Overview
The BombBomb app for iPhone and iPad lets you record a video, send it, and see who watched it, all from your phone. Use it to follow up right after a meeting, answer a lead while you're away from your desk, or send a quick personal thank-you while the moment is fresh.
Who this applies to: All users
Plan requirement: Core, Core + Copilot, Enterprise
Requires: iOS or iPadOS 16.4 or later
The app has four tabs along the bottom of the screen (on iPad, along the top):
- Record: record a camera video or your screen.
- Videos: your video library, with search and Tags.
- Notifications: a live feed of who opened, watched, liked, or commented.
- Settings: your account, notification choices, the keyboard, email and recording preferences, and feedback.
Recording a video
Why use it: A short video puts your face and voice in front of someone in a way a text or email can't. Recording on your phone means you can do it the moment you think of it, wherever you are.
- Tap the Record tab. The first time, tap Continue and allow camera and microphone access.
- Hold your phone the way you want the video to look. Hold it upright for a portrait video or turn it sideways for a landscape video.
- Tap the red record button. A countdown gives you a few seconds to get ready. Tap the stop button during the countdown to cancel.
- Tap the stop button when you're done.
While you record, you can:
- Pause and resume with the pause button.
- Switch cameras with the flip button. The recording continues as one video.
- Watch the timer next to the red dot.
Tips
- Start and stop with the volume buttons. Press either volume button on the Record tab to start recording, and press it again to stop. This works on iOS 17.2 and later and can be turned off in Settings → Advanced Settings.
- Change the countdown. Choose 3, 5, or 10 seconds under Settings → Advanced Settings → Countdown Duration.
- The video's orientation is set when recording starts. Turning the phone mid-recording won't change it.
- The tabs are hidden while you record so a stray tap can't interrupt the recording. They come back when you stop.
- On iPad, the record controls sit on the right side of the screen.
After you record: uploading
When you stop, your video starts uploading on its own. You can watch it back while it uploads, and a progress bar shows how far along it is.
- Tap Done to go to your Videos tab while the upload finishes. A banner at the top of Videos shows its progress.
- Tap Delete to throw the recording away.
- If you stay on this screen, the video's page opens when the upload finishes so you can send it right away.
Keep BombBomb open until the upload finishes. iOS can pause an upload when you switch to another app. If that happens, come back to BombBomb and tap Retry if asked. If the app closes before an upload finishes, the next time you open it you'll be asked Finish uploading your video? Tap Finish Upload to continue from the copy saved on your phone.
A long video can spend a few minutes on "Processing video on our servers" after the upload itself completes. You can tap Done and it will finish in the background.
Uploading a video from your Photos
- Go to the Videos tab and tap Upload.
- Pick a video. It goes through the same upload steps as a new recording.
Videos up to 2 GB can be uploaded from the app. One video uploads at a time. If you try to record or upload while another upload is running, you'll be asked to wait until it finishes.
Save Videos to Device (on by default, in Advanced Settings) also saves each camera recording to your Photos.
Recording your screen
Why use it: Some things are easier to show than to explain. Record your screen to walk a client through a listing, a document, a website, or an app, with your voice explaining as you go.
- On the Record tab, tap the screen-record button to the left of the red record button (on iPad, below it).
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A short guide slides up. Swipe through it if you'd like, then tap Record Screen.
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In the iOS menu that opens, make sure BombBomb Screen Recording is selected and Microphone is on. If the microphone is off, your recording will be silent.
- Tap Start Broadcast. After a short countdown, everything on your screen is recorded, even after you leave BombBomb.
- Open whatever you want to show and talk it through.
- To stop, tap the red recording indicator in the status bar (or open Control Center) and stop the recording.
A "Video Recorded" notification appears when you stop. Open BombBomb and the recording uploads on its own. When it's done, the video's page opens so you can send it. Screen recordings are titled "iOS screen recording" with the date, and you can rename them in Edit.
While a screen recording is running, the Record tab shows "Recording your screen" instead of the camera.
Sharing a video
Why use it: Every link you send from the app is tracked, so you'll see in Notifications when someone opens or watches it. Pick the way to send that matches how you already talk to that person.
Open a video from the Videos tab (or from the page that opens after an upload). Three buttons sit under the video:
Share
Opens your iPhone's share menu so you can send the video link through Messages, LinkedIn, Slack, WhatsApp, or any app that accepts links. To text a video, tap Share and choose Messages.
Copy for Email
Copies your video as a clickable thumbnail, ready to paste into an email from your own inbox.
- Tap Copy for Email.
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Pick your mail app: Gmail, Apple Mail, Outlook, or Other. Turn on Save as Default to skip this step next time.
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For Gmail and Outlook, the video is copied and a new email opens. Touch and hold in the message body and tap Paste. For Apple Mail, a new email opens with the video already in it.
To change or clear your default mail app, go to Settings → Email Settings. Tap the selected app again to clear it, then tap Save.
Quick Send
Sends a BombBomb email to one or more people straight from the app, using one of your email templates. Quick Send is the way to see each recipient by name in Notifications. Videos shared by link or paste show viewers as "Someone" unless BombBomb can tell who they are.
- Tap Quick Send.
- Type each address under Recipient emails. Press return, space, or a comma after each one. Suggestions come from your BombBomb contacts and your phone's contacts.
- Add a Subject, choose a template, and write your message.
- Tap Preview & Send, check the preview, then tap Send.
Quick Send only appears if your plan includes sending email through BombBomb. The first time, you may be asked to verify your sender email address.
Sending videos from any app with the BombBomb keyboard
Why use it: The BombBomb keyboard puts your whole video library inside Messages, Mail, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, and any other app you type in. Find a video and drop its link into the conversation without leaving it or copying and pasting. It takes about a minute to set up, once.
With the keyboard you can:
- Insert a video link straight into the message you're writing, with your default message in front of it.
- Copy a video for email as a clickable thumbnail.
- Search your videos and filter by Tag.
- Preview a video inside the keyboard before you send it.
- Jump to the camera to record something new.
Turn on the keyboard (one time)
- In BombBomb, go to Settings → Keyboard App.
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Tap Enable BombBomb Keyboard. The iPhone Settings app opens on BombBomb's page.
- Tap Keyboards.
- Turn on BombBomb.
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Turn on Allow Full Access, and tap Allow when iOS asks you to confirm.
Why Allow Full Access? iOS keeps keyboards off the internet and away from the clipboard unless you allow it. The BombBomb keyboard needs that access to load your videos and copy them. Without it, the keyboard only shows two example videos and an orange "Allow Full Access" banner.
Use the keyboard
- In any app, tap a text field so your keyboard appears.
- Touch and hold the 🌐 or 😊 key, then tap BombBomb.
- Find your video. Swipe the Tag buttons or tap the search field.
- Tap Insert Link (or tap anywhere on the video's row) to add your message and link to the text field. Tap Copy For Email instead to copy a clickable thumbnail, then paste it into an email.
- Tap the 🌐 key to go back to your regular keyboard.
- Tap a video's thumbnail to watch it inside the keyboard. Tap ✕ to go back to the list.
- Tap the red record button to open the BombBomb camera.
- Set the message that goes in front of the link under Settings → Advanced Settings → Default Text Message.
- The keyboard uses the account you're signed in to in the app. There's nothing to sign in to in the keyboard itself.
Finding videos: the Videos tab and Tags
Why use it: Tags let you group videos however you work (by client, listing, event, or type of message), so the right video is two taps away when you need to send it again.
- Search by title with the search field at the top.
- Filter by Tag: tap the Tag button and pick a tag. Your own tags are under My Tags; tags BombBomb adds for you are under Auto Tags.
- Create, rename, or delete tags: open the Tag filter and tap Edit Tags.
- Favorites: tap ⋮ on a video and choose Favorite. Filter by the Favorites tag to see them all.
- Each video shows its plays, plus likes, comments, and call-to-action clicks when it has any.
- Pull down on the list to refresh it.
Tap ⋮ on any video for quick actions: Edit, Share, Copy for email, Quick Send, Favorite, Download, and Delete video. Tap the video itself to open its page.
Editing a video
Open a video and tap Edit.
- Video Title: change the title, then tap Save.
- Edit Thumbnail: take a photo or choose one from your Photos. A custom thumbnail replaces the animated preview, so use one when you'd rather show a specific image.
- Tags: add or remove tags, or create a new one.
- Add Call-to-Action: turn it on and enter a button title and link. Viewers see a clickable button on the video's page. Tap Save.
- Download saves the video to your Photos. Delete removes it after you confirm.
Thumbnail and tag changes save right away. If you leave with an unsaved title or call-to-action, the app asks before discarding your changes.
Notifications: know when someone watches
Why use it: The best time to follow up is right after someone watches your video. The Notifications tab tells you who opened, watched, liked, or commented, as it happens.
- New activity appears in the feed live. Items that arrived since your last visit are highlighted in blue, and a dot on the Notifications tab tells you there's something new.
- Each item reads as a sentence, such as "Jordan Lee watched 80% of your video". If BombBomb can't tell who a viewer is, it shows "Someone".
- Tap a play, like, or comment to see that video's full engagement: total plays, average watch, and each viewer's activity.
- Tap an email open, click, or send to show the full text.
- Use Filter to show only Sends, Opens, Plays, Clicks, Likes, or Comments, and search by name, email address, subject, or comment.
You can also see a video's engagement on its page: scroll below the video and tap See More.
Push notifications
After you send your first video, BombBomb asks whether you'd like notifications. Tap Turn on notifications, then Allow. Choose which alerts you get under Settings → Notifications: Email Opens, Video Plays, and Link Clicks, plus likes and comments under Interaction.
Settings
Tap the Settings tab.
- Account: your username, email address, and subscription. Manage Account, Delete Account, and Contact Us are here too.
- Notifications: choose which push notifications you receive.
- Keyboard App: set up the BombBomb keyboard. It shows Enabled once it's turned on.
- Email Settings: choose or clear the mail app that Copy for Email opens.
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Advanced Settings:
- Save Videos to Device: saves each camera recording to your Photos.
- Countdown Duration: 3, 5, or 10 seconds before recording starts.
- Start/Stop video with volume buttons (iOS 17.2 and later).
- Default Text Message: the message the BombBomb keyboard puts in front of your video link.
- Use Classic Video Links: choose which video page your links open. The default depends on your plan.
- Support & Knowledgebase opens these help articles. Privacy Policy is below it.
- Send Feedback and Log Out. Your app version is at the bottom.
Not sure what to record? Tap Learn More on the "Not sure what type of video to send?" banner for example videos.
Sending feedback
Tell the BombBomb team what's working and what isn't. Tap the Feedback tab on the left edge of the Videos or Notifications screen, or tap Send Feedback in Settings. Choose Report an issue, Feature request, or General feedback, type your message, and tap Submit.
Feedback goes to the product team. For help with your account or billing, contact BombBomb Support instead.
Known limitations
- One video uploads at a time.
- Videos larger than 2 GB can't be uploaded from the app.
- Leaving the app during an upload can pause it. Return to BombBomb to let it finish.
- Viewers of links shared by Share or Copy for Email appear as "Someone" unless BombBomb can identify them. Use Quick Send to see recipients by name.
- A custom thumbnail replaces the animated preview.
- The app always displays in light mode.
- Subscriptions can't be bought or changed in the app. Buttons for upgrading or reactivating open BombBomb.com in Safari.
Frequently asked questions
How do I text a video?
Open the video, tap Share, and choose Messages. Or turn on the BombBomb keyboard and insert the link right in Messages.
What's the difference between Share, Copy for Email, and Quick Send?
Share sends a link through any app on your phone. Copy for Email copies a clickable thumbnail to paste into an email from your own inbox. Quick Send emails the video from BombBomb with one of your templates and shows each recipient by name in Notifications.
Where did my folders go?
Folders are now called Tags. Your existing folders appear as tags on the Videos tab, in Edit Video, and in the keyboard.
Can I record in portrait?
Yes. The video matches how you hold your phone when recording starts. Turn it sideways first for a landscape video.
Why does a notification say "Someone"?
BombBomb couldn't tell who the viewer was, which is common for links shared by text, social apps, or pasted into email. Quick Send shows recipients by name.
Can I leave the app while a video uploads?
Tap Done to browse the rest of the app while it uploads. Switching to another app can pause the upload, so come back to BombBomb until it finishes.
Will I lose my videos if I delete the app?
No. Your videos are stored in your BombBomb account. Reinstall and sign in to see them all.