PDF to video
Turn a PDF into a narrated whiteboard video.
Upload a report, a handout, a policy or a paper. KolaVid explains it in plain spoken sentences and draws each idea on a whiteboard as the narrator says it. Choose 1, 2, 3 or 5 minutes; a free account makes one 2-minute video with no card.
How to turn a PDF into a video
- Sign up free and open the composer.
- Upload your PDF, or paste the part you want explained. Add a short note on who the video is for, such as "new staff" or "students meeting this topic for the first time".
- Choose a frame (16:9, 9:16 or 1:1), a length of 1, 2, 3 or 5 minutes, and a female or male voice in the narration language you want.
- KolaVid writes the narration and draws one idea a board. It is usually ready in a few minutes, and you can watch it being drawn.
- Download the MP4 or share a link.
What you get
| With KolaVid | |
|---|---|
| Start from | A PDF, Word or PowerPoint file, pasted text or a web link |
| Video | A narrated whiteboard video, one idea a board, each drawing appearing as it is said |
| Frames | Landscape 16:9, vertical 9:16 or square 1:1 |
| Length | 1, 2, 3 or 5 minutes (free videos up to 2 minutes) |
| Voice | Female or male, in many narration languages, including Spanish and Portuguese |
| Delivery | MP4 download or a share link |
| Price | Free: one 2-minute video, no card. Starter: $19.99 a month for 5,000 credits |
Whiteboard video uses one credit a second, so a 2-minute video is 120 credits.
What KolaVid does with a PDF
For a report, handout or paper, KolaVid writes a spoken explanation of the main points rather than reading every line. Each point becomes a plain drawing, and every word on the board is a word the narrator says, written as it is said.
If your PDF is a finished script, paste the script text instead: a pasted script is narrated word for word, with drawings made to match.
Tips: preparing a PDF for a good video
- Choose the part that matters. A 2-minute video holds about 268 words of narration, roughly half a page of text. From a 30-page report, pick the section your viewer needs, or make a short series of videos, one section each.
- Say who is watching. One line such as "for nurses in their first week" or "for parents with no science background" changes the words, the examples and the pace.
- Ask the one question the video should answer. "What changes for staff under the new leave policy?" makes a tighter video than "the leave policy".
- Check that the text can be selected. If you cannot highlight words in the PDF, it is a picture of a page (a scan). Copy the text from the original document and paste it instead.
- Leave out what explains nothing: cover pages, tables of contents, legal footers and reference lists add length without adding meaning.
- Keep the numbers that matter. A short video can make three figures stick; twenty figures become noise. Name the two or three that carry the point.
- Split long documents. One idea a video is easier to follow than five, and a series of 2-minute videos is easier to finish than one long one.
- Put the conclusion in your note. If the PDF ends with its main finding or recommendation, say what it is: viewers remember the first and the last thing they hear.
- Say how much the viewer already knows. A note such as "explain any medical terms" or "assume no finance background" keeps the words plain.
- For a long report, start with an overview: one 2-minute video of the whole document, then shorter videos on the sections people ask about.
- Watch the video once before you share it widely, the way you would read a summary a colleague wrote for you.
PDFs that make good videos
Research papers and reports, policies and procedures, handouts and worksheets, product sheets, course readings and meeting notes. If a colleague could explain it at a whiteboard in a few minutes, it works as a KolaVid video.
Can I turn a PDF into a video for free?
Yes. A free account comes with 120 credits, enough for one 2-minute video, with no card. Free videos carry a small KolaVid mark.
Does KolaVid read the whole PDF aloud?
No. For a report, handout or paper it writes a spoken explanation of the main points. To have exact words narrated, paste them as a script and they are read word for word.
How long can the video be?
1, 2, 3 or 5 minutes. Free videos are up to 2 minutes; paid plans go up to 5.
What about a PDF exported from PowerPoint?
A PDF export carries the slide text only. Upload the .pptx file instead and KolaVid also uses the speaker notes and any narration recorded into the deck.
Can the video be narrated in another language?
Choose the narration language and a female or male voice in the composer. Spanish and Portuguese are among the many languages offered.
Can I edit the video afterwards?
There is no editing timeline. Change your note or the text you give it and make the video again.