What is the TREC file format?
A .trec file is a raw screen recording captured by Camtasia, TechSmith's screen recording and video editing application. Introduced in 2014, the .trec format replaced the older Windows-only .camrec and Mac-only .cmrec formats with a single cross-platform container - a key improvement that lets you record on one platform and edit on the other.
Internally, .trec uses an MP4 (ISO Base Media File Format) container carrying the proprietary TSC2 (TechSmith Screen Capture Codec 2) for the screen-capture video track. TSC2 is optimized for screen content - crisp text, UI elements, and low-motion graphics - delivering near-lossless quality at comparatively small file sizes. A .trec file typically holds multiple tracks:
- Screen video encoded with TSC2
- System audio and microphone audio
- Optional webcam or camera track (H.264)
- A metadata track recording cursor position, markers, and annotation timestamps
Despite using an MP4 container, .trec files cannot be played by standard media players because no third-party decoder supports TSC2. The file must be imported into Camtasia Editor, where it appears as a raw source clip on the timeline. The companion .tscproj file stores the editing timeline and project settings; .trec is the underlying recording source. To share a recording, export it from Camtasia to a standard format such as .mp4.
Security & safety
RISK: LOWTREC files are passive proprietary video recordings and pose no security risk by themselves. The main concern is privacy: TREC recordings capture everything on screen including passwords, personal data, and confidential work. Treat TREC files as sensitive recordings and store/share them accordingly. The only software that opens them is Camtasia - no risk of malicious execution.
Format details
in a nutshell- TREC Text REtrieval Conference relevance file - Academic information retrieval research uses .trec extension for run-file formats documenting document rankings - unrelated to Camtasia.
Programs that open TREC files
Windows1 app
Camtasia
Paid Open the .trec directly in Camtasia Editor (File > Open) or drag it onto the timeline in a .tscproj project. Edit and then File > Export > Local File > MP4 to produce a shareable video. 
macOS1 app
Technical details
deep spec| Container | MP4 (ISO Base Media File Format / ISOBMFF) |
| Screen video codec | TSC2 (TechSmith Screen Capture Codec 2) - lossless/near-lossless, optimized for screen content |
| Camera/webcam codec | H.264 |
| Audio codec | AAC; 44,100 Hz or 48,000 Hz sample rate |
| Byte order | Big-endian (ISOBMFF box headers) |
| Metadata track | Cursor position, annotation data, chapter markers, and timestamps for Camtasia Editor |
| Predecessor formats | Replaced Windows-only .camrec and Mac-only .cmrec recording formats |
| Cross-platform support | Windows and macOS; recording on one platform can be edited on the other |
| Typical file size | 10 MB - 10 GB (depends on recording duration, resolution, and frame rate) |
| Maximum resolution | Up to 4K (3840x2160) |
| Third-party playback | Not supported; TSC2 codec requires Camtasia Editor for decoding |
| Associated OS | Windows, macOS |
| Relationship to .tscproj | .trec is the raw recording source; .tscproj stores the editing timeline and project settings |
| Released | 2014 - Camtasia Studio 8.4.0 (Windows) and Camtasia for Mac 2.8.0; replaced .camrec (Windows) and .cmrec (Mac) |
| Latest version | Current format as of Camtasia 2026 |
| Specification | support.techsmith.com |
TREC conversions
Community Q&A
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