Black recorded window on a two-monitor setup? Fixes

Your recording shows the desktop, but one window is black. Or the window looks fine while you work, then turns black in the finished clip. On a two-monitor setup, the capture source, browser permissions, display arrangement, or protected video can cause this.

First test the same window using a different capture source. The Screen Recorder can record a screen, window, or browser tab, so you can narrow down where the black image begins.

Test the window with different capture sources

1. Open the Screen Recorder and choose to record a screen, window, or tab.
2. In the browser's sharing picker, choose the monitor that contains the window, then start a short test recording.
3. If the window is still black, repeat the test by choosing that window directly. If it is a browser page, try sharing its tab instead.
4. Play back each recording. Check whether the black area follows the app window, the monitor, or only one video or image inside the window.

Keep the test short and use a harmless page or document. Do not capture private messages or sensitive work just to troubleshoot.

What the result means

The whole recording is black

The browser may not have permission to capture the screen, or the share selection may not have started correctly. On macOS, screen recording permission is a common cause. On Windows, make sure you selected a real screen or window in the browser's sharing picker, then try again.

One app window is black, but the rest of the monitor appears

The problem is likely tied to that app's rendering or the way the browser captures it. Try capturing the full monitor instead of the individual window. If the app is playing protected video, the black area may be intentional, and changing the capture source will not remove that restriction.

One monitor is black, including the desktop

Check which display you selected. The browser's picker may show multiple screens with similar previews, especially if the monitors have matching layouts. Confirm the display arrangement in system settings and test each screen separately.

The window is black only in the saved recording

The live sharing preview and the finished recording do not always behave the same way. Try a different capture source and make a short test recording after each change. If only a hardware-accelerated app is affected, its rendering method may not work well with that browser's capture path.

How to fix it

1. Choose the correct monitor or window. Start a new capture and select the screen where the window is visible. If you are recording one app, try selecting the whole screen instead. For a browser page, tab capture can work better than window capture.
2. Check the display arrangement. In Windows 11, open Settings › System › Display, select Identify to see the screen numbers, and confirm the displays are set to Extend these displays if you want separate desktops. On a Mac, open System Settings › Displays and check the arrangement so you know which screen contains the window.
3. Allow screen recording on a Mac. Open System Settings › Privacy & Security › Screen & System Audio Recording and allow your browser. The exact setting name can vary by macOS version. Quit and reopen the browser after changing access, then start a fresh recording.
4. Restart the browser and release the window. Close other screen-sharing or recording apps, reload the TooLab page, and try again. If the window is minimized, hidden behind another window, or moving between monitors, bring it forward and keep it visible during the test.
5. Test hardware acceleration as a diagnostic. If only one ordinary app window is black, temporarily turn off hardware acceleration in the browser's settings, restart the browser, and make another short test. If the result gets worse, turn acceleration back on. This will not bypass protected video restrictions.

Why protected video may stay black

Some streaming services and other protected-content apps prevent their video from being captured. The browser or operating system may show a black rectangle in the recording even though the video plays normally on screen. This is a content restriction, not proof that either monitor or the recorder is broken.

To tell the difference, record a regular desktop window on the same monitor. If that appears correctly but the protected video does not, your screen capture is working as expected. Use the service's own permitted download or viewing options instead of trying to record the protected picture.

Screen Recorder works in your browser. Nothing you record is uploaded.