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Instant Replay Guide

Overview​

CrossCheck's Instant Replay feature automatically records your screen activity in the background, allowing you to capture unexpected bugs and issues without interrupting your workflow. This powerful tool ensures you never miss important moments during testing and development.

What is Instant Replay?​

Instant Replay continuously records your screen activity in the background, maintaining a rolling buffer of the last few minutes. When an unexpected issue occurs, you can instantly save the recording with a single click, capturing the exact moment and context of the problem.

Key Features​

  • Background Recording: Continuous recording without interrupting your work
  • Customizable Duration: Set recording time from 1–5 minutes
  • Site-Specific Recording: Privacy controls for different websites
  • DevTools Integration: Automatic capture of technical metadata
  • Instant Save: One-click saving of recent activity
  • Privacy Controls: Granular control over what gets recorded

How Instant Replay Works​

Background Recording Process​

  • Continuous Monitoring: CrossCheck monitors your screen activity in the background
  • Rolling Buffer: Maintains a buffer of the last few minutes of activity
  • Memory Management: Automatically overwrites old content to manage storage
  • Instant Capture: When triggered, saves the current buffer immediately
  • Technical Context: Includes DevTools data and metadata automatically

Recording Buffer Management​

  • Memory Efficient: Uses optimized compression to minimize memory usage
  • Automatic Cleanup: Old content is automatically removed to free space
  • Performance Optimized: Minimal impact on system performance
  • Quality Balance: Maintains good quality while optimizing for storage

Setting Up Instant Replay​

Initial Configuration​

  1. Access Extension Settings

    • Click the CrossCheck extension icon in your browser toolbar
    • Click the gear icon to access settings
    • Navigate to Instant Replay Settings

  2. Enable Instant Replay

    • Toggle Instant Replay to On
    • Grant necessary permissions when prompted

  3. Configure Recording Duration

    • Choose from 1–5 minutes
    • Balance between workflow coverage and system performance

Permission Requirements​

  • Required Permissions

    • Screen Recording
    • Background Access
    • DevTools Access (optional)

  • Granting Permissions

    • Allow during first setup
    • Verify in browser/system settings
    • Re-enable in extension settings if disabled

Customizable Recording Time​

  • 1 Minute → Quick interactions, error messages, light usage
  • 2 Minutes → Form submissions, short workflows
  • 3 Minutes → Standard bug reproduction, multi-step flows
  • 4 Minutes → Complex workflows, multi-page testing
  • 5 Minutes → Full user journeys, long debugging sessions

(💡 Balance memory usage, system performance, and coverage.)

Using Instant Replay​

Triggering​

  • Click CrossCheck extension → Select Instant Replay → Save Recording → Add Notes

Workflow​

  • Before Testing: Configure duration & permissions
  • During Testing: Work normally, trigger when bug occurs
  • After Recording: Review, annotate, save to dashboard, and share

Privacy Controls​

  • Disabled by default on all sites
  • Enable per-site for granular control
  • Whitelist/blacklist domains as needed
  • Manage site permissions in Privacy Settings

DevTools Integration​

  • Automatically captures: Console logs, network requests, session/device info
  • Helps debugging by providing error context + environment details
  • Customizable settings for logs, performance metrics, and network data

Performance Optimization​

  • Close unnecessary apps
  • Choose shorter durations for lower system load
  • Clear old recordings regularly

Troubleshooting​

  • Recording not starting → Check settings/permissions, restart browser/extension
  • Poor quality → Update drivers, free system resources
  • High system impact → Lower duration, close heavy apps
  • Permission issues → Verify browser + system-level permissions

Best Practices​

  • Test Instant Replay before real usage
  • Add notes/context to recordings
  • Organize with tags/projects
  • Keep privacy and permissions up to date

Advanced Features​

  • Integrations: Jira, ClickUp, Slack, Teams
  • API: Export, automate, and analyze recordings

By following this guide, you’ll capture unexpected bugs without disrupting your workflow and ensure every critical moment is saved for debugging and collaboration.