Make your camera bubble visible in Loom recordings
In Loom, the camera bubble allows you to maintain a personal connection with your audience by displaying your video feed alongside your screen capture. Depending on which Loom recorder you use, the camera bubble behaves differently when you move between browser tabs, separate windows, or desktop applications.
Using the camera bubble helps add context and non-verbal communication to your presentations, tutorials, or feedback. It ensures your audience can see your reactions and engagement while you demonstrate complex workflows across various digital environments.
For example, a product manager might use the Loom desktop app to record a demo that starts in a web browser, moves to a slide deck application, and finishes in a terminal window. Using the desktop app, their camera bubble remains visible and pinned to the top of every application they switch to throughout the entire recording.
Loom recording platforms
The visibility of your camera bubble depends on the specific permissions and technical limitations of the recording method you choose.
Loom desktop app (recommended)
The desktop app is the recommended choice for uninterrupted visibility. It can initialize and maintain the camera bubble across the widest variety of applications and windows.
Best for: Recording across multiple browser windows, switching between different apps (like Slack or Excel), or when a specific website's security settings block browser-based cameras.
Limitations: The camera bubble isn’t compatible with Linux or ChromeOS. Additionally, some operating systems restrict the bubble from appearing over certain system-level windows or PDFs.
Read more about the Loom desktop app
Chrome extension
The Chrome extension is tied to the specific browser window where the recording was started. It relies on browser permissions to overlay your video feed.
Best for: Quick recordings that take place entirely within the Chrome browser.
Limitations: The camera bubble can’t follow you if you switch to a different desktop application or a completely separate Chrome window. It also can’t appear on top of PDFs opened in Chrome. Some websites block video feeds and recording software via browser permissions. In these cases, you won’t be able to use the Chrome extension to record; instead, you should use the Desktop app.
Read more about the Chrome extension or how to install the Chrome extension
Loom SDK
The SDK is a lightweight, "lite" version of the recorder, often embedded directly into other websites or platforms. This is also embedded in Loom.com: You will default to the SDK recorder if you use the Record a video button in your Loom account and haven’t downloaded the Chrome extension or Desktop app.
Best for: Simple, single-tab recordings within a specific supported platform.
Limitations: This is the most restricted recording method. The camera bubble is locked to the specific tab where the recording began and won’t appear if you navigate to other tabs or apps.
Troubleshoot missing camera bubbles
If your face is not visible in the recording:
Ensure the correct camera source is selected in Loom’s recording settings.
If you have multiple cameras in your setup, you will see them all listed as options in the camera selector dropdown:
Confirm the camera is enabled in the recording settings.
You can enable and disable the camera by selecting the ON and OFF icons on the far right of the Camera option:
Grant Chrome or the Loom app permission to access your camera.
Chrome extension: The extension is granted permissions via Chrome. To check that the extension has the correct permissions for the camera and microphone, go to the following URL and make sure the camera and microphone are enabled:
chrome://settings/content/siteDetails?site=chrome-extension%3A%2F%2FliecbddmkiiihnedobmlmillhodjkdmbDesktop app: The desktop app requires permissions granted via your operating system. You can check which applications have access to your Screen recording, camera, and microphone in your computer’s Privacy and Security settings.
If the camera bubble disappears when switching tabs or applications:
Understand that this may be a limitation of the recording platform you’re using. Make sure you’re aware of the limits as described above.
Use the Loom Desktop app, which has the fewest restrictions. You can download it here: loom.com/download
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