Ascent HI is a Chrome browser extension that lets you record meetings and conversations directly in your browser — no extra software needed.

 

You can use it in two ways:

• As a free local recording tool — no account required, files stay on your device

• As part of a coaching solution for your coach or company — submit recordings for AI-powered analysis and personalized feedback from your coach or organization. 

 

1. Getting Started

1.1  Installing the Extension

1. Install Ascent HI from the Chrome Web Store

2. Once installed, the Ascent HI icon appears in your Chrome toolbar (top-right corner)

3. Click the icon to open the side panel on the right side of your browser

 

1.2  First Launch — The Welcome Screen

The very first time you open Ascent HI, you will see a Welcome Screen with three feature highlights:

 

• Browser-native recording — Captures both sides of any webinar or meeting, no extra software needed

• AI-powered insights — Submit recordings for personalised evaluation, feedback, and guidance

• Private by default — No sign-in required; recordings stay on your device

 

Before continuing, you must check the checkbox agreeing to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. This is required — neither button will work until this box is ticked.

 

You then choose your path:

• "Sign In" — for users who have a coaching account (recommended for full features)

• "Continue with Local Recording" — free mode, no account needed, recordings stay on your device

 

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The Welcome Screen only appears once. After that, the extension remembers your choice and opens directly to your home screen.

 

2. Two Modes Explained

2.1  Coach Mode (Sign In) for users enrolled in a coaching or company program. Requires an account provided by your coach or company.

 

What you can do with Coach mode:

• Record conversations and submit them for AI analysis

• Receive a full coaching report and performance scorecard

• Optionally receive a personalised AI video from your coach

• View your available coaching credits

• Access your coach’s branding and contact details

 

2.2  Local Recording Mode (No Account Needed)

For anyone who wants to record browser-based meetings for free.

 

What you can do:

• Record audio from your browser tab and microphone

• Record your screen with audio

• Download recordings directly to your device

• No data is sent to any server unless you choose to opt in

 

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You can switch between modes at any time from the Settings page.

 

3. Signing In (Coach Mode)

3.1  How to Sign In

4. On the Welcome Screen, tap “Sign In”

5. Enter your Organisation Portal URL (e.g., yourorg.ascenthi.com) — your coach will provide this

6. Enter your Email address and Password

7. Tap “Sign In”

 

3.2  Troubleshooting Sign-In

• “Unknown portal” error: Double-check the portal URL your coach gave you

• “Incorrect username or password”: Verify your credentials; contact your coach to reset

• “Password setup required”: Visit your coach’s portal website and follow the password setup link before signing in via the extension

• “Continue without signing in”: You can skip login at any time and use Local Recording mode instead

 

3.3  Staying Signed In

Once signed in, the extension remembers your session and keeps you logged in automatically, even after closing Chrome. Your credentials are stored securely in your browser’s encrypted local storage.

 

4. Recording a Conversation

4.1  Recording Consent (Important)

Before every recording, a consent prompt appears asking:

 

“Have you notified all participants that this call will be recorded?”

 

You must tap “Yes, Start Recording” to proceed.

 

WARNING

Always inform all participants before recording. Recording laws vary by location — check the rules that apply to you. By confirming consent, you take responsibility for complying with applicable laws.

 

4.2  Audio Recording

Best for: Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, or any browser-based meeting where you want to capture both sides of the conversation.

 

How to start:

8. Navigate to the meeting tab in Chrome before clicking record

9. Open the Ascent HI side panel by clicking the extension icon

10. Tap “Audio Recording”

11. Confirm the consent prompt

12. Recording begins — a red timer counts up on screen

13. Tap the red stop button when finished

 

What it captures: Your microphone and the audio playing in your browser tab (both sides of the conversation).

 

4.3  Screen + Audio Recording

Best for: Capturing a visual record of your screen alongside the audio — ideal for demos, presentations, or sales calls.

 

How to start:

14. Open the Ascent HI side panel

15. Tap “Screen + Audio”

16. Confirm the consent prompt

17. Chrome will show a screen picker — choose the tab, window, or full screen to capture

18. Recording begins

19. Tap the red stop button when finished

 

What happens after stopping:

• A video file (.webm) is automatically downloaded to your device

• The audio portion is prepared for coaching submission

• You’ll see the prompt: “Download Screen Recording & Submit Audio”

 

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The video file saves to your Downloads folder automatically. The audio is what gets submitted for coaching analysis.

 

4.4  While Recording

You will see the following on screen:

• A pulsing red animation (the “recording active” indicator)

• A timer counting up in MM:SS format

• “Recording · tap to stop” hint text

• The large red stop button

 

4.5  Stopping a Recording

Tap the large red stop button. The recording is processed and you will be taken to either:

• The download card (Local mode) — to save the file to your device

• The upload screen (Coach mode) — to submit for coaching analysis

 

5. Local Recording Mode — Managing Your Files

5.1  After Stopping

You will see a “Recording Ready” card showing:

• Duration (e.g., “01:23”)

• File size (e.g., “4.5 MB”)

• Filename

• A “Download to Device” button — saves the file to your Downloads folder

• A “Discard” button — permanently deletes the recording

 

WARNING

Download your recording before closing the extension. Once discarded, it cannot be recovered.

 

5.2  Supported File Formats for Upload

If you have a recording saved locally and want to submit it later via Coach mode, the following formats are accepted:

 

• Audio: MP3, M4A, WAV

• Video: MP4, MOV, WEBM

• Documents: PDF, DOCX, TXT

 

6. Submitting for Coaching (Coach Mode Only)

6.1  Reaching the Submit Screen

You can reach the Submit Conversation screen in two ways:

• Tap the Upload icon on your home screen at any time

• Recording ends in Coach mode and you are taken there automatically

 

6.2  Step 1 — Choose Your Coaching Type

Two options are available depending on your credit balance:

 

Option A — Coaching Evaluation (1 credit)

Includes:

• Full transcript of the conversation

• AI-powered analysis of your performance

• Performance scorecard with scores and detailed feedback

• A Coaching Brief — a visual summary perfect for quick review

 

Option B — Coaching Evaluation + AI Video (3 credits)

Includes everything in Option A, plus:

• A personalised AI video from your coach highlighting key moments and improvement opportunities

 

6.3  Step 2 — Select or Upload Your File

• Drag and drop a file into the upload zone, or click the zone to browse your files

• Supported formats: MP3, M4A, WAV, MP4, MOV, WEBM, PDF, DOCX, TXT

• The selected file shows its name and size; tap “Remove” to pick a different file

 

6.4  Step 3 — Submit

Tap “Submit Conversation · X credit(s)”. The upload process runs in three stages:

20. Preparing upload

21. Uploading to server

22. Submitting for analysis

 

Once complete, you will see a success screen with your Job ID. Keep this number — you may need it if you contact support.

 

6.5  Credits

Your available credits are shown at the top of the Submit screen (e.g., “5 credits available”).

• Coaching Evaluation costs 1 credit

• Coaching Evaluation + AI Video costs 3 credits

• If you do not have enough credits, a warning appears: “Not enough credits — contact your coach to add more”

 

WARNING

Credits are deducted when you submit. Submissions cannot be refunded. Make sure your recording is complete and ready before submitting.

 

6.6  Save a Copy Before Submitting

If your file came from a recording made within the extension, a “Save to Device” button appears. Use this to keep a local backup before your file is uploaded.

 

7. What You Receive After Submission

Once your coach has processed your submission, you will receive the following in your coaching portal:

 

7.1  Coaching Insights (All Plans)

A professional coaching report including:

• Clear written feedback from your AI coach

• Performance scores across key areas

• Actionable recommendations for improvement

 

7.2  Coaching Brief (All Plans)

A visual one-page summary of your results — great for sharing with your team or for a quick review.

 

7.3  Coaching Moment Video (3-Credit Plan Only)

A personalised AI video from your coach, highlighting specific moments in your conversation with commentary and guidance.

 

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Results are delivered to your coaching portal — log in to your coach’s website to view them. They do not appear within the extension itself.

 

8. The “Stay in Touch” Opt-In Form (Local Mode)

If you are using Local Recording mode and want to learn more about coaching or AI analysis, scroll down on the home screen to the “Want more from Ascent HI?” section.

 

8.1  How to Submit Your Interest

23. Enter your name (optional)

24. Enter your email address (required)

25. Check one or more of the following:

◦ Get information on an AI Analysis of the Conversation

◦ Connect me with a coach

◦ Notify me of product updates

◦ Tell me about new programmes and offerings

26. Check the privacy consent box (required)

27. Tap “Stay in Touch”

 

8.2  What Happens Next

• You will receive a confirmation email from hello@ascenthi.com

• Click “Confirm My Email” in the email to complete your sign-up

• The Ascent HI team will follow up based on your selections

 

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Check your Spam or Junk folder if you do not receive the confirmation email within a few minutes.

 

9. Settings

Open Settings by tapping the gear icon (⚙) in the top-right corner of any main screen.

 

9.1  Mode

• See your current mode: “Logged In” (Coach) or “Local Audio Recording”

• Switch modes: Coach users can switch to Local mode; Local users can tap “Log In” to sign in

 

WARNING

Switching from Coach mode to Local Recording will sign you out. You will need to sign in again to access coaching features.

 

9.2  Appearance

• Dark Theme toggle: Switches the entire extension to a dark colour scheme

• Your preference is saved automatically and persists across sessions

 

9.3  Support

• “Help & Support Webpage” — opens the Ascent HI support page in a new browser tab

 

9.4  About

• Your extension version number (e.g., v1.0.0)

• Links to AscentHi.com, Privacy Policy, and Terms of Service

 

10. The ? Help Button

On the main home screen in Local Recording mode, a “?” icon appears in the top header bar, to the left of the gear icon.

 

Tapping it opens the Ascent HI support page in a new browser tab. Use this for quick access to help without navigating through Settings.

 

11. Microphone & Permissions

11.1  First-Time Microphone Access

The first time you try to record, Chrome will ask for microphone permission. A small popup window will appear — click “Allow” to grant access. You only need to do this once.

 

11.2  If Your Microphone is Blocked

If you previously blocked microphone access, follow these steps:

28. Click the padlock icon in Chrome’s address bar (next to the website URL)

29. Find “Microphone” in the permissions list

30. Change it from “Blocked” to “Allow”

31. Refresh the tab and try recording again

 

11.3  Screen Recording Permission

When using Screen + Audio, Chrome shows its built-in screen picker. Simply choose which tab, window, or screen to share. No additional system-level permissions are required on most computers.

 

12. Privacy & Data

12.1  What Stays on Your Device (Local Mode)

• All recordings stay on your device until you explicitly download or discard them

• No audio or video is sent to any server in Local mode

• The extension stores only your mode preference and theme setting locally

 

12.2  What is Sent to Servers (Coach Mode)

• Your audio/video file is uploaded securely (encrypted in transit) to cloud storage

• Transcription and analysis are processed by AI systems on behalf of your coach

• Your login session tokens are stored encrypted in your browser

 

12.3  Your Rights

• You can unsubscribe from emails at any time

• Ascent HI never sells your personal information

• Full privacy details: ascenthi.com/chrome-privacy

 

13. Troubleshooting

Problem: "Could not capture the browser tab"

Make sure you click the Ascent HI icon while you are on the meeting tab (e.g., the Zoom or Google Meet tab). Then start recording from the side panel that opens on that tab.

Problem: Recording starts but I can hear only one side

Confirm you selected "Audio Recording". Make sure the browser tab with your meeting is the active tab when you start. Some meeting apps mute tab audio by default — check your meeting app’s audio settings.

Problem: The extension is not recording anything

Check that microphone permission is granted (see Section 11). Try reloading the extension from chrome://extensions if the issue persists.

Problem: Upload fails or gets stuck

Check your internet connection and try again. Contact support with your Job ID if the problem continues.

Problem: "Not enough credits"

Contact your coach to request additional credits. Credits are managed by your coach or organisation and cannot be purchased directly in the extension.

Problem: I forgot my password

Visit your coach’s portal website and use the password reset option there. The extension does not have a built-in password reset feature.

Problem: The extension looks different from these instructions

You may be on a different version. Go to Settings → About to check your version number, or visit the Chrome Web Store to update the extension.

 

14. Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Does recording cost money?

Local Recording mode is completely free. Coach mode uses credits — each submission costs 1 or 3 credits depending on the coaching type. Credits are provided by your coach or organisation.

Q: Does Ascent HI record phone calls?

No. Ascent HI only records audio and video from your Chrome browser. It cannot record traditional phone calls or audio from outside the browser.

Q: Can I record a Zoom, Teams, or Google Meet call?

Yes, provided you are joining the meeting via your Chrome browser. Open the meeting in Chrome, then open Ascent HI from the same tab and start recording.

Q: Will the other participants know I am recording?

The extension does not automatically notify participants. You are responsible for informing all participants before recording — this is confirmed by the consent prompt before every recording.

Q: Where do my recordings go?

In Local mode, they stay on your device until you download or discard them. In Coach mode, recordings are uploaded securely and processed by your coaching programme.

Q: How long does it take to receive coaching results?

Processing time depends on your coach’s workflow. Log in to your coaching portal to check status, or contact your coach directly.

Q: Can I use Ascent HI on mobile?

Ascent HI is a Chrome desktop extension and is not currently available on mobile browsers.

Q: What happens if I close Chrome while recording?

The recording will stop. Keep Chrome open and the extension active for the full duration of your conversation to ensure a complete recording.

Q: Can I record in dark mode?

Yes — the Dark Theme setting changes how the extension looks, not how it records. Toggle it in Settings → Appearance.

Q: Can I switch between Coach mode and Local mode?

Yes. Go to Settings and use the Mode section to switch. Note that switching from Coach mode to Local mode will sign you out.