> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://www.tella.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Permissions for camera, mic & screen on the web app and Chrome extension
> How to grant camera, microphone, and screen permissions to the Tella web app and Chrome extension.
## How to enable permissions in Tella's web app and Chrome extension
Before recording videos in Tella, you need to grant permission for Tella to access your camera, microphone, and potentially your screen. These permissions ensure that Tella can use your devices to create videos, whether you're recording with the **web app**, **Chrome extension**, or **macOS app**.
### Why permissions are necessary
When you first try to record in Tella, you'll be prompted to give the app permission to access your camera and microphone. This is a necessary step to allow Tella to use your devices for recording, even if you don't plan on using your camera or microphone during your video. Without these permissions, Tella won't be able to start the recording process.
If you don't wish to use your camera or microphone, you can turn them off after giving permission, but the initial access is still required.
## How to enable permissions in the web app and Chrome extension
If you're using Tella's **web app** or **Chrome extension**, here's how to enable the necessary permissions:
1. When you try to record for the first time, you'll receive a prompt asking for permission to access your camera and microphone.
2. Click **Allow** to grant access. This will let Tella control your devices.
3. After allowing access through Tella, your web browser (such as Chrome, Firefox, or Safari) will display a second prompt asking for confirmation.
4. Again, click **Allow** in the browser prompt to finalize the process.
5. Once permissions are granted, you can choose which microphone and camera you want to use. Click on the small **arrow** near the camera and microphone icons in the Tella recorder to select from available devices.
If you don't want to use your camera or microphone, turn them off after this step. You'll still be able to record your screen.
### If camera, mic, or screen buttons do nothing in the web app
If clicking **camera** or **mic** in the web recorder has no effect, Chrome's site permissions for Tella may need to be reset:
1. Click the tune icon (or lock icon in older Chrome versions) in the address bar next to the Tella URL.
2. Set **Camera** and **Microphone** to **Allow**.
3. Reload the page and try again.
Chrome does not have a persistent site permission for screen sharing. Clicking **Share screen** should open Chrome's screen picker each time. If it doesn't, reload the page and check your operating system's [screen sharing permissions](#how-to-manually-enable-screen-sharing-permissions) below.
For the Chrome extension, open the **…** menu, choose **Settings**, and click **Browser settings** instead. See [If Tella is blocked in the Chrome extension](#if-tella-is-blocked-in-the-chrome-extension) below.
## Screen sharing permissions
For screen sharing, you generally won't need to provide separate permissions to Tella itself. Your **web browser** manages those permissions with your operating system.
* If you're using **Google Chrome**, it likely already has permission to share your screen. Just click **Share Screen** in Tella, and you can select which screen or window to share.
* If you encounter issues where you cannot share your screen or don't see the option to select a screen, it's possible that your browser doesn't have screen-sharing permissions enabled.
## How to manually enable screen sharing permissions
If your browser doesn't have screen-sharing permissions, you'll need to manually adjust your settings in your computer's operating system.
On **macOS**:
1. Open **System Preferences** and go to **Privacy & Security**.
2. Find the **Screen Recording** or **System Audio Recording** section.
3. Ensure that the browser you're using (Chrome, Safari, Firefox) is allowed to record your screen.
On **Windows**:
1. Go to **Settings**, then open the **Privacy** section.
2. Under **App Permissions**, find **Screen Recording** and make sure the browser you're using is allowed access.
If these permissions are set up correctly, you'll be able to share your screen in Tella.
## If Tella is blocked in the Chrome extension
If you've previously blocked camera or microphone access for the extension, opening Tella shows a **"Tella is blocked"** empty state with an **Open Chrome settings** button (it names whichever browser you're in: Arc, Edge, Opera, or Brave). The button deep-links to your browser's site-permissions page for the extension (Chrome, Arc, Edge, Opera, and Brave are detected automatically), where you can reset or re-grant camera and microphone access.
You can also reach the same settings page any time from the popup: click the **…** menu in the top-right corner, choose **Settings**, then click **Browser settings** at the bottom of the panel.
When the permission prompt appears, choose **"Allow while visiting the site"** (or **Allow** on browsers that label it that way). Picking **"Allow this time"** only grants access for the current session, and you'll be asked again the next time you open Tella.
## Tella Mac app permissions
If you're using Tella's **macOS app**, permissions are granted to Tella itself rather than to your browser. On first launch the app shows a **First, permissions.** screen with three buttons (**Camera**, **Microphone**, and **Screen recording**) and it won't show the recorder until all three are granted. If you previously denied one, the button opens the matching pane in **System Settings → Privacy & Security**, where you can switch Tella on; quit and reopen Tella afterwards. See [Can't record on Mac? Check screen, camera, and mic permissions](/docs/help/mac-app/cant-record-on-mac-check-screen-camera-and-mic-permissions).
The **Windows app** works the same way: camera and microphone access are Windows privacy settings for desktop apps. See [Can't record on Windows? Check camera and mic permissions](/docs/help/windows-app/cant-record-on-windows-check-camera-mic-permissions).
## Related topics
- [Debug camera and microphone issues](/docs/help/support/debug-camera-and-microphone-issues.md)
- [Record with the Tella Windows app](/docs/help/recording/record-a-video-using-the-windows-app.md)
- [Change your camera background](/docs/help/recording/blur-your-camera-background.md)
- [Test your webcam and microphone](/docs/help/recording/test-your-webcam-and-microphone.md)
- [Can't record on Mac? Check screen, camera, and mic permissions.](/docs/help/mac-app/cant-record-on-mac-check-screen-camera-and-mic-permissions.md)