TabVCR
Tracking adjustment

Support

Most answers are below. For anything else, use the support contact on TabVCR's Chrome Web Store listing once it's live.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use my computer while it records?
Yes — that's the point. Chrome records the tab, not your screen, so you can cover the window with other apps or push it to the background. Just don't close the tab, navigate it elsewhere, or drag it into a different Chrome window until the badge reads OK.
How many things can I record at once?
Each tab records independently with its own controls. Capacity depends on your hardware: our lab M4 MacBook Air with 24 GB sustained four simultaneous 720p WebM recordings in separate windows (two sharing one window also passed), while heavier loads failed our quality gates. If frames start dropping, reduce concurrency or resolution.
Chrome asked me to reconnect my output folder. Why?
Chrome sometimes drops folder access after a browser restart — that's a Chrome security behavior, not a bug. TabVCR checks before each recording and prompts you to reconnect in its options when needed.
My keyboard shortcut doesn't work.
Open TabVCR's options and check the Keyboard shortcut section — it shows what's actually assigned in your Chrome profile. If it says Not assigned, use the button there to open Chrome's shortcut settings and assign a key. Another extension may have claimed the suggested default.
Should I pick WebM or MP4?
WebM (the default) — it had measurably better audio/video sync in our testing. Native MP4 is available as an experimental option, but it depends on your Chrome build's recorder and showed ~0.16 s of audio lag in our timing fixture. TabVCR never fakes one format as another and never re-transcodes.
The badge says PART. Is my recording ruined?
No — PART means the media or capture track ended unexpectedly (a site swapped out its player, for example), and TabVCR preserved everything captured up to that point as a playable file.
The video loops forever and never "ends."
Looping videos never fire the end event TabVCR listens for, so stop those manually: return to the tab and press the shortcut or click Stop recording.
Where do my recordings go? Are they uploaded anywhere?
Recordings are written directly into the folder you chose in TabVCR's options, incrementally, while recording. They are never uploaded anywhere — TabVCR has no account, no cloud, no analytics, and no network access at all. Read the full privacy policy; it's short on drama for a reason.
Can I record my whole screen or another app?
No — TabVCR records Chrome tabs only. That's a deliberate scope: it's what keeps the permission list tiny and the recordings reliable while Chrome is in the background.
Is it legal to record with TabVCR?
TabVCR is a tool, like a VCR was: recording material you're authorized to record — your own content, your meetings, public-domain and licensed-for-download material — is what it's for. Recording content in violation of a site's terms or someone's copyright is on you, not the tape deck. When in doubt, don't.

Troubleshooting checklist

  1. Chrome 126 or newer? Older versions aren't supported.
  2. Output folder connected? Check TabVCR's options — reconnect if prompted.
  3. Window in OS fullscreen? Return it to a normal or maximized window first (TabVCR intentionally won't resize a fullscreen or minimized window).
  4. Recording a chrome:// or browser-internal page? Those can't be captured.
  5. Badge stuck on STOP? Press stop once more — it retries the same recording safely.
  6. Still stuck? Note the badge state and what the page was doing, and get in touch below.

Contact

TabVCR is currently in private testing. Once the public Chrome Web Store listing is live, the verified support contact on that listing is the way to reach us — it's also the contact of record for the privacy policy.