How-to guide
How to Use Loom in Chrome: Setup, Features and Tips
How-to
How to Use Loom in Chrome: Setup, Features and Tips
On this page
- The short answer
- How do I use Loom in Chrome?
- How to install the Loom Chrome extension
- First-run setup: camera, mic, and default recording settings
- 5 ways to use Loom in Chrome
- How to record, edit, and share a Loom video
- Loom privacy settings: who can see your videos
- What are Loom's recording limits?
- Why isn't the Loom extension recording or picking up audio?
- Extensions that pair well with Loom recordings
- Frequently asked
The short answer
Install the Loom extension from the Chrome Web Store, sign in, and click its toolbar icon to choose screen-and-camera, screen-only, or camera-only recording. Pick your microphone, hit record, narrate your screen, then stop to get an instant shareable link — no separate upload or export step required.
How do I use Loom in Chrome?
Loom works as a Chrome extension that sits in your toolbar — see our screen recorder picks if you're still comparing options. Install Loom, sign in with a free account, click the icon, choose what to record, and start talking; Loom handles the recording, hosting, and link generation in one step.
There's no separate upload after you stop recording, which is the main difference from recording a video file locally and then sharing it manually through email or Drive.
You don't need to script anything
Loom is built for quick, unscripted recordings — a rough narrated walkthrough sent in two minutes beats a polished video that takes twenty. Treat small mistakes as normal; viewers expect a casual tone, not a rehearsed presentation.
How to install the Loom Chrome extension
- Go to the Loom extension listing on the Chrome Web Store and click
Add to Chrome. - Confirm with
Add extensionin the permission prompt. - Click the puzzle-piece
Extensionsicon in Chrome's toolbar and pin Loom so its icon stays visible. - Click the Loom icon and sign up or sign in — a free account is enough to start recording.
- Grant camera and microphone access when Chrome prompts you, even if you only plan to record your screen at first.
Signing in through the extension also links to Loom's desktop app if you have it installed, so recordings sync to the same library either way.
First-run setup: camera, mic, and default recording settings
Before your first real recording, it's worth setting these once so you're not adjusting them mid-recording.
- Recording mode
- Choose between screen and camera, screen only, or camera only from the extension's popup before you start.
- Microphone source
- Select the correct input if you have more than one, like a headset versus your laptop's built-in mic, from the same popup.
- Camera bubble
- Toggle the small camera overlay on or off, and drag it to a corner that won't cover what you're demonstrating.
- What to record
- Pick a specific browser tab, an application window, or your entire desktop each time you start a recording.
Take one short test recording before anything you actually plan to share, just to confirm your microphone is the one you meant to pick — a silent recording is the most common first-time mistake.
5 ways to use Loom in Chrome
Loom fits situations where writing would take longer than talking, or where seeing your screen matters more than reading about it.
| Workflow | What to record | Why it beats a written message |
|---|---|---|
| Quick tutorial for a colleague | Screen and camera, walking through the exact steps | Shows the actual clicks instead of describing them |
| Async standup update | Camera only, or screen if sharing a dashboard | Replaces a meeting slot with a recording anyone can watch on their own time |
| Bug report for a developer | Screen only, narrating what you clicked and what broke | Removes the back-and-forth of reproducing steps over text |
| Customer support walkthrough | Screen and camera, showing the fix inside the product | Feels personal and is easy to point a customer back to later |
| Sales or onboarding video | Screen and camera, demoing a feature or workflow | Reusable — send the same link to multiple prospects or new hires |
Loom privacy settings: who can see your videos
Every Loom video has its own privacy setting, separate from your account's overall settings, so it's worth checking before you send a link outside your team.
You can typically restrict a video to people signed in with a specific email domain, require a password, or leave it open to anyone with the link — check these options in the share panel before copying a link for something sensitive. Viewer insights, which show who watched and how much, are part of Loom's Business and Enterprise plans rather than every account.
Check the audience before recording anything sensitive
If you're recording a screen that includes account details, customer data, or internal-only information, set the video's privacy restriction before you finish recording, not after you've already shared the link — a link that's briefly public can still be copied.
What are Loom's recording limits?
Loom's plans differ on recording length and how many videos you can keep, and these limits change over time, so check the current plan page on Loom's own site rather than relying on a fixed number here.
What stays consistent across plans is that recording uploads as you go rather than saving purely to local storage, so a long recording depends more on a stable connection than on free space on your computer.
Why isn't the Loom extension recording or picking up audio?
Most recording problems trace back to a browser or OS permission Loom doesn't have yet, not the extension itself.
- No audio: check
chrome://settings/content/microphoneand confirm Loom has microphone access, and that the correct input device is selected in Loom's own popup. - Screen recording won't start on Mac: open
System Settings > Privacy & Security > Screen Recording, enable Chrome, then restart Chrome completely. - Recording freezes or won't stop: reload the tab you're recording, or disable and re-enable the extension from
chrome://extensions. - Camera bubble doesn't appear: check camera permissions the same way as the microphone, under
chrome://settings/content/camera.
Extensions that pair well with Loom recordings
A few small adjustments before you hit record make the final video clearer, and a couple of tools help once you're done.
Extensions worth having alongside Loom
-
Dark ReaderFree
Customization
Turn this off before recording — a page you've forced into dark mode looks unfamiliar to a viewer who's never seen your setup.
-
OneTabFree
Productivity
Collapse unrelated tabs before you screen-share so a viewer isn't distracted by a browser full of open windows.
-
GrammarlyFreemium
Writing
Useful for polishing the written description you attach to a shared Loom link, even though the video itself is spoken.
-
GoFullPageFreemium
Screenshots & Recording
A faster alternative when a static screenshot communicates the point better than a full recording.
-
Security & Privacy
Blocks ads and clutter on the page you're recording, so a viewer's attention stays on what you're demonstrating.
If Loom's account limits or feature set don't fit your team, it's worth comparing it against Loom alternatives before committing to a paid plan.
Extensions mentioned in this guide
Frequently asked
How do you use a Loom for beginners?
Install the Loom Chrome extension, sign in, click its toolbar icon, choose screen and camera recording, then talk while you demonstrate. Stop the recording to get an instant shareable link — no editing skills are required to send your first one.
Can I use Loom on my phone?
Loom offers a mobile app for recording and viewing on Android and iPhone, but the Chrome extension covered here only works on desktop Chrome, not Chrome for mobile.
How do I record a video using Loom?
Click the Loom icon, pick screen and camera, screen only, or camera only, select what to share when Chrome's picker appears, then narrate as you demonstrate. Click the stop control when you're done to open the editor.
Do people on Loom see if I watched their video?
The creator can see who watched and how much through Viewer Insights, though that feature is limited to Business and Enterprise plans rather than every account.
Is the Loom Chrome extension free?
Yes, the extension itself is free to add, and Loom's free account tier lets you record and share videos; paid plans add features like Viewer Insights and higher usage limits.
Can I edit a Loom video after recording it?
Yes. Loom opens an editor immediately after you stop recording, where you can trim the start or end before copying the share link.
Does Loom record system audio, not just my microphone?
Loom's popup lets you choose a microphone input; whether audio playing on the page is also captured depends on your recording mode and browser permissions, so check the audio source shown before recording anything with in-page sound.
Can I use Loom without a Chrome extension?
Yes, Loom also offers a desktop app and mobile apps that record independently of Chrome, which is useful if you want to capture something outside the browser.
How do I restrict who can view a Loom video?
Open the share panel for that specific video and set a privacy option, such as requiring sign-in with a certain email domain or adding a password, before sending the link.
Why does my Loom recording have no sound?
Check that Loom has microphone permission at chrome://settings/content/microphone and that the correct input device is selected in Loom's own popup before you start recording, not after.
Can I record just my camera without my screen in Loom?
Yes, camera-only is one of the recording modes available from the Loom extension's popup, alongside screen-and-camera and screen-only.
What happens to a Loom video if I stop paying for a paid plan?
Loom's own pricing page describes what happens to videos and storage beyond the free plan's limits when you downgrade, and this can change, so check the current plan page for specifics before assuming anything is deleted.