Install and use Clevera on Linux

Clevera for Linux records your screen, your clicks and your voice on a Linux computer and uploads the recording to your Clevera workspace, where you turn it into a how-to video, a product demo or an article. This article covers what you need, how to install the app, the short setup the first time you open it, and how recording on Linux differs from the Mac and Windows apps.

Before you start#

• A Clevera account and a role that can record: workspace owners, Administrators and Content Creators. Editors can't start recordings. See Understand workspaces, roles and creator seats.
• An internet connection. Clevera needs to reach your workspace to start a recording. An upload that loses the connection later waits and resumes on its own.
• Your own user account. Clevera doesn't run as root. If you start it as root it says "Clevera can't run as root. Open it as your own user."

System requirements#

Not sure which processor you have? Open a terminal and run uname -m. It prints x86_64 for Intel or AMD and aarch64 for ARM64.

Download and install the app#

1. Download Clevera for Linux#

   Download the file for your processor:

   • Intel or AMD (x86_64): https://app.clevera.ai/download/app/linux
   • ARM64 (aarch64): https://app.clevera.ai/download/app/linux?arch=aarch64

   A file ending in .appimage downloads.

2. Move it to a folder in your home#

   Move the file to a folder in your home folder, for example ~/Applications, and keep it there. Clevera updates itself by replacing this file, so it can't update from a read-only folder or a USB stick.

3. Allow it to run#

   In Files, right-click the file, choose Properties and turn on Executable as Program. In a terminal you can run chmod +x on the file instead.

4. Open Clevera#

   Double-click the file. The first time it starts, Clevera adds itself to your apps list, so next time you can open it from there like any other app. The Set up Clevera window opens.

Finish setup the first time#

The Set up Clevera window ("A few steps and you're ready to record.") lists everything Clevera needs. A progress line shows how many required steps are done, and the footer names the next one, for example Next: sign in.

When every required step is done, the footer says You're ready to record. Click Open the recorder. The first time, a short narrated tour plays; you can watch it again from Settings → Advanced → Tour.

If you close the window early, the recorder lists what's missing under Finish setting up Clevera. You can run the whole setup again from Settings → Advanced → Setup → Run setup again.

Record#

1. Open the recorder#

   Open Clevera from your apps list. If your desktop shows tray icons (Ubuntu does), you can also click Clevera's icon and choose New recording, or press a shortcut once you've added them (see Keyboard shortcuts).

2. Choose where it goes and what to record#

   Under Record to, pick the workspace. Under What to record, choose Display or Window. The first time, your desktop's own sharing dialog asks which display or window to share. Clevera remembers your choice, so you aren't asked again; click Change to pick another one.

3. Choose your audio and camera#

   Under Audio and camera, pick your Microphone and Camera, and turn on System audio for sound from apps and videos. Use headphones when you record system audio, so your microphone doesn't pick up the same sound. See Add your microphone, camera or system audio.

4. Start recording#

   Click Start recording. A countdown shows ("Recording starts in 3"); click Start now to skip it or Cancel to stop.

While you record, the recording bar shows the time and has Pause, Restart…, Delete… and Stop. On GNOME the bar is drawn by Clevera's extension, so it never appears in your video. Recordings stop and upload at 60 minutes, with a warning 5 minutes before. See Pause, restart or cancel a recording.

After you click Stop#

Clevera saves the recording on your computer first, then uploads it. A card in the corner of your screen shows the progress and time left. When it says Uploaded, click Open in Clevera to open it in your browser.

• The local copy is removed only once the upload has finished. If the connection drops, Clevera closes or your computer crashes, the recording is kept and uploads the next time Clevera starts. See Recover a recording that didn't finish uploading.
• Settings → General → Open recordings in Clevera when uploaded is on by default. Turn it off to stay where you are.
• See Find your recording after it uploads.

What Clevera captures on Linux#

Nothing is collected when you're not recording. See Understand what the desktop app captures.

Video encoding#

Clevera records video with your graphics card when it can. When your computer has no other H.264 encoder, Clevera downloads Cisco's OpenH264 codec the first time it's needed. You can turn that off in Settings → Recording.

Keyboard shortcuts#

Shortcuts are kept by your desktop, not by Clevera. Open Settings → Shortcuts and click Add shortcuts…. Your desktop asks once before Clevera can use them; after that you change the keys in your desktop's own settings.

Recording shortcuts work only while you record, so they don't take keys from other apps. If your desktop doesn't let apps add shortcuts, Settings → Shortcuts lists a command for each action that you can bind in your desktop's keyboard settings. See Use keyboard shortcuts.

Updates#

Clevera checks for updates in the background and installs them when it's idle, never during a recording or an upload. Updates are signed, each processor gets its own build, and if a new version doesn't start, Clevera goes back to the one that worked. Settings → Updates shows your version and has Check now. See Update the desktop app.

Troubleshooting#

To send us details about a problem, use Settings → Advanced → Report a problem. See Report a problem from the desktop app.

Related#