What you need
Just Chrome and a screen recording extension. Chrome can’t record your screen by itself. The built-in way (DevTools recorder) is for developers and doesn’t produce shareable video. A lightweight extension like Opivv adds one-click recording with a camera bubble, microphone, and instant share links. The free plan needs no credit card.
Step-by-step
- Install a screen recording extension. Add Opivv to Chrome from the Chrome Web Store. It lives in your toolbar. There is no desktop app to download.
- Open the recorder. Click the Opivv icon in the toolbar (or press Alt+Shift+R). The setup overlay appears on the page you are viewing.
- Choose what to capture. Pick This tab, Window, or Entire screen. Toggle your camera bubble and microphone if you want to narrate.
- Record. Hit Start recording. A floating timer pill shows the recording is live; press M anytime to drop a chapter marker.
- Stop and share. Click the stop button on the pill. The clip uploads automatically and the share link is copied to your clipboard. Paste it anywhere.
That’s genuinely it. The moment you stop, the recording uploads in the background and you get a link with a clean player. Viewers don’t need an account or an app.
Tab vs window vs entire screen: which to pick
| Mode | Captures | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| This tab | One browser tab (with its audio) | Web app demos, bug reports (nothing else can leak into frame) |
| Window | One application window | Walkthroughs that move between tabs of the same window |
| Entire screen | Everything on a display | Multi-app workflows, IDE + browser side by side |
When in doubt, record the tab: it’s the privacy-safe default because notifications and other windows can’t appear in the recording.
Tips for recordings people actually watch
- Talk while you click. A 60-second narrated clip beats three paragraphs of text. That’s the whole point of async video.
- Use chapters. Press M at each section; viewers jump straight to what they need.
- Keep it under 2 minutes when you can. Watch-through drops fast after that.
- Turn on click highlights so viewers can follow your cursor.
- Don’t re-record for small stumbles: pause/resume (Alt+Shift+P) and keep going.
Recording with audio
Two separate audio sources, both optional: your microphone (toggle it in the setup overlay; Chrome asks for permission once) and tab audio (the sound the page itself plays, enabled when recording a tab). For a narrated demo over a muted page, mic on + tab audio off is the cleanest mix. Full keyboard reference: Opivv shortcuts.
Common questions
Is it free? Yes, Opivv’s free plan records up to 5 minutes per clip at 720p with unlimited share links. Pro ($5/mo) unlocks 2-hour recordings, 1080p + source quality, AI transcripts, and password-protected links.
Where do recordings go? To your private Opivv library in the cloud. Nothing is public until you share the link. On Pro, you can download your recordings as MP4, WebM, or GIF.
Can I record someone else’s website? Yes, the recorder works on any page you can open. Comparing tools? See Opivv vs Loom.