Turn a help article into a short how-to video
Paste the link to a public help-center article or doc page, or upload the file. DocReel makes a short narrated, animated video that walks through it, in the article's own language.
Sample: “如何开启两步验证 (How to turn on two-step verification)” (2:06)
- Made from: a Chinese help-center article for a made-up note-taking app (about 2,600 characters), written for this demo.
- Settings: none. It was made on 25 September 2026, before the audience, length, quiz and Instructions options existed.
- Plan: Pro, which allows up to 5 custom-animated scenes per video (Plus gets 1). Free videos also carry a small docreel.app badge and end with a short DocReel card.
- Editing: none. This is the video exactly as DocReel made it.
How to turn a help article into a video
Nothing to install and no editing software.
Sign in and choose your settings
Sign in with your email. Pick who the video is for and how long it should be, and add instructions if you like (for example “Focus on section 2”).
Add your document
Paste a link to the public article, or upload it as a PDF, Word, Markdown or text file. Pages that need a sign-in can't be read; copy the text and use Paste text instead.
Check it, then share
Most videos take about 5–15 minutes, and we email you when yours is ready. Watch it all the way through, then share the link or download the MP4.
Short videos for help centers and docs
One task or feature per video.
How-to articles
Add a short video to the top of an article for people who'd rather watch than read.
Articles in other languages
The video follows the article's language, so a Spanish article becomes a Spanish video. The sample above was made from a Chinese article.
New features
Explain a new feature from its announcement or docs page, and share the link with users.
What to know before turning docs into video
Tips for a good video
- One task per video. A video explains a short article well; split long guides.
- Public pages only for Paste a link. For Google Docs, set Share → General access to “Anyone with the link”.
- Screenshots: from a web page link, DocReel uses the text only and draws its own animated scenes. To show your screenshots, upload the article as a PDF or Word file (or link to a PDF or Google Doc): its pictures can appear in the video, and a box drawn around part of a screenshot is zoomed in on.
- Keep it current. When the article changes, make a new version of the video.
Privacy
- Anyone with a video's link can watch it, including people it is forwarded to. Don't upload personal information or confidential material.
- Uploaded documents are deleted 30 days after upload. Free videos are deleted 30 days after they're made.
- To make the video, your document's text is sent to Anthropic (Claude) to write the script, and the narration text to Google (Gemini) for the voice; OpenAI or our own server is the backup voice. The privacy policy has the details.
Questions about help articles to video
Is it free?
Yes. The Free plan gives you 3 videos every 30 days, with no credit card. Each video explains up to about 10 pages of text (for a longer PDF you choose which) and runs up to about 3 minutes. Plus ($5 a month, about 20 pages) and Pro ($15 a month, about 35 pages) read more and make longer videos.
Can I paste a link instead of uploading?
Yes, for public pages: web pages, PDFs, Word files and Google Docs shared as “Anyone with the link”. Pages behind a sign-in won't work.
Will the video show my product's screens?
No. DocReel makes animated scenes from the text: headings, steps, diagrams and icons. It doesn't capture or show screenshots.
Can I make videos in other languages?
The video uses the language your document is written in, so a Spanish document becomes a Spanish video. On the Pro plan you can also pick another language for the video (15 languages), and DocReel translates the script.
How long does it take?
Most videos take about 5–15 minutes; long documents can take longer. You can close the page. We email you a link when your video is ready.
How do I share or keep the video?
Each video has a share link and a Download MP4 button. You can post the link, or upload the MP4 to your own site, learning platform or video channel.
How accurate are the videos?
DocReel builds the video from your document, but it can make mistakes. Watch it before you share it. If something needs fixing, choose Make a new version and describe the change; on Plus and Pro, the first new version of each video is free.