Guide
How to make a product demo video for your app
Pick one workflow a new user cares about, write a short script for it, set up a clean demo account with realistic data, record your screen and your voice separately, then cut out waiting, add captions and export in the shapes you need. Aim for 60 to 90 seconds.
A product demo video does the walkthrough you would give on a sales call, before the call happens. You can make a good one yourself with the tools already on your computer. This guide takes you through it step by step. It is our own guidance from making product films for software teams.
1. Pick one workflow
The most common mistake is trying to show everything. Pick the one workflow a new user cares about most, the thing they came to your product to do, and show it from start to finish. A project tool might show creating a project and assigning the first task. An invoicing app might show sending the first invoice.
Write the workflow down as four to six steps. If it needs more, it is probably two demos.
2. Write the script
For each step, write what is on screen and the one sentence the voice says. Start with the problem in plain words, show the steps, and end with the result and one next step, such as "Start free" or "Book a call". At a calm pace, about 150 words make a minute, so a 60 to 90 second demo needs roughly 150 to 225 words.
Our free demo video script generator builds this for you from a few answers, with timings and a word count. The voiceover length checker tells you if a script fits the length.
3. Set up a clean demo account
Viewers notice messy data. Make a separate account with realistic names, numbers and dates, no test entries and no real customer information. Close notifications, hide bookmarks, set the browser zoom so text is easy to read, and use one window size for the whole recording.
4. Record the screen, then the voice
- Screen. On a Mac, press Command, Shift and 5 and choose to record the screen. On Windows 11, open the Snipping Tool and choose record. Move the mouse slowly and pause briefly after each click.
- Voice. Record separately, reading the script, in a quiet room with a headset or a simple USB microphone. Read a little slower than feels natural.
5. Edit it down
- Cut every moment of waiting: loading screens, typing, menus opening.
- Zoom in on the part of the screen that matters for each step, so it reads on a phone.
- Line the voice up with each step, and leave a short pause at the end of each one.
- Keep it to one workflow, and stop as soon as the result appears.
6. Add captions and a thumbnail
Many people watch with the sound off, so add captions. The SRT subtitle maker turns your script into a timed caption file, and our note on captions for muted product videos covers how to write them. For the thumbnail, the video frame grabber saves a sharp still of the result screen.
7. Export for where it will go
A landscape 16:9 export suits your website and YouTube. Feeds favour 4:5 or 1:1, and Reels, Shorts and TikTok need 9:16. Before you post, run the file through the video specs checker to catch the wrong size, length or frame rate for each platform.
When to have it made instead
A self-made demo is a good start. Having it made is worth it when many prospects will see it, when you need every format and captions without spending days editing, or when your interface is complex and needs careful pacing. We make 60 to 90 second demos from your real product, and you see a free storyboard first. See product demo video.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a product demo video be?
For most SaaS products, 60 to 90 seconds. That shows one full workflow without losing people. If you need to show more, make a short series of demos, one per workflow, rather than one long video.
What should I use to record my screen?
Your computer already has a recorder. On a Mac, press Command, Shift and 5 to open the screenshot toolbar, which can record the screen. On Windows 11, the Snipping Tool can record the screen. Dedicated recorders add zooms and cursor effects, but they are optional.
Should I record the voiceover at the same time as the screen?
It is easier to do them separately. Record the screen first without talking, then record the voice reading your script. You can then edit each one cleanly and fix a line without recording the screen again.
Do I need captions on a demo video?
Yes, if it will be watched in feeds or on phones, where many people watch with the sound off. Upload a caption file with the video, or put the key words on screen. Our SRT subtitle maker turns your script into a caption file.
Try it free
Product demo video script generator
Turn one workflow into a timed demo script, scene by scene.
SRT subtitle maker
Paste your script and download a timed SRT or VTT caption file.
Keep reading
How long should a product demo video be?
Match the length to the job: 6 seconds to get noticed, 15 to explain, 20 to 40 for a launch film, 60 to 90 for a demo. Here is how to choose.
How to caption a product video for muted autoplay
Most feeds start videos muted. Burn short captions into the picture, keep a separate subtitle file, and check the film makes sense with the sound off.
Want it made for you? Product demo video, from $498
A guided tour of the core workflow, for prospects who want to see more before they book a call. Built from your real interface, with a voiceover. The storyboard is free, and you watch a private preview before you pay.
See product demo video examples and prices or get a free storyboard →