Stuck on a tech issue, but explaining it over text messages or calls feels like a game of charades? You describe the error message in detail, but your colleague is still missing the picture.
In a different scenario, you share a crystal-clear recording of your screen, highlighting exactly what’s happening on your screen and making the solution clear in minutes. No more frustrating back-and-forth, just a quick way to collaborate and get things done.
This is what makes screen recording such a powerful communication tool. Screen recording helps you effectively communicate your point to your team or client, especially if you’re working remotely and want to provide richer contextual information.
Read on to learn the practices of screen recording, and find out how to record your desktop, iPhone, or Android device with a few clicks using Loom.
Maybe you need to walk a team member through a software tutorial, show a bug in code, or create a video presentation demonstrating your product.
Whatever your goal, recording your desktop screen is one of the best ways to communicate visually.
Luckily, screen recording tools like Loom help you capture and share screen recordings, your voiceover, and even your webcam feed.
The result is engaging videos that go beyond mere screenshots, making it easier to communicate complex ideas and share information in a visually appealing way.
Here’s a quick overview of the step-by-step process to record your desktop screen with Loom.
Allie Hitchcock, Loom’s Lifecycle Marketing Manager, explains how to take a screen capture using the Loom desktop app.
The first step is to install the Loom desktop app for your operating system. Whether you need to capture your Mac screen or your Windows screen, Loom provides a dedicated app for each platform.
Alternatively, you can install the Chrome extension for a quick and easy setup.
Open the Loom app or click the Loom icon in your browser toolbar.
Once you hit the “Record a Loom” option, you’ll get different capture options:
You can also choose whether to record your entire screen, a specific window, or a custom-size area.
Before screen and audio recording, check your voice and video settings.
You can turn off your microphone or select from multiple microphone sources. You’ll also see a blue audio indicator, which ensures that the microphone is working and there is sound in your recordings.
Next, choose your camera if you plan to include yourself in the video.
For additional options, click on the three dots ‘. ’ and then hit the “Settings” option. From here, you can:
Also, if you’re recording yourself, double-check whether your camera is positioned correctly.
Pro tip: Use a good-quality microphone to record audio. Your team will be able to understand you in a feedback clip, and your customers will be impressed by the sound quality accompanying your content.
Click the record button that says “Start Recording.” If you’re using the desktop app, you’ll get a three-second countdown to gather your thoughts.
If you’re using the Chrome extension, Loom will prompt you to select what you want to record:
You can navigate through your desktop, demonstrate processes, and explain details as you record. Use the recording toolbar to pause, resume, rewind, or cancel the recording.
You can also move your webcam bubble around and reduce or increase its size.
Don’t forget to show and narrate what you’re doing as you record. Remember, you’re not just sharing your screen, but also guiding your audience through a process or experience.
Pro tip: If you make a mistake, don’t worry. You can use Loom’s AI-based video editor to correct any errors later.
Once you’ve finished, click the “Stop Recording” button. Loom will automatically save your video to your Loom library.
You can trim the video, add a title, and choose who can view it.
You can use Loom’s editing tools to trim your video, remove filler words, add auto-transcriptions, and even add interactive calls to action (CTAs) within the video.
Once you’ve finished editing, copy the link to your Loom video and share it via email, Slack, chat, or any other platform. Loom also lets you download and embed the video on a website.
Need help explaining a process on your iPhone? A screen recording app will solve that problem.
Here’s a step-by-step overview of how to screen record on an iPhone using Loom’s iOS app.
Download the Loom app from the App Store. It’s free and takes just a few moments to install.
Open the app and sign in with your Loom account. If you don’t have one yet, you can quickly sign up for Loom using your email or Google account.
Now, you have to ensure your iPhone or iPad will allow Loom to record screens.
To do that, go to your iPhone's Settings > Control Center > Customize Controls. Tap the green toggle button to add “Screen Recording” to the included controls.
Open your Loom iOS app, select “Screen” from the bottom bar, and click on the “Record Screen” option. To record your voice simultaneously, enable your microphone by tapping the mic.
Note that unlike Loom’s desktop app and Chrome extension, the iOS app doesn’t let you record your screen and camera simultaneously.
Pro tip: Turn on “Do Not Disturb” in your iOS menu to prevent unexpected disruptions or notifications during your recording.
Finally, tap the “Start Broadcast” option to start the recording. You’ll see a red bar at the top of the screen, indicating that screen capture is in progress.
Navigate through your iPhone’s screen or apps to demonstrate whatever process you need to show. Loom will capture everything as you navigate through the screen, including your audio if you enabled the mic.
Stop the recording once by tapping the red bar at the top of your screen. Confirm that you want to stop the recording.
Finally, your video will automatically process and be available on Loom’s built-in video library. You can find it in the “My Videos” section.
Like its iOS counterpart, Loom’s Android free screen recording app helps you capture your phone’s screen activity and narrate your actions. You can use it to walk your audience through a feature, give a demo, showcase a new app, or simply share a personalized video.
Here’s a quick step-by-step process of how to screen record on Android using Loom:
You can download the Loom app from the Google Play store on your Android phone. Like the iOS app, the Android app is free to use and easy to set up.
Once you sign in or sign up for the Loom app, you will see the Loom icon at the bottom of your screen. Click on the icon and grant Loom permission to record videos.
Next, you’ll be prompted to choose the capture mode: Camera, Screen, or Audio.
Once you select the Screen option, you can choose to record in different modes:
You'll have to grant Loom permission to record both audio and video, display over other apps, and screencast. It’s important to allow all of these for a seamless recording experience.
Once you grant Loom permission to record, it will start a three-second countdown before your recording begins.
A control menu will appear on your screen to help you track your recording and its progress. You can move it around the screen by hovering and holding it.
If you want to record your camera while recording your screen, tap the “Cam” icon.
Hit the red square stop button in the control bar to stop the recording. Once you’ve finished recording, your video will automatically appear in Loom’s video library.
You can add a title to your video and share it directly through Slack, email, SMS, Messenger, or any other platform by copying and pasting the shareable link. You can also embed your video into your website.
Voilà, you’re done. Whether you want to capture your Mac, Windows, or Android screen, it only takes minutes to capture, store, and share your screen recording.
Now that you’ve captured your screen with Loom, the next step is to polish your raw footage and turn it into an engaging video for your target audience.
Luckily, Loom’s AI-based editing features and built-in editor make this process a breeze.
Want to make the maximum impact with your screen recording? Here are some video editing tips:
Once you polish your video to make it more helpful and captivating, it’s time to share it with your target audience.
Loom offers multiple video-sharing options:
With the best screen recorder, it’s easy to record, edit, store, and share videos—all from a single dashboard.
Screen recording is one of the best tools for modern workspaces, bridging the gap between in-person and remote interactions.
However, you need the right tool to simplify the process.
Loom helps you communicate visually with your team by recording, editing, and sharing your screen across devices. You can even record your camera and audio alongside the screen, making information more contextual.
So, why wait? Create, edit, and share your screen recordings with Loom today.
