Multi-source recording
Capture your screen, webcam, microphone, and a phone camera as separate tracks so you can adjust the layout after recording.
Threelane
Threelane is a local-first screen recorder and editor for Mac and Windows that captures screen, webcam, mic, and phone camera together in sync. It is aimed at product demos, tutorials, and short-form videos, with local storage and free open-source distribution.
Overview
Threelane is a local-first screen recording and lightweight editing app for Mac and Windows. It is designed for people who want to record a screen, webcam, and phone camera together, keep the files on their own machine, and turn the footage into short-form videos or product demos without uploading anything to a cloud service.
The workflow is built around three steps: record, edit, and export. The app captures separate tracks for the screen, camera, mic, and phone angle, then lets you split the material into scenes, change layouts, and export MP4 files in the aspect ratio you need. The site also describes the product as free and open source.
Threelane targets creators who publish tutorials, launch videos, tech reels, and similar short videos. It emphasizes local storage, offline operation, and a phone companion that joins the recording over Wi‑Fi instead of requiring cables or a phone app store install.
Features
Phone-synced companion capture
Use the phone as a second camera by scanning a QR code and pairing over Wi‑Fi, with timestamps locked to the same timeline as the desktop recording.
Per-scene layouts
Split recordings into scenes and choose layouts per scene, including screen-only, camera-only, phone-only, split, and screen plus camera bubble.
Cursor-follow zoom
Zoom and pan the screen after recording, with cursor-follow behavior designed for walkthroughs and tutorials.
Flexible export formats
Export to MP4 in portrait, landscape, or square formats using ffmpeg, with presets aimed at Reels, Shorts, TikTok, YouTube, and LinkedIn.
Local project storage
Store projects as plain folders on disk so recordings can be inspected, moved, or deleted without a cloud workspace.
Use Cases
Product demos
Record a product walkthrough with screen, webcam, and phone camera captured together, then adjust the layout afterward for a clean final cut.
Tutorials and walkthroughs
Create tutorials with zoomed-in screen regions and cursor-follow framing to keep code or UI steps easy to follow.
Reels, Shorts, and LinkedIn clips
Produce short-form social clips in portrait, square, or landscape formats from one project without re-shooting.
Launch videos with local storage
Capture launch videos or announcement clips locally when you want to avoid cloud uploads and keep the source files on your own machine.
Talking-head recording with a phone angle
Use the phone as a second angle for talk-to-camera recording, conference prep, or demo narration without cables or a phone app install.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Records screen, webcam, mic, and phone together in sync.
- Keeps recordings local with no accounts, uploads, or telemetry called out on the site.
- Supports macOS and Windows builds, including Intel and Apple Silicon Macs.
- Lets you change layouts and edit scenes after recording instead of locking you into the original capture.
- Exports common social-video aspect ratios as MP4 files.
Cons
- Windows support is present, but the documentation shown is thinner than the Mac install flow.
- The site says Linux is not yet supported.
- The app is ad-hoc signed on macOS and unsigned on Windows in the release notes, so first launch may require extra steps.
FAQ
Is Threelane free to use?
Yes. The site describes Threelane as free and open source, with no paywall, trial, subscription, or credit card required.
Which platforms does Threelane support?
Threelane supports macOS on Apple Silicon and Intel Macs, and Windows x64 builds are listed on the releases page. The home page also says it is available for Mac and Windows.
Do I need to install anything on my phone?
Yes. The site says the phone companion works as an installable PWA in the phone’s browser, so you do not need a separate phone app installation. You scan a QR code, open the PWA, and start recording.
Where are recordings stored?
Recordings are saved locally in `~/Movies/Threelane/` as plain folders that you can inspect, move, or delete.
Is Threelane meant to replace Premiere or similar editors?
No. The site positions Threelane as a focused recorder and editor for product demos, tutorials, reels, and shorts, not a full replacement for a traditional editor.
Quick Facts
- Category
- Screen recording / video editing
- Platforms
- Mac (Apple Silicon and Intel), Windows x64
- Primary users
- Creators, indie hackers, devtool founders, dev-rel engineers, and engineers making tutorials or tech reels
- Source domain
- threelane.myfractionalcto.com
- Workflow
- Record → Edit → Export
- Storage
- Local folders in `~/Movies/Threelane/`
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