To use Loom, install the desktop app or the Chrome extension, choose Screen and Camera, Screen Only, or Camera Only, pick what to capture, and press Start recording. When you stop, Loom uploads the video and copies a share link you can paste into Slack, email, or a ticket. Viewers watch in a browser, leave comments and emoji reactions, and read the transcript.
That is the whole loop. The details that trip people up are which recorder to install, what the free Starter plan allows, who can open your link, and where editing and downloads require a paid plan. This guide covers each step as Loom works in October 2026.
Loom in 60 seconds
| Step | What to do | Plan notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Install | Desktop app (Mac, Windows) or Chrome extension | Mobile apps exist for iOS and Android |
| 2. Choose a mode | Screen and Camera, Screen Only, or Camera Only | All plans |
| 3. Record | Start, pause, finish; keep it short | Starter stops ordinary recordings at five minutes |
| 4. Share | Copy the link; set who can view | Password protection needs a paid plan |
| 5. Collect feedback | Comments, emoji reactions, transcript | Included on Starter |
| 6. Edit | Trim, stitch clips | Business or higher |
| 7. Download | MP4 from the video menu | Not available on Starter |
| 8. Organize | Library folders and shared Spaces | All plans |
Want a quicker way to make screen videos? If you’re comparing Loom’s recording workflow to a browser-based alternative, try a first video in Chairkick. Start a free trial
Step 1: choose the desktop app or the Chrome extension
Loom offers four recording platforms: the desktop app, the Chrome extension, and apps for iOS and Android. The choice matters more than most tutorials admit.
- Chrome extension. A quick install that records the full screen, a window, or the current tab. The catch: your camera bubble only appears while you record inside Chrome. If you switch to another application, the bubble does not follow you.
- Desktop app (Mac and Windows). Records your camera bubble across any app, adds HD recording, and includes extras such as a drawing tool and click highlighting on qualifying plans. It does not run on Linux or Chromebooks.
- Mobile. Useful for walking through an app on a phone. On iOS, screen-plus-camera mode is not available; Android supports it on Android 8.0 or later.
Rule of thumb: if everything you demonstrate lives in a browser tab, the extension is enough. If you switch between apps, such as a spreadsheet, a design tool, and a terminal, install the desktop app.
Step 2: pick a capture mode
Loom has three capture modes:
- Screen and Camera captures your screen or chosen window with your face in a round bubble. Best for walkthroughs where tone matters: feedback, onboarding, sales follow-ups.
- Screen Only narrates what is on screen without the bubble. Best for detailed product steps where the bubble would cover something.
- Camera Only is a talking-head message. Best for quick updates and introductions.
While recording, you can switch between Screen Only and Screen and Camera from the recording menu (the menu must be enabled). If you would rather not appear on camera, Loom can show your avatar instead.
Step 3: record a Loom video that people actually watch
- Open the app or extension and confirm the right microphone and camera are selected. The wrong mic is the most common reason for a silent or muffled video.
- Choose the mode and the area: full screen, a window, or, in Chrome, the current tab.
- Start the recording, say what the video is for in the first sentence, then show the thing.
- Pause if you need to look something up. Loom’s default shortcuts:
| Action | Mac desktop app | Windows desktop app | Mac Chrome extension |
|---|---|---|---|
| Start or stop recording | Command + Shift + L | Control + Shift + L | Option + Shift + L opens the extension |
| Pause or resume | Option + Shift + P | Alt + Shift + P | Option + Shift + P |
You can change the desktop shortcuts under Settings → Shortcuts.
Three habits make the biggest difference: close notifications before recording, open every tab you will need beforehand, and aim for two to three minutes. Short videos get watched to the end. On Loom’s free Starter plan, ordinary screen recordings stop at five minutes anyway.
Step 4: share the link without oversharing
When the recording finishes, Loom copies a share link. Before pasting it, check who can open it:
- Anyone with the link can watch without logging in or having a Loom account.
- Workspace members limits viewing to people in your Loom workspace. Admins can make this the default under the workspace’s security settings.
- Only people added makes the video private to the email addresses you enter. Recipients must be logged in to Loom with that email.
Password protection is available on Education, Business, Business + AI, and Enterprise plans, not Starter. Treat “anyone with the link” like an email attachment: fine for routine updates, wrong for anything containing customer data or credentials.
Step 5: comments, reactions and transcripts
Viewers can leave comments and emoji reactions, which turns a one-way video into a short thread. Loom transcribes recordings in more than 50 languages on every plan, including Starter. Skim the transcript for names, numbers, and product terms that speech recognition often gets wrong.
AI features are a separate entitlement. Auto-generated summaries and chapters, editing by transcript, and generated documents or issues belong to Business + AI ($24 per user per month), not the $18 Business plan or Starter.
Step 6: trim and edit after recording
After recording, select Edit in the video’s side panel, then Edit your video. What you can do depends on your plan:
| Edit | Available on |
|---|---|
| Trim with the waveform editor | Business, Business + AI, Enterprise |
| Stitch multiple videos together | Business, Business + AI, Enterprise |
| Edit by transcript (delete words to cut video) | Business + AI, Enterprise |
On Starter, the practical workaround is to keep recordings short and re-record rather than edit.
Step 7: download a Loom video
Open the video from your Library, select the menu above the video, and choose Download. You get an MP4. Downloading requires a paid plan: Business and Business + AI admins and creators can download, while Starter cannot. Viewers can download only if they are signed in to Loom, the owner allows it in the video settings, and the workspace has a paid role.
If you need a copy of an authorized public Loom link without the download button, our free Loom downloader saves it as an MP4 in your browser. For whole libraries, see the Loom export guide.
Step 8: organize your library
Loom keeps your recordings in your Library. Create a folder with New Folder at the top right, then move videos via a video’s three-dot menu → Move. Team content lives in Spaces. A video can appear in several Spaces, but a folder can only live in one. Create and move folders on desktop; the mobile apps only display them.
A light naming habit pays off: put the project or customer first (“Acme – onboarding call notes”) so search and folders stay useful after the first hundred videos.
What the free plan allows
Loom Starter is free and includes 25 recordings, a five-minute limit on ordinary screen recordings, up to ten users, transcription, comments, and reactions. Unlimited videos, longer recordings, editing, and downloads require Business at $18 per user per month. See Is Loom free? for the full limits and how much Loom costs for team examples.
When people outgrow or leave Loom
Most teams switch for one of three reasons: the 25-video cap or the five-minute limit, per-seat pricing as more colleagues need to record, or the move to Atlassian accounts and billing. If that is you, estimate your real bill with the Loom pricing calculator, export what matters first, and read how switching from Loom works. Chairkick is one browser-based option with a 14-day Pro trial (no card), then $9 per recorder per month; ordinary share-link viewers are not paid seats.
FAQ
Is Loom free to use? Yes. Starter costs $0 with 25 recordings and five-minute screen recordings. Paid plans start at $18 per user per month.
Do I need to install Loom? You need either the Chrome extension or the desktop app to record on a computer. Viewers need nothing; they watch in a browser.
Can viewers watch without an account? Yes, if the link is set to Anyone with the link.
Why does my camera bubble disappear? With the Chrome extension, the bubble only records while you are inside Chrome. Use the desktop app to keep it across apps.
How do I record a Loom video longer than five minutes? Upgrade to Business, or split the explanation into several short videos.
Can I edit a Loom video for free? Trimming and stitching require Business or higher; editing by transcript requires Business + AI.
Sources and fact check
Checked October 4, 2026 against Loom’s help center: recording platforms, capture modes, keyboard shortcuts, pause and resume, privacy settings, editing, downloading, library folders, and Atlassian’s Loom pricing (prices checked October 1, 2026).