Loom for Designers: Async Video Communication Without the Meetings

Loom is an async video messaging tool that lets you record your screen, camera, or both at once, then instantly share a link to the video. It’s designed to replace meetings with quick video explanations: walk through a design, explain your thinking, request feedback, or answer a question without scheduling a call. Videos upload automatically as you record, and viewers can watch, comment, and react with emoji at specific timestamps.

Key Specs

How Designers Use Loom

Loom adapts to different moments in the design process where showing is faster than typing.

For Design Walkthroughs

Record your screen while clicking through a Figma prototype or browsing a staging site. Explain design decisions as you navigate: “I chose this layout because…” or “This interaction works like…”. Add your camera in the corner so stakeholders see your face, making the async video feel more personal than a static presentation.

For Requesting Feedback

Share a work-in-progress design and ask specific questions: “Does this hierarchy make sense?” or “Should this button be more prominent?” Viewers comment at exact timestamps, so you get feedback tied to specific moments instead of vague emails. Reactions (emoji) let people show agreement without writing comments.

For Stakeholder Updates

Replace status update meetings with a quick Loom. Show what you shipped this week, what’s in progress, and where you’re blocked. Stakeholders watch when convenient and leave questions as comments. This is especially useful for remote teams across time zones where scheduling calls is difficult.

For Documenting Design Decisions

Record yourself explaining why you made certain design choices while showing the actual designs. Save these videos in Notion or a shared folder so future team members can understand the thinking behind decisions. This creates a searchable archive of design rationale that outlives Slack threads.

Loom vs. Alternatives

How does Loom compare to other screen recording tools?

Choose Loom if: You need quick async communication with instant sharing and timestamp-based comments.

Choose Screenflow if: You’re creating polished tutorial videos or need professional editing tools.

Choose CloudApp (Zight) if: You want lightweight screen recording with fast sharing and GIF creation.

Choose Vidyard if: You’re in sales or marketing and need analytics on video views and engagement.

Getting Started with Loom

A 10-minute quick start to your first recording:

Step 1: Install and choose your recording mode

Download the desktop app or use the Chrome extension. Click the Loom icon and choose what to record: screen only, screen + camera, or camera only. For design walkthroughs, screen + camera works best. The camera bubble lets viewers see you explaining while showing the design.

Step 2: Record your walkthrough

Hit record. You get a 3-second countdown, then start talking and navigating. Explain what you’re showing as if you’re on a call. Don’t worry about mistakes; you can trim later. Press stop when done. The video uploads automatically while you keep working.

Step 3: Share the link and collect feedback

Copy the link and paste it into Slack, email, Notion, or Linear. Recipients watch without signing up. Enable comments so viewers can ask questions at specific timestamps. Check the video page to see who watched and read their feedback.

Loom in Your Design Workflow

Loom works best alongside your existing tools, not as a replacement.

• Before Loom: Research synthesis in Dovetail, wireframing in FigJam, mockups in Figma
• During design: Loom for explaining designs, requesting feedback, and sharing progress
• After Loom: Collect feedback, update designs, document decisions in Notion or Confluence

Common tool pairings:

• Loom + Figma for walking through prototypes and explaining interactions that are hard to describe in text
• Loom + Notion for embedding design walkthroughs in project documentation and design system guidelines
• Loom + Linear/Jira for showing bugs in context or explaining design requirements for tickets
• Loom + Slack for sharing updates in channels without scheduling all-hands meetings

Common Problems (and How to Fix Them)

These issues come up regularly when designers start using Loom.

“Videos are too long and people don’t watch”

Keep Looms under 3 minutes. Edit out pauses and tangents. Start with the main point, then provide details. Add a written summary in the video description so people can decide if they need to watch. For complex topics, break into multiple short videos instead of one long recording.

“I hate how I sound on camera”

Everyone dislikes their recorded voice at first. The discomfort fades with practice. Focus on clarity over polish: viewers care about the content, not production quality. If camera anxiety is blocking you, try screen-only mode first, then add camera later as you get comfortable.

“People aren’t leaving feedback”

Ask specific questions in the video description: “Does this layout work?” or “Should the button be blue or green?” Give viewers permission to be critical. Set a deadline for feedback. If you get silence, follow up with a direct message asking one person to start the conversation.

“My screen recordings look blurry”

Loom records at your screen’s resolution, then scales down if it’s huge. Lower your screen resolution temporarily when recording so UI elements appear larger and text is readable. Avoid recording on a 4K monitor at full resolution; the text will be tiny. Aim for 1080p or lower for clarity.

“I need to record something longer than 5 minutes on the free plan”

The free tier caps videos at 5 minutes. For longer recordings, upgrade to Business ($12.50/month) or break your content into multiple short videos. Shorter videos are usually better: they’re easier to watch and rewatch. If you’re consistently hitting the limit, the tool is valuable enough to justify paying.