Webcam Recorder: Record Video From Your Camera
A webcam recorder in your browser: pick your camera and microphone, choose 480p, 720p or 1080p, and record a video message, an intro or a quick update. The preview is mirrored like a mirror, the saved video is not, and you can trim it before saving an MP4. No download, no account and no upload: the video is written to your own device.
- Runs on your device
- Browser APIs
- WebCodecs · GPU
- Works offline
Updated
How to record a video with your webcam
Step 1: Allow camera and microphone access when your browser asks.
Step 2: Choose the Camera, Microphone and Resolution. The chip on the preview shows what the camera really delivers.
Step 3: Click Record. After a 3-second countdown, recording starts; pause and resume as often as you like.
Step 4: Click Stop and save, trim the start and end if needed, and save as MP4 or WebM.
Good to know
Settings explained
- Mirror preview
- The saved video is not mirrored, so text reads correctly.
Formats
Nothing to upload — recordings are created right here and saved to your device.
How it runs
- Built-in browser features
- Uses standard browser features only — nothing extra to download.
- Hardware video engine
- Video is decoded and encoded by your device’s media hardware through WebCodecs — usually several times faster than real time.
Which resolution to record at
The recorder asks your camera for a widescreen picture at the height you choose and keeps whatever the camera actually sends. It never scales a video up, so picking 1080p on a 720p laptop camera still gives you 720p.
| Setting | Requested from the camera | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | 1920×1080 | External webcams, presentations, anything you will edit or crop |
| 720p (default) | 1280×720 | Video messages and most built-in laptop cameras |
| 480p | 853×480 | Small files for email, or slow computers |
Can I use my laptop camera to record a video?
Yes. The built-in camera and microphone of a laptop appear in the Camera and Microphone lists like any USB webcam, so you can record with them straight away. If you have several, for example a laptop camera and an external webcam, or a headset as well as the laptop mic, pick each one separately.
On a phone, this page can switch between the front and back cameras, which is handy on a tablet or a phone without a good camera app.
Do webcams have built-in microphones?
Most do. Laptop cameras sit next to one or more built-in microphones, and most USB webcams include a microphone too; it shows up in the Microphone list under the webcam’s name. A headset or a desk microphone closer to your mouth usually sounds clearer. The recorder applies the browser’s echo cancellation and noise suppression to whichever mic you choose, and if no microphone can be opened, it records video only and tells you.
Why the preview is mirrored but the video is not
People expect to see themselves as in a mirror, so the preview is flipped. Viewers expect the opposite, so the saved video is recorded the right way round: a book or a T-shirt slogan reads correctly. Turn off Mirror preview if the flipped view confuses you; the recording does not change either way.
Record webcam video on Windows 11, Mac or a phone
Windows 10 and 11
The Camera app has a video mode too. Use this page when you want to pick the microphone, trim the ends and save a compact MP4 in one go.
Mac
Photo Booth and QuickTime Player (File → New Movie Recording) record the camera. This recorder runs in Safari or Chrome and saves MP4 directly.
Phone or tablet
Open the page in Chrome or Safari, allow the camera and choose the front or back camera from the list.
Tips & troubleshooting
Check your picture and light before an important recording with the webcam test: it shows the real resolution and frame rate.
Need your screen and your face in one video? The screen recorder has a webcam bubble under Advanced settings.
Want a clean or blurred background? Record first, then run the clip through the video background remover.
Recorded mirrored text by mistake, for example from another app? Flip video turns it the right way round.
Webcam / Video Recorder FAQ
How do I record a video online for free?
Open this page, allow your camera and microphone, click Record and then Stop and save. You can trim the ends and save MP4 or WebM. There is no sign-up, no watermark and no limit on how many videos you make.
How long can a webcam recording be?
No fixed limit. In Chrome, Edge and Firefox the video is written to your device’s storage while you record, so only free disk space limits it. Safari keeps it in memory, so very long recordings are better split there.
Why is my webcam recording dark or choppy?
Cameras lengthen their exposure in low light, which lowers the frame rate and adds noise. Face a window or a lamp, close other apps that use the camera, and choose 720p instead of 1080p on older laptops.
Can I record with a virtual or blurred background?
Not live. Record normally, then remove or replace the background afterwards with the video background remover, which also runs on your device.
Is my webcam video uploaded?
No. Your camera and microphone are captured by your browser and written to a file on your device; nothing is streamed. The file is temporary until you download it: a new recording, or reopening a recorder, deletes it.