How to Use Nvidia Ansel – Best In-Game Screenshot Software

NVIDIA Ansel is a powerful tool that revolutionizes the way you capture in-game screenshots, offering unparalleled flexibility and quality. With Ansel, you can compose your shots from any angle, adjust them with post-process filters, and even capture HDR images in high-fidelity formats.

Activating Ansel

To start using Ansel, you need to ensure it is supported by the game you are playing. Ansel is integrated into the GeForce Experience overlay, making it accessible in a variety of games. Here’s how you can activate it:

Open Ansel: Press Alt + F2 to open the Ansel interface. This will pause the game and enable the freecam mode, allowing you to move the camera freely.

Navigating the Camera

Once Ansel is activated, you can control the camera using the following keys:

Camera Orientation: Use the mouse while holding the left click to adjust the camera orientation.
Camera Movement: Use WASD keys or the corresponding gamepad buttons to move the camera.
Up/Down Movement: Use Z and X keys or the { and } gamepad buttons to move the camera up and down.
Camera Rotation: Use Q and E keys or the [ and ] gamepad buttons to rotate the camera.
Fast Movement: Hold Shift while moving to speed up the camera movement.
Slow Movement: Hold Ctrl while moving to slow down the camera movement.

Capturing High-Quality Screenshots

Ansel offers several features to help you capture high-quality screenshots:

Free Camera: With the freecam mode, you can compose your shot from any angle, roll, zoom, and reposition the camera to achieve the perfect image.
Super Resolution: Select “High Resolution” in the Ansel in-game overlay to capture screenshots with tens of thousands of pixels, ensuring every detail is captured.
HDR and 360° Screenshots: Ansel allows you to capture HDR images and 360-degree screenshots, which can be viewed on your smartphone, PC, or VR headset.

Post-Processing and Filters

Ansel integrates with NVIDIA Freestyle, which offers post-processing filters to enhance your screenshots:

Freestyle: Apply various post-processing effects to your screenshots. Note that Freestyle effects work with Ansel captures, but Reshade effects do not.
Configuring Output: You can configure Ansel to output images in lossless formats like PNG through the NvCameraConfiguration.exe tool found in the Ansel directory.

After capturing your screenshots, you can view and share them in various ways:

Viewing in VR: View 360-degree screenshots on your smartphone or VR head-mounted device.
Downloading and Sharing: Download HDR screenshots directly from your desktop browser if it supports WebGL. You can also share your screenshots on social media or gaming communities.

Limitations and Workarounds

While Ansel is a powerful tool, it does come with some limitations:

Reshade Compatibility: Reshade effects cannot be used with Ansel enabled. However, Freestyle effects, which are similar to Reshade, can be used.
Camera Range and Clipping: The free camera may have range and clipping limits. For some games, community-made camera tools or mods can bypass these limits.
Experimental Features: Ensure that “Enable experimental features” is checked in your GeForce Experience settings to access support for some games that may not have official support yet.

Supported Games

Ansel is supported in a wide range of games, including popular titles like The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Fortnite, and No Man’s Sky. For a full list of supported games, refer to the official NVIDIA resources.

By mastering these features and controls, you can unlock the full potential of NVIDIA Ansel and capture stunning in-game screenshots that rival those of professional game photographers.