# How to make changelog videos

Canonical URL: https://viditor.app/blog/changelog-videos
Last updated: 2026-10-13
Author: Ajay Pawriya (https://viditor.app/about)
Published: 2026-10-08
Category: Launch videos

> TL;DR: Pick a fixed format and a fixed day, then fill it each week. Record a short screen clip of each change when you ship it, write a 75 to 150 word script from the release notes, and cut a 30 to 60 second video with the same title, captions and ending every time. Consistency matters more than polish.

A changelog video is your release notes, shown instead of listed. Once a week (or once a release), you post 30 to 60 seconds of what changed, recorded in the real product. It works because it's regular: users learn when to expect it, and every week is proof the product is moving. The hard part isn't making one. It's making the fortieth without it eating your Friday.

## What is a changelog video?

A changelog video is a short, recurring video that shows what changed in your product since the last one. It covers one to three changes, uses the same format every time, and goes out on a fixed schedule. Think of it as the human-friendly version of your release notes, made for feeds.

[Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.1.0/) puts the principle well: changelogs are for humans, not machines. A video takes that one step further. Instead of reading "Added bulk export", people see it happen.

## What format should a changelog video use?

Use the same four segments every time, in the same order, with the same title style and ending. A fixed format makes the series recognisable and cuts your editing time, because you only change the middle.

| Segment | Time | What goes in it |
|---|---|---|
| Opener | 0 to 3 s | Series title and the week or version: "Week 41" or "v2.8" |
| Headline change | 3 to 25 s | The most useful change, shown in the real UI |
| Quick hits | 25 to 45 s | One or two smaller changes, 8 to 10 seconds each |
| Close | 45 to 55 s | Where to find it, and "see you next Friday" |

Keep a Changelog groups changes into Added, Changed, Deprecated, Removed, Fixed and Security. That maps neatly onto video: lead with something Added or Changed, and roll Fixed into a single line ("plus twelve fixes, full list in the changelog").

## How do I pick what goes in each video?

Pick the change users will notice or use this week, not the one that took the most work. A two-line fix to an annoying bug can beat a big internal refactor. If nothing user-facing shipped, say so in ten seconds, or skip the week and keep the day.

A quick filter for each item in the release notes:

1. Can I show it on screen in under 20 seconds? If not, it's a quick hit or a separate video.
2. Would a user notice it without being told? If yes, it's a headline candidate.
3. Does it change how someone works? That's the headline.

## What does a changelog video script look like?

About 100 to 120 words for 45 seconds, written from the release notes. Here's a sample week for a fictional design tool.

> **Opener (on-screen title "Week 41"):** "Here's what shipped this week."
>
> **Headline:** "You can now comment directly on a frame. Press C, click anywhere, and your note sticks to that spot, even if the layer moves."
>
> **Quick hit 1:** "Export is faster on big files. This 300-frame project used to stall; now it doesn't."
>
> **Quick hit 2:** "Dark mode follows your system setting."
>
> **Close:** "Plus nine fixes. Full notes on the changelog page. See you next Friday."

Write it the way you'd say it out loud, then read it with a timer. If it runs long, cut a quick hit, not words from the headline.

## How do I make changelog videos in Viditor?

Keep a folder for each week, record a short clip of each change when it ships, then hand the assistant your release notes and clips on the day. The format stays the same; only the clips and words change.

1. **Set up the week.** Make a folder for the week ("Changelog, week 41") so every clip lands in one place.
2. **Record as you ship.** When a change lands, record a 10 to 20 second screen clip of it and save it to the folder. On a Mac, Shift-Command-5 opens the [Screenshot app](https://support.apple.com/en-us/102618); turn on **Show Mouse Clicks** in Options.
3. **Write the script.** Attach the release notes (Markdown or plain text, up to 100 KB) and ask: "Write a 45-second changelog script from these notes. Lead with the commenting feature, two quick hits, fixes in one line." The script comes back as a chat reply. Edit it until it sounds like you.
4. **Voice it.** Record the script in any audio app while the clips play, and import it with them. The [script length calculator](https://viditor.app/tools/video-length-calculator) shows roughly how many seconds your text will take.
5. **Cut it.** In Finder, right-click the week's folder and choose **Quick Actions → Edit in Viditor** to open a project with the clips imported, then ask: "Cut the changelog video from this script. 'Week 41' title at the start, each clip under the line that describes it, end card with 'See you next Friday'."
6. **Finish.** Captions are transcribed on your Mac. Add a callout on the new control if it's small. Set the brand look so titles and captions match last week.
7. **Export and post.** Export the video and it appears in the **Exports** tab, where **Show in Finder** takes you to the file. Ask the assistant for the post copy, then upload the video in each platform's app or your own scheduler, at the same time every week.

Our own [changelog](https://viditor.app/changelog) is built from our release notes, and the plan is to turn it into exactly this kind of weekly video.

## How do I make changelog videos without Viditor?

Build a template project once in a traditional editor, then duplicate it every week. The template holds the opener title, caption style, music bed and end card; each week you swap in the new clips, voice and words.

1. Duplicate last week's project and rename it.
2. Replace the screen clips and record a new voiceover.
3. Retype the opener title and quick-hit labels.
4. Re-caption: generate, then fix product terms.
5. Export vertical and landscape versions and schedule them.

The template is what makes it sustainable. Without it, each week starts from zero, and a weekly series gets hard to keep up.

## How do I keep a changelog series going?

Make the work smaller than the habit. Three things help most:

- **Fixed day, fixed length.** "Every Friday, under a minute" is easier to keep than "whenever there's something big".
- **Clips recorded at ship time.** Recording a change the moment it lands takes a minute. Recreating it on Friday takes much longer.
- **Allow small weeks.** A 20-second "two fixes and one tweak" episode keeps the series alive better than skipping.

Pair the weekly changelog with standalone [feature announcements](https://viditor.app/blog/feature-announcement-video) for the big releases, and you'll have a steady, honest record of the product moving forward.

## Honest limits

- No speed ramps or speed control; cut waiting time instead.
- No cursor-follow zoom; zooms into screen recordings are keyframed punch-ins.
- Brand looks are per project, so set the look in each week's project.

## Frequently asked questions

### How long should a changelog video be?

30 to 60 seconds for a weekly update, covering one to three changes. Big features deserve their own announcement video instead.

### What should a changelog video include?

A consistent opener with the week or version, the most useful change shown in the real UI, one or two smaller changes, and where to find them. Bug fixes can be a single line.

### Can AI write my changelog video script?

Yes. In Viditor you can attach your release notes as a Markdown or text file and ask the assistant for a 45-second script. Edit it before you record; you know which change matters most to users.

### Do I need to be on camera for changelog videos?

No. Screen recordings with a voiceover work well. A two-second face open helps people recognise the series, but it's optional.

## Related

- [How to make a feature announcement video](https://viditor.app/blog/feature-announcement-video)
- [How to make founder-led video content](https://viditor.app/blog/founder-led-video-content)
- [Edit video by chatting](https://viditor.app/features/chat-video-editing)
- [Viditor for developers: edit video with the Claude Code or Codex you already use](https://viditor.app/for/developers)
- [Changelog](https://viditor.app/changelog)
- [Title card](https://viditor.app/glossary/title-card)

## Sources

- [Keep a Changelog 1.1.0](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.1.0/) (accessed 2026-10-08)
- [Apple Support: How to record the screen on your Mac](https://support.apple.com/en-us/102618) (accessed 2026-10-08)

Download Viditor for Mac (one-time licence, see https://viditor.app/pricing): https://viditor.app/download