How to document software for clients
When you build or configure software for a client, the documentation is part of what you deliver. UIHike records every step as a numbered walkthrough with screenshots, then produces a link the client can open from any browser. No account, no file to download.
Works for web applications, desktop software, admin portals, and anything else running on Windows.
Why the usual approaches fall short
Most people document software for clients using one of three methods. Each one has a cost that compounds once the client actually tries to use the documentation.
Pasting screenshots into a document
A document full of unstructured screenshots is hard to follow. There is no numbering, no step context, and no way to tell the client which element to look at in each image. As soon as the UI changes, the whole document is out of date.
Recording a screen capture video
A video file is difficult to navigate. If a client needs to re-check step 7, they scrub through the full recording. There is no index, no way to jump to a specific action, and the file size makes it awkward to share by email or message.
Writing the steps manually from memory
Typing out a step-by-step guide after the fact takes time and relies on your memory being accurate. It is easy to miss a step, describe it ambiguously, or produce something that looks different from what the client actually sees in the software.
UIHike takes a different approach: work through the software once and every click becomes a numbered, navigable step with a screenshot. The client gets a link, not a file. The link works in any browser from any device.
More than a screenshot at each step
UIHike captures every click automatically. The result is not a folder of PNG files. It is a structured walkthrough where every step carries the context your client needs to understand it without asking you.
- A full-page screenshot at the moment of each action
- The exact URL where the step happened
- The element you clicked: its label, tag, and what it said
- An editable title and description you write to explain the step
- Any arrows, callout boxes, or highlight areas you draw on
- Any sensitive data you have chosen to blur before sharing
Polish it before the client sees it
A raw recording is a starting point. UIHike gives you a full set of editing tools so the walkthrough looks like a professional deliverable by the time your client opens it.
Add arrows and callout boxes
Draw directly onto any screenshot to point at the exact button, field, or element your client needs to click. No external image editor required.
Blur sensitive data
Cover internal reference numbers, admin URLs, private account details, or anything else that should not appear in the client version. Redactions are non-destructive: the original screenshot is always intact underneath.
Write clear step descriptions
Each step has a title and a free-text description field. Use it to explain the why, warn about edge cases, or give the client context they would not have from the screenshot alone.
Reorder and remove steps
Drag any step to a new position. Remove steps that were captured but are not relevant to the client's version of the workflow. The client only sees what you publish.
Deliver it in whatever format the client needs
You record the walkthrough once. From that single recording, UIHike can produce a shareable link, a PDF for formal project delivery, a Word document the client can add to, a PowerPoint for onboarding presentations, or an offline HTML file.
If your contract requires a PDF sign-off document and the client also wants a link their team can bookmark, you generate both from the same set of steps. You don't re-record anything.
- Share link: browser-based, no account needed, works on any device
- PDF: numbered steps with screenshots, suitable for contracts and sign-off
- Word (.docx): editable in Word or Google Docs
- PowerPoint (.pptx): one slide per step for training sessions
- Markdown: paste into Confluence, Notion, GitHub, or any wiki
- HTML: a single file that works fully offline
Works for any software, not just websites
If your client is using a web-based admin portal, UIHike records it. If they are using a Windows desktop application, a bespoke ERP system, Outlook, or an Excel-based workflow, UIHike records those too. Everything in the same numbered walkthrough, regardless of which application it came from.
Web admin portals
Browser-based dashboards, CMS, SaaS tools
Desktop applications
Windows apps, ERP systems, line-of-business software
Office documents
Excel workbooks, Outlook workflows, Word templates
Mixed workflows
Steps that span both browser and desktop together
How to document software for clients
Six steps from download to client-ready documentation.
Download UIHike
Free for Windows 10 and 11. The download is under 100MB.
Create a new project and start recording
Click New Project, then Start Recording. UIHike opens its built-in browser and begins watching for clicks and navigation.
Work through the software as your client will use it
Navigate menus, fill in forms, click buttons. Every action becomes a numbered step automatically. You do not need to press anything between steps.
Stop recording and review the steps
Click Stop Recording. UIHike organises every captured action into a numbered list. Each step has its screenshot, URL, and an editable title.
Annotate, redact, and edit
Add arrows and boxes to call out key elements. Blur any internal data your client should not see. Edit step titles and descriptions to explain each action clearly.
Share the link or export to the client's preferred format
Publish the walkthrough to get a link at go.uihike.com/published/... or export to PDF, Word, PowerPoint, Markdown, or HTML. Your client opens it without an account.
Windows 10 and 11. Free to download and use.
Next time you hand off software to a client
Record the workflow once. Polish the steps. Send the link. The client opens it from any device and walks through it at their own pace.
Frequently asked questions
How do I document software I've built or configured for a client?
Work through the software the way your client will use it while UIHike is running. Every click becomes a numbered step with a screenshot automatically. When you are done, edit the step titles, add annotations to highlight key elements, blur any internal data your client doesn't need to see, then share the link. The client opens it in any browser without an account.
What does UIHike capture when I record a software walkthrough?
For every step UIHike captures: a full-page PNG screenshot, the URL of the page, the specific element you clicked (its tag, visible label, and CSS selector), and the page title. You can then add a written description to each step explaining the why, not just the what. All of this becomes one numbered, navigable walkthrough.
Can I hide sensitive internal information before sharing the walkthrough with a client?
Yes. UIHike has a redaction tool: draw a box over any area of a screenshot and it gets blurred before the client sees it. You can cover internal reference numbers, private URLs, admin credentials, or anything else that should not be in the client deliverable. Redactions are non-destructive: the original screenshot is always preserved underneath and can be edited again.
Does my client need to install anything to read the walkthrough?
No. A published UIHike walkthrough lives at a URL like go.uihike.com/published/... Your client opens that link in any browser on any device. They do not need a UIHike account and they do not need to install anything. Anyone who has the link can read it.
Can I export the walkthrough as a PDF or Word document for formal delivery?
Yes. From the same set of recorded steps you can export to PDF (for contracts and sign-off), Word (.docx) for clients who want to edit or reformat the document, PowerPoint (.pptx) for training presentations, Markdown for pasting into a wiki, or a self-contained HTML file that works offline. All formats come from the same recording.
Does UIHike work for desktop applications, not just websites?
Yes. UIHike records any window on Windows: Chrome, Edge, Outlook, Excel, custom business applications, and anything else on screen. If you are documenting a desktop ERP system, a Windows admin tool, or a custom-built application, UIHike captures all of it in the same walkthrough alongside any browser-based steps.
Related guides
The documentation is part of the deliverable
UIHike turns any software session into a numbered walkthrough with a shareable link, a PDF, or whatever format the client expects. You record it once. The client navigates it on their own, at their own pace, without asking you to walk them through it again.
Windows 10 and 11. Free to download and use.