# Request a recording

Screendesk makes it easy for customers to share screen recordings with your support team — no software installation required. Customers record directly in their browser, and the recording is automatically delivered to the right ticket or conversation in your helpdesk.

This page walks through the experience from both sides: what your customer sees, and what your support agent sees.

### How it works for customers

When a customer is asked to share a screen recording, they receive a link that opens the Screendesk recorder directly in their browser. The entire process takes under a minute and requires no downloads, plugins, or account creation.

**Step-by-step customer flow**

{% stepper %}
{% step %}
**Open the recording link**

The customer clicks a link provided by your support agent — either in a helpdesk ticket, a chat message, or on your website. The Screendesk recorder opens in their browser.

{% hint style="info" %}
The recording link works in all modern browsers. No installation or sign-up is required.
{% endhint %}

<figure><img src="https://3820804400-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FfW6XSzJSKsNyZnOkSJPt%2Fuploads%2FTb1r6WbXDaSgK1sfF6Dm%2FCleanShot%202026-02-10%20at%2015.57.51%402x.png?alt=media&#x26;token=c6407aa1-ca46-417a-ac9f-22707fd8a30b" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>
{% endstep %}

{% step %}
**Choose recording options**

Before recording begins, the customer can toggle:

* **Microphone** — turn on to include an audio narration alongside the screen recording. This helps provide verbal context about the issue.

This is optional

<figure><img src="https://3820804400-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FfW6XSzJSKsNyZnOkSJPt%2Fuploads%2F7t2pRyRWQgwUmCPTvAf4%2FCleanShot%202026-02-10%20at%2015.59.03%402x.png?alt=media&#x26;token=9e877baf-1987-4313-84a9-02898e19a9d3" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>
{% endstep %}

{% step %}
**Select what to share**

After clicking **Start Recording**, the browser prompts the customer to choose what to capture:

* **Entire screen** — records everything visible on the selected display
* **Application window** — records a single application window
* **Browser tab** — records a specific browser tab

The customer picks the option that best shows their issue, then confirms.

<figure><img src="https://3820804400-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FfW6XSzJSKsNyZnOkSJPt%2Fuploads%2FMjdpAXtuzcOgZibP3BBn%2FCleanShot%202026-02-10%20at%2016.00.04%402x.png?alt=media&#x26;token=59a261fc-8e2a-46cd-838a-f7acf18085d7" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>
{% endstep %}

{% step %}
**Record the issue**

A brief countdown (3… 2… 1…) plays before recording starts, giving the customer a moment to prepare. They then demonstrate the issue on screen while optionally narrating over the microphone.

{% hint style="info" %}
The countdown can be disabled by an admin in **Settings → Recorder**. See Customize Recorder Options for details.
{% endhint %}

<figure><img src="https://3820804400-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FfW6XSzJSKsNyZnOkSJPt%2Fuploads%2FneHChGqnk5Q6Vbqnw1sj%2FCleanShot%202026-02-10%20at%2016.00.30%402x.png?alt=media&#x26;token=5db35ad0-3625-48c2-9190-1997b5ff2e50" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>
{% endstep %}

{% step %}
**Stop and submit**

When finished, the customer clicks **Stop Recording**. Depending on your workspace settings, they may be asked to provide:

* **Email address** — so your team can follow up (configurable as required or optional)
* **Title** — a short summary of the issue (configurable as required or optional)
* **Description** — additional written context about the problem (always optional)

The customer clicks **Submit** and sees a confirmation that the recording has been received.

<figure><img src="https://3820804400-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FfW6XSzJSKsNyZnOkSJPt%2Fuploads%2Fg4TdyokT2ED8TMVDC9hB%2FCleanShot%202026-02-10%20at%2016.01.00%402x.png?alt=media&#x26;token=65d1fae3-80c6-40ed-bb10-dc91ee969142" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

{% hint style="success" %}
The recording, along with any comments, is automatically sent to the correct support ticket or conversation — no manual file sharing needed.
{% endhint %}

### How it works for support agents

Support agents interact with Screendesk directly from within their helpdesk tool. There's no need to switch between applications — requesting a recording and viewing the result both happen in the same workflow.

**Requesting a recording**

{% stepper %}
{% step %}
**Open the Screendesk panel**

In your helpdesk (Zendesk, Intercom, Freshdesk, HelpScout, or Jira), locate the **Screendesk** button or app panel. It typically appears in the right sidebar of a ticket or conversation.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}
**Click Request Recording**

Click the **Request Recording** button. Screendesk generates a unique recording link and sends it to the customer within the current ticket or conversation.

The message text is customizable — you can personalize the wording in your Screendesk integration settings.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

**Receiving a completed recording**

When the customer finishes recording and submits, the recording is automatically linked back to the original ticket or conversation:

* An **internal note** is added to the ticket containing a link to the recording and the customer's description (if provided).
* The ticket can be **auto-tagged** with `screendesk-recording-received` so you can filter and track recordings across your queue (configurable per integration).
* If you use **Zendesk**, you can also configure a public reply to confirm receipt to the customer.

**Viewing a recording**

Click the recording link in the internal note to open it in Screendesk. The recording page gives you everything you need to understand the customer's issue at a glance.

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="Video player" %}
Watch the customer's screen recording with full playback controls. If the customer enabled their microphone, the audio narration plays alongside the video.
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="System information" %}
Screendesk automatically captures the customer's environment details:

* **Operating system** and version
* **Browser** and version
* **Screen resolution** and window size
* **Device type** (desktop, mobile, tablet)
* **Locale** and timezone
* **Network speed** and ISP
* **VPN detection**
  {% endtab %}

{% tab title="Console logs" %}
If console log capture is enabled for your workspace, this tab shows the JavaScript console output from the customer's session:

* Error, warning, info, and debug messages
* Stack traces and source file references
* Timestamps synchronized with the recording timeline

This is invaluable for diagnosing client-side bugs without asking the customer to open developer tools.
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="Network logs" %}
When the customer uses the Screendesk Chrome extension, network activity is captured alongside the recording:

* API endpoints and HTTP status codes
* Request and response headers
* Request payloads and response bodies
* Timing and resource size
* Copy-as-cURL for quick reproduction

Network logs help your team identify failing API calls or slow requests behind the issue the customer is experiencing.
{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}

### Supported helpdesk integrations

Screendesk integrates natively with the following platforms. In each case, the agent can request recordings and receive results without leaving their helpdesk.

| Platform                               | Where Screendesk appears               | How recordings are delivered                        |
| -------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------- |
| **Zendesk** (Support, Chat, Messaging) | Right sidebar app panel                | Internal note on the ticket (optional public reply) |
| **Intercom** (Messenger, Inbox)        | Messenger home panel and Inbox sidebar | Message in the conversation thread                  |
| **Freshdesk** (Tickets, Chat)          | Right sidebar app panel                | Private note on the ticket                          |
| **HelpScout**                          | Right sidebar app icon                 | Note in the conversation                            |
| **Jira Service Management**            | Right panel in issue view              | Comment on the issue                                |
| **HubSpot**                            | Support ticket panel                   | Note on the ticket                                  |

{% hint style="info" %}
Each integration supports customizable call-to-action text and auto-tagging. Configure these in **Settings → Integrations** for your connected helpdesk.
{% endhint %}

### Important details

* **No installation required** — customers record directly in their browser. No plugins, extensions, or downloads needed.
* **Recording time** — there is no hard time limit on recordings, though shorter recordings (under 5 minutes) are recommended for faster upload and review.
* **Required fields** — workspace admins can make the email and title fields required or optional in **Settings → Recorder**. See Customize Recorder Options.
* **Countdown timer** — a 3-second countdown plays before recording begins by default. This can be disabled in **Settings → Recorder**.
* **Branding** — the recorder background color, player accent color, and logo are all customizable to match your brand identity.
* **Sensitive data** — if blur is enabled, specified elements on the customer's page are automatically obscured during recording. See Blur Sensitive Data.

### Troubleshooting

<details>

<summary>Customer says the recording link doesn't work</summary>

**Cause:** Link may have expired or the browser may not support screen capture.

**Solution:** Ask the customer to try in Chrome or Edge. Confirm the link URL is correct.

</details>

<details>

<summary>Recording appears without audio</summary>

**Cause:** Customer didn't enable the microphone toggle before recording.

**Solution:** Let them know they can toggle the microphone on before clicking **Start Recording**, and re-record if needed.

</details>

<details>

<summary>No console logs appear on the recording page</summary>

**Cause:** Console log capture isn't enabled for the workspace.

**Solution:** Go to **Settings → Console Logs** and enable the feature. The widget must also be installed on the customer's site.

</details>

<details>

<summary>Recording doesn't appear in the helpdesk ticket</summary>

**Cause:** Integration may be misconfigured or the ticket ID wasn't passed correctly.

**Solution:** Check **Settings → Integrations** and verify the helpdesk connection is active. Try requesting a new recording.

</details>

<details>

<summary>Customer can't select a specific window or tab</summary>

**Cause:** Browser API limitations on certain operating systems.

**Solution:** Full screen capture is the most widely supported option. Suggest the customer try a different browser or use full screen.

</details>