How to record your screen without software

Step by step

1. Open Screen Recorder. Go to the Screen Recorder page on PlumPDF, on a computer.
2. Choose the sound. To add your voice, tick Also record my voice from the microphone. To record the sound of the computer, tick Share audio in the browser's dialog in the next step.
3. Start recording. Press Start recording the screen. Your browser asks what to share: the whole screen, a window or a browser tab. Choose one.
4. Stop and save. When you are done, press Stop. Watch the video, then save it.
5. Trim and shrink if needed. Use Trim Video to cut the start and the end, and Compress Video if the file is too big to share.

What can I record?

When the browser asks what to share, you have three choices:

• The whole screen, to show everything you do.
• One window, so other windows and notifications stay out of the video.
• One browser tab. This is the best choice for a demo of a web page, and it can include the sound of that tab.

How do I get the sound?

There are two kinds of sound. The sound from the computer, such as a video or a tutorial playing, is shared from the browser's dialog: tick Share audio before you confirm. Your own voice comes from the microphone, and you turn it on with Also record my voice from the microphone.

The Share audio option depends on your browser and on what you share. A browser tab usually gives you the sound, while sharing a window may not. Do a short test recording first.

Which file do I get?

Chrome, Edge and Safari save an MP4, which plays almost everywhere. Firefox saves a WEBM, which plays in browsers and many players but not in every app. If you need an MP4 from a WEBM, try the video on the device where you want to use it first.

Can I record my phone screen?

Not with a website. Phones do not let websites record the screen. Use the recorder that is built into your phone instead, which is usually in the quick settings or the control centre. You can then bring that video to Trim Video or Compress Video here.

How do I trim and shrink the recording?

Most recordings have a few seconds at the start and the end that you do not want. Open Trim Video, set the start and the end and save. Screen recordings can be big, so if you need to email the video or upload it to a form, run it through Compress Video next. To turn a short part into a looping picture, use Video to GIF.

Honest limits

Recording needs a computer browser that supports screen sharing. It records only what you choose to share, and it stops if you close the tab. Be careful about what is on screen: passwords, messages and notifications can end up in the video. Keep the tab open until the file is saved.

Questions