with time/date stamps. You can even review the steps in a slide show.

The application does not seem to exist anywhere that I can find. You can create a shortcut to it by right-clicking your desktop, select New, select Shortcut, and in the “Type the location…” box simply put “PSR.”

Accessing & Using the Application

1. Click Start
2. In the box that says “Search Programs and Files,” type PSR and press <ENTER>
3. The small tool bar shown above will appear
4. Prepare your desktop to be recorded
5. If you have Dual Screens, you will want to turn one of them off.
6. Right-Click Desktop
7. Select Screen Resolution
8. Change the Multiple-Displays drop down to “Show Only Desktop X”
9. X being the Desktop you want to use for display.
10. Note: some things may fly off screen while in this mode. You can use the “Identify” button to figure out which screen is which.
11. Make sure you do this on the screen you are keeping, or you may not be able to get back to this setting.
12. Click “Apply” (you want this window to stay open, so you can come back to it)
13. A message will display asking whether you want to keep or discard the changes.
14. Click “Start Record”
15. Begin doing whatever it is you want to record steps from.
16. You will notice a Red Dot every time you click something; the application is only taking a screen shot.
17. Pause the recording, if you do not want steps included
18. Add Comments, if you want to call something out
19. Click “Stop Record,” to end the recording session.
20. A window will appear, asking you to name the file.
21. Select a location and file name, which will be a .ZIP file
22. Access the ZIP, and contained within, you will find a MHT file.
23. Extract MHT
24. Double-Click the MHT to open in Internet Explorer, or use MS Word to open the file.