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To record yourself over PowerPoint, PDFs, or other applications, use the Sendspark Desktop Recorder rather than the Chrome Extension, whose camera bubble is limited to the Chrome browser. Install the desktop app, choose Camera + Screen, open your presentation, and click Start Recording. The desktop recorder also supports fullscreen slides and back-to-back recordings.

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Key takeaways

  • The Chrome Extension can’t record over PowerPoint, PDFs, or other apps because its camera bubble is restricted to the Chrome browser.
  • To record over any application on your computer, use the Sendspark Desktop Recorder instead.
  • The desktop recorder also lets you record slides in fullscreen mode and record multiple videos back-to-back without waiting for the first to upload.
  • Recording is four steps: install the desktop app, select Camera + Screen, open your presentation, and click Start Recording.
  • To get slides filling the screen, see recording PowerPoint in full screen. For Google Slides, you can skip recording altogether and use the deck as a dynamic background: see pitch deck videos with Google Slides.
  • A PDF open in a Chrome tab is the exception. The extension can record it once you allow access to file URLs.
We typically recommend using the Sendspark Chrome Extension to record videos, because it’s super fast to use from Chrome, and you get access to ourinstant integrations with Gmail, LinkedIn, and other messaging platforms. However, the Chrome Extension does not let you record yourself over PowerPoint, PDFs, or other applications. With the Chrome Extension, your camera bubble is restricted your Chrome browser. To record yourself on applications outside of Chrome, you need to use the Sendspark desktop recorder. The Sendspark Desktop Recorder lets you…
  • Record over PowerPoint, PDF, and other applications on your computer
  • Record over Slides in “fullscreen” mode (see how to record PowerPoint in full screen for clearing the ribbon and slide thumbnails first)
  • Record multiple videos back-to-back, without waiting for the first video to upload
(If you do not have the Sendspark Desktop Recorder already,install it here).

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How to Record Yourself Over PowerPoint

Sendspark Desktop Recorder
  1. Install the Sendspark Desktop App
  2. Select “Camera + Screen” as the recording option
  3. Open your PowerPoint presentation
  4. Click “Start Recording”

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Frequently asked questions

Hide the slide thumbnails down the left, then use PowerPoint’s ribbon drop-down to turn on Single Line Ribbon and Automatically Hide. That clears the interface so the slides fill the frame. See recording PowerPoint in full screen.
If the PDF is open in a Chrome tab, Chrome blocks extensions from reading local files by default, so the bubble never loads. Open the Sendspark extension’s Manage extension page and turn on Allow access to file URLs. See recording videos over PDF files. For a PDF open in a separate application rather than Chrome, use the desktop recorder instead.
With the Chrome Extension, your camera bubble is restricted to the Chrome browser, so it can’t record over PowerPoint, PDFs, or other applications outside of Chrome. Use the Sendspark Desktop Recorder for that.
The desktop recorder lets you record over PowerPoint, PDFs, and other applications on your computer, record over slides in fullscreen mode, and record multiple videos back-to-back without waiting for the first video to upload.
If you don’t already have it, install it here.
Select Camera + Screen as the recording option, then open your presentation and click Start Recording.
Updated August 2026.