Learn · Tutorials

Recorder Tools: Draw, Pause, Screen, and PiP

Go beyond the basic record button: choose drawing colors, annotate on camera or slides, pause and resume, share your screen, and use picture-in-picture layout.

Higher-ed educatorsRecordingPostsTools

The happy path in Record and Upload Your First Post covers camera → record → NextUpload. This tutorial focuses on the controls around that path: drawing, pause/resume, screen share, and picture-in-picture (PiP).

You can try the same controls right away—no account required—in the open recorder: vivipod.com/create. Guests can record and download; signing in is only needed when you upload into a Space Topic.

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

Ready state

After camera (and mic) access, the recorder shows your camera preview, the Topic prompt if attached, and a control strip: record, tools, and Next once you have captured enough media.

Allow media access, dismiss the Topic overlay if you want a clear frame, then use the tools below the preview.

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.

While recording (or in a mode that accepts strokes), drag on the canvas to draw. Keep annotations simple—viewers see them as part of the final video.

Short strokes read better than dense scribbling, especially on mobile.

Pause and resume

The large circular control starts and pauses recording. Pause when you need to gather thoughts, change props, or adjust layout—then press again to resume. The timer continues across segments in one take.

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

Recordings are currently capped at 90 seconds (the timer stops at the limit). Very short takes may still be rejected on upload—pause and resume as needed, but plan a single focused answer that fits the cap.

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.

Screen + PiP is ideal for walkthroughs: slides full size, face inset, optional draw on top.

Layout options typically include camera-only (canvas), PiP, and screen-forward modes. Pick the layout that matches the assignment (reflection on camera vs demo on screen).

Unlike many browser-based recorders, Vivipod keeps your screen-share permission for the current recording session. After you grant share once, you can switch between screen, PiP, and camera/canvas as often as you need—without approving share again—until you finish that take and start the next video. That makes it practical to demo slides, cut back to face-only for a point, then return to screen without breaking flow.

Finish with Next

When the take is complete, pause if needed and choose Next to open preview, thumbnail, optional description, and Upload—same as the basic post tutorial.

Next moves you to review. Retake if the screen share or drawing needs a cleaner pass.

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
Class archive qualityOne clean take after a quick practice

Next steps