Learn how to record your screen with microphone audio, system audio, or both. Step-by-step guide for Chrome — no desktop software required.
Screen recordings without audio are like presentations without a speaker — technically complete, but missing everything that makes them useful. Whether you need voice narration for a tutorial, system audio to capture what's playing in the browser, or both for a full demo, getting audio right is the difference between a recording people watch and one they skip. Here's how to get it right every time.
Follow these steps for the best results.
Add Zumie from the Chrome Web Store. It installs in seconds and works immediately — no account required. Zumie captures both microphone and system audio natively, so you don't need extra software or audio routing tools.
Before recording, make sure Chrome can access your microphone. Click the Zumie icon and check the audio settings. You'll see options for microphone input and system audio. If Chrome asks for microphone permission, click Allow. If you're using an external mic or headset, verify it's selected as the input device.
Zumie lets you record microphone audio (your voice), system audio (sounds from your computer and browser), or both at the same time. For tutorials and walkthroughs, enable your microphone. For capturing web app sounds, music, or video playback, enable system audio. For product demos, enable both.
Choose between tab recording (current browser tab only) or full screen (your entire display). Tab recording is recommended for most cases — it's cleaner and focuses on what matters. If you need to show multiple applications, use full screen.
Click record and start talking naturally. You don't need to project or speak differently than a normal conversation. Zumie captures your audio alongside the screen recording, and the auto-zoom effects follow your cursor to keep the visual side professional too.
After recording, play back the video to check that your audio came through clearly. Make sure both your voice and any system sounds are at a good volume. Once you're satisfied, copy the shareable link and send it — recipients can watch and hear everything in their browser.
Level up your results with these expert techniques.
If you enable both microphone and system audio, your mic might pick up the system sounds from your speakers, creating an echo. Using headphones or a headset eliminates this by keeping system audio out of your microphone.
Don't just silently click through screens. Say what you're doing and why: "I'm clicking on Settings because we need to change the notification preferences." This context makes recordings dramatically more useful than just screen movement with clicks.
Close windows, mute Slack notifications, and pick a quiet spot. Background noise is the #1 thing that makes screen recordings feel unprofessional. Even a few seconds of effort here makes a big difference.
If you're recording a web application that plays sounds (notification chimes, video content, music), make sure system audio is enabled. This captures the authentic experience of using the app, not just the visuals.
Chrome requires explicit permission for microphone access. If you see a blocked microphone icon in the address bar, click it and allow access. Without this, your recording will have no voice audio even if the mic toggle is on in Zumie.
There's nothing worse than recording a 10-minute walkthrough only to discover your mic wasn't working. Do a quick 10-second test recording, play it back, and verify everything sounds good before starting the real thing.
System audio is captured at whatever volume your system is set to. If your volume is at 10%, the audio in the recording will be barely audible. Set your system volume to a comfortable level before recording — around 50-70% usually works well.
Slack pings, email notifications, and calendar alerts all get captured in system audio. Turn on Do Not Disturb mode or mute notifications before recording to keep your audio clean and professional.
Watch how Zumie's auto-zoom and click highlights transform a basic screen recording into a polished, professional video.
Yes. Zumie supports recording both simultaneously. This is ideal for product demos where you want to narrate while also capturing app sounds.
Check three things: (1) Chrome has microphone permission enabled for Zumie, (2) the correct microphone is selected in Zumie's settings, and (3) system audio is toggled on if you need computer sounds. A quick test recording before the real one catches these issues.
Yes. When you record a specific tab, Zumie can capture the audio playing in that tab (system audio) as well as your microphone. This works for YouTube videos, web apps with sound, music sites, and more.
Zumie is designed for screen recording with audio. If you need audio-only, you can record with Zumie and extract the audio track in any video editor. For most use cases though, having the screen recording alongside audio is more useful.
Any microphone works — your laptop's built-in mic, a USB headset, or an external mic. For the best quality, a USB headset or external mic is recommended, but built-in microphones on modern laptops are decent for screen recording narration.
Install Zumie for free and create your first professional recording in minutes. No signup, no credit card, no commitment.
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