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Edit the script and voice-over

Edit the voice-over line of any step in a how-to video or product demo and Clevera records it again in the video's voice. Add, mute or delete narration, choose what plays under each step, and see what it costs.

Updated 7 min read

The Script tab lists the narrated steps of a how-to video or product demo, each with its voice-over line. Change a line and Clevera records it again in the video's voice; you can also add, mute, hide or delete narration and choose which part of the recording plays under each step.

Before you start

  • The Script tab is in the video editor for how-to videos and product demos. Polish videos have no voice-over, so they have no Script tab. For social clips, see Edit a social clip.
  • Anyone who can open the video can read the script. Editing needs edit rights; without them the row actions don't appear.
  • Recording a line again uses credits. See What it costs.

Read the script

The header shows the totals, for example "4 chapters · 12 steps · 3:54". Steps are grouped under chapters, in play order. The first and last steps can be tagged Introduction and Conclusion. A step can show Muted or Hidden.

Click a step to select it and move the player there. Selecting a step on the timeline opens it here too.

Hover a step (or select it) to see its actions:

Action What it does
Edit narration Opens the line's text to edit
Add voiceover Adds narration to a step that has none
Regenerate voice Records the same words again
Mute narration / Unmute narration Silences the line without deleting it. A muted step lasts as long as its footage instead of its narration, so the video usually gets shorter. Not available on the introduction and conclusion.
Edit sync and pacing Chooses which parts of the recording play under the step, and how fast
Event settings Older recordings only: speed and visibility per recorded click or event
⋯ → Hide from video / Show in video Introduction and conclusion only. A hidden one is taken out of the video, with its time.
⋯ → Delete narration Removes the line and its voice-over
A narrated step in the Script tab with its actions: Edit narration, Regenerate voice, Mute narration, Edit sync and pacing and more.
Hover a step to see what you can do with it.

Edit a voice-over line

  1. Open the line

    Hover the step and click Edit narration.

  2. Change the words

    Type the new line. It needs 6 to 1,024 characters. To change how a word is said, add a voice tag: click the tag button (Add a voice tag (or type /)) or type / and pick one, such as a short pause. "Each voice engine reads these its own way." See Use voice tags in narration.

    Editing a narration line with the voice tag list open and Short Pause highlighted.
    Type / to add a pause or another voice tag.

  3. Save it

    Click Save, or press ⌘ Enter (Mac) / Ctrl Enter (Windows). Press Esc or Cancel to leave without saving.

  4. Wait for the new recording

    The line dims and pulses while its new voice-over is recorded in the background. When it's ready, the step is re-timed to the new length and its captions, if it has any, are made again.

Saving also unmutes a muted line. If you save the same words without changes, nothing is recorded. If the new recording fails, the previous one comes back: "Voiceover update failed. Restored previous voiceover."

To change many lines at once, for example "make the whole voice-over friendlier", ask the assistant.

Record a line again

Regenerate voice records the same words again, for example after you changed the voice or if a word sounds off. Each take can sound slightly different.

Add narration

Add a voiceover step

Use the + button in the timeline toolbar (Add to the timeline at the playhead) and choose Voiceover, or click Add voiceover on a step without narration. For screen recordings, the Add voiceover dialog opens:

Field What it does
What the voice says The line, at least 6 characters. A counter shows "about N s spoken".
What viewers see Freeze frame: one frame of the recording held while the line plays. Play a clip: pick the part of the recording to play with Choose clip….
The Add voiceover dialog with a line of narration and Freeze frame selected.

Click Add voiceover (or press ⌘ Enter). The new step is added at that point in the script.

Add an intro card

Click Add an intro card ("A title screen before the first step") at the top of the script to put a title screen before the first step. It disappears from the list once you have one. See Edit scenes and cards.

Choose what plays under a step

Edit sync and pacing opens the Sync & pacing window: "Choose which parts of the recording play while this step's narration is spoken, and how fast." It's available for recordings made with the current desktop app and for uploaded videos. You can also double-click the step on the timeline.

In short:

To Do this
Add a part of the recording Drag across the recording, then Add clip
Trim a part Select it and drag its edges
Speed a part up or slow it down Select it and pick a speed, from Very Slow (0.5×) to Ultra Fast (8×)
Hold one frame Right-click the recording to add a freeze frame, then set Holds for
Remove a part Remove clip or Remove freeze frame
The Sync and pacing window with two parts of the recording, the second sped up to 2x, and a freeze frame.
Speed up slow parts so the video fits the narration.

The timing panel tells you how the video and narration fit, for example "The video covers the narration." or "The video runs 3.0s past the narration. Trim a clip or speed one up." Click Save when you're done, or Reset changes to start over. The narration isn't recorded again, so it's free.

For the full guide, with every message and a worked example, see Use sync and pacing to match footage to narration. Older recordings use Event settings instead: see Change event speed and visibility in older recordings.

Delete narration

Choose ⋯ → Delete narration and confirm. "The voice-over and its text will be removed from your timeline." If the step has part of your recording attached, you choose what happens to it:

  • Move video to previous voiceover
  • Move video to next voiceover
  • Remove video too

Chapters

Chapters group steps under a heading. Use Rename chapter or Delete chapter on a chapter heading, or drag it to move it. To add one, use + in the timeline toolbar and choose Chapter. Deleting a chapter keeps its steps.

What it costs

Change Credits
Saving a changed line, or Regenerate voice Uses credits to record the line again. Shows on the Usage page as Voice-over.
A line in a voice from your own ElevenLabs account No Clevera credits; your ElevenLabs account is charged
Adding a voiceover step Uses credits to record the new line
Muting, hiding, deleting, sync and pacing, speeds, chapters Free

There's no estimate before you save. One line usually costs very little; the cost grows with the length of the line. If your workspace is out of credits, saving a line shows "You have used all your credits for this billing period…" and nothing is recorded.

Troubleshooting

Message What to do
"Text must be at least 6 characters" / "Text must be no more than 1024 characters" Lengthen or split the line.
"Voiceover update failed. Restored previous voiceover." Try Regenerate voice again.
"ElevenLabs error: …" The message comes from ElevenLabs. Check your key in Profile → Connections.
"Couldn't add the voiceover. Try again." Try again; check your connection.
"Discard your changes?" You closed a line with unsaved edits. Choose Keep editing to go back.
Use sync and pacing to match footage to narrationFit the footage under each line.Use voice tags in narrationPauses, laughs and tone cues.Ask the assistant to change your videoRewrite many lines at once.Understand the timelineHow steps, zooms and music line up.