Capture the audio playing in your Chrome tabs — meeting voices, webinar sound, app audio — alongside auto-zoom and click highlights. No virtual audio drivers needed.
Understanding the difference is key to getting the right audio in your recordings.
Source: Your physical microphone or headset
Captures: Your voice narration
Best for: Tutorials, async messages, walkthroughs
Note: Cannot capture sounds from your computer
Source: Chrome tab or shared window
Captures: All sound playing in the shared tab
Best for: Meeting recordings, webinars, app demos with sound
Note: Requires sharing a tab or window with audio enabled
Source: Mic + tab audio simultaneously
Captures: Your voice and computer sounds mixed together
Best for: Narrated meeting replays, live commentary on videos
Note: Use headphones to avoid echo
Chrome extensions use the browser's built-in tab capture API. Here's what happens when you hit record.
Open Zumie and start a new recording.
Chrome asks what to share. Select "Chrome Tab" for system audio.
Check the "Share audio" checkbox at the bottom of the dialog.
Zumie captures the tab's video and audio stream together.
Chrome's screen sharing API only includes audio when you share a specific tab. Sharing your entire screen or an app window captures video only — no audio. This is a browser-level limitation, not a Zumie limitation. Always pick "Chrome Tab" if you need system audio.
Microphone recording is enough for narrating your own actions. But these use cases specifically require system audio capture.
Record Google Meet, Zoom, or Teams meetings happening in your browser tab. System audio captures every participant's voice, presentation audio, and shared content sound.
Save live webinars, online lectures, and training sessions with their original audio intact. Review key moments later without relying on the host to share a recording.
Record software that plays audio — music apps, video editors, notification sounds, or any web app with audio feedback. System audio captures exactly what the app plays.
Record a walkthrough of a presentation that includes embedded videos or audio clips. System audio ensures the client hears everything exactly as intended.
Not every Chrome screen recorder supports system audio. Here's how the most popular options compare.
| Recorder | System Audio | Mic Audio | Both | Auto-Zoom | Free Plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zumie(You are here) | |||||
| Loom | |||||
| Screencastify | |||||
| Awesome Screenshot | |||||
| Nimbus Capture |
System audio not working? These are the most common problems and how to fix them.
When Chrome prompts you to choose what to share, select a Chrome Tab (not Entire Screen). Make sure the 'Share audio' checkbox at the bottom of the dialog is checked. Entire Screen sharing does not include system audio on most operating systems.
Grant microphone permission to the Zumie extension. Click the extension icon, go to settings, and verify the correct microphone device is selected. Check that no other app is exclusively using your microphone.
This happens when your speakers play audio that your microphone picks up again. Use headphones while recording with both mic and system audio to eliminate the feedback loop.
Close unnecessary tabs and applications to free up system resources. Audio sync issues are usually caused by high CPU usage during recording. Zumie's lightweight design minimizes this, but a heavily loaded system can still cause drift.
System audio captures sound only from the tab or window you chose to share. Make sure you select the correct tab in Chrome's sharing dialog. If you need audio from a different tab, stop and re-share the correct one.
Check the volume level in the tab you're recording. If it's a meeting, ask participants to speak up or increase their volume. The recorded audio level matches whatever volume the tab is outputting — your system volume slider doesn't affect tab audio capture.
Microphone audio captures sound from your physical mic — your voice narration. System audio (also called tab audio or internal audio) captures the sound playing from your computer, like meeting participants' voices, video playback, or app sounds. You can record either one or both simultaneously.
Yes, Chrome extensions can capture audio from a shared Chrome tab using the browser's built-in tab audio sharing API. When you start recording and choose to share a tab, Chrome gives the extension access to that tab's audio stream. This works on Windows, Mac, and ChromeOS.
This is a browser limitation. Chrome's screen sharing API only provides audio when you share a specific Chrome tab — not when sharing your entire screen or an application window. To capture system audio, always choose 'Chrome Tab' in the sharing dialog.
No. Tab audio capture only records sound from the specific Chrome tab you choose to share. Other tabs, desktop apps, and system notification sounds won't be included. This is actually a benefit — your recording stays clean without unwanted notification dings.
No. Zumie uses Chrome's built-in tab audio sharing — no virtual audio drivers, no system extensions, no complicated setup. Just install the Chrome extension, click record, and check 'Share audio' when selecting your tab.
Yes. Open the meeting in a Chrome tab, start Zumie, and share that tab with audio enabled. Zumie will capture all participants' voices and any shared content audio. Add your microphone to include your own voice too.
Record your screen with system audio, auto-zoom, and click highlights. No drivers to install, no complicated setup.