Record any app on your computer, not just the browser.
The howtovideos.ai desktop recorder captures your whole screen or a single app window, along with every click you make. Press Stop, and your tutorial is waiting in the editor: one step per click, each zoomed in on the button you pressed, with a script ready to narrate.
New to the recorder? Watch how to install it on a Mac or on Windows.
The desktop recorder runs on a Mac or a Windows PC. Open this page on your computer to download it.
Don't want to install anything? Record in your browser or with the Chrome extension.
Made for software that doesn't live in a browser
Desktop apps
Excel, Outlook, SAP GUI, QuickBooks Desktop, Photoshop, AutoCAD and your in-house tools.
The whole screen or one window
Record a single app so notifications and other windows stay out of the video, or a whole display when you move between apps.
Every click becomes a step
The recorder reads the name of each button you click, so steps say "Click Save as", not "Click here", and the video zooms in on the right spot.
Sharp on any screen
Records at your display's full resolution, including Retina and 4K displays and scaled Windows screens.
Narrate as you go
Turn on your microphone for your own voice, or let howtovideos.ai write and voice the script for you.
Pause when you need to
Pause and resume from the floating timer or with Alt+Shift+P. Paused time never ends up in the video.
Your first desktop tutorial in three steps
Install and open it
Open the downloaded file and drag howtovideos.ai into Applications.Run the installer and follow its steps. It installs for you only, so it doesn't need an administrator.On a Mac, drag it into Applications. On Windows, run the installer. Watch the install video.Watch the install video.Watch the install videos.
Sign in with your browser
In the app, choose Sign in with browser. Your browser opens howtovideos.ai: log in (or create an account), choose Connect, then go back to the app. There's no key to copy or paste.
Pick a window and record
Choose a screen or app window and press Start recording. When you press Stop (or Alt+Shift+R), it uploads and your tutorial opens in the editor.
What your computer will ask, and why
The first time you record on a Mac, macOS asks you to allow two things. The app opens the right page in System Settings for you.
Screen Recording
Needed to record your screen or a window. Without it, the video is blank.
- Open System Settings → Privacy & Security → Screen & System Audio Recording (called Screen Recording on macOS 12 and 13).
- Turn on howtovideos.ai. If it isn't listed, press + and choose it from Applications.
- Choose Quit & Reopen when macOS asks.
Accessibility
Lets the recorder notice your clicks and read the name of the button you clicked. It never reads what you type.
- Open System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility.
- Turn on howtovideos.ai (enter your Mac password if asked).
- Back in the app, press Check again.
Microphone, only if you narrate
Asked the first time you turn on Narrate with my microphone. Leave it off and howtovideos.ai can write and voice the script instead.
On Windows, if a recording has no sound, check Settings → Privacy & security → Microphone and allow desktop apps.
Nothing to switch on
Windows doesn't ask for screen or click permissions. If SmartScreen ever shows "Windows protected your PC", choose More info and check the publisher says Digital Shyft LLC before you choose Run anyway. If it names anyone else, don't run it, and tell us at support@howtovideos.ai.
Will it run on my computer?
| Mac | Windows | |
|---|---|---|
| System | macOS 12 Monterey or later | Windows 10 or Windows 11 |
| Processor | Apple silicon (M1 or later) or Intel, in one download | 64-bit Intel or AMD, or Arm (such as Snapdragon), in one installer |
| Disk space | About 500 MB, plus room for recordings while they upload | About 500 MB, plus room for recordings while they upload |
| Account | A howtovideos.ai account. You sign in through your browser, so there's nothing to copy. | |
| Internet | To upload. You can record offline; the recording waits on your computer until it can upload. | |
Prefer not to install anything?
The desktop recorder is for apps outside the browser. For websites and web apps, these work just as well.
Chrome extension
Records a browser tab with every click and the name of each button, for tutorials of web apps. Works in Chrome and Edge.
Add to Chrome →Record in your browser
Share a tab, a window or your screen straight from howtovideos.ai. Nothing to install, any modern desktop browser.
Start recording →Upload a recording
Already recorded with Zoom, Loom, QuickTime or the Xbox Game Bar? Upload the MP4, MOV or WebM and we'll do the rest.
Get started →Watch how: record your screen in the browser (1:07) or make a tutorial from a recording you already have (0:47).
It records what you show, not what you type
- What you type is never recorded, only that you typed into a field.
- Password fields are skipped completely.
- The floating timer and countdown never appear in your video.
- Recordings go straight to your howtovideos.ai account, and nowhere else. See our privacy policy.
Desktop recorder FAQ
Is it free?
The recorder is free to download. Tutorials you make with it count towards your howtovideos.ai plan, the same as uploads.
Does it work offline?
You can record without a connection. If the upload can't finish, the recording stays on your computer until you press Try again.
Which apps can it record?
Any app you can see on screen. Click names come from the app's accessibility information, which almost every app provides. Where an app doesn't, the step still zooms in on where you clicked.
How is this different from the Chrome extension?
The extension records a browser tab. The desktop recorder records anything on your screen, including desktop apps and switching between them.
How do updates work?
The app checks for a new version when it starts, downloads it in the background and installs it the next time you restart it. You can also choose Check for updates… from its menu bar or tray icon.
Can IT install it for everyone?
Yes. The Windows installer installs per user by default; IT teams can push it with their usual tools. On a Mac, the app can be deployed from Applications with any device management tool, and Screen Recording and Accessibility can be pre-approved with a privacy (PPPC) profile for the app ID ai.howtovideos.desktop. Questions: support@howtovideos.ai.
How do I uninstall it?
On a Mac, quit the app and drag howtovideos.ai from Applications to the Trash. On Windows, open Settings → Apps → Installed apps and uninstall howtovideos.ai.