MACOS · CHROME · SAFARI · EDGE · NO INSTALL
Screen Recorder for Mac
Record your Mac’s screen, webcam and sound from the browser, with no app to install. Here’s how to get the permission and the audio right.
Recorded and saved on your device. Nothing is uploaded.
How to record your screen on a Mac
Allow Screen Recording
The first time, macOS may block the capture. Open System Settings › Privacy & Security › Screen Recording, switch your browser on, then quit and reopen it.
Share a tab for sound
In Chrome or Edge, sharing a browser tab records its audio. Share the entire screen or a window when your microphone is all you need.
Record and save
Press Start and record. Chrome, Edge and Safari save MP4; Firefox saves WebM, which you can convert where the browser supports it.
Allowing Screen Recording in macOS
macOS keeps a list of apps that are allowed to see your screen, and your browser has to be on it before any web page can record. If you press Start and get a black preview, an error, or no screens to choose from, this permission is the usual reason.
Camera and microphone access are separate switches on the same Privacy & Security page. If your webcam or mic doesn’t show up in the recorder, check those lists too.
- Open the Apple menu › System Settings › Privacy & Security.
- Choose Screen Recording. Newer versions of macOS call it Screen & System Audio Recording.
- Turn on the switch for the browser you use. If it isn’t listed, add it from your Applications folder with the + button.
- Quit the browser completely with Command + Q and open it again. The change only takes effect after a restart.
Why Safari and Firefox can’t record your Mac’s sound
A web page records the screen through the browser’s screen-sharing feature, the same one used for video calls. On the Mac, Safari and Firefox share the picture only; they don’t hand over audio from the screen, a window or a tab. No website can work around that, so in those browsers you get your microphone and nothing else.
Chrome and Edge can share a tab’s audio on macOS. Recent Chrome versions on recent macOS can also share system audio with the entire screen; if the checkbox doesn’t appear, share a tab instead.
The tab route covers more than you might expect. Plenty of things that make sound have a web version: meeting apps, slide decks, online courses, web apps and video players. Open the one you need in a Chrome tab and share that tab. Its sound is recorded directly, without the room noise you’d get from a mic listening to your speakers.
For a native Mac app, you need the entire-screen option with system audio, if your Chrome version offers it. Otherwise the only fallback is letting the microphone pick up the speakers.
Which Mac browser should you use?
If you want any sound besides your microphone, use Chrome or Edge. If you only need the screen and your voice, Safari works well and saves MP4 directly.
| Feature | Chrome or Edge | Safari | Firefox |
|---|---|---|---|
| Screen and window | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Tab audio | Yes | No | No |
| System audio | Recent versions | No | No |
| Saves as | MP4 | MP4 | WebM |
| Floating mini controls | Yes | No | No |
Frequently asked questions
Why is my recording black, or why can’t I pick a screen?
macOS hasn’t given your browser Screen Recording access yet. Turn it on in System Settings › Privacy & Security, then quit and reopen the browser. The permission doesn’t apply until you restart.
Can I record internal audio on a Mac?
In Chrome or Edge, yes, from a browser tab, and in recent versions from the entire screen too if the system-audio checkbox appears. Safari and Firefox can’t record internal audio.
How is this different from Shift-Command-5?
The macOS screenshot toolbar is handy for a quick capture and saves .mov files. This recorder gives you a webcam bubble, pause and resume, a mic and tab-audio mix with separate volumes, cutting out mistakes and pauses, GIF export and MP4 output, and it works the same on any computer.
Does it work on Apple silicon and Intel Macs?
Yes. It runs in the browser, so the chip doesn’t matter. Up-to-date versions of macOS and your browser give you the most audio options.
What are the keyboard shortcuts on a Mac?
Option + Shift + R starts and stops, Option + Shift + P pauses and resumes, and Option + Shift + M mutes the microphone. Option + Shift + K adds a marker and Option + Shift + S takes a screenshot. They work while the recorder page is in focus.
Can I record my iPhone or iPad screen here?
No. iOS and iPadOS don’t let web pages capture the screen, so use the Screen Recording button in Control Center. On those devices the recorder still offers Camera only and Audio only.
Where does the file go?
Chrome and Edge open a “Save as” dialog so you can choose the folder. Safari and Firefox save to your Downloads folder. Nothing is uploaded at any point.
MORE TOOLS