Loom is a screen‑recording platform that lets developers create quick video demos, bug reproductions, and design walkthroughs. This guide walks you through the core concepts, how to set up Loom on any OS, the daily workflows most teams adopt, advanced patterns for automation, and the most common mistakes that waste time. Follow each step and you’ll start sharing clear, concise videos in under five minutes.
Loom records three streams at once: screen, webcam, and microphone. The video is uploaded instantly to Loom’s cloud, where a shareable link is generated. The link can be embedded in GitHub comments, Slack threads, or Confluence pages. Because the video lives online, viewers don’t need to download anything.
Visit loom.com/download. Choose:
LoomSetup.exeLoomSetup.dmgsudo snap install loom-desktopSign up with a work email. For teams, select “Team” during registration to enable shared libraries.
Chrome and Edge have Loom extensions that add a “Record from page” button. Install from the Chrome Web Store and grant screen‑capture permission.
Use the “Window” mode to capture only the editor. Turn on “Highlight cursor” to make mouse movements visible. After recording, add timestamps in the description (e.g., “0:45 – explain function X”).
In GitHub, click “Add a comment”, then paste the Loom link. GitHub automatically renders a playable thumbnail. Reviewers can leave inline comments that reference the video timestamp.
Store all videos in a shared “Team” folder. Use a naming convention: PROJECT‑MODULE‑TYPE‑DATE (e.g., API‑Auth‑Demo‑2024‑06‑23). This makes searching easy.
Use Loom’s API to upload recordings generated by headless browsers during tests.
curl -X POST https://api.loom.com/v1/videos \
-H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_TOKEN" \
-F "file=@/path/to/video.mp4" \
-F "title=CI Test Run - $BUILD_ID"Store the returned URL in the build artifact log.
When generating release notes, add links with timestamps:
https://www.loom.com/share/abcdef?t=90“t=90” starts playback at 1 minute 30 seconds.
Set up a Slack workflow that watches a channel for Loom links and automatically posts a preview with the video’s title and description.
Write a small script that checks top output. If CPU usage < 15 %, launch Loom; otherwise, skip recording to avoid slowdown.
Result: CPU spikes to 30 % and the video lags. Fix: Switch to 720p or enable “Low‑fps mode” (15 fps).
Result: Listeners hear keyboard clicks and fans. Fix: Use a headset with a noise‑cancelling mic or enable Loom’s “Noise suppression” toggle.
Result: Viewers lose focus; file size > 500 MB. Fix: Keep demos under 5 minutes. Split longer sessions into chapters using timestamps.
Result: Videos are scattered across personal accounts. Fix: Create a “Team” library and enforce naming conventions.
Result: Sensitive code exposed publicly. Fix: Set video visibility to “Team only” or add a password on paid plans.
| Feature | Loom (Free) | Vidyard (Free) | ScreenFlow (One‑time) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly video limit | 25 videos (≤5 min each) | 10 videos (≤5 min) | Unlimited |
| Resolution | 1080p (default) | 720p | 4K |
| Team library | Yes | No | Yes (via folders) |
| Browser extension | Chrome/Edge | Chrome only | None |
| API access | Yes (rate‑limited) | Limited | No |
| Price for unlimited | $8/user/mo | $15/user/mo | $299 one‑time |
Loom is a video‑recording tool that captures screen, webcam and audio. Developers use it to share demos, walkthroughs, and bug reproductions without writing long text.
Download the installer from loom.com for Windows (.exe) and macOS (.dmg). Linux users can install the Snap package: sudo snap install loom-desktop.
Yes. Loom offers official Chrome extensions that add a “Copy Loom link” button to pull requests and Jira tickets. The link embeds a preview player.
Recording over 30 minutes can cause high CPU usage and large file sizes (>500 MB). Turn off webcam and reduce resolution to 720p to keep CPU under 10 %.
Loom’s free plan allows 25 videos per month, each up to 5 minutes long, with 1080p resolution. Paid plans raise limits and add password protection.
With Loom, developers can replace lengthy text explanations with short, visual videos. Install the client, set sensible defaults, and follow the core workflows to keep communication fast. Use the advanced patterns for automation, and watch out for the common mistakes that waste time or expose sensitive code. A well‑organized Loom library becomes a living knowledge base for any engineering team.