Shortcuts · Loom
Loom keyboard shortcuts for recording, screenshots and playback
In the Loom desktop app, Ctrl+Shift+L (Cmd+Shift+L on a Mac) starts and stops a recording, Alt+Shift+P (Option+Shift+P) pauses it, and Ctrl+Shift+R restarts it. While you watch a Loom, K or Space plays and pauses. Loom documents fewer than 25 shortcuts, so the list is short.
These are the Loom keyboard shortcuts for the desktop app, the Chrome extension and video playback, from Loom's official support pages on the Atlassian site (Loom is an Atlassian product), checked on October 2, 2026. Loom documents fewer than 25 shortcuts, so this sheet is short on purpose.
Loom's pages cover Windows and Mac only, and say nothing about Linux. Loom also says that it supports only QWERTY keyboards for these shortcuts, and its pages do not say which shortcuts work while another app is in front.
After the tables, you will find how the same jobs work in Barside's free screen recorder for Windows and Linux.
Loom keyboard shortcuts in the desktop app
As of October 2026:
| Action | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Start and stop recording | Ctrl+Shift+L | Cmd+Shift+L |
| Pause and resume recording | Alt+Shift+P | Option+Shift+P |
| Cancel recording | Alt+Shift+C | Option+Shift+C |
| Quick restart | Ctrl+Shift+R | Cmd+Shift+R |
| Draw on the screen (paid plans) | Ctrl+Shift+D | Cmd+Shift+D |
| Full-screen screenshot | Ctrl+Shift+1 | Cmd+Shift+1 |
| Custom-size screenshot | Ctrl+Shift+2 | Cmd+Shift+2 |
| Confetti | Ctrl+Alt+C | Ctrl+Cmd+C |
Two notes from Loom's pages. The drawing tool is "only available on Loom's Education, Business, Business + AI, and Enterprise plans while recording on the Desktop app", not in the Chrome extension, and drawings fade after 5 seconds. And "Screenshot shortcuts are exclusively available when using the Loom Desktop App."
On a Mac, Loom's screenshot page adds an option: turn off the macOS screenshot shortcuts in System Settings, and you can give Cmd+Shift+3 and Cmd+Shift+4 to Loom screenshots instead.
Chrome extension shortcuts
| Action | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Open the extension | Alt+Shift+L | Option+Shift+L |
| Pause and resume recording | Loom's pages disagree (see below) | Option+Shift+P |
| Cancel recording | Alt+Shift+C | Option+Shift+C |
| Quick restart | Alt+Shift+R | Option+Shift+R |
For pause and resume in the extension on Windows, Loom's keyboard shortcuts page and its page on hiding the recording controls give two different keys. Rather than guess, open chrome://extensions/shortcuts in Chrome, where you can see the key your extension actually uses and change it.
Shortcuts while watching a Loom
These work in Loom's video player, with the same keys on every computer.
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
Right arrow or L | Jump forward 6 seconds |
Left arrow or J | Jump back 6 seconds |
. (period) | Step forward 1 second |
, (comma) | Step back 1 second |
K or Space | Play or pause |
F | Full screen on or off |
Up / Down arrow | Volume up / down |
How to change Loom's shortcuts
- Desktop app: open the app's Settings and go to the Preferences tab.
- Chrome extension: paste
chrome://extensions/shortcutsinto Chrome's address bar, find Loom, and check or override the keys there.
If a shortcut does nothing, another app may use the same keys. Changing one of them is usually quicker than closing apps.
The same jobs in Barside
Barside's screen recorder records a screen, a part of it or one window, with your microphone, computer sound and a webcam bubble, and saves the video into a note on your computer. It works more with buttons than keys, so several Loom jobs have no Barside shortcut. Every Barside key below is on the Barside keyboard shortcuts sheet.
| Action | Loom (Windows) | Barside (Windows and Linux) |
|---|---|---|
| Open the recorder from any app | Not listed | No default: give New recording a hotkey, or type rec in the search bar |
| Start and stop recording | Ctrl+Shift+L | No shortcut: Start recording, then Stop & save |
| Pause and resume | Alt+Shift+P | No shortcut: the pause button on the recording bar |
| Choose the part of the screen | Not listed | Drag, or the arrow keys; Ctrl with the arrows resizes; Enter keeps it; Esc cancels |
| Draw on the screen | Ctrl+Shift+D | Not in Barside |
| Full-screen screenshot | Ctrl+Shift+1 | Alt+Shift+S, then Enter (keeps the text, or the image) |
| Custom-size screenshot | Ctrl+Shift+2 | Alt+Shift+S, then drag |
| Undo a trim | Not listed | Ctrl+Z after Save trimmed clip |
In Barside for Mac, Option with the arrows resizes the area instead of Ctrl. To turn a long recording into short pieces, see AI video clips, and for the screenshot side, copy text from the screen.
Tips
- Learn three keys. Start and stop, pause, and cancel cover most recordings.
- Use restart instead of cancel when the first take went wrong: quick restart starts over in one step.
- Play back at your own pace.
JandLjump 6 seconds, and,and.step one second, which helps when you take notes from a Loom.
More guides
To compare recorders, read the Loom alternative guide and the best screen recorders. Want to record without installing anything? Try the online screen recorder. For meeting keys, see the Zoom keyboard shortcuts.
FAQ
Questions and answers
What is the Loom shortcut to stop recording?
In the Loom desktop app, Ctrl+Shift+L on Windows and Cmd+Shift+L on a Mac starts and stops a recording. Alt+Shift+C (Option+Shift+C on a Mac) cancels it instead.
How do I pause a Loom recording with the keyboard?
In the desktop app, press Alt+Shift+P on Windows or Option+Shift+P on a Mac to pause and resume. For the Chrome extension on Windows, Loom's own pages give two different keys, so check the extension's shortcut settings at chrome://extensions/shortcuts.
Can I change Loom's keyboard shortcuts?
Yes. In the desktop app, change them in Settings, on the Preferences tab. For the Chrome extension, Loom says to paste chrome://extensions/shortcuts into Chrome to check or override the shortcuts you have set.
Do Loom's shortcuts work on every keyboard?
Loom says it supports only QWERTY keyboards for these shortcuts. Its pages cover the desktop app and Chrome extension on Windows and Mac, and say nothing about Linux.
Does Barside's screen recorder have keyboard shortcuts?
You can open it from any app by giving New recording a hotkey in Settings → Hotkeys and aliases, or by typing rec in the search bar. When you record part of the screen, the arrow keys move the area and Enter keeps it. Pause and stop are buttons on the recording bar. See Barside keyboard shortcuts.
Sources
Where the facts come from
Checked on October 2, 2026. Products change: if something here is out of date, tell us at support@barside.space.
- Use Loom's keyboard shortcuts (Atlassian Support)
- Hide the recording controls (Atlassian Support)
- Pause and resume while recording (Atlassian Support)
- Use the drawing tool (Atlassian Support)
- Take, edit and share a screenshot (Atlassian Support)
Product names are trademarks of their owners. Barside is not affiliated with them.