Free Screen Recorder

What This Screen Recorder Does

This tool uses the browser's Screen Capture API (getDisplayMedia()) to capture your screen as a live video stream, then passes it to the MediaRecorder API for real-time encoding. You choose what to capture — entire screen, specific application window, or a single browser tab — in the system dialog shown by your browser before recording starts. Recording accumulates as compressed video blobs in browser memory, assembled into a single downloadable WebM file when you stop.

Who Uses a Browser Screen Recorder

How to Record Your Screen in the Browser

1. Click Start Recording. Your browser will show the screen share dialog — choose "Entire Screen", "Window", or "Browser Tab" depending on what you want to capture.
2. Select your capture source in the browser's dialog and click Share.
3. Recording begins immediately. A timer shows elapsed recording time.
4. Click Stop when finished. The video is assembled and a download button appears.
5. Download the WebM file to your device for sharing or further editing.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the browser-based screen recorder work?

The tool uses the browser's getDisplayMedia() API to capture your screen, a specific browser tab, or a window as a video stream. This stream is passed to a MediaRecorder instance, which encodes the video in real time using the VP9 codec (in WebM container) or H.264 (in MP4, on Safari). The encoded video chunks are accumulated in browser memory as blobs. When you stop recording, the blobs are assembled into a complete video file and presented for download — all without sending any data to external servers.

Can I record with audio (system audio or microphone)?

Yes, with some limitations. getDisplayMedia() can capture system audio (audio playing from your computer) alongside the screen on supported browsers (Chrome on Windows and macOS supports system audio capture; Firefox and Safari currently do not support system audio via getDisplayMedia). Microphone audio can be mixed in by capturing it separately via getUserMedia() and combining the tracks. The available options are shown in the recording options before you start.

What video format does the recording download as?

Chrome and Edge produce WebM format with VP9 or VP8 video codec. Firefox produces WebM with VP8. Safari produces MP4 with H.264. WebM is an open format that plays in all modern browsers. If you need MP4 for compatibility with older software or devices, use a free online converter (Cloudconvert, HandBrake) to convert from WebM to MP4. The quality of WebM recordings is generally excellent and comparable to native screen recording software.

Is my screen recording uploaded to any server?

No. Everything happens entirely in your browser. The getDisplayMedia() stream is captured and encoded locally by the MediaRecorder API. The resulting video blob is stored in browser memory and downloaded directly to your device using a local URL (URL.createObjectURL()). No video data is ever sent to ToolsPixel's servers or any third-party service.

Can I record a specific browser tab rather than my entire screen?

Yes. When you click Start Recording, the browser shows a system-level dialog asking what to share — you can choose'Entire Screen','Application Window', or'Browser Tab'. Selecting'Browser Tab' captures only that specific tab's contents, excluding your taskbar, other windows, and desktop — useful for tutorials and demos where you don't want to expose your desktop.

Can I record a webcam or camera view?

Yes. The recorder supports camera capture via getUserMedia() alongside or instead of screen capture. You can record webcam-only (for video messages), screen-only (for tutorials), or a combined picture-in-picture layout with both screen content and webcam overlay (where the browser supports it). Check the recording mode selector before starting.

Why does the browser ask for permission to share my screen?

Screen capture is a powerful capability with significant privacy implications. Browsers require explicit permission and show the system-level'Choose what to share' dialog (not a web-level permission prompt) so users always consciously choose exactly what is captured. The permission dialog is controlled by your operating system, not by this website — ToolsPixel cannot access your screen without you actively selecting what to share in that dialog.

What is the maximum recording resolution?

The recording captures your source screen at its native resolution (up to 4K/UHD on supported displays and browsers). Chrome supports up to 4K screen capture. However, very high-resolution, high-frame-rate recordings consume significant browser memory. For long recordings on high-DPI displays, your browser may eventually slow down due to memory pressure. For practical tutorial and demo recordings (1080p, 30fps), the tool works excellently.

Can I pause and resume a recording?

Yes. The MediaRecorder API supports pausing and resuming mid-recording. Click Pause to temporarily halt recording while keeping the existing video data in memory. Click Resume to continue. The final downloaded file will be a single continuous video without the paused segments, unless your browser implementation includes them as static frames.

How long can I record for?

Recording duration is limited by available browser memory. At 1080p 30fps, a recording consumes approximately 5–15MB per minute of browser memory (compressed). Modern devices with 8GB+ RAM can record for several hours. However, for recordings over 30 minutes, consider using dedicated screen recording software (OBS Studio, which is free and open-source) that saves directly to disk rather than accumulating in browser memory.