CREATOR ACADEMY / RECORDING AUDIO

How to record your screen with sound

Capture your voice and the sound from a shared tab or app on purpose: choose the right source, turn on the browser's audio option and test both before the real take.

5 min read · Reviewed 18 October 2026 · Creator Recorder

Record with sound

The short answer

Select your microphone, then in the browser's screen picker choose what to share and turn on its audio option when one is offered. Record a short test with a spoken sentence and a source sound, download it and listen before the real take.

Your voice and the computer's sound are two separate sources. Hearing a video through your speakers does not prove the browser is capturing it, and a working microphone says nothing about tab sound. Test each one.

1. Decide which sounds the video needs

Most tutorials need your voice and nothing else. Add computer sound only when the video depends on it: a clip you are reviewing, an app with meaningful audio feedback or a demo with sound you have permission to use.

Skip source sound when it is optional. Every extra source is another thing to test, and background music or app pings can distract from the explanation. Close private tabs and silence notifications before you share a whole screen.

2. Set up sound in Creator Recorder

Open the Studio and pick a recording mode that includes your screen.
Allow microphone access and select the microphone you will actually use.
Start the screen choice. In the browser's picker, choose a tab, a window or your whole screen.
Turn on the picker's audio option when one is offered, such as Share tab audio. Creator Recorder asks the browser to include sound where the browser supports it; the choice and consent stay with the browser.
Check the countdown, then record.

Creator Recorder mixes the microphone and the captured screen sound into the video's single audio track, so the test below covers the exact balance your viewers will hear.

3. Know what the browser can capture

Sharing a browser tab is the most reliable way to capture computer sound in Chrome or Edge: the picker offers audio for that tab only. Sharing an application window or the whole screen offers different audio choices that depend on your browser, operating system and version.

MDN's screen-capture documentation explains that audio support differs between browsers and sources. Do not assume a checkbox on someone else's computer exists on yours, and do not route speaker sound through the microphone as a substitute: it adds echo and room noise.

If the sound you need cannot be captured by your browser, record clear narration instead or add the clip in an editor later. Check what the test recording actually contains before deciding.

4. Keep your voice clear next to computer sound

Keep the microphone a steady distance from your mouth and speak at the volume you will teach at. Play source sound at a modest level so it supports the explanation rather than covering it.

Wear headphones when a shared tab plays sound. Speaker playback reaching the microphone records the same sound twice, slightly delayed, which viewers hear as echo. The microphone setup guide covers placement and input choice.

5. Test, then record the real take

Record fifteen to twenty seconds: say a normal sentence while the source is quiet.
Stop speaking and play a short permitted source sound.
Stop, download the test and listen with headphones.
Confirm the voice and the source sound separately, then record the real take in the same sitting.

If either part is missing from the saved file, work through the no-sound troubleshooting guide before repeating the full recording. Change one setting at a time and retest.

Sound checklist

Correct microphone selected and sampled.
Right source chosen in the picker: tab, window or screen.
Browser audio option turned on where offered.
Headphones on if the source plays sound.
Notifications silenced and private tabs closed.
Test file downloaded and both sounds confirmed.

Common questions

Can I record computer sound without narration?

Yes. Turn on the picker's audio option and simply do not speak. The recording keeps the captured tab or app sound. Check the saved test file, because silent narration is not proof the source sound was captured.

Are voice and tab sound mixed into one track?

Yes. Creator Recorder mixes the microphone and captured screen sound into the video's single audio track. Balance them in the test recording, because they cannot be separated in the downloaded file.

Why is there no audio option in my picker?

The options depend on the browser, operating system and the source you chose. Try sharing a single browser tab, which is the most widely supported route for computer sound, and update your browser.

Will notification sounds be recorded?

They can be when you share a whole screen with system sound. Silence notifications and close apps you do not need before recording. A shared tab captures only that tab's sound.

Sources and related guides

Creator Recorder's capture and audio-mixing code was verified in the product source on 18 October 2026. Browser audio support was cross-checked against MDN's getDisplayMedia documentation the same day. Browser labels and support can change, so confirm on your own device.