Fix problems with the Chrome extension
Fixes for the Clevera Chrome extension: pages Chrome won't let you record, the Mac Screen Recording permission, a blocked microphone or camera, shortcuts, sign-in, stuck uploads, and how to send logs to support.
Updated 6 min read
Most problems with the Clevera Chrome extension come from a page Chrome doesn't let extensions record, a permission in Chrome or in your computer's settings, or the connection. Find what you see below. If nothing here helps, send logs and contact support.
Start recording doesn't work
| What you see | What to do |
|---|---|
| Chrome doesn't allow recording this page ("Choose Window or Screen to record this page."), and Start recording is greyed out | Chrome doesn't let extensions record its own pages (chrome://…, such as Settings, Extensions or the New Tab page), other extensions' pages and the Chrome Web Store. Choose Window or Screen, or open the popup on a normal web page. |
| "Open a tab to record it." | There's no tab to record in this window. Open a web page, then click the Clevera icon on that tab. |
| "Click the Clevera button on the tab you want to record, then choose Start recording." | Chrome lets Clevera record a tab only after you click the Clevera icon (or press its shortcut) on that tab. Go to the tab, click the Clevera icon there and start again. |
| "Clevera is still busy with the last recording. Try again in a moment." | A recording is still starting or saving. Wait a moment and try again. |
| "Couldn't reach Clevera. Try again." | Check your connection, then try again. Clevera needs a connection to start a recording. |
| "Sign in to Clevera to record." | Sign in. See Sign in. |
| "Create or join a workspace on Clevera to record." | Your account has no workspace yet. Create one in Clevera, or ask a teammate to invite you, then sign out and in again. |
| Starting recording… with "This is taking longer than usual." | Wait a few seconds. If it doesn't start, close the popup, open it again and start again. |
| The popup closed after Chrome's share dialog and nothing records | You closed Chrome's share dialog, or clicked Cancel there. Open Clevera again, start again and choose what to share. |
Mac: Window or Screen won't record
On a Mac, Chrome needs the system's Screen Recording permission to record a window or a screen. Without it, the popup says "Your system doesn't allow Chrome to record the screen. Allow Chrome in your system's privacy settings (on a Mac: Privacy & Security › Screen & System Audio Recording), then try again."
- Open System Settings → Privacy & Security → Screen & System Audio Recording (on older macOS: Screen Recording).
- Turn on Google Chrome. If it isn't listed, click + and add it from Applications.
- Quit Chrome completely (Chrome → Quit Google Chrome) and open it again. macOS applies the change only after a restart.
This tab doesn't need this permission.
The microphone or camera doesn't work
| What you see | What to do |
|---|---|
| Microphone access is off or Camera access is off, with Allow | Click Allow, then Allow microphone (or Allow camera) in the small Clevera window, then Allow in Chrome's prompt. |
| Microphone is blocked in Chrome or Camera is blocked in Chrome, with Fix | You chose Block once. Click Fix, then Open Chrome settings, and set Microphone or Camera to Allow. See If Chrome blocked the microphone or camera. |
| "Chrome closed the prompt without an answer. Try again and choose Allow." | Chrome's prompt was dismissed. Click the button in the Clevera window again and choose Allow. |
| "No microphone found. Connect one and try again." or No camera found | Connect the device, then try again. |
| Access is allowed, but there's no sound or picture | On a Mac, check System Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone (or Camera) and make sure Google Chrome is on. On Windows, check Settings → Privacy & security → Microphone (or Camera) and allow desktop apps. Then quit and reopen Chrome. |
The Clevera icon or a shortcut doesn't respond
- You can't see the Clevera icon. Pin it: click the puzzle-piece icon at the top right of Chrome, then the pin next to Clevera (or ⋮ → Pin to toolbar). See Pin Clevera to the toolbar.
- A shortcut does nothing. Shortcuts work only while Chrome is the app in front. Another extension may use the same keys: open
chrome://extensions/shortcutsand check or change Clevera's. Settings → Shortcuts shows Not set for a shortcut Chrome didn't assign. - The popup closed when recording started. That's expected: it closes when the countdown ends so it isn't in your video. Click the Clevera icon to open the controls.
Sign-in doesn't finish
When you click Sign in, a Clevera tab opens, hands your sign-in to the extension and closes.
| What you see | What to do |
|---|---|
| Finish signing in in your browser stays in the popup ("Still waiting. If you've signed in, go back to that tab.") | Go back to the Clevera tab and finish signing in. If you closed it, click Open the sign-in tab again. |
| "Sign-in didn't pass the security check. Try again." or "Sign-in didn't work. Try again." | Click Sign in again and finish in the new tab, not an older one. |
| "Your session expired. Sign in again." | Click Sign in. |
| "Can't reach Clevera right now. Check your connection." | Check your connection and try again. |
| You use Brave and the sign-in tab never hands over | Brave Shields can stop the hand-over. Lower Shields for app.clevera.ai only, then sign in again. |
The upload is stuck or failed
- The icon shows a percentage that doesn't move. Check your connection. Uploads wait while you're offline and continue by themselves. Starting a new recording needs a connection. If there's no progress for about 15 minutes, the card changes to Couldn't upload this recording with Try again.
- A card says Couldn't upload this recording or We kept your recording. Your recording is safe in Chrome. See Recover a Chrome recording that didn't upload.
- You closed Chrome while it uploaded. Open Chrome again. The upload continues by itself.
- The recording uploaded, but no tab opened. Find it in your workspace. See Find and reuse your recordings.
Don't remove the extension while a recording is waiting: that deletes the copy in Chrome.
The recording stopped by itself
- At 60 minutes. That's the limit; the recording uploads as usual. See The 60-minute limit.
- You clicked Chrome's Stop sharing, or closed the window you shared. That stops the recording, and it uploads.
- You closed the tab you recorded with This tab. That stops the recording, and it uploads.
- Chrome or your computer closed. The recording comes back as We kept your recording the next time Chrome runs.
Send logs and contact support
- Click the Clevera icon, then ⋯ → Report a problem…. Settings opens at Help.
- Click Send logs. It sends recent activity from the extension, without your recordings. You need to be signed in.
- Contact support and tell us what happened and when.