How to record a software bug for tech support

When an app fails only after a particular series of clicks, a screen recording can show tech support what happened more clearly than a long description. A useful clip shows the steps leading to the problem, the error itself, and what you expected to happen.

You can make one in your browser with the Screen Recorder. It can record a screen, a window, or a browser tab, with sound, a microphone, and a camera. It works on computers, not phones.

Record the bug step by step

1. Open the Screen Recorder before you start the steps that cause the bug. Close unrelated windows and hide private information, such as email, messages, account details, or customer data.
2. Choose what to share when your browser asks: the full screen, the app window, or a browser tab. Use the smallest area that shows the problem. A tab or app window keeps unrelated activity out of the recording.
3. Decide whether sound will help. Include your microphone if you need to explain what you are doing. Include the computer's sound if the bug involves audio or a spoken error. Check the browser's sharing prompt for available sound options.
4. Start the recording, then reproduce the problem at a normal pace. Show the action immediately before the failure, wait long enough for the error to appear, and avoid clicking around after it happens. If you narrate, say what you expected and what happened instead.
5. Stop the recording after the error is clear. Play the saved clip once before sending it. Check that the error is readable, the important steps are visible, and no private information appears.

Keep the clip focused. A short recording of the steps that trigger the issue is usually easier to review than a long capture of the whole work session.

Record a browser tab

Choose a tab when the bug happens on a website and you do not need to show other apps. If the problem depends on something outside the browser, such as a file picker or another program, a tab recording may leave out the important part.

Record an app window

Choose the app window when the issue occurs in a desktop program. This keeps other open windows out of view. If the problem involves switching between apps, choose the full screen instead.

Record the full screen

Use the full screen only when the sequence crosses several windows or the app window does not show enough context. Close unrelated windows first, and check the whole recording for private information before sharing it.

Include your voice or the app's sound

Your voice can explain a step that is hard to understand from the screen alone. Computer audio helps when a sound is part of the failure. If neither adds useful evidence, leave them out. Sound sharing depends on the browser and the screen or tab you choose, so play back a short test if audio matters.

Fix a recording that is missing something

1. Share the right source. If the error or a dialog is missing, stop and start again with the full screen or the window that contains it. The browser only records the screen, window, or tab you select.
2. Allow screen sharing in the browser. When prompted, select the screen, window, or tab and confirm sharing. If the prompt does not appear, reload the page and try again. For more help, see how to check whether your browser supports screen sharing.
3. Allow microphone access if your voice is missing. On Windows 11, open Settings › Privacy & security › Microphone and turn on Microphone access and Let desktop apps access your microphone. On macOS, open System Settings › Privacy & Security › Microphone and allow your browser. Reload the page and approve the browser's microphone request.
4. Check screen recording permission on a Mac. Open System Settings › Privacy & Security › Screen & System Audio Recording, allow your browser, then quit and reopen it. The browser may ask you to share the screen again.
5. Make a shorter test clip. If the recording is blank, silent, or stops unexpectedly, record a few seconds and play it back before reproducing the whole bug. Try sharing a different window or tab, and close other screen-recording apps that may be using the same feature.

Before sending a clip, remove or trim any part that shows passwords, private messages, payment details, or information about someone else. Screen Recorder runs in your browser, and nothing you record is uploaded.