Camera and microphone

Besides the screen, the recording bar has three buttons for what you see and hear: Camera, Microphone and Audio. OnScreen remembers your choices for the next recording.

Camera

1. Click Camera on the recording bar.
2. Pick your camera from the list. A live preview appears at the top of the menu.
3. To record without it, choose No camera.

While you record, a small live view of the camera sits at the start of the control bar. In the editor it shows up by default as a round bubble in the bottom right corner, and you can change its layout in the Camera panel.

Microphone

1. Click Microphone.
2. Pick your microphone. The green bar at the top of the menu moves as you talk. If it doesn’t move, pick another one.
3. Choose No microphone to record without your voice.

System audio

Audio turns Record system audio on or off. That’s the sound your computer plays: a video, an app, a notification. It’s on by default, so turn it off if you don’t want those sounds in the video.

How they’re saved

Each source goes in its own file inside the project folder, apart from the screen. When you use the camera and the microphone together, your voice is saved with the camera video. That’s why the Clip panel in the editor lets you set the Microphone volume and the System audio volume of each clip separately, and reduce background noise in your voice.

If you unplug a camera or a microphone, OnScreen goes back to No camera or No microphone.

Permissions on Mac

The first time the recording bar opens, macOS asks whether OnScreen may use the camera and the microphone. If you said no, turn OnScreen on in System Settings ▸ Privacy & Security ▸ Camera (or Microphone), then quit and open OnScreen again.

Next step

Learn the recording shortcuts.