What people record with a webcam
A webcam recorder is the quickest way to make a short personal video without a camera or an editing program. Common uses are video messages to family or colleagues, a short introduction for a job application, homework and class presentations, language practice, a customer testimonial, a vlog or a reply to a question from your audience. The video is recorded on your device and saved in your browser, so nothing is sent to a server.
Background, filters and mirror
Not everyone wants to show their room. In the Background section you can choose:
- Original: the normal camera picture.
- Blur: a soft background with an adjustable strength, like in video calls.
- Colour: a plain colour behind you, for example green, so you can replace it later in an editor.
- Image: any picture of your own, such as an office, a classroom or your brand colours.
An AI model finds the person in each frame directly on your device. It is downloaded once when you first choose a background effect. It works best with good light, a plain wall and some distance between you and the background; hair edges and fast hand moves can look less exact.
Filters and mirror
Seven colour filters change the mood of the whole picture: Vivid, Warm, Cool, Bright, Fade, B&W and Sepia. Choose None to keep the natural colours. Mirror flips the image left to right. Most people prefer it while they talk, because the picture then moves like a mirror. Keep in mind that text on a shirt or a sign behind you then reads backwards in the recording.
Recording settings
| Setting | Options |
|---|---|
| Resolution | 1080p, 720p or 480p |
| Frame rate | 30 or 60 fps |
| Quality | Best, High or Medium |
| Countdown | Off, 3, 5 or 10 seconds |
| Format | MP4 (H.264) or WebM |
Many built-in laptop cameras deliver only 720p, and some reach 60 fps only in good light. If you pick a higher value, the camera uses the best it can. MP4 plays on every phone, computer and social network.
Tips for a better webcam video
- Face a window or a lamp. Light from behind turns your face dark.
- Put the camera at eye level, for example on a few books, and look into the lens rather than at the screen.
- Watch the microphone level meter: it should move clearly while you talk but not stay at the top.
- Record a five-second test, play it back, and only then record the real take.
- Use the countdown to get ready, and pause between parts instead of starting a new file.
- Wear plain clothes. Very fine stripes and small checks can flicker on a webcam, and a background effect finds your outline more easily against a calm colour.
After recording
Every take is kept in the list until you delete it, even if the tab or the browser closes during the recording. Cut the start and end in the built-in trim view. For more editing, use Trim Video, add captions with Add Subtitles, or change the background of a finished clip with Remove Background. To capture your screen with your face in a corner, use the screen recorder.