Record Your Mac Screen
Right in the Browser

Mac screen recording options — and what they're missing

Macs come with two built-in screen recording options: QuickTime Player and the Screenshot toolbar (Cmd+Shift+5). Both are fine for basic use, but they have real limitations.

QuickTime saves .mov files and can only record your full screen or a selected portion — it can't target a single browser tab. The Screenshot toolbar is similar. Neither one lets you record just one app window cleanly without picking up whatever's behind it. And neither gives you an easy way to record your screen while narrating, unless you also route your mic through GarageBand or some other workaround.

Browser-based recording sidesteps all of that. Because the recorder runs inside your browser, it can access the browser's built-in tab capture — meaning you can record just one tab, with nothing else in the frame. And mic audio is toggled with a single switch, no routing required.

Setting up screen recording permissions on Mac

The first time you record on Mac, your browser will ask permission to share your screen. You'll also need to grant your browser access to screen recording in macOS System Settings:

1. Open System Settings (the gear icon in your Dock or Apple menu)
2. Go to Privacy & Security → Screen Recording
3. Enable the toggle next to your browser (Chrome, Firefox, or Edge)
4. Restart your browser if prompted

You only need to do this once. After that, the recorder works with one click.

What you can record on Mac

• Full screen — captures everything on your display, exactly as it appears
• A specific window — one app, isolated from everything else on screen
• A browser tab — a single tab, great for recording web apps or demo flows
• With mic audio — toggle on to narrate your recording as you go

A note on internal Mac audio

macOS doesn't allow browsers to capture system audio directly — this is an OS-level restriction, not a limitation of this tool. If you need to record system audio (music, video playback, app sounds), you'd need a virtual audio driver like BlackHole. For most use cases — bug reports, walkthroughs, tutorials, async updates — microphone audio is all you need.

Frequently asked questions

Does this screen recorder work on Mac?

Yes. Record Your Screen Free works in Chrome, Edge, and Firefox on any Mac running macOS 10.15 (Catalina) or later. No download or installation required.

Do I need to give screen recording permissions on Mac?

Your browser will ask for screen share permission the first time you record. On Mac, you may also need to grant screen recording permission to your browser in System Settings → Privacy & Security → Screen Recording. You only need to do this once.

Can I record my Mac screen with audio?

Yes — microphone audio. Toggle the mic option before recording to narrate as you go. Capturing internal Mac system audio requires a separate virtual audio driver like BlackHole; mic capture works out of the box.

Is there a watermark on the recording?

No. Your recording downloads as a clean .webm file with no watermark, no logo, and no branding added.

How is this different from QuickTime screen recording?

QuickTime saves as .mov and can't record a single browser tab. This recorder runs in your browser, saves as .webm (plays in any browser), lets you pick full screen, a window, or just a tab, and requires no configuration beyond a one-time system permission.