Screenity Review: The Best Free Screen Recording Chrome Extension

Why Screen Recording Tools Matter More Than Ever

The shift to remote work fundamentally changed how we communicate with colleagues, clients, and collaborators. Suddenly, a quick screen recording replaced what used to be an in-person walk-through or an awkward conference call. Whether you're demonstrating a bug to a developer, walking a client through a new feature, or creating training materials for your team, screen recording has become an essential part of the modern workflow.

The problem? Most screen recording tools either cost money, require you to create an account on yet another SaaS platform, or come with limitations that make them frustrating to use. That's where Screenity comes in — a completely free, open-source Chrome extension that handles screen recording without any of the usual strings attached.

What Is Screenity?

Screenity is a Chrome extension built by developer Alyssa X, who has a solid track record of shipping useful software products. Because it's a Chrome extension, you install it directly from the Chrome Web Store and it lives right in your browser toolbar — no desktop app required.

One of the most reassuring aspects of Screenity is that it's fully open source. If you're the security-conscious type who gets nervous about a free screen recorder having access to your desktop and camera, you can actually download the source code, review it yourself, and compile it from scratch. That level of transparency is rare in this space and sets Screenity apart from most competitors right out of the gate.

Recording Modes: Tab, Desktop, or Camera Only

When you click the Screenity icon in your browser toolbar, you're presented with three distinct recording modes. The first is tab recording, which captures only the current Chrome tab you're viewing. This is perfect for product demos or walkthroughs where you don't want to accidentally reveal other tabs or desktop notifications.

The second mode records your entire desktop, which is ideal when you need to jump between applications — say, showing how data moves from a spreadsheet into a web app. The third option is camera only, great for recording quick video messages without any screen content.

For those who prefer not to appear on camera at all, you can disable the webcam overlay entirely and record your screen without any face bubble in the corner. It's a small detail, but having that flexibility matters when you're creating different types of content.

Push-to-Talk: The Standout Feature for Remote Workers

Of all the features Screenity offers, push-to-talk might be the most thoughtful. If you've ever worked from a home office with kids running around, a dog barking, or a partner on their own call in the next room, you know how tricky it can be to record clean audio. Screenity's push-to-talk feature keeps your microphone muted by default and only activates it when you hold down Ctrl+M.

Think of it like the talkback button in a recording studio. You speak when you need to, release the keys, and the audio goes silent while you navigate to the next thing you want to show. This means you can pause, gather your thoughts, deal with background noise, and then continue recording without having to edit out dead air or unwanted sounds later. It's a genuinely clever solution to a very real work-from-home problem.

Just one word of caution: don't forget you have push-to-talk enabled. If you start recording and wonder why there's no audio, chances are you just need to hold down those keys. It's an easy thing to overlook, and it could mean re-recording your entire video.

On-Screen Annotations and Pointer Options

Screenity includes a useful set of pointer and annotation tools that make your recordings more professional and easier to follow. The highlight clicks feature places a visible red dot wherever you click on the screen, making it immediately clear to viewers what you're interacting with. This is especially helpful for step-by-step tutorials where the viewer needs to follow along precisely.

There's also a cursor spotlight option that dims the rest of the screen and creates a bright area around your mouse pointer. If you're giving someone a guided tour of a website or application, this visual effect draws their eye exactly where it needs to be. And if you'd rather have a completely clean recording with no cursor visible at all, you can hide the pointer entirely.

During recording, your webcam bubble can be resized from small to full-screen, repositioned anywhere on the screen, or hidden completely with one click. If you dismiss it and change your mind, a quick tap on the camera button brings it right back.

Pause, Edit, and Export Your Recordings

When life interrupts your recording — a sneeze, an unexpected visitor, or just a moment where you need to collect your thoughts — Screenity's pause button saves the day. Hit pause, and you get three options: resume recording, delete the whole thing and start fresh, or finish up and move to the editing screen.

The built-in editor lets you trim your video by adjusting the start and end points, or remove a section from the middle of the recording. It's worth noting that these trimming features can be a bit buggy depending on your system — occasionally the video may come out blurry after a trim. The safe approach is to test it with a short clip first. If a trim doesn't work out, you can always reset to the original recording.

Export options include WebM, MP4, and GIF formats. You can either download the file directly to your computer or export straight to Google Drive for easy sharing. Since Screenity isn't a SaaS platform, nothing is uploaded to external servers — your recordings stay local on your machine, which is a genuine privacy advantage over tools like Loom or Vidyard.

Final Verdict: Is Screenity Worth Installing?

Screenity is one of those tools that makes you wonder why you ever paid for screen recording software. It's genuinely free with no hidden upsells, it's open source so you can verify exactly what it's doing, and it runs entirely in your browser without requiring a separate desktop application.

The push-to-talk feature alone makes it worth trying if you work in a noisy environment. Add in the pointer highlights, webcam flexibility, and multiple export formats, and you've got a surprisingly capable screen recorder that holds its own against paid alternatives. The only real limitations are that it requires Chrome (sorry, Firefox and Safari users) and the video trimming tools could use some polish.

If you do any amount of screen recording — whether for async communication, tutorials, bug reports, or content creation — Screenity deserves a spot in your Chrome toolbar.

Watch the Full Video

Prefer watching to reading? Check out the full video on YouTube for a complete walkthrough with live demos and commentary.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Screenity?

Screenity is a free open-source Chrome extension for screen recording. It offers annotation tools, webcam overlay, and basic editing features directly in your browser without installing desktop software.

Is Screenity really free?

Yes, Screenity is completely free and open source. It runs as a Chrome extension with no usage limits, watermarks, or premium tiers. The source code is available on GitHub.

What features does Screenity include?

Screenity includes screen and webcam recording, drawing and annotation tools during recording, highlight clicks, countdown timer, and basic trimming before exporting your recording.

How does Screenity compare to Loom?

Screenity offers similar core recording features to Loom free tier but without usage limits. Loom provides cloud hosting and sharing links, while Screenity saves recordings locally.

Does Screenity work on all browsers?

Screenity is a Chrome extension that works on Chrome and Chromium-based browsers like Brave and Edge. It does not work on Firefox or Safari since they use different extension formats.