> ## Documentation index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://www.tutorial.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Recording Best Practices

> Tips for creating clean, professional screen recordings — from preparation to recording technique.

Section: Docs › Recording

A good recording is the foundation of a great tutorial. These tips help you capture clean, professional footage that AI can work with effectively.

## Before recording

### Clean up your screen

- **Hide desktop icons** — use the Desktop App's built-in option to remove them from the recording
- **Close unnecessary apps** — only keep what's relevant to the tutorial open
- **Mute notifications** — prevent popups from interrupting your flow
- **Hide the Dock** (macOS) — removes visual clutter from the bottom of the screen

### Adjust the recording area

When recording browser content, exclude the browser window frame and address bar:

![](https://www.tutorial.ai/images/help/help-9939384-Screenshot_2025-09-11_at_10_04_40.e43102db.png)

Click **Adjust Recording Area** before recording and drag the borders to crop out unnecessary UI elements. This keeps the viewer focused on the content.

### Use a countdown timer

Enable the countdown timer in the Desktop App settings so you have a moment to prepare before recording starts.

## During recording

### Work at a steady pace

Move deliberately through each step. Quick mouse movements and rapid clicks make it harder for AI to generate accurate narration and can confuse viewers.

### Pause when needed

Use `Ctrl + Cmd + P` (Mac) or `Ctrl + Alt + P` (Windows) to pause the recording. The recording bar blinks red while paused.

![](https://www.tutorial.ai/images/help/help-9939384-AD_4nXclGdZcrepDF_sMNbQ101ZEyuRnZjTwafsOehHv0wyA9EswJSlA5JLC.d3069025.png)

Pausing is useful when you need to:

- Switch between screens or apps
- Review your notes
- Prepare for the next section

### Speak while recording

[Recording with audio](https://www.tutorial.ai/docs/recording/recording-with-audio) gives AI a much better starting point for narration. Speak naturally — AI will clean up filler words and polish the script.

### Click clearly

The Desktop App tracks your mouse position and clicks to generate [Sync Markers](https://www.tutorial.ai/docs/voiceover/script-editing#sync-markers). Click on elements deliberately so the system captures clear interaction points.

## Choosing the right recorder

| Scenario | Recommended |
|----------|------------|
| Professional, customer-facing tutorials | [Desktop App](https://www.tutorial.ai/docs/recording/screen-recording) |
| Multi-app workflows or desktop software | [Desktop App](https://www.tutorial.ai/docs/recording/screen-recording) |
| Quick browser-only walkthroughs | [Chrome Extension](https://www.tutorial.ai/docs/recording/chrome-extension) |
| Mobile app tutorials | [Mobile Recording](https://www.tutorial.ai/docs/recording/mobile-recording) |

The Desktop App captures metadata and cursor positions that enable [cursor effects](https://www.tutorial.ai/docs/visual-effects/cursor-effects) — enlarged cursor, smooth movement, simplified paths. The Chrome Extension can't do this.

## After recording

### Let AI enhance your content

If you recorded with audio, take advantage of the automatic enhancement options:

- **Enhance Narration** — removes filler words and refines sentence structure
- **Smart Auto-Cut** — trims idle sections from the video

### Reuse recordings

You can create multiple projects from the same recording. Go to the **Screen Recordings** tab and select **New project from recording** to start fresh with the same footage.

![](https://www.tutorial.ai/images/help/help-9945215-AD_4nXcAPd508atHu0S7AGx13dFT0DXE1p13XqhrSxK_Xav5YFQvhy9Jt5hV.33506c14.png)

## Next steps

  - [Screen Recording](https://www.tutorial.ai/docs/recording/screen-recording): Desktop App recording guide
  - [Chrome Extension](https://www.tutorial.ai/docs/recording/chrome-extension): Browser-based recording
  - [Edit Like a Doc](https://www.tutorial.ai/docs/editing/edit-like-a-doc): How script-based editing works

Source: https://www.tutorial.ai/docs/recording/best-practices