When Backdrop Records (and When It Doesn't)

Backdrop only records when you click record. How to start recording, what the call notification does, and how recording stops.

Backdrop never starts recording on its own. It records only after you click record, and it stops when you end the call.

How to start recording

Use any one of these:

In Backdrop: click the red record button in the top bar.
From a call notification: click Record on the notification Backdrop shows when a call starts. See below.
From your calendar: click Join & Record on an upcoming meeting. It opens the meeting and starts recording. See Before a Call.

While Backdrop is recording, the red dot in the top bar pulses and a timer counts up.

The call notification

When Backdrop sees that a call has started on your computer, for example in Zoom, Google Meet, or Microsoft Teams, it shows a Call Detected notification.

The notification doesn't record anything

Backdrop isn't recording yet when this notification appears. It records only if you click Record. Ignore or dismiss it and nothing is recorded.

To turn these notifications off, open Settings and switch off Call detection. You can still start recording yourself.

How recording stops

You stop it: click stop in the top bar.
Your call ends: Backdrop asks Is your call over? Click End call to stop recording, or dismiss it to keep going.
The session runs long: five minutes before a session hits its time limit, Backdrop asks if you want to extend it. If you don't, recording stops when the time runs out.

You can also click pause at any time and resume when you're ready.

What Backdrop doesn't do

It doesn't record just because it's open, or running in the menu bar or system tray.
It doesn't start recording when you join a call unless you click Record or Join & Record.

To shut Backdrop down entirely, see Quit Backdrop Completely.