Record a Chrome tab with sound and your voice
Whether a recording has sound depends on what Chrome shares and what your computer allows. Here is how to get tab sound and your voice, and what to check when the audio is missing.
Three sources of sound
- Tab audio. The sound a tab plays. In Chrome’s picker, choose the tab and tick Also share tab audio.
- System audio. Everything your computer plays. Chrome offers this when you share the entire screen, on Windows and ChromeOS. On other systems it may not be offered, and Plainware Recorder never promises it.
- Your microphone. Choose the device, watch the live level meter, and fix it before recording. A warning appears if it goes silent.
Tab or system sound is mixed with your microphone into one track. If they can’t be mixed, only your microphone is kept, and the library tells you. You keep hearing the tab normally while you record.
Record a tab with sound
Click the Plainware Recorder button and choose This tab.
Keep Microphone on. The first time, a short check page asks Chrome for access to your microphone. It never asks at install.
Press Start recording.
In Chrome’s picker, select the tab and tick Also share tab audio.
Stop when done. If Chrome didn’t share any tab or system sound, the library item says “No tab or system audio was shared with this recording.” Then record again and tick the box.
Good to know
- Mid-recording tab switch: “Share this tab instead” in Chrome lets you change tabs. The video keeps one fixed size, so it doesn’t break.
- Camera: the camera bubble is free and is drawn into the video.
- Incognito: Plainware Recorder doesn’t run in Incognito windows. Recording a window or the whole screen captures whatever is on screen.
- Consent: if you record a meeting, tell people first.