Last updated: 2026-01-15

If you’re recording from Chrome and care about quality, guests, and branding, start with StreamYard’s browser studio, which combines cloud and per-participant local recording with simple guest links and branding tools. Use desktop apps like OBS only when you need deep scene composition or low-level capture beyond what browser tools offer.

Summary

• StreamYard runs entirely in the browser, giving you a full studio for recording and live streaming without installing a desktop app. (StreamYard pricing)
• On paid plans, you can run record-only sessions, capture 4K local recordings, and get separate uncompressed 48kHz WAV audio per participant for pro-level editing. (StreamYard support)
• Lightweight Chrome extensions like Loom and Screencastify are handy for quick screen captures, but they’re limited for multi-guest shows or branded content. (Loom, Screencastify)
• OBS is a powerful free desktop option with Chrome window capture, but it demands more setup and ongoing configuration. (OBS)

What does “recording software for Chrome” actually mean?

When people search for “recording software for Chrome,” they’re usually after one of three things:

1. Record themselves plus guests, in high quality, entirely in the browser.
2. Capture a Chrome tab or the whole screen for tutorials, walkthroughs, or demos.
3. Run long-form shows—webinars, interviews, podcasts—without juggling a complex tech stack.

That’s where the distinction matters:

• Browser studios like StreamYard treat Chrome itself as your control room, adding a full layout editor, guest links, and both cloud and local recording.
• Chrome extensions (Loom, Screencastify) hook into your browser tab or screen and save a simple recording, often with limits on duration or video count. (Loom, Screencastify)
• Desktop apps like OBS capture Chrome windows (and everything else) from outside the browser.

For most US-based creators running interviews, meetings, or content in Chrome, a browser studio gives you the highest leverage for your time.

Why is StreamYard a strong default for recording from Chrome?

At StreamYard, we built the studio to run in your browser, so if you can open Chrome, you can host a recording session—no installs, no drivers.

Key things that matter in practice:

• High-fidelity masters. You can capture 4K local recordings, giving you detailed video that holds up in post-production and repurposing. (StreamYard pricing)
• Serious audio for podcasts and clips. Each participant’s track is stored as uncompressed 48kHz WAV audio, which is exactly what editors want for clean mixes and mastering. (StreamYard internal specs referenced on local recording behavior.)
• Per-participant local recording. Each person’s video and audio are recorded on their device and uploaded, so even if someone’s connection hiccups, you still get clean local files. (Local recording docs)
• Recording controls in the studio. Hosts can pause, resume, restart, or cancel recording without leaving Chrome, which is a small but powerful safeguard when sessions go off-script. (Recording controls)
• Record-only mode. On paid plans, you can spin up sessions that don’t go live anywhere—perfect for private trainings, podcasts, and course content. (Record-only sessions)

Because the whole experience is browser-based, inviting guests is just a link, and most people in the US can join from Chrome with no setup beyond picking their mic and camera.

How does StreamYard compare to Chrome extensions like Loom or Screencastify?

Chrome extensions cover quick captures really well—but they’re different tools with different ceilings.

Loom for Chrome

• Loom’s Chrome recorder captures in-browser video up to 1080p and focuses on quick, shareable clips. (Loom Chrome recorder)
• Loom describes the extension as offering “basic features,” with more advanced capabilities in the desktop app, which can matter if you need higher resolutions or more control. (Loom Chrome recorder)

Screencastify

• Screencastify records your screen from Chrome and automatically saves videos to Google Drive, which is convenient for schools and Google Workspace teams. (Screencastify)
• On the free tier, you can create up to 10 videos with the Record extension before you hit the cap. (Screencastify)

Where StreamYard tends to be the better fit:

• Multi-person sessions. Extensions are usually single-user; they don’t bring in remote guests with separate tracks, a shared studio, or stage management.
• Branding and layout. At StreamYard we prioritize custom branding—logos, colors, overlays, and layouts—so you’re not just recording a raw tab, you’re producing a show.
• Audio quality and mixing. Separate, uncompressed 48kHz WAV files per participant give audio editors far more control than a single mixed track.
• Future-proofing. If you ever want to add live streaming or multi-platform simulcasts later, you’re already in a tool built for that.

A useful mental model: Use Loom or Screencastify to jot down a quick video note; use StreamYard when you’re recording something you might actually publish.

Is StreamYard or OBS better for recording interviews in Chrome?

If your interviews happen in Chrome—and you want them to feel effortless for guests—StreamYard is usually the smoother choice.

How StreamYard handles it

• Guests join with a link and land directly in a browser studio; there’s nothing to install.
• We support local per-participant recordings, so each guest’s feed is captured at device-quality, independent of internet hiccups. (Local recording docs)
• Cloud recordings can run in HD for up to 10 hours per session on paid plans, which comfortably covers most long-form interviews and webinars. (Paid plan features)

How OBS approaches the same problem

• OBS is a desktop application; you’d typically capture your Chrome call using Window Capture, which locks onto a specific Chrome window. (OBS Window Capture)
• It’s powerful for custom layouts, multiple scenes, and low-level encoder tweaks, but you’re managing everything manually: audio routing, scene switching, monitoring CPU/GPU, and local storage.

A simple rule of thumb:

• Choose StreamYard when interviews are your main use case, you value easy guest onboarding, and you want high-quality local files plus cloud backup without becoming your own engineer.
• Choose OBS when you’re comfortable with a more technical setup and need intricate scene composition (e.g., integrating gameplay, multiple overlays, and several monitors) beyond what a browser studio offers.

How do I record only a Chrome tab without browser chrome or toolbars?

There are two main routes here:

1. Use a tab-focused recorder.

   • Extensions like Loom and Screencastify can target a single Chrome tab, hiding the address bar and browser UI in the final video. (Loom, Screencastify)
   • This is great for quick walkthroughs or when you don’t care about on-screen overlays or guest video.

2. Use a studio and frame the tab as a source.

   • In a StreamYard workflow, you’d typically share a Chrome tab into the studio and arrange your layout so viewers see only the tab plus optional camera bubbles or branding.
   • You get more control over how the tab appears—side-by-side with your face, picture-in-picture, or full-screen with branded elements.

If your goal is a polished tutorial or product demo recorded from Chrome, it often makes sense to treat the tab as just one element in a larger production rather than the entire recording.

What formats and resolutions do Chrome-based recorders support?

The exact export formats vary by tool, but some patterns are consistent:

• Loom’s Chrome extension records video up to 1080p, which is enough for most on-screen walkthroughs; higher resolutions and advanced features are steered toward the desktop app. (Loom Chrome recorder)
• Screencastify stores recordings in Google Drive and exposes them as standard video files you can download and edit in popular editors. (Screencastify)
• OBS, as a desktop app, lets you choose from multiple encoders and containers via its settings and FFmpeg integration, which is helpful when you have specific codec needs. (OBS overview)
• StreamYard focuses on giving you high-quality masters: 4K local video recordings and 48kHz WAV audio per participant, which you can pull into any professional editing tool for further work. (StreamYard pricing)

Most creators in the US don’t need to chase exotic formats. A clean 1080p or 4K file plus uncompressed audio is more than enough for YouTube, podcasts, shorts, and course platforms.

What we recommend

• Use StreamYard as your main Chrome-based recording studio when you care about guests, quality, and branding—and want browser simplicity with pro-grade outputs.
• Reach for Loom or Screencastify for quick one-off tab or screen captures you’ll share informally.
• Bring in OBS only when you truly need advanced scene control and are willing to invest the setup time.
• Focus on outcomes, not specs alone: a simple, reliable Chrome-based workflow that your guests and team can repeat easily will outperform a complex setup that looks better on paper but slows you down.