# Start, stop, and reset Canonical: https://fairleadhq.com/docs/recorder/recording-lifecycle/ Updated: 2026-10-07 Publication state: published Product version: Source verified — 52de40a Agent summary: Control capture and preserve the evidence you need. Capture starts on request and the retained timeline is bounded. ## Prerequisites - Recorder installed; target page open ## Inputs - A check ready to record ## Outputs - A stopped session preserved before reset ## Limitations - Capture starts on request and the retained timeline is bounded ## Permissions - Website access and browser debugging for capture ## Privacy - Review captured content before sharing Control capture and preserve the evidence you need. Start recording immediately before the behavior you want to check, and stop as soon as you have observed the result. ## Start from the side panel Open your application and select **Start recording**. Recorder attaches to the tab and begins capturing supported actions and diagnostic evidence. Capture does not include actions performed before Start. On Chrome versions that support closing the panel automatically, the panel closes and compact recording controls appear on the page. Use **Stop** to end capture, **Capture** to capture the visible viewport, or **Area** to capture a region. You can also reopen the panel. The timer shows elapsed recording time. ## Handle a pending start If you start on a restricted page, Recorder may wait for navigation to an allowed page. Capture begins only when a suitable page is available. Select **Stop recording** to cancel the wait. The selected project and capture settings are fixed for that start attempt. Changes made while waiting apply to a later recording. If the navigation lands outside the project's scope, the pending start is cancelled. Open an allowed page and select **Start recording** again. ## Stop and preserve the evidence Select **Stop recording** in the panel or use the in-page stop control. See the [retained-timeline limit](https://fairleadhq.com/docs/recorder/developers/capture-support/#recording-retention) for which part of the timeline remains. The elapsed timer can show a longer duration than the retained evidence. Stop promptly after an unexpected result. Continuing to browse can evict the actions that led to it. ## Review and save Select **Investigate** to [open the viewer](https://fairleadhq.com/docs/recorder/session-viewer/). Review the evidence and [download local artifacts](https://fairleadhq.com/docs/recorder/bundle-contents/) or complete the available [project handoff](https://fairleadhq.com/docs/recorder/session-upload/). Stopping does not itself upload the report. Screenshots outside the retained interval have separate inclusion controls; they do not reconstruct missing action or network history. ## Reset for another check Select **New recording** only after preserving what you need. This clears the previous local session, its attachments, and open local viewers. Downloaded files and previously submitted evidence are separate copies. For a long test, use short checkpoint recordings and keep their order in your execution summary. If capture fails or stops unexpectedly, see [Recording and missing evidence](https://fairleadhq.com/docs/recorder/troubleshooting/).