✦Use cases / Videos you can make / How-to tutorials

How-to tutorials people can follow.

Zooms show exactly where to click, captions carry the words for anyone on mute, and marks drawn on screen point at the thing that matters.

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Made forSupport teamsTechnical writersCourse creatorsCustomer successYouTubers

Tutorials fail when viewers lose the pointer.

Small cursors, fast clicks and long pauses lose people. Shotbox makes every step obvious and makes the slow parts quick to cut.

What you'll make

Video tutorials

Step-by-step recordings with zooms on every click.

Screenshot guides

Numbered steps on annotated captures.

Chaptered walkthroughs

Long tutorials split into chapters viewers can jump between.

How Shotbox helps

Every tool for how-to tutorials, in one app.

ZOOM OVER TIME clicks
Auto zoom & cursor →

Every click, up close

The view zooms to each click so viewers see exactly where to go, then eases back out.

  • Clicks grouped into moments
  • Smooth cursor with click ripples
  • Adjust the zoom level
📌 Stick
Draw on screen →

Point while you explain

Draw an arrow at the button you’re about to click. With stick on, it stays on the button as the page scrolls.

  • Pen, highlighter, arrow, rectangle, ellipse
  • Marks can fade after three seconds
  • Clicks go through when you stop drawing
TRANSCRIPT

Hi, I'm going to show you how the new dashboard actually, let me start again. The new dashboard turns a week of reports into one screen.

Let's start at the top, with the revenue chart. Click it to see every plan.

DeleteKeep only thisRestore
Captions & transcript →

Captions and quick cuts

Caption every step and cut the long pauses and false starts by deleting them from the transcript.

  • On-device transcription
  • Cuts land between words
  • Export .srt
123
Then click Save
Annotate →

The written version too

Turn the same steps into a screenshot guide with numbered markers, arrows and highlights.

  • Twelve annotation tools
  • Step counter
  • Ten text styles
CHAPTERS
0:00Intro
0:42The new dashboard
1:58Weekly reports
3:10Sharing with your team
Copy for YouTube
Captions & transcript →

Chapters for long tutorials

Split long tutorials into chapters so viewers can jump to the step they need.

  • Suggest finds the chapters
  • Copy for YouTube
  • Chapters follow your cuts
RECORDED vs DRAWN
Auto zoom & cursor →

A cursor viewers can follow

The cursor is redrawn from the recorded track and smoothed, with a ripple on each click, so viewers never lose it.

  • Size stays constant as zooms change
  • No jitter, no lag
  • Click ripples
→
Scrolling capture →

Long pages, one image

For steps on long pages, capture the whole page as one image for the written guide.

  • Automatic or manual scrolling
  • Annotate the result
  • Full resolution
Recommended setup

Start with these settings.

CanvasYouTube — 16:9
Camera layoutScreen only or Picture in picture
Caption styleHighlight or Clean
Draw modeStick on, Fade on for quick pointers
ChaptersOne per step, with M
ExportMP4; GIF at 50% for short steps
Tips

Tips for better results.

  1. Point, then click

    Draw an arrow at a button, say what it does, then press Esc and click it. Your clicks go through when you stop drawing.

  2. Chapter every step

    Press M at the start of each step so viewers can skip what they already know.

  3. Write it as you record

    Take a screenshot at each step with ⌥⇧⌘4 while you’re there, ready for the written guide.

  4. Keep it current

    Record each step as its own clip. When the UI changes, re-record one step, not the whole tutorial.

How it works

Three steps, one app.

Everything runs on your Mac, and nothing is uploaded on the way.

  1. 1

    Point while you talk

    Draw arrows on screen; they stay on their target as you scroll.

    Draw on screen →
  2. 2

    Caption it

    On-device captions in seventeen styles.

    Captions & transcript →
  3. 3

    Make the written version

    Screenshots with numbered steps, arrows and highlights.

    Annotate →
An example

A how-to for the help centre

  1. Record

    Walk through the task, drawing an arrow at each button.

  2. Tidy

    Delete the false starts from the transcript.

  3. Caption

    Pick a caption style and add chapters for each step.

  4. Publish

    Export the video and a screenshot guide for the article.

Questions
Will marks be in the video?

Yes. Marks drawn in draw mode are recorded. The drawing palette and recording bar are not.

Can I remove ums automatically?

No. Apple’s recogniser leaves filler words out of the transcript, so they can’t be selected there. Cut them on the timeline instead.

Can I add text callouts later?

Yes. Add text overlays and titles anywhere on the timeline.

Features you'll use
Draw on screenMarks that stick to what they point atLearn more →Captions & transcriptCaptions on-device; edit by deleting textLearn more →AnnotateArrows, boxes, blur, text and backdropsLearn more →
More in Videos you can make:Product demo videosFeature launch videosSocial media clipsBug reportsOnline courses
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