Assetto Corsa replay & photo mode
Assetto Corsa's replay system doubles as a full photo mode — pause a replay, switch to free camera, hide the HUD and frame your shot. This guide covers all the camera controls, how to save replays with Content Manager, and tips for great screenshots.
How does the Assetto Corsa replay system work?
Assetto Corsa records every session automatically and stores it as a replay file. Replays capture the full physics state of every car throughout the session — meaning you can watch from any camera angle, scrub backward and forward in time, and switch between cars freely. Content Manager extends the built-in replay system by letting you save, name and manage individual replay files, and by lifting the default time limit that causes older sessions to be overwritten automatically.
Replay mode in AC also serves as the game's photo mode. Pausing a replay with the free camera active gives full control over camera position, aim and field of view — combined with Custom Shader Patch's visual enhancements, this is how virtually every high-quality Assetto Corsa screenshot is captured.
Assetto Corsa camera and replay keyboard controls
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| F1 | Cockpit camera — driver's seat perspective with steering wheel visible |
| F2 | Dashboard camera — lower, closer to the dashboard than F1 |
| F3 | Chase camera — follows behind and above the car |
| F4 | Bonnet / hood camera — mounted at the front of the car |
| F5 | TV cameras — switches through trackside broadcast-style cameras |
| F6 | Helicopter camera — aerial view following the car |
| F7 | Free camera — mouse to look, WASD or numpad to move |
| PageUp / PageDown | Switch the focused car in replay mode |
| Home | Return focus to your car |
| ← → | Scrub backward and forward in time during replay |
| Space | Pause and resume replay playback |
| + / − | Increase or decrease replay playback speed (slow motion to fast forward) |
Free camera movement (F7)
In free camera mode, the mouse controls the look direction. Movement keys: W/S move forward and back, A/D move left and right, Q/E move up and down. The scroll wheel adjusts movement speed — scroll up to move faster through large scenes, scroll down for precise micro-adjustments when framing a shot.
How do I save and manage replays in Content Manager?
By default Assetto Corsa stores replays in a circular buffer — after a set number of sessions, the oldest is overwritten. Content Manager improves this in two ways:
- Replay Manager — access via Drive → Replay in Content Manager. Lists all stored replays with track, car, date and duration. Click any replay to open it. Use the Save button to mark a replay as permanent so it is not overwritten.
- Replay size limit — go to Content Manager Settings → Assetto Corsa → General and increase the maximum replay file size. The default is often too small for long sessions. Setting it to 512 MB or higher keeps more of each session captured.
Saved replay files are stored in assettocorsa\replay. You can copy
them to another location for backup or share them with other players — replays are
portable between PCs that have the same track and car mods installed.
Tips for better Assetto Corsa screenshots
| Tip | How to do it | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Pause and use F7 free camera | Pause the replay with Space, switch to free camera with F7, then use mouse to aim and WASD to position. Take as long as you need to frame the shot. | Essential |
| Slow motion for action shots | Press − to slow replay to 0.25× or 0.1× speed. Find the exact moment you want — braking, oversteer, airborne — then pause and frame. | Essential |
| Use Pure or Sol for lighting | Morning and late afternoon provide long shadow angles that add depth. Pure's filmic grading photographs well; Sol's natural colours render accurately. | Recommended |
| CSP Extra FX for lens effects | Enable YEBIS in CSP Extra FX settings for bloom and lens flares. Disable motion blur in graphics settings — it reduces sharpness in still photos. | Recommended |
| TV cameras for race shots | F5 cycles through trackside TV cameras. These give broadcast-style framing that works particularly well for racing action — other cars in the background add context. | Useful |
| Hide HUD | Press Ctrl+H to toggle the HUD off before taking a screenshot. AC's built-in screenshot shortcut is F8; alternatively use Steam Overlay (F12). | Essential |
Replay & photo mode — common questions
How do I watch a replay in Assetto Corsa?
To watch a replay in Assetto Corsa: after a session ends, use the Replay button on the results screen to enter replay mode immediately. To watch a saved replay later, open Content Manager, go to Drive → Replay, and select the replay file from the list. Content Manager shows replay duration, track and car for each saved file. In replay mode, Space pauses, arrow keys scrub through time, and F1–F7 switch camera angles. PageUp and PageDown switch between cars when multiple were in the session.
How do I save replays in Assetto Corsa?
Assetto Corsa saves replays automatically for each session, but only keeps a limited number before overwriting older ones. To save a replay permanently, open Content Manager's Replay manager after your session and click Save on the replay you want to keep. Content Manager stores saved replays in the Assetto Corsa\replay folder. Alternatively, enable "Always record replay" and increase the maximum replay size in Content Manager Settings → Assetto Corsa → General to prevent sessions being overwritten.
How do I take screenshots in Assetto Corsa?
Assetto Corsa's built-in screenshot shortcut is F8 — it saves a PNG to the assettocorsa\screens folder. Steam's screenshot shortcut (F12 by default) also works and saves to your Steam screenshot library. For the best photos, pause a replay, switch to the F7 free camera, use Ctrl+H to hide the HUD, then compose the shot with mouse and WASD to position the camera before pressing F8. Custom Shader Patch's YEBIS lens effects significantly improve screenshot quality when enabled in CSP Extra FX settings.
What is the free camera in Assetto Corsa?
The free camera in Assetto Corsa is activated by pressing F7 during a replay or in photo mode. It uncouples the camera from the car and lets you position it anywhere in the scene. Use the mouse to aim, WASD or the numpad to move the camera position, and the scroll wheel to adjust movement speed. The free camera is the standard tool for taking screenshots and capturing video, as it lets you frame any angle without being attached to a specific car.
Can I record video from Assetto Corsa?
Yes. Assetto Corsa does not have a built-in video capture tool, but it works with all major screen recording applications — OBS Studio, NVIDIA ShadowPlay (GeForce Experience), AMD ReLive and Steam's built-in recorder. For high-quality video content, record from a replay rather than live gameplay — replays let you pause, reframe with the free camera, use slow motion, and switch between cars, giving full control over the footage without affecting driving performance.
How do I use photo mode in Assetto Corsa?
Assetto Corsa does not have a dedicated photo mode button, but you can replicate one using the replay system. After a session, enter replay mode and pause it with Space. Switch to the free camera with F7. Use the mouse to aim and WASD to position the camera. Hide the HUD with Ctrl+H. Use the + and − keys to set playback speed to find the exact action moment you want, then pause and photograph with F8. Custom Shader Patch's YEBIS lens effects add bloom and depth of field to improve photo quality.
Get better visuals for screenshots
Custom Shader Patch transforms lighting, adds lens effects and enables Pure or Sol weather — making a huge difference to screenshot quality. Free via Content Manager.
Install CSP