Free Screen Recorder — No Software, No Upload, Works in Browser

You need to record your screen. Maybe you’re creating a tutorial, reporting a bug, recording a presentation, or capturing gameplay. The usual options: install OBS (powerful but complex), sign up for Loom (easy but cloud-based), or download Screencastify (Chrome extension with limits). Each involves software installation, account creation, or both — and cloud-based tools upload your recording to their servers.

The Screen Recorder on AllTools records your screen directly in the browser using built-in web APIs. No software to install, no extension to add, no account to create, and no upload ever. Your recording stays on your device.

How Browser Screen Recording Works (getDisplayMedia API)

Modern browsers have a built-in capability for screen recording called the Screen Capture API. The core function is getDisplayMedia(), which asks the browser to share screen content — the same technology that powers screen sharing in Google Meet, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams.

The technology behind it

When you click “Start Recording” in the AllTools Screen Recorder:

1. Permission request — The browser shows a system dialog asking what you want to share: your entire screen, a specific application window, or a single browser tab. This is a browser-level permission, not something the website controls — the browser enforces that you explicitly choose what to share.

2. Media capture — Once you grant permission, the browser captures a video stream of the selected screen content. This stream exists entirely within the browser — it’s not transmitted anywhere.

3. Audio capture — If you choose to include audio, the browser captures system audio (what your speakers play) and/or microphone input. These are combined with the video stream.

4. MediaRecorder — The browser’s MediaRecorder API encodes the combined audio/video stream into a video file (WebM format by default). The encoding happens in real-time on your device.

5. File creation — When you stop recording, the encoded data is assembled into a downloadable file. You click download and the file saves to your device. At no point does the video data leave your browser.

Why this matters for privacy

Traditional screen recorders either run as native software (full device access) or upload to the cloud (your data leaves your device). Browser-based recording using getDisplayMedia is uniquely constrained:

• The browser can only capture what you explicitly authorize
• The website cannot start recording without your permission
• The recording data stays in the browser’s memory
• No server receives any part of the video

This makes it architecturally impossible for the tool to secretly record or transmit your screen content.

Step by Step: Record Your Screen

Basic recording

Step 1 — Open the tool. Go to the Screen Recorder. No login required.

Step 2 — Configure audio settings. Before starting, choose your audio source (see the Audio Options section below for details).

Step 3 — Click “Start Recording.” Your browser will show a system dialog with sharing options:

• Entire Screen — Captures everything visible on your display, including the taskbar and all windows
• Application Window — Captures a single application window, even if other windows overlap it
• Browser Tab — Captures only a specific browser tab, which is useful for recording web-based content

Step 4 — Select what to share and confirm. The recording starts immediately. You’ll see a visual indicator (usually a border or icon) confirming the recording is active.

Step 5 — Do your thing. Navigate, demonstrate, present — whatever you’re recording. The browser captures everything within your selected sharing scope.

Step 6 — Stop recording. Click the “Stop” button in the tool, or click the browser’s built-in “Stop sharing” button. The recording ends and the video is assembled.

Step 7 — Preview and download. The tool shows a preview of your recording. Watch it to verify everything captured correctly, then click “Download” to save the file.

Recording a specific application

Want to record just Photoshop, a terminal window, or a specific app? Choose “Application Window” in the sharing dialog. This captures only that window, regardless of other windows on screen. Benefits:

• Other windows and notifications won’t appear in the recording
• You can reference notes or scripts on another monitor without them showing
• The recording stays focused on the relevant content

Recording a browser tab

For tutorials about web applications or recording browser-based content (like demonstrating an AllTools tool), choose “Browser Tab.” This captures the tab content with perfect quality and includes the tab’s audio if enabled. It’s also the most efficient option since the browser doesn’t need to capture and re-encode its own rendering.

Audio Options: System Audio, Microphone, Both, None

Audio is often what separates a useful recording from an unusable one. The Screen Recorder gives you four audio configurations:

System audio only

Captures the sound output from your computer — application sounds, video playback, music, notification sounds. Use this when you’re recording a demo of software that produces sound (like a music app or video player) and don’t need narration.

Note: System audio capture requires browser support. Chrome on Windows and macOS supports it when sharing a browser tab. Some configurations may not support system audio from native applications. Check the FAQ for browser-specific details.

Microphone only

Captures your voice through your microphone or headset. Use this for tutorials with narration, video messages, and presentations where you’re explaining what’s on screen. The system’s sounds won’t be included, so viewers hear only your voice.

Tips for good audio:

• Use a headset or external microphone if possible — built-in laptop mics pick up keyboard and fan noise
• Record in a quiet environment
• Speak at a consistent volume and distance from the microphone
• Do a short test recording to check audio levels before the main recording

Both (system audio + microphone)

Captures both your narration and the sound coming from your computer. Use this for software tutorials where viewers need to hear both your explanation and the application’s audio output. Balance is important — system audio can overpower your voice or vice versa.

No audio

Captures video only. Use this for:

• Bug reports where you’re adding text annotations separately
• Recordings you’ll add a voiceover to later in a video editor
• Demonstrations of visual processes (design work, image editing)
• When you need the smallest file size

File Format and Quality Settings

Output format

The Screen Recorder produces WebM files by default. WebM is a modern, open video format supported by all major browsers, VLC, and most video editors. It offers excellent compression at high quality.

Want a different format? After recording:

• Convert to MP4 using the Video Converter — MP4 is more universally compatible, especially for mobile devices and older video players
• Extract the audio as MP3 with Video to MP3 — useful if you only need the narration
• Convert to GIF with Video to GIF — perfect for short demonstrations shared on the web or in documentation

Quality considerations

Recording quality depends on several factors:

File size expectations

File sizes vary significantly based on screen content. Static screens (like a text editor) compress much better than dynamic content (like video playback or games).

After recording, use the Video Compressor to reduce file size if needed, or the Video Trimmer to cut out unwanted sections at the beginning or end.

Comparison vs OBS vs Loom vs Screencastify

Where OBS wins

OBS Studio is the most powerful free screen recorder available. It supports custom scenes, multiple sources (screen, webcam, images, text), live streaming, advanced encoding settings, and filters. If you’re a content creator producing polished videos or streaming on Twitch, OBS is the professional choice.

The trade-off: OBS requires installation, has a significant learning curve, and uses substantial system resources. For a quick screen recording, it’s overkill.

Where Loom wins

Loom excels at quick, shareable videos for team communication. Record your screen and webcam, and Loom gives you a shareable link instantly. It’s designed for async workplace communication — sending a video walkthrough instead of writing a long email. If your team already uses Loom, the workflow is seamless.

The trade-off: Everything goes through Loom’s servers. Recordings are stored in their cloud. The free tier limits you to 5-minute videos. Full features require $15/month per user.

Where AllTools wins

For quick, private screen recordings without installing anything, AllTools is the simplest option. Open a browser tab, click record, stop, download. No account, no upload, no limits. Perfect for bug reports, quick tutorials, demonstrations, and any situation where you need a screen recording right now.

Use Cases

Creating tutorials and how-to videos

Walk through a process step by step while recording your screen. Combine with microphone narration to explain what you’re doing. For AllTools, you could record yourself using any tool and share the video as a guide.

Workflow:

1. Record the tutorial with microphone narration
2. Trim the video to remove pauses and mistakes at the start/end
3. Compress the video if file size matters
4. Share directly or upload to a platform

Bug reports

A screen recording of a bug is worth a thousand words in a bug report. Record the steps to reproduce the issue, the actual behavior, and where it differs from expected behavior. Developers can see exactly what’s happening without guessing.

Tips for bug report recordings:

• Start recording before triggering the bug so the full reproduction path is visible
• Record at native resolution so UI details are clear
• Show the console or network tab if relevant (for web development bugs)
• Keep it focused — start, reproduce, stop. A 30-second clip beats a 5-minute video with 4 minutes of setup.

Recording presentations

Need to share a slide presentation as a video? Open your slides, start recording, and present. The recording captures your slides and narration. This works for:

• Remote presentation delivery
• Creating training materials from slide decks
• Recording webinar content for later distribution
• Archiving presentations for team reference

Capturing online meetings for notes

When you need a personal copy of an online meeting for note-taking, screen recording captures both the visual content and audio. Open the meeting in a browser tab, start recording, and you have a full capture.

Important: Always inform meeting participants before recording. Many jurisdictions require consent from all parties.

FAQ

What file format does it record in?

The Screen Recorder outputs WebM files, which play in all modern browsers, VLC, and most video editors. If you need MP4 (for mobile or social media), convert the file with the Video Converter — it’s a quick process that also runs entirely in your browser.

Is there a recording duration limit?

No artificial limit. You can record for as long as your device has available disk space and memory. Practical limits depend on your system resources. Most modern computers can handle recordings of an hour or more without issues. For very long recordings (2+ hours), ensure you have sufficient free disk space — 1 hour of 1080p recording uses approximately 300-900 MB.

Which browsers support screen recording?

Chrome, Edge, and Firefox all support the getDisplayMedia API. Safari supports it from version 16+. Chrome on Android supports tab capture. iOS Safari does not currently support screen capture from web pages — this is an Apple restriction, not a tool limitation. For the broadest compatibility and feature set, use Chrome or Edge on desktop.

Can I record my webcam at the same time?

The AllTools Screen Recorder focuses on screen capture. For webcam-only recording, use the Webcam Recorder. If you need both screen and webcam in a single video (picture-in-picture), you’d currently need a tool like OBS that composites multiple sources.

Why is there no system audio on my recording?

System audio capture depends on your browser and operating system. Chrome on Windows supports system audio when sharing a browser tab (with the “Share tab audio” checkbox). On macOS, system audio capture requires additional configuration due to OS-level restrictions. If you need system audio reliably, sharing a browser tab (rather than the whole screen) gives the best results.

Start Recording

Open the Screen Recorder and capture your screen in seconds. No software, no extension, no account, no upload. Your recording stays on your device.

For post-recording tools: trim your video, compress it, convert to MP4, extract the audio, or create a GIF. Explore the full Video tools category.