The problem with most screen recorders
Screen recording should be simple. You press a button, it records, you get a file. But most tools make that surprisingly difficult.
The big names — Loom, Screencastify, Camtasia — all require you to install an app or extension before you can do anything. That's fine if you're going to use them every day. But if you just need to record something once, right now, downloading and setting up software is annoying.
The browser-based alternatives usually have a different problem: they upload your recording to their servers. You record your screen, they store it in the cloud, you get a shareable link. That model works well for sharing, but it means your video — whatever was on your screen — is sitting on a stranger's infrastructure. For anything work-related, confidential, or just private, that's not great.
There's also the sign-up wall. "Create a free account to download your recording." You recorded something, and now you need an email address to get it back.
The browser's built-in screen capture API (getDisplayMedia) has been available in Chrome since 2018. You don't need an extension or app to use it — any webpage can ask for screen access. The recording itself never has to leave your device.
How to record your screen in 3 steps
Open the GetPlugzz Screen Recorder in your browser. No account needed, no extension to install.
Choose your settings
Pick your format (WebM or MP4), audio preference, and quality level. These take about five seconds to set and you won't need to touch them again.
Click Start Recording — choose what to share
Your browser will ask what you want to share: your entire screen, a specific window, or a single browser tab. Pick the one that makes sense, click Share, and the recording starts immediately.
Stop and download
Click Stop when you're done. The file is ready instantly — preview it in the browser if you want, then download it. The file goes straight to your device. Nothing is sent anywhere.
That's the whole process. From opening the page to having a file on your desktop takes about 30 seconds of setup.
WebM or MP4 — which should you choose
The tool gives you two format options. Here's when to use each one.
WebM is the default, and it's the safer choice for most situations. It's recorded directly by Chrome with no conversion, which means it starts faster and is more reliable. The file size is smaller for the same quality. The downside: some older video players and Windows apps don't handle WebM as well as MP4.
MP4 is the more universally compatible format. If you're sharing the recording with someone who might open it in Windows Media Player, embed it in a presentation, or upload it somewhere that expects MP4 — use this. Note that not all browsers support MP4 recording natively; the tool will show you if it's available in yours.
Quick rule
If you're keeping the file for yourself or uploading it to YouTube — WebM is fine. If you're sending it to someone else or need it to work in a specific app — use MP4.
Low, Medium, High — what quality to pick
Quality controls the video bitrate — essentially how much detail is preserved per second of recording. Higher quality means a sharper video and a larger file.
- Low (2 Mbps) — Good for recordings where content barely moves: presentations, walking through a document, explaining a UI. File sizes stay small and the quality is perfectly fine for that kind of content.
- Medium (5 Mbps) — The default, and the right choice for most things. Smooth motion, clear text, reasonable file size. Start here unless you have a specific reason not to.
- High (10 Mbps) — Use this when sharpness really matters: recording a tutorial where viewers will pause to read small text, demo videos for a product page, or anything you'll upload publicly. The files are larger but the difference is visible on a good screen.
For comparison: YouTube recommends 8 Mbps for a 1080p upload. OBS Studio defaults to 2.5 Mbps for local recordings. Medium sits between the two — good quality without bloated files.
Recording with microphone audio
Switch the Audio toggle to Microphone and the tool will ask for access to your mic before starting. Any built-in laptop microphone, headset, or USB microphone will work — whatever your operating system sees as the default audio input.
A few practical notes:
- The microphone permission is separate from the screen share permission. Your browser will ask for both.
- If you're recording in a noisy environment, position yourself closer to the microphone than you think you need to. Screen recordings with quiet, muffled audio are much harder to watch than ones with background noise.
- If the browser denies the microphone permission, you'll get a clear message. Go to the address bar, click the lock/camera icon, and allow microphone access for the page.
Ready to record?
No install. No account. No uploads. Your recording stays on your device.
Open Screen Recorder →When this is the right tool
This is a straightforward screen recorder. It does one thing well: records your screen, gives you a file, and keeps everything on your device. That makes it the right tool for a specific set of situations:
- Bug reports. "Here's exactly what's happening" is more useful than a written description. Record the issue, send the file.
- Quick how-to videos. Showing a colleague how something works in 90 seconds beats writing a five-paragraph explanation.
- Product demos. Record a walkthrough before a call, so you're not relying on a live demo going smoothly.
- Anything you want to keep private. If you're recording something sensitive — internal systems, personal data, financial information — tools that upload to the cloud are a risk. This one isn't.
- Quick captures with no setup time. Open the page, record, close the page. Nothing installed, nothing to configure.
It's not the right tool if you need to edit your recording, add captions, create GIFs from clips, or collaborate on video. For those use cases, something like CapCut or DaVinci Resolve will serve you better.
But for capturing something quickly without bureaucracy — it's hard to beat.