Learn · Tutorials

Recorder Tools: Draw, Pause, Screen, and PiP

Draw while recording, pause and resume, share your screen, and show your camera in the corner with picture-in-picture.

Higher-ed educatorsRecordingPostsTools

Record and Upload Your First Post covers the steps for recording and uploading. Here you can learn how to draw, pause, share your screen, and use picture-in-picture (PiP).

Try the recorder without an account. You can record and download a video; sign in when you want to upload to a Space.

In a course Space you still start from a Topic with Create a post so the prompt and Space are attached.

Open the recorder

Allow camera and microphone access. The recorder shows your camera preview and, if you opened it from a Topic, the prompt. The recording and drawing controls sit below the preview. Next appears once you have recorded enough to review.

Allow camera and microphone access, then use the controls below the preview. Tap the prompt to dismiss it.

Drawing and colors

Open the color control (the small filled circle in the tool strip) to pick a stroke color. Drawing is useful for circling a detail on a prop, underlining a term, or highlighting a region on shared slides.

Choose a high-contrast color before you start or while paused.

Drag over the preview to draw. Your marks appear in the final video, so keep them easy to follow.

Use a few clear marks so viewers can follow them on a small screen.

Pause and resume

The large circular control starts and pauses recording. Pause when you need to gather your thoughts, change props, or adjust the layout. Press again to resume. The timer picks up where you paused, and both parts stay in one video.

Pause mid-explanation when needed; resume for the rest of the response, then Next when finished.

The timer stops at the recording limit. In a Topic, that limit is up to 90 seconds on the free plan or 5 minutes when the Space owner has Plus. Very short takes may be rejected on upload, so record at least a few clear seconds.

Screen share and picture-in-picture

Use the screen / monitor control to share a tab, window, or display (browser permissions apply). For teaching, that is often slides, an IDE, or a document.

Pair screen share with picture-in-picture so your camera stays visible in a corner while the slides fill the main frame. Students see both the board and the instructor.

Show slides in the main frame and your camera in the corner. You can draw over the preview as you explain.

Choose camera only for a spoken response, screen sharing for a demonstration, or PiP when you want both visible.

Vivipod keeps your screen-share permission for the current recording session. After granting access, you can switch among screen, PiP, and camera/canvas until you finish the take and start a new video. This lets you move from slides to face-only and back without approving screen share each time.

Finish with Next

When you finish, choose Next. Review the video, choose a thumbnail, add a description if you want one, then select Upload.

Choose Next to review the video. Use Retake if you want to record it again.

When to use which tool

GoalPrefer
Short oral answerCamera only
Point at a diagram or propDraw + camera
Walk through slides or codeScreen + PiP
Compose carefullyPause / resume
Record an example students can followPractice once, then record a concise take

Next steps