What you can record
This recorder works in desktop browsers on a Windows PC, Mac or Chromebook: Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari on a Mac. When you press Start recording, your browser asks what to share:
- An entire screen: everything you see, including switching between apps.
- A window: one app, such as a spreadsheet or a presentation. Other windows and notifications stay out of the recording.
- A browser tab: one web page. In Chrome and Edge this is the most reliable way to include the page's sound.
Press Stop recording when you are done, or the browser's own "Stop sharing" button. Watch it back, then save it. The recording stays in the tab until you do, and is discarded if you close the page.
Recording sound: your microphone and the computer
Switch on Include my microphone to talk over a demonstration, and Include the computer's sound for the audio of a video, a call or an app. When both are on, they are mixed into one sound track. Computer sound depends on the browser:
| Browser | Computer sound |
|---|---|
| Chrome or Edge on Windows | From a tab or a whole screen: tick "Share audio" |
| Chrome or Edge on a Mac | From a tab only |
| Firefox, Safari | Usually not available; your microphone still works |
If the computer sound could not be included, the tool says so as soon as recording starts, so you are not surprised afterwards.
MP4 or WebM
Browsers record in their own preferred format: some record MP4, others WebM. Saving in the format your browser recorded takes seconds, because the video is simply copied. Saving in the other one means re-encoding every frame on your computer, which takes about as long as the recording, or longer. The tool tells you which is the quick one. MP4 plays everywhere, including on phones and in WhatsApp; WebM is fine for websites, YouTube and most computers.
On a phone or tablet
Phones and tablets do not let websites record the screen, so use the recorder built into the phone:
- iPhone and iPad: open Control Centre and tap Screen Recording. If it is not there, add it from the Control Centre settings. Long-press the button to switch the microphone on.
- Android: swipe down twice for Quick Settings and tap Screen record. Samsung, Xiaomi, Vivo and others name it slightly differently, and most let you choose whether to record sound.
Either way, you can then cut the recording with the video trimmer, shrink it for WhatsApp or email with the video compressor, or convert it with the video converter. For sound only, use the voice recorder, which also works on phones.
The engine behind this tool
Video and sound are processed by FFmpeg, the open-source engine behind most of the world's video software, compiled to run inside your browser as ffmpeg.wasm. It is downloaded from this site (about 31 MB) the first time you use a video or audio tool, and your browser keeps it for next time. FFmpeg and ffmpeg.wasm are free software, licensed under the GNU General Public License version 2 or later; their source code is at github.com/ffmpegwasm/ffmpeg.wasm.