Why system audio capture varies by browser and OS

Your screen recording shows the video, but the sound is missing. Or it captures a browser tab in one browser and stays silent when you share the whole screen in another. This does not always mean your speakers or microphone are broken. Browser support, the type of screen you share, and operating system permissions can all affect what gets recorded.

Use the Screen Recorder to compare a tab, a window, and a screen on the same device. The checks below help you identify whether the difference comes from the capture source, browser, or system settings.

Compare audio capture in your browser

1. Open the Screen Recorder in the browser you want to test. Choose to record a browser tab, a window, or a screen, depending on what the browser offers.
2. When the browser opens its sharing picker, select one source and check whether it offers an option to include audio. The available choices and wording depend on the browser and operating system.
3. Start a short recording of something that is already playing sound, such as a video in the selected tab. Keep its volume at a normal, audible level.
4. Stop the recording and play it back. Check whether the picture and system sound both appear. If you enabled the microphone, listen for that separately too.
5. Repeat with a different source, such as the full screen instead of the tab. If possible, repeat the same test in another browser without changing the operating system sound settings.

Use the same sound and playback volume for each attempt. A tab recording and a full-screen recording are different tests, so do not assume a result from one source applies to the others.

What the result means

Tab audio records, but full-screen audio does not

The browser can capture sound from that tab, but may not support capturing system audio from the whole screen in the same way. This is a capture-source difference, not proof that your computer's audio output is faulty. For browser video or other web content, recording the tab is often the most reliable option when it is available.

Your microphone records, but playback from the computer does not

The microphone and system sound are separate audio sources. Hearing your voice in the recording proves only that microphone capture worked. Check the browser's sharing options for audio from the selected source, then try a tab that is actively playing sound.

One browser captures sound and another does not

Browsers can use different capture features and can present different sharing choices. Their versions and the operating system also matter. If the same source works in one browser but not another, first check the second browser's picker and permissions, then update or restart that browser.

No audio records from any source

Confirm that the sound is playing through the device you are recording, that the playback is not muted, and that the sharing picker offers audio for that source. If the microphone was meant to record your voice, test it separately with the Microphone Test. A working microphone does not confirm system-audio capture.

How to fix missing system audio

1. Choose the right capture source. For sound playing in a website, share that browser tab if it is offered. To record audio from several apps or the whole desktop, use a screen or window option only if your browser and OS offer audio for it.
2. Check the sharing picker each time. Some pickers show an audio option only for certain sources. Select the source first, then look for an option to include its sound before starting the recording. Do not assume the microphone option captures computer playback.
3. Check the computer's output device. On Windows 11, open Settings › System › Sound and confirm the intended device is selected under Output. On macOS, open System Settings › Sound › Output and choose the device that should play the sound. This checks where sound is playing, but does not add system-audio capture support to a browser that lacks it.
4. Review macOS recording permission. Open System Settings › Privacy & Security and look for Screen & System Audio Recording or Screen Recording, depending on your macOS version. Allow the browser if it appears, then quit and reopen the browser. Permission names and available controls vary by version.
5. Close other recording or meeting apps. Another app may be using the camera or microphone, or may have changed which audio device is active. Close it, reload the recorder, and test again. If you are recording your voice as well as playback, confirm the correct microphone is selected and allowed.
6. Update and restart the browser. Browser capture features change over time. Install available browser updates, restart the browser, and repeat the same short test. If one browser still cannot capture the source, use a browser and source combination that does.

Why browser and OS combinations differ

System audio capture is not the same as recording a microphone. A microphone listens to sound entering the device. System audio capture records sound the computer is playing, which may require a browser-specific capture feature and permission from the operating system.

The sharing source matters too. A browser tab can provide its own audio, while a window or full screen may rely on a different operating system capture path. Some combinations offer audio capture and others do not. A browser may also show different options on Windows and macOS, or after an OS or browser update.

On phones, the TooLab Screen Recorder is not supported. On a computer, the Screen Recorder runs in the browser and can record the screen, a window, or a tab with sound, microphone, and camera when those options are supported and permitted. Recordings stay on your device, and nothing you record is uploaded.