The short answer: a raw screen recording is hard to follow because the viewer doesn't know where to look. To turn it into a walkthrough, frame it on a clean background, zoom in on each action, label what's happening with a short callout, and split it into numbered steps. Add a voiceover if your recording has no useful sound.
- Record: one task, start to finish, at a steady pace, with nothing private on screen.
- Edit: zooms on every click that matters, a callout per step, and a title and an ending.
- With Relo: attach the recording in screen-recording mode and Relo adds the zooms, callouts and steps. It costs 35 credits, plus 10 if you add an AI voiceover.
Why are raw screen recordings hard to watch?
A screen recording shows everything at once: the whole window, the menu bar, a small cursor and text that's too small to read on a phone. Viewers can't tell which part matters, so they stop watching.
A walkthrough video fixes that by directing attention. At each moment it shows the viewer where to look, what just happened and which step they're on.
What makes a good product walkthrough?
| Element | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| A framed window on a clean stage | The product looks finished, and the edges of your desktop disappear |
| Zooms on each key action | The click or the result fills the screen, so it's readable on a phone |
| Callouts at the point of action | A short label such as "Paste your link" says what's happening |
| Numbered steps | The viewer knows how far through the task they are |
| A title and an ending | The video says what it teaches and what to do next |
How do I record the screen well?
The recording decides how good the walkthrough can be:
- Show one task. "Create your first invoice" is a walkthrough; "a tour of everything" is not.
- Clean the screen. Close other tabs, hide notifications, and use demo data instead of real customer data.
- Move slowly. Pause for a second after each click so there's time to zoom in on it.
- Use a large window. Zoom the browser to 110–125% so text stays readable.
- Keep it short. Thirty seconds to two minutes of raw recording is plenty for one task.
Any recorder works: macOS's built-in Screenshot tool (⇧⌘5), Windows' Snipping Tool, or a browser extension.
How do I turn the recording into a walkthrough with Relo?
- Choose the screen-recording mode and attach your capture.
- Say what the video teaches in a sentence or two, for example "How to send your first invoice in Ledgerly, in four steps".
- Watch the draft. Relo watches the recording, picks the moments to zoom into and adds a callout and a step for each. Ask for changes in plain words: "Zoom in more on the Send button", "Rename step 2 to Add your client", "Slow down the last zoom".
- Render. Use 16:9 for help centres and YouTube, or 9:16 to post the walkthrough on social.
Should I add a voiceover?
Add one when your recording has no useful sound, which is most screen recordings. Relo writes the narration from your brief and voices it with one of 21 built-in voices (+10 credits), or with your own cloned voice (+20 instead of +10) after you record a short sample once.
Skip the voiceover when you narrated the recording yourself and the audio is clear. Captions are free either way, and they matter: many people watch with the sound off.
Where do walkthrough videos work best?
- Onboarding: a short video in the welcome email or the empty state of a new account.
- Help centre articles: one video per task, embedded next to the written steps.
- Feature launches: show the new feature in use, not a description of it.
- Sales follow-ups: the exact workflow the prospect asked about.
- Social posts: a 9:16 cut of the most impressive 15 seconds.
FAQ
How long should a product walkthrough video be?
One task per video: 30 seconds to two minutes. Make several short videos rather than one long one.
Do I have to edit the recording first?
No. Attach the raw capture; Relo watches it and picks the moments to zoom into. A clean, steady recording still gives the best result.
Can I use a recording with my own narration?
Yes. Keep your audio and let Relo add the zooms, callouts and captions around it.
What does it cost?
35 credits for the video, 10 per final render, and +10 for an AI voiceover. New accounts get 100 credits free. See pricing.