Video & Audio
Webcam Video Recorder
Record a video from your webcam, with optional microphone, and save it straight to your machine.
00:00
Sometimes you need a short video and the only camera you have is the one built into the laptop. A quick introduction for a client, a bug report showing what actually happens on screen, a message that is easier to show than to type — none of it justifies installing a recorder or signing up to anything.
This records from the camera in the tab and builds the file in memory, ready to save. You get the camera and microphone pickers, resolution and frame rate control, a bitrate slider for the size-versus-quality trade, a countdown so you are not caught mid-breath, pause and resume, and an automatic stop at a length you set.
How to use it
- Press Preview and allow camera access. Check the framing before you record anything.
- Choose the camera, and tick Microphone if you want sound, then pick the input device.
- Set the resolution and frame rate. 1280×720 at 30 fps is the sensible default; 1080p is worth it for screen-share style detail.
- Adjust the bitrate. Around 4 Mbps looks good for 720p, 8 Mbps for 1080p. Higher is sharper and much larger.
- Set a countdown if you want a run-up, and a maximum length as a safety net.
- Press Start recording, then Stop when done. Play the clip back, then Save it.
Questions
What format does it save?
WebM with VP8, VP9 or AV1 video and Opus audio, whichever this browser supports best — that is the format browsers can record natively without a server. It plays in every browser and in VLC, and loads into any video editor. Chrome also offers MP4 in places, but WebM is the reliable choice.
How big will the file be?
Roughly the bitrate multiplied by the duration: 8 Mbps for 60 seconds is about 60 MB. The clip list shows the real size the moment you stop, so you can judge it before saving. Lower the bitrate for anything that only needs to be seen once.
Can I record longer than a few minutes?
Yes, but the whole recording is held in memory until you save it, so a long session at high quality can use a lot of RAM. For anything past about ten minutes, either drop the bitrate or use one of the desktop recorders. The maximum-length box exists to stop you losing a long take to a memory error.