Current Tab vs Full Screen
Crosscheck offers two recording modes — Current Tab and Full Screen — surfaced under the Screen Recording heading in the extension popup. Each mode uses a different browser API and captures content differently. Understanding the differences helps you choose the right mode for your situation.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Current Tab | Full Screen |
|---|---|---|
| Capture scope | Single browser tab | Entire screen or application window |
| Capture method | Browser tab capture | System screen capture |
| Audio | Tab audio included automatically, plus microphone (toggle from the recording toolbar) | System audio from any tab you open during the session, plus microphone (toggle from the recording toolbar) |
| Multiple tabs | No, single tab only | Yes, if sharing the full screen |
| Non-browser content | No | Yes, can capture any application |
| Resource usage | Lower CPU and memory | Higher CPU and memory |
| Start flow | One click — the active tab is auto-selected and the live timer appears immediately | Chrome share dialog asks you to pick a tab, window, or full screen, then click Share to start |
| Resolution | Matches tab viewport | Matches screen or window resolution |
| DevTools context | Captured for the recorded tab | Captured for the active tab only |
| Recording toolbar | Pause / resume, mic, camera, annotate, stop | Pause / resume, mic, camera, annotate, stop |
Current Tab
Current Tab recording captures the contents of a single browser tab. It uses the browser's built-in tab capture capability, which is available exclusively to Chrome extensions. This mode is lightweight, the active tab is auto-selected so you do not have to pick a source, and audio playing within the tab is included automatically. You can also start a Current Tab recording without opening the popup by clicking the floating Crosscheck icon on any page.
When to Use Current Tab
- You are testing a web application and only need to capture that one tab.
- You want minimal resource usage during recording.
- You want tab audio captured automatically without extra permissions.
- You need devtools context (console logs, network requests) aligned with the recording.
Full Screen
Full Screen recording uses the browser's built-in screen sharing capability to capture your entire screen, a specific application window, or any tab you pick. When you start a Full Screen recording, Chrome opens its standard share dialog so you can choose what to share and click Share to begin. This mode can capture non-browser applications and lets you switch freely between windows during the session.
When to Use Full Screen
- You need to show interactions across multiple browser tabs.
- You want to capture non-browser applications alongside the web app.
- You need to demonstrate a workflow that spans multiple windows.
- You want to include system audio in the recording.
Picking a Mode
Open the Crosscheck extension popup. Under the Screen Recording heading you will see two options side by side: Current Tab and Full Screen. Click the one you want to use to start the recording — there is no separate save step.