How to make instructional videos with Clipchamp

Whether you’re creating a training video, product demo, or turning a lengthy meeting into a summary video, easily capture your explanation to share in minutes with our online screen recorder.

Just record your screen and audio on MacBook or Windows, edit your recording with the trim tool, and audio features, then share directly to platforms like YouTube and OneDrive.

Explore everything you need to know about creating instructional videos with Clipchamp.

5 popular types of instructional videos

Not sure what style of instructional video to create? Let's take a look at popular types of video explainers you can create with the screen recorder.

• Training videos: Common when creating formal training sessions for onboarding new employees, compliance tutorials, and corporate trainings.

• Tutorial videos: Ideal for educational purposes, software explainers, or sharing complex processes with a walkthrough video.

• How-to videos: Useful for step-by-step guides explaining specific tasks, DIY projects, and procedures.

• Presentation videos: Perfect for turning long meetings and slideshow presentations into short summary videos.

• Product demos: Offer great visual support for new products, software updates, and customer purchasing decisions.

Tips for creating the best instructional videos

Plan your video with a storyboard

Just like any other video, your training session needs a start, middle, and end. Creating a storyboard for your instructional videos is the best way to keep the structure clear and help your viewers follow along easier. Either use dot point lists or draw sketches to highlight key points, video editing styles, and the video theme.

Check sound quality before recording

If your sound quality isn’t great, your viewers will likely tune out or click off your video as they can't hear and understand you. Remember to check your microphone source before recording. If your background noise is too loud, try using subtitles to assist your training video.

Record training videos without distractions

It's important to keep training videos as simple as possible, with minimal distractions to engage viewers for longer. We recommend recording your video in a quiet space with a minimalistic background.

Highlight key points only

Avoid confusing your audience and losing their attention by ensuring only includes relevant information, visuals, and voiceovers are shared. Try not to give too much information at once.

How to make instructional videos in Clipchamp

Step 1. Click on the screen recording feature

Click on the record & create tab on the toolbar, then click on the screen button.

Note: This tutorial will explore how to create instructional videos using the screen recording feature only. If you would like to create instructional videos using your webcam as well, check out how to screen and camera record.

A popup window will appear with permissions. Allow Clipchamp access to your microphone if you haven't used our screen recording feature before. Click allow when ready to proceed.

Step 2. Screen record instructional your video

The screen recorder window will appear on your screen. Select your microphone source, then turn on speaker coach if desired. Next, click on the big red record button to start recording.

A smaller popup window will appear with screen recording options. Either record your browser tab, window, or entire screen. Once selected, click on the share button.

Note: This tutorial will display recording a window only. If you would like to record an instructional video with audio, select browser tab.

Record your window for up to 30 minutes. Once you are happy with your screen recording tutorial, click on stop sharing button.

To preview your screen recording, click on the play button. Either watch back your instructional video with or without sound. Click on the retake recording button if you would like to redo your video, or click save and edit to return back to the editor.

You will return back to the editor once you save your screen recording. Your screen recording will automatically be added to your timeline and downloaded to your device as an MP4 file.

Edit and polish instructional videos with special effects

Trim away mistakes and resize your video

Edit out long pauses using the trim video and split features. If your instructional video is for social media, resize your video using the aspect ratio presets, or the fill and fit buttons in the floating toolbar.

Add captions and text overlays

Make your instructional video more accessible by adding subtitles using the autocaptions feature. Make new topics or important information stand out with on-screen text overlays as well. You can even download a video transcript using the captions feature.

Use scene transitions paired with sound effects

Level up your training videos and differentiate subjects with transitions and sound effects. All you have to do is drag and drop a transition between two video clips on the timeline. Elevate the transition with royalty-free SFX sound effects.

Edit audio only

If you have made a mistake while recording your audio, just detach audio from video to easily edit. You can speed up or slow down your audio, increase the volume, and mute specific sections. Easily delete your video's audio as well if you would like to create your own separate voice recording or AI voiceover to add to your instructional video.

For more tips and ideas creating screen recording videos, check out how to edit YouTube reaction videos. Explore more beginner-friendly video editing tips in adding emojis to videos.

Start recording instructional videos today with Clipchamp or download the Clipchamp Windows app for free.