How to record a screen walkthrough: what to say, and when to say it

Most walkthroughs are hard to follow for the same reason: the narrator clicks first and explains afterwards, and says "this" and "here" when the viewer can't see what "this" is. The fix is mostly about words: which ones to use, and when in the recording to say them. This guide gives you a simple structure, the phrases that work at each moment, and a sample script you can copy.

1. Before you press record

• One task per video. "Create a quote" is a video. "Everything about quotes" is a course. If you need the word "and" in the title, it's probably two videos.
• Use test data. A sandbox or demo record is safer than a real customer, and it looks the same to the viewer.
• Tidy the screen. Close other tabs, turn off notifications, hide the bookmarks bar, and zoom the browser to 110–125% so labels are readable on a phone.
• Write the steps down. You don't need a word-for-word script, but a short list keeps you from wandering:

Step 1: Open the Quotes page
Step 2: Add a product
Step 3: Apply the discount
Step 4: Submit for approval

2. A structure that works for almost any walkthrough

1. Opening (10–15 seconds): what the viewer will be able to do, and where they start.
2. The steps: one at a time, each with its action, and a reason if it isn't obvious.
3. The check: what the viewer should see when it worked.
4. Close: one sentence to wrap up, and what to watch next.

3. What to say, moment by moment

4. When to say it: talk first, then click

The single most useful habit: say the action, then do it. "Click Save" (pause) click. The viewer hears what's coming, finds it on screen, and then sees it happen. When you click first and explain after, the screen has already changed by the time they understand.

A few more timing habits:

• Pause for a second after each click so the screen can settle and the viewer can catch up.
• Move the mouse deliberately. Point at a field while you name it, then leave the mouse still.
• Don't talk over a page load. Wait for it, or say something useful: "This can take a few seconds."
• Scroll, then talk. Talking about something while it's scrolling past is hard to follow.

5. Words to avoid

• "This", "here", "that one" without a name. Say the label: "the Discount field", not "this box".
• "Just" and "simply". If the viewer is stuck, "just" makes them feel worse.
• Filler at the start of every sentence ("So, okay, now..."). Once in a while is natural; every sentence is tiring.
• Anything sensitive, ever. Don't read out a customer's name, email, phone number, account number or an amount. Blurring covers what's on screen, not what's in the sound. Say "the customer's email" instead of the email.

6. When you make a mistake

Don't stop the recording. Pause for two seconds, say the sentence again from the start, and keep going. The pause makes the bad take easy to find and cut later. If you misspoke on something important, you can re-record just that sentence afterwards instead of the whole video.

7. A sample script (invented data)

In this video you'll create a quote and send it for approval. It takes about two minutes. Start on the Quotes page, in the menu on the left.

Step one: click New quote, at the top right. In the Account field, select the customer's account.

Step two: add a product. Click Add product, then select the product from the list. Make sure the quantity is right before you go on: it can't be changed after approval.

Step three: only if the customer has a discount, open the Pricing tab and enter it in the Discount field.

Step four: click Submit for approval. You'll see the status change to Pending approval at the top.

That's it: the quote is waiting for your manager. Next, we'll send the approved quote to the customer.

Notice what it doesn't say: no customer names, no amounts, no "click here".

8. If you edit with GlideClip

GlideClip reads your narration (on your computer) to suggest callouts, so the habits above pay off twice:

• Step lines become step cards. Paste your step list into Your script (optional) in Studio > Callouts. Lines like "Step 2: Add a product" become numbered step cards, placed where you say those words.
• "Click" + the label becomes a highlight. When you name an on-screen label as it's written, a highlight box can be suggested on it. For one-word labels, say the verb: "click Save", "select Pricing".
• Warnings, conditions and checks get their own cards. Phrases like "make sure" or "don't" suggest an Important card; "only if" or "optional" a Conditional one; "you'll see" a Check card.
• Captions come from your narration, made on your computer, so clear sentences make clear captions.
• Replace a line lets you re-record one sentence over the video instead of the whole narration.
• Blurring is visual. GlideClip finds emails, phone numbers, IDs and amounts on screen for you to review, but anything said aloud stays in the sound. That's one more reason to never read sensitive details out.

You can try all of this on the sample video, with no sign-up.

Checklist

• One task, a title without "and"
• Test data, tidy screen, browser zoomed in
• Step list written down (and pasted into GlideClip's script box)
• Opening says the goal and where to start
• Every action: verb + the exact label, said before the click
• Warnings before the action; conditions say "only if"
• A check at the end: "You'll see..."
• Nothing sensitive said aloud
• Mistakes: pause, repeat, keep going