Telegram Bot That Makes Explainer Videos
Send the KolaVid Telegram bot a topic, notes or a link, pick 1 or 2 minutes, and get a narrated whiteboard explainer video back in the chat.
To make an explainer video in Telegram, open the KolaVid bot, connect your KolaVid account once, then send it a topic, some notes or a link. Tap 1 minute or 2 minutes, and the bot sends a narrated whiteboard video back into the chat, usually within 2-3 minutes. It works from your phone, with nothing to install.
Here is how it works step by step, ten messages you can copy, what it costs, and what to do if a video does not come back.
What the bot makes
KolaVid makes whiteboard explainers: a narrator explains the subject while each drawing appears on the board as it is mentioned, one idea a board. The Telegram bot puts that in a chat. You write the way you would message a friend, and you get a video you can watch, forward or download.
It suits people who do most things on their phone: a teacher planning tomorrow's lesson on the way to school, a student revising, a trainer who wants a short explainer for a staff group.
How to start
- Open t.me/KolaVidBot and tap Start.
- The bot says hello: "Hi! I'm KolaVid. Send me a topic, some notes or a link, and I'll turn it into a narrated whiteboard explainer video, right here in the chat." Under it is a Connect KolaVid (free) button.
- Tap the button. It opens a page titled "Connect KolaVid to Telegram". Sign up or sign in. Sign-up is free and includes a 2-minute video.
- The page says "Telegram is connected". Tap Back to Telegram.
- The bot confirms: "Connected as jo…@example.com." It shows only the start of your email, enough to recognise the account.
If you send a topic before connecting, the bot keeps it. It answers with the connect button and a Make it on kolavid.com button that opens the website with your text filled in. Once you connect, it asks: "Make a video of ...? Pick a length:".
The connect link works once, for 30 minutes. If it has expired, send `/connect` for a new one.
How to make a video
Send your request as an ordinary message:
``` How do vaccines work, for 12-year-olds ```
The bot asks "How long should the video be?" with 1 minute and 2 minutes buttons. Tap one. It replies "Making your 1-minute video now. I'll send it here when it's ready, usually in 2-3 minutes." with a link to watch the video being drawn on kolavid.com.
When the video is done, it arrives as a video in the chat with the message "Your whiteboard video is ready. Send another topic any time." and an Edit or download button that opens KolaVid.
What you can send
- A topic, ideally with who it is for: "photosynthesis for 10-year-olds".
- Pasted notes, up to 4,000 characters.
- A link to a web page. One link with a short instruction (up to about 40 words) is read as the page to explain; a link on its own becomes "Explain this page."
Send it as text. Photos, voice notes and files are not read; the bot will ask you to send the topic as text.
The commands
| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
| `/start` | The welcome message, with a connect button if you are not connected |
| `/help` | How to make a video |
| `/connect` | A new connect link, or connect a different account |
| `/disconnect` | Disconnects this chat from your KolaVid account |
Ten messages you can copy
A good message names one subject, who will watch, and what they should remember. These work as they are; change the subject.
For teachers
- `Why the moon has phases, for 9-year-olds. Use one simple example and end with the key idea.`
- `How to add fractions with different denominators, for 11-year-olds, with one worked example: 1/2 + 1/3.`
- `The water cycle in four steps, for a class revising for a test.`
For students
- `Explain supply and demand for a first-year economics student, with one real-life example.`
- Paste your class notes, with a last line such as `Turn my notes above into a revision video. Keep only the main points.`
- `https://example.com/article-about-black-holes Explain this page for a 15-year-old`
For work and community groups
- `How to wash hands properly at work, for new kitchen staff. Friendly tone, end with the one step people skip.`
- `What our savings group does each month: we collect, record, lend, and repay. For new members.`
- `Why backing up your phone matters, for older adults. Calm, simple words.`
In another language
- `How the heart works, for 10-year-olds, in French`
The narration language follows the language your Telegram app is set to, when KolaVid narrates it. To ask for a different one, say so in the message, as in number 10. Language teachers can find more ideas in language learning with whiteboard videos, and if you start from class notes, turning notes into an explainer video shows how to trim them first.
Limits and what it costs
- Length: 1 or 2 minutes from Telegram. On kolavid.com, paid plans go up to 5 minutes.
- Frame and voice: videos made in Telegram are wide 16:9. For a vertical 9:16 or square 1:1 video, or another voice, use the website.
- Credits: whiteboard videos cost 1 credit a second: 60 credits for 1 minute, 120 for 2. A free account has 120 credits, enough for one 2-minute video, no card needed. See the pricing page for plans.
- One at a time: each account makes one video at a time.
- File size: the bot sends videos up to about 50 MB in the chat. A bigger video comes as a link to watch or download on KolaVid.
- Failed videos: the bot says "Sorry, that video couldn't be finished, and no credits were taken."
- Private chats only: the bot answers in your one-to-one chat with it, not in Telegram groups. To share a video with a group, forward it.
Every video is also kept in your KolaVid library, where you can download the MP4, share a link or download captions. Teachers can find more on the KolaVid for teachers page.
Privacy in plain words
The bot sees only the messages you send it in your chat with it. Your text is sent to KolaVid to make the video, the same as typing it on the website. One Telegram chat connects to one KolaVid account at a time; `/disconnect` removes the connection, and `/connect` lets you link a different account. For other questions, see the support page.
Troubleshooting
"This link has expired." Connect links last 30 minutes and work once. Send `/connect` to the bot for a new one.
"A 2-minute video needs 120 credits and you have ..." Choose 1 minute, or top up or upgrade from the link the bot sends.
"You already have a video in progress." Wait for the first video to arrive, then send the next topic.
The video came as a link. It was too big to send in the chat. Open the link to watch or download it.
No video after a long wait. Check your library on kolavid.com. If a video could not be finished, the bot says so and no credits are taken.
FAQ
Is the KolaVid Telegram bot free?
Connecting is free, and a free account includes 120 credits, enough for one 2-minute video. After that, videos use credits from a paid plan.
Can I add the bot to a Telegram group?
It only answers in private chats. Make the video in your chat with the bot, then forward it to the group.
Can I choose a different voice or a vertical video in Telegram?
Not in the bot. Telegram videos are wide 16:9. On kolavid.com you can choose the frame, the voice, and on paid plans a length up to 5 minutes.
Can I edit the video afterwards?
The Edit or download button opens it on KolaVid. There is no editing timeline inside the video; change your message and make it again.
Send your first topic
Open the bot, connect, and send the question you were going to answer in a long message anyway. KolaVid also works in Slack, Discord, Google Docs and more: see all the ways to use KolaVid.