Training videos are no longer just for large companies with video teams, expensive cameras, and professional editing software. Today, a manager, teacher, startup founder, HR executive, or content creator can create clean, useful, and professional-looking training videos directly inside the browser. That is where Google Vids becomes interesting. Google Vids is an AI-powered video creation app from Google Workspace. It is designed for work-related videos such as employee onboarding, product demos, process walkthroughs, sales explainers, internal updates, and training content. Do give it a try!
Google describes it as a tool for creating, writing, producing, editing, collaborating on, and sharing videos, with features such as templates, AI-assisted planning, voiceovers, recording, and sharing.
If you already use Google Docs, Slides, Drive, or Meet, Google Vids will feel familiar. The big advantage is that you can create training videos without switching between multiple tools. In this guide, we will walk through creating training videos using Google Vids from start to finish.
What Is Google Vids?
Google Vids is a browser-based video creation tool built for workplace communication. Think of it as a mix of Google Slides, a simple video editor, screen recorder, AI script assistant, and collaboration tool.
You can use it to create:
- Employee onboarding videos
- Software tutorials
- Product training videos
- Customer support explainers
- Internal SOP videos
- Safety training videos
- Sales enablement videos
- Course-style lessons
- Feature walkthroughs
Google Vids supports templates, recording, uploaded media, AI-generated scripts, AI voiceovers, stock media, animations, and collaborative editing. Google also notes that videos can be shared across Workspace tools such as Gmail, Chat, and Drive.
Important note: Google says each Google Vids video can be a maximum of 10 minutes. If you need to use longer video footage, you can insert videos from Drive up to 30 minutes into a scene and trim them.
It works seamlessly on all modern web browsers.
Why Use Google Vids for Training Videos?
Training videos work best when they are clear, short, visual, and easy to update. Google Vids fits this use case well because it reduces the technical friction.
Instead of using separate tools for scripting, recording, editing, voiceover, and sharing, you can handle most of the workflow in one place.
Key Benefits
| Benefit | Why It Matters for Training Videos |
|---|---|
| Easy interface | Beginners can create videos without advanced editing skills |
| Templates | Helps you start faster with a structured layout |
| AI assistance | Useful for outlines, scripts, voiceovers, and video planning |
| Screen recording | Ideal for software tutorials and process walkthroughs |
| Collaboration | Teams can review and edit like Docs or Slides |
| Drive integration | Easy to store, manage, and share internally |
| AI avatars | Useful when you do not want to record yourself |
| Voiceovers | Helps create narrated lessons quickly |
Google has also added generative AI features such as Veo-powered video generation, image-to-video, AI avatars, and transcript-based editing in Vids.
Google Vids Pricing: What Do You Get for Free?
Before diving into the how-to, let’s clear up the pricing situation because it’s a common source of confusion.
| Plan | Access | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
|
Free Google Account |
vids.google.com | Basic creation, templates, 10 Veo clips/month, screen recording (Chrome extension), YouTube export |
|
Google Workspace (any tier) |
Included | Full Vids editor, collaboration, AI voiceovers, AI avatars (limited), storyboard from docs |
| Google AI Pro / Ultra |
Subscription required |
Directable AI avatars, custom AI music via Lyria, higher avatar generation limits, advanced avatar customization |
If you’re a blogger or solo creator with a personal Google account, you have enough to get started with compelling training content.
Teams working in Google Workspace get collaborative editing on top of that. The AI avatar and custom music features require a paid AI tier, but they’re not mandatory for great training videos.
Understanding the Google Vids Interface
Before creating your first training video, spend two minutes getting oriented. The interface has three main areas:
1. The Scene Storyboard (Bottom Panel): This is where your video’s scenes line up horizontally, similar to a film timeline. Each scene is a "slide" of your video — and you can add, delete, reorder, and edit scenes here.
2. The Canvas (Center/Main Area): This is where you preview and edit each scene. You’ll add media, text overlays, and visual elements here.
3. The Right-Side Panel: This is context-sensitive. Depending on what you’re doing, it shows controls for voiceover, AI generation, recording settings, music, and scene transitions.
The navigation at the top gives you access to Insert, Record, Voiceover, and other key actions.
Step-by-Step: Creating a Training Video with Google Vids
Let's dive in and learn the process of making a training video through Google Vids.
Step 1: Plan Your Training Video Before Opening Vids
Sounds simple, and it's by far the biggest skipped step that leads to poorly organized video, but before opening Google Vids, make sure to plan.
Write down:
- The goal: What will your viewer be expected to know or do after watching this video?
- The audience: Are they new employees, seasoned pros, or students?
- The duration: The shorter, the better. Under 5 mins per module is usually ideal.
- The flow: Intro - core steps - recap/call to action.
Even an outline like the one above, written up in Google Docs, will save tons of revision time down the line and will be a crucial step in the next one.
Step 2: Start a New Video (Three Ways to Start)
You will be greeted with three starting options when you launch Google Vids:
Option A: Help Me Create (Start with AI)
Click on "Help me create" and input a simple prompt detailing your training video. For example:
"Generate a 5-scene onboarding training video to help new hires navigate using our project management tool."
Vids will use Gemini to generate a complete storyboard with a script, stock video ideas, and an auto-generated voice-over. This option can produce a complete working draft within 2 minutes!
If you have a Google Doc with content ready, simply attach it to the prompt, and Vids will read the document and pull relevant information to draft the video.
Option B: Use a Template
Google Vids comes with pre-designed templates that cater to typical business and training situations- onboarding videos, product explainers, project updates, and more. Each template will have its scenes, transitions, and sample text already put in place, and you just need to change your own content.
You can see the available templates from the Vids home screen. These are suitable if you want a well-structured appearance and are looking for a way to get started quickly.
Option C: Blank video
If you already know how the structure of your video should be, or if you want complete control over the creativity aspect, then blank video is the ideal choice. You will be provided with a blank storyboard and will have to create every scene yourself.
For the training videos, Option A or B is usually a better decision. The blank video option is reserved for situations with unique and very defined needs.
Step 3: Set Up Your Scenes in the Storyboard
Once your starting draft is ready (however you created it), the storyboard at the bottom shows your video broken into individual scenes.
For a typical training video, your scenes might look like this:
| Scene | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Scene 1 | Introduction — what this video covers |
| Scene 2 | Context — why this skill/process matters |
| Scene 3–6 | Core instruction — step-by-step walkthrough |
| Scene 7 | Common mistakes to avoid |
| Scene 8 | Summary and next steps |
To add a new scene, click the "+" button in the storyboard or use the Ctrl + M (on Windows) or Cmd + M (on Mac) shortcut. To reorder, just drag and drop.
Click any scene to open it in the canvas and start editing its content.
Step 4: Add Media- Stock Footage, Images, or Your Own Footage
You can add to each scene:
- Stock footage from the free media library that Google provides.
- Your own images or video from your Google Drive or from your local storage.
- A short AI-generated video clip from Veo - you simply type what you want the clip to be about.
- Screenshots of the application or tool you're trying to teach.
For training videos, I'd recommend screenshots of the actual application your viewers will be learning over generic stock footage. Seeing the interface they will be operating creates immediate confidence.
To add media to a scene:
- Select the scene on the canvas.
- Go to the Insert option at the top.
- Select images, videos, Drive files, or AI-generated videos.
- To generate a video: Type in a prompt (e.g., "person at desk looking at computer screen, professional office setting") and Veo will generate a clip for you.
Pro Tip: If you are creating a software tutorial, use your computer's screenshot tool (Ctrl + Shift + S for Windows or Cmd + Shift + 4 for Mac) to capture your real tool interface and upload it to Vids. Screenshots of the actual program feel more genuine than a stock image.
The media is always inserted inside the currently selected scene on the timeline.
Step 5: Record Your Screen (The Most Important Feature for Tutorials)
For most training and tutorial content, screen recording is the core of your video. Google has made this much easier with the Google Vids Screen Recorder — a Chrome extension that brings recording directly into your browser.
Installing the Screen Recorder:
- Install the Google Vids Screen Recorder Chrome extension from the Chrome Web Store.
- Once installed, a recorder icon will appear in your Chrome toolbar.
- Click it from any webpage to start capturing — you don’t have to navigate back to Vids first.
Recording from inside Vids:
- Open your Vids project.
- Right-click on "Record" in the right-hand pane.
- Under "Recording options", pick between three modes:
- Voiceover only: Only audio, no camera, and no screen capture.
- Camera: Only your webcam feed.
- Screen and camera: Screen capture with an optional webcam, which is how most tutorials are filmed.
- Paste your script into the sidebar to enable teleprompter mode while recording, if you have one.
- Press Start Recording, then record your demo, and click Stop when you’re finished.
The recorded clip will automatically appear in the scene you are currently working on. You can trim the clip, split it between multiple scenes, or simply let it exist as is.
Tips for the Screen Recording in Training Video:
- Close any tabs/notifications that you don't need for recording.
- Zoom into the part of the UI that you are demonstrating so the observer can clearly see it.
- Slow down the speed of the mouse movement. Always move faster than you think that you are moving.
- Speak while you are recording an action (as opposed to recording clicking for some time, and speaking about that action afterwards).
- Record short segments for each scene (instead of one long recording). It becomes easier to edit.
Step 6: Add a Voiceover (AI or Your Own Voice)
Every training video needs clear audio narration. Google Vids gives you two paths:
Option A: AI Voiceover
- In your Vids project, click Voiceover in the right-side panel.
![Voiceover option in Google Vids]()
📷 AI voiceover can be used for certain use cases - Choose Current scene (for one scene) or All scenes (to generate narration for the entire video).
- Type (or paste) your script into the text box.
- Use optional bracketed emotional cues to control tone:
[Read this with enthusiasm]: Your script here.[Speak slowly and clearly]: Step one, open the settings menu.
- Select a voice style (multiple options available).
- Click Insert voiceover.
The AI voiceover is added to your scene. You can regenerate it, tweak the script, or mix AI voiceover with your own recorded audio.
AI voiceovers work very well for:
- Scene-by-scene narration of screenshots or slides
- Videos where you’re also recording your screen and don’t want to narrate in real time
- Consistent tone across a multi-part training series
Option B: Record Your Own Voice
In the Record panel (detailed in step 5), simply select the Voiceover only option. This allows you to record narration without screen capture. Your own voice makes the video more personal and human, such as a welcome and introduction, or a personal encouraging speech.
Note on Language: AI voiceovers are available in English and 7 other languages (Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, Italian, Korean, and Japanese), which is ideal when producing training material for an international audience.
Step 7: Add an AI Avatar (Optional but Powerful)
AI Avatars are probably the most unique feature to Google Vids, as opposed to appearing on screen, you can select a lifelike AI host to deliver your script.
To add an AI Avatar:
- Open the scene you want the avatar to be displayed in.
- Press 'AI Avatar' in the right-hand side bar.
- You then select the type of avatar (both photo realistic and cartoon are an option).
![AI Avatars in Google Vids]()
📷 Add more punch in your videos through AI avatars - Type the text you would like the avatar to say in the script section.
- Press the Generate button.
Each avatar has its own specified voice, and Google has produced a range so that if you have some sections where an avatar appears and some with an AI voice-over, the delivery remains at a constant level.
Some key limits:
- Individual AI avatar clips are limited to 60 seconds duration.
- In order to use this feature, you must upgrade to the Google AI Pro or Ultra plan.
Training videos are an excellent use of the AI avatar, as you will find they are best suited in intro, module transition, or conclusion sections, where a 'talking head' could be considered an addition to your video and not take focus from your on-screen content.
Step 8: Shapes, Text Overlays, and Captions
Training videos need text support. Viewers process information better when they can see key points reinforced visually.
In each scene, use the Insert menu to add:
- Text overlays: Add headlines, step numbers, or callouts directly over your video or images.
- Shapes: Insert different types of shapes into the scenes.
- Captions: For accessibility, add automatic captions to your video.
Format tip: Use large, readable fonts. Many training videos are watched in smaller browser windows or on mobile screens. If the text looks fine on a full monitor but disappears at 50% zoom, your viewers will struggle.
Step 9: Add Background Music
Use background music to maintain the viewer's attention during transitions or during less visually complex scenes. Google Vids offers an array of stock music, or, if you are using Google AI Pro or Google AI Ultra, you can generate your own AI music up to three minutes using Lyria.
Here's how to add music to your video:
- Select Insert → Stock & web → Music.
- Browse the stock music or generate an AI track.
- Set the music volume to sit behind the voice narration, ideally between 10-20% of the narration's volume.
When creating a training video, stick to the instrumental tracks that are calm and non-distracting; avoid songs with significant beat drops or any tracks that include lyrics and would compete with the narration.
Step 10: Review, Edit, and Finalize
Before publishing:
- Watch the complete video from beginning to end in the Vids preview player. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP.
- Listen for out-of-sync audio, abrupt scene changes, visual issues, or too fast editing.
- Use the scene panel to reorder and delete scenes.
- Trim clips within a scene by dragging and clicking on the handles for each clip.
- Ensure your intro has clear instructions about what viewers will learn, and your conclusion has a call to action (i.e., link to something, exercise, supplementary reading).
Note: Google Vids supports videos up to 30 minutes, which is more than enough for most training videos. Break longer pieces into multiple episodes.
Step 11: Share or Publish Your Training Video
Once your video is ready, you have several options:
Export to Drive: Click the Share button (top right) to directly save the video in Google Drive. Real-time collaboration is supported — teammates can view and comment, just like in Google Docs.
Export to YouTube: Google Vids now supports direct YouTube publishing. Click File → Publish to YouTube. Your video will default to Private status, giving you a chance to review before making it public or unlisted.
Download as MP4: Download the video as an MP4 file for uploading to a Learning Management System (LMS), embedding in a website, or storing locally.
Copy link: Generate a shareable link from Google Drive. You can restrict viewing to your organization, specific people, or make it public.
Best Practices for Effective Training Videos
This video creation is only half of it. Here is what makes a training video get watched versus one that gets discarded:
Keep it short. Studies show a sharp drop-off in learner attention after 5-6 minutes. For topics longer than this, a series of modules will work. One topic, one process–that should be one training video, not ten.
Don't assume anything. You have to explain every step-even the obvious ones. The obvious for you may be obvious to nobody new, seeing the software for the first time.
Use real screenshots instead of stock photography. When teaching your audience about a specific tool or software, include captures of the tool itself, not general graphics of the system. That connection to real-world use makes the difference.
Say "you'll learn" in the beginning. Start each training video with a sentence that begins, "By the end of this video, you'll learn how to [X]." The sentence provides clear direction and increases viewership.
Tell your audience what's next. It’s not productive to leave the viewer in a void when the video ends. Tell them what the next logical step would be after completing the training video. It might be to complete a follow-up activity, a quiz, or study another relevant training module.
Make sure your avatar's voice matches your own voiceover. Google Vids is designed so avatar voice types can match AI voiceovers. Use the appropriate voice pair for a seamless voice-over experience.
Design a video template. Once you’ve got one training video that has good flow, a well-crafted structure, and is appropriate for learners of your topic, duplicate that video and tailor it to different training module contents. Maintain the music, theme, branding, and structure.
Conclusion
One tool I can confirm has quietly become incredibly useful to many modern training creators is Google Vids. It doesn’t pretend to be a fully professional video editing suite; instead, it directly tackles the fundamental problem that most individuals and teams struggle to overcome: creating clear, professional-looking training without dedicating half the day to production.
The combination of an AI script creator, natural-sounding voiceovers, screen recording, AI avatars, and seamless integration within Google Workspace, among other features, makes this tool genuinely useful to use.
If you’ve been putting off the required onboarding video, software walkthrough, or compliance module because "that will take too long," you need to consider giving Google Vids a solid try. Simply ask Google Vids for some help creating a script, have it put together as a draft, and then see just how quickly you can refine and push out some valuable content.
For many, the toughest obstacle when trying to create a training video is simply getting the work done. With Google Vids, there really are no excuses.
