Tab capture switches to the wrong view: what to do

You start recording one browser tab, but the video shows another page, the recorder itself, or a view that seems to change when you switch tabs. This is often a source-selection issue, not a fault with the recording.

The browser decides which tab, window, or screen to share. Use the Screen Recorder to test the capture, then choose the source that matches what you want viewers to see.

Choose and test the right tab

1. Open the Screen Recorder in one tab, then open the page you want to record in a separate tab. Leave the page visible and check its title.
2. Start a recording in the tool. When your browser opens its sharing picker, choose the option for a browser tab, not a window or the entire screen.
3. Select the tab with the page you want to show. If several tabs have similar titles, check the page itself and which browser window it belongs to before sharing.
4. If you need tab audio, enable the browser's tab-audio option in the sharing picker when it is available. The wording and options vary by browser.
5. Make a short test recording, stop it, and play it back. Check that it shows the intended page before recording anything longer.

The browser's sharing picker is separate from the recorder, so its layout and labels can differ. If the choices are unclear, cancel and start again rather than guessing.

What the recording shows

It keeps showing the selected tab after you click another tab

This is usually expected. Tab capture records the tab you selected in the sharing picker, not whichever tab you are currently looking at. You can browse elsewhere while the original tab remains the captured source. To record a demonstration that moves between tabs, capture the browser window instead.

It shows the recorder or another page from the start

The wrong source was probably selected. If you chose a browser tab, you may have picked the tab containing the recorder rather than the content. If you chose a window or screen, the recording may include more than the page you intended.

The captured page changes when its content changes

A tab recording follows that tab. If you navigate to another page in the same tab, or the page updates its own content, the recording shows the change. This is different from switching to another browser tab.

The video is blank or partly missing

Some protected video and app content cannot be captured normally. A blank area does not necessarily mean the wrong tab was selected. Check with a regular webpage first, then check whether the content or app blocks screen capture.

How to fix the wrong view

1. Restart the capture. Stop the current recording and open the browser's sharing picker again. Select the source from scratch, because the recorder cannot change which tab the browser is sharing once capture has begun.
2. Check the tab title and browser window. Open the page you want to record before starting. If you have multiple browser windows, look for the correct one and confirm the page preview before you share it.
3. Use window capture to show several tabs. Choose the browser window if the recording needs to follow you as you move between tabs. This can also show browser controls, notifications, and other content in that window, so close anything private first.
4. Use full-screen capture only when needed. Choose the whole screen if you need to show more than one window or an action outside the browser. It records other visible activity too, so close private documents and notifications before you begin.
5. Allow screen recording on a Mac. In macOS, open System Settings › Privacy & Security › Screen & System Audio Recording and allow your browser. The name can differ on older macOS versions. Quit and reopen the browser after changing access, then test again.
6. Try a fresh browser window. Close duplicate tabs or windows with similar page titles, reopen the intended page, and start a new capture. This makes it easier to identify the correct source in the picker.

On Windows 11, standard desktop browsers usually let you choose the tab, window, or screen in the browser's sharing picker. If the picker is missing or capture fails, reload the page and try an up-to-date browser. The Screen Recorder does not work on phones.

Why the view can seem to switch

Tab capture and window capture behave differently. A tab source stays tied to that tab even when you switch your attention to another one. A window source follows the browser window, so it can show whichever tab is active in that window. Full-screen capture follows the display and can show changes in any visible app.

Also check whether the video actually changes, or whether you are only seeing a different page on your own screen while the recorder continues to capture the original tab. A short playback test is the simplest way to tell.

The Screen Recorder runs in your browser. Nothing you record is uploaded, and recordings stay on your device.