Missing screen capture selector? How to investigate

You start a screen recording, but the screen, window, or tab selector never appears. Or the recording tool opens but gives you no way to choose what to share. The cause could be the browser, an operating system permission, or the page where you opened the tool.

Use the Browser Info tool to check browser features, then try a real capture request in the Screen Recorder. This helps you narrow down where the selector is getting blocked.

Check whether the selector appears

1. Open Browser Info in the browser where the problem occurs. Review the supported features and permissions for any indication of screen sharing or display capture. Names and details vary by browser.
2. Open Screen Recorder in a regular desktop browser tab. Request a screen recording. The browser should open its own picker for choosing a screen, window, or tab. It is separate from the TooLab page.
3. If the picker appears, choose one source and allow sharing. Stop the test after confirming that the preview or recording starts. Do not share private information.
4. If nothing appears, repeat the request in a new tab at the TooLab website address, rather than inside an app's built-in browser, an embedded frame, or a remote desktop window.
5. Try another up-to-date desktop browser on the same computer. Note which browser you used, whether the picker opened, and any message shown on the page.

Screen Recorder does not work on phones. If you are testing on a phone or tablet, repeat the check on a computer before treating the missing selector as a fault.

What the result means

The picker opens in another browser

Your computer can provide a screen source, but the first browser may not support the feature in that version, may have a policy blocking it, or may be affected by an extension. Update the affected browser and check whether it is managed by a school or workplace.

The picker opens, but a screen or window is missing

The request reached the browser, so this is different from a selector that never opens. The operating system may not be allowing the browser to capture that source, or the source may be unavailable in the current desktop session. Try sharing a browser tab or a different window to compare.

The selector appears, but the recording does not start

You have confirmed that the browser can show its picker. Check that you selected a source and allowed sharing, then return to the page. If it still does not record, reload the page and test again without extensions that manage privacy, tabs, or screen capture.

No browser shows a selector

Look at operating system permissions and any device or organization restrictions next. A Browser Info result can describe browser support, but it cannot override an operating system setting or prove that a managed computer permits capture.

How to fix it

1. Use a desktop browser tab. Open the tool directly in a current desktop version of Chrome, Edge, Firefox, or another browser with screen capture support. An embedded browser in a messaging app may not provide the same features.
2. Reload and request capture again. Close the recorder tab, open a fresh one, and make a new request. Screen sharing is usually approved for each request, so an earlier camera or microphone permission does not grant it.
3. Check macOS screen capture permission. On macOS, open System Settings › Privacy & Security › Screen & System Audio Recording. On older versions, the setting may be called Screen Recording. Enable the browser if it is listed, then quit and reopen the browser before trying again. The browser may not appear in the list until it has requested capture.
4. Check Windows privacy controls if available. On Windows 11, open Settings › Privacy & security › Screen capture and windowing if that page is present on your version. Check the available capture controls. On a work or school computer, an administrator may block screen capture through policy.
5. Update the browser. Install its available update, close every browser window, then reopen the page. Use Browser Info again to see whether the reported browser version changed.
6. Test without extensions. Open a private or incognito window, if your browser allows the screen capture feature there, or temporarily disable extensions that change permissions or block page features. Private browsing is only a comparison test, not a fix by itself.
7. Restart the computer. This can clear a stuck capture session or a permission change that has not taken effect. If the selector remains missing in multiple browsers, check with your device administrator or operating system support.

Why the picker is different from a site permission

Camera and microphone access are often listed as website permissions. Screen capture works differently: the browser asks you to choose what to share, and the available choices come from the browser and operating system. You may not find a simple setting that permanently grants a website access to every screen.

A page can also be prevented from requesting capture when it is embedded or restricted by its hosting page. That is why opening the tool directly in its own browser tab is a useful test. If capture works there but not in an embedded version, the issue is likely with the page or its restrictions rather than the display.

The Screen Recorder runs in your browser. Nothing you record is uploaded.