ShottieTo record your screen for free without installing anything, press Start recording above, choose your entire screen, a window or a browser tab, and press Stop when you're done. The video is saved on your computer: nothing is uploaded, and there's no watermark, no sign-up and no time limit. Tick Microphone to narrate as you go.
How to record your screen online
- Choose the sound: tick Microphone to talk over it, and leave "Tab or system audio" on to record what the shared tab or screen plays, where your browser offers it.
- Press Start recording. Your browser asks what to share: the entire screen, one window, or a tab.
- Do what you want to show. The timer on this page counts while you record.
- Press Stop recording here, or the Stop sharing button your browser shows.
- Play it back on this page, then press Download video.
Which sound gets recorded
The microphone works in every desktop browser. Sound from the computer itself depends on the browser and what you share, because each browser decides what it lets a web page capture:
| Browser | Microphone | A tab's sound | All computer sound |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chrome, Edge on Windows | Yes | Yes, when you share a tab | Yes, when you share the entire screen |
| Chrome, Edge on Mac | Yes | Yes, when you share a tab | No |
| Firefox | Yes | No | No |
| Safari | Yes | No | No |
Source: MDN's browser compatibility data for screen capture. So on a Mac, a browser can record a YouTube video or a web app with its sound if you share that tab, but not a Zoom call or a desktop app. For that, see how to screen record on a Mac with audio.
Screen, window or tab?
- A tab is best for demoing a website or web app. In Chrome and Edge it can include the tab's sound, and your other tabs stay out of the recording.
- A window records one app. Other windows and notifications don't appear, even if they pop up on top of it.
- The entire screen is for when you move between apps. Turn on Do Not Disturb first, so a message preview doesn't end up in the video.
MP4 or WebM?
The browser does the encoding, so the format depends on it. Safari and current versions of Chrome and Edge write MP4, which plays everywhere. Firefox writes WebM, which plays in browsers, VLC and most video editors, but not in QuickTime Player; if you need an MP4 on a Mac, record in Safari or Chrome. The file name and size appear under the buttons before you download.
Tips for a recording people will watch
- Record a window or a tab rather than a whole 5K screen: viewers see it small, and text becomes unreadable.
- Zoom the page in (⌘+ or Ctrl+) before you start, so text stays legible when the video is shown at a third of its size.
- Close tabs and notifications you wouldn't want in a screenshot, and hide the bookmarks bar.
- Keep it short. A 45-second clip that shows one thing gets watched; a ten-minute one gets skimmed.
- Pause for a second at the start and end, which leaves room to trim.
Private by design
The recording is made by your browser's built-in MediaRecorder and held in this tab until you download it. It's never sent to a server, so there's no upload, no account and no copy anywhere else. Because it sits in memory until then, download a long recording as soon as you stop, and don't close the tab first.
What a browser recorder can't do
A web page only receives the picture: it can't see your clicks or your cursor's path, so it can't zoom in on what you clicked, smooth the cursor or add a webcam bubble. Phones and tablets don't let web pages record the screen at all; use the screen recording button in Control Center on an iPhone or iPad, or Quick Settings on Android. If you make product demos on a Mac, Shottie records with a shortcut and turns each click into a smooth zoom you can edit on a timeline, and you can mark up single frames with the annotation tool.
Frequently asked questions
Is this screen recorder really free?
Yes. There's no sign-up, no watermark and no time limit. It runs in your browser, so there's also nothing to install.
Does it record audio?
Your microphone, in any desktop browser. In Chrome and Edge it can also record a shared tab's sound, and on Windows the whole computer's sound when you share the entire screen. Firefox and Safari don't give web pages the computer's sound.
Where is my recording saved?
Nowhere until you press Download video; then it goes to your downloads folder like any other file. It's never uploaded.
Can I record my screen with system audio on a Mac?
In a browser, only a single tab's sound, in Chrome or Edge. For sound from other apps, use ⌘⇧5 with Include System Audio on macOS 27, or an app that records system audio on earlier versions, such as Shottie.
Why did I get a WebM file?
Firefox records in WebM. Safari, Chrome and Edge record MP4. WebM plays in browsers and VLC but not in QuickTime Player.
Does it work on a phone?
No. Mobile browsers don't let web pages record the screen. iPhone, iPad and Android all have a built-in screen recorder in their control panels.
