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Guide May 2026 · 5 min read

Click, video, or HTML: which capture mode should you use?

DemoPine captures three ways — and you can mix them in one demo. Here's a practical guide to picking the right mode for each moment.

DP
The DemoPine Team
Product & research
Capture modes

One of DemoPine's more useful quirks is that you don't have to choose a single capture method. The Chrome extension supports three modes, and they all import into one demo, sorted by capture time. Still, each mode has a sweet spot. Here's when to reach for which.

Clicks: the default for step-by-step tours

In Clicks mode, every click captures a screenshot plus the exact coordinate, and hotspots land pre-placed where you clicked. This is the workhorse for classic "do this, then this" walkthroughs. It's lightweight, forgiving, and easy to edit afterward.

  • Best for: onboarding flows, feature tours, help-center steps.
  • Why: clean, editable screens with hotspots already positioned.

Video: when motion is the point

Video mode records the active tab as WebM with optional audio. Back in the editor you can trim start and end, split at any point to insert a follow-up step, or drop an annotation step between segments. Reach for it when the value is in the motion — a drag interaction, an animation, a real-time result.

  • Best for: interactions that don't read as stills, quick narrated overviews.
  • Why: captures timing and motion, then edits down to the good parts.

HTML clone: for interactive, pixel-accurate demos

HTML mode snapshots the live page's DOM and replays it inside a sandboxed frame with the original base URL injected. The result feels like the real product because it essentially is — interactive and pixel-accurate, without exposing your live environment.

  • Best for: high-fidelity sales demos, letting prospects actually click around.
  • Why: the most realistic experience short of the real app.

The real power: mix them

The best demos often use all three. Record a short video of a slick interaction, click through the setup as image steps, and drop an HTML clone where you want the prospect to explore freely. Because everything sorts by capture time and edits side by side, you can assemble a single, coherent walkthrough from whichever mode fits each moment.

A quick decision rule

Still screen with one action? Clicks. Motion or timing matters? Video. Want them to actually click around? HTML clone.

When in doubt, start with Clicks — it's the easiest to edit — and layer in video or HTML where a static screen falls short.

A note on fairness: This is written by DemoPine, so we have a stake. We've done our best to represent competitors accurately using their publicly listed 2026 pricing and features. Vendors change plans often — verify current details on each vendor's own site before deciding.

See the side-by-side breakdown

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