No upload, 100% local, no account

Webcam recorder

Record your camera and microphone, preview it, and download the video. Everything stays on your device.

How Webcam recorder works

Webcam recorder captures your camera and microphone using the browser's getUserMedia API and assembles the footage locally into a WebM video, no server, no upload. Grant the permission once, record, preview, and download. The video stream is encoded by MediaRecorder running in your browser tab, so your face and voice never leave your device while recording.

Before anything is recorded, the live preview shows exactly what the camera sees, so you can fix the framing and lighting first. Recording adds a visible timer and pause/resume controls, useful for multi-part takes without editing afterwards, and ends with an in-page playback to review the result before saving. Files download under a timestamped name (webcam-2026-07-01-09-30-05.webm) in WebM with the VP9 or VP8 codec; Safari and other browsers without WebM support save MP4 instead. Because the footage accumulates in the tab's memory, very long sessions on a low-RAM device are the practical limit, and closing the tab discards an unsaved take.

Written by Bastien Sulyan

How to use Webcam recorder, step by step

  1. Click Allow when prompted by the browser to grant camera and microphone access.
  2. Confirm the video preview appears. Adjust the camera if needed.
  3. Click Record. The indicator shows the recording is active.
  4. Click Stop when you have finished. A playback preview appears at once.
  5. Review the clip using the built-in player.
  6. Click Download to save the WebM file to your device.

Common use cases

  • Recording a short video message or pitch without uploading to a cloud platform.
  • Capturing a selfie video for a job application or introduction.
  • Making a practice run of a presentation to review your delivery and body language.
  • Creating a quick video note to share privately with colleagues.

Frequently asked questions

Does my webcam footage get sent to any server?

No. The camera and microphone streams from getUserMedia flow directly into MediaRecorder, which encodes them into chunks held in your browser tab's memory. When you stop, those chunks are assembled into a Blob and offered as a local download. No video or audio data ever reaches Sunasty or any external server. Open DevTools in your browser, go to the Network tab, start recording and observe: you will see no outbound request carrying your footage.

What video format is produced?

A WebM file, using VP9 or VP8 for video and Opus for audio, on most browsers. Safari may produce an MP4/M4A instead, depending on the version. The exact container is determined by what MediaRecorder.isTypeSupported() reports on your device.

Do I need to install anything?

Nothing. The tool uses the browser's built-in MediaRecorder and getUserMedia APIs, which ship with all modern desktop and mobile browsers. No plugins, no apps, no extensions.

Can I use an external USB camera or a capture card?

Yes. If your operating system recognizes the device, the browser's getUserMedia dialog will list it alongside your built-in webcam. Select the external source in the drop-down (if the tool offers one) or set it as the default camera in your OS settings.

What is the maximum recording length?

There is no cap imposed externally. The limit is your available browser tab memory: compressed video chunks accumulate as you record. Most machines handle 20-30 minutes at moderate resolution without trouble. For longer sessions, stop and save periodically.

Is the webcam recorder free, and is an account needed?

It is free and requires no sign-up. No watermarks are applied to your video. Files are saved only to your device and nothing is retained by Sunasty.