Word to video
Turn a Word document into a narrated whiteboard video.
Upload the .docx file of a policy, a procedure, a handbook or a lesson plan. KolaVid explains it in short spoken sentences and draws each point on a whiteboard as the narrator says it, so the document people skim becomes a video they watch. A free account makes one 2-minute video with no card.
How to turn a Word document into a video
- Sign up free and open the composer.
- Upload the Word file (.docx). Add a short note on who the video is for and what they should take from it, such as "new staff: what to do on their first day".
- 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 from your document and draws one idea a board. It is usually ready in a minute or two, and you can watch it being drawn.
- Download the MP4 or share a link. Captions in the narration language come with it.
What you get
| With KolaVid | |
|---|---|
| Start from | A Word document (.docx), or its text pasted in |
| 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 |
| Captions | In the narration language: switch on with CC, download as .srt or .vtt, or burn into the MP4 |
| 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 Word document
Most Word documents are written to be read: policies, procedures, handbooks, letters and lesson plans. KolaVid turns the main points into a spoken explanation in plain sentences, one idea a board, and every word on the board is a word the narrator says, written as it is said.
If the document is your finished script, paste its text into the composer instead: a pasted script is narrated word for word, with drawings made to match.
Tips: getting a Word document ready for video
- Accept or reject tracked changes and delete old comments before you upload, so the video explains the final version, not the draft.
- Choose the part that matters. A 2-minute video holds about 268 words of narration, roughly half a page of text. From a 20-page handbook, pick the section your viewer needs now, or make one short video a section.
- Make headings say the point. "Report a fall within 24 hours" tells a reader, and the video, what matters; "Section 4.2" tells nobody anything.
- Say who is watching. "For warehouse staff on their first shift" or "for parents new to the school" changes the words, the examples and the pace.
- Say what the viewer should do afterwards. A policy video that ends on "so before you book leave, check the team calendar" is more useful than one that walks through every clause.
- Turn long tables into the two or three figures that matter. A short video can make a few numbers stick; a whole table becomes noise.
- Leave out what explains nothing: the cover page, the version history, the sign-off box and the contents list.
- Spell out abbreviations once. Your team knows what "PPE" or "SLA" means; a new starter watching alone may not.
- Working in Google Docs? Download the document as a Word file (.docx) and upload that, or copy the text and paste it.
- One document, one message. A handbook that covers holidays, expenses and IT rules makes three clear videos rather than one crowded one.
- Choose the frame for where it will be watched: 16:9 for an intranet page or a learning platform, 9:16 for phones.
- Watch it once before you send it to everyone. If a line is not right, press Edit to rewrite that scene or change a word on the board, without making the whole video again.
Word documents that make good videos
Policies and procedures, staff handbooks, onboarding guides, lesson plans and handouts, project briefs, reports and letters to customers or parents. If you would otherwise send the document with "please read by Friday", it works as a short KolaVid video.
Can I turn a Word document 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 document aloud?
No. 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.
Does it work with Google Docs?
Download the document as a Word file (.docx) and upload it, or copy the text and paste it into the composer.
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.
Does the video have captions?
Yes. Every new whiteboard video has captions in its narration language. Viewers switch them on with CC, and you can download them as .srt or .vtt or as an MP4 with the captions burned in.
Can I edit the video afterwards?
Yes. Open the video and press Edit: rewrite what the narrator says in any scene, redraw a board, change a word on the board or switch the voice. You pay only for the scenes made again, and every version is kept.