How to Add Arrows and Callouts to a Video

Step by step

1. 1

   Choose how loud the pointer should be

   Arrow Draw runs a curved arrow from a label to one detail, which is what most tutorials need. Circle Scribble rings something with a hand-drawn loop for a casual look. Multi-Target Callouts draws up to eight labeled lines one after another, so it suits product feature tours.

2. 2

   Aim it and label it

   Target X and Target Y place the tip as a percentage of the frame, so you can read the spot straight off your footage. Label holds up to 24 characters. Set Primary, Thickness, Font and Size. Multi-Target Callouts uses Points and Labels lists to set each spot and its text.

3. 3

   Match the timing to the narration

   Defaults range from 2 to 5 seconds, with a 15 second limit. Export at the same aspect ratio as the footage, since Target X and Y are measured against that frame. A callout aimed in 16:9 needs aiming again if you reframe the shot to 9:16.

4. 4

   Keep the footage visible

   All 35 presets default to a transparent background, because a callout has to show what it points at. MP4 would cover your footage with black. Export a PNG sequence for Premiere Pro or After Effects, or WebM with alpha for CapCut and Resolve.

5. 5

   Lay it over the recording

   In CapCut, import the WebM and add it as an overlay on your screen recording. Stretch the overlay to fill the frame so the percentages still line up, then move the clip until the arrow lands just before you mention the detail in your narration.

Where it is used

• Software tutorials and screen recordings

  An arrow lands on the exact button or menu item being described, so viewers following along on their own screen can find it without having to pause and search.

• Product reviews and teardown videos

  Leader lines label each feature of a device on camera, naming the port, sensor or material as the presenter talks, while the product stays fully visible.

• Sports and match analysis

  A hand-drawn circle or a zone marker picks out a player or an area of the pitch over a replay, so the commentary has something precise to refer to.

Presets

35

Default duration

2 to 5 seconds

Default background

Transparent

Best export

PNG sequence or WebM with alpha

Which format should you export?

Transparent WebM. A callout points at something in your footage, so the footage has to be visible behind it.

Format

MP4 · WebM · PNG sequence

Alpha

WebM or PNG sequence

Resolution

720p to 8K

Aspect

16:9 · 9:16 · 1:1 · 4:5

License

Commercial use included

Three tips that make it look intentional

• One callout at a time. Two arrows on screen cancel each other out.
• Place the target before you record the voiceover so the timing matches your words.
• Use a color that does not appear in the footage underneath.

Three things people get wrong

• Pointing at the thing after you have already talked about it. The arrow should arrive slightly early.
• Leaving the callout on screen after the camera has moved off the subject.
• Writing a sentence in the label. Three words and the arrow does the rest.

Frequently asked