# How to make changelog videos

Canonical URL: https://getvidiyo.app/blog/changelog-videos
Last updated: 2026-10-08
Author: Ajay Pawriya (https://getvidiyo.app/about)
Published: 2026-10-08
Category: Launch videos

> TL;DR: Pick a fixed format and a fixed day, then fill it each week. Record a short screen clip of each change when you ship it, write a 75 to 150 word script from the release notes, and cut a 30 to 60 second video with the same title, captions and ending every time. Consistency matters more than polish.

A changelog video is your release notes, shown instead of listed. Once a week (or once a release), you post 30 to 60 seconds of what changed, recorded in the real product. It works because it's regular: users learn when to expect it, and every week is proof the product is moving. The hard part isn't making one. It's making the fortieth without it eating your Friday.

## What is a changelog video?

A changelog video is a short, recurring video that shows what changed in your product since the last one. It covers one to three changes, uses the same format every time, and goes out on a fixed schedule. Think of it as the human-friendly version of your release notes, made for feeds.

[Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.1.0/) puts the principle well: changelogs are for humans, not machines. A video takes that one step further. Instead of reading "Added bulk export", people see it happen.

## What format should a changelog video use?

Use the same four segments every time, in the same order, with the same title style and ending. A fixed format makes the series recognisable and cuts your editing time, because you only change the middle.

| Segment | Time | What goes in it |
|---|---|---|
| Opener | 0 to 3 s | Series title and the week or version: "Week 41" or "v2.8" |
| Headline change | 3 to 25 s | The most useful change, shown in the real UI |
| Quick hits | 25 to 45 s | One or two smaller changes, 8 to 10 seconds each |
| Close | 45 to 55 s | Where to find it, and "see you next Friday" |

Keep a Changelog groups changes into Added, Changed, Deprecated, Removed, Fixed and Security. That maps neatly onto video: lead with something Added or Changed, and roll Fixed into a single line ("plus twelve fixes, full list in the changelog").

## How do I pick what goes in each video?

Pick the change users will notice or use this week, not the one that took the most work. A two-line fix to an annoying bug can beat a big internal refactor. If nothing user-facing shipped, say so in ten seconds, or skip the week and keep the day.

A quick filter for each item in the release notes:

1. Can I show it on screen in under 20 seconds? If not, it's a quick hit or a separate video.
2. Would a user notice it without being told? If yes, it's a headline candidate.
3. Does it change how someone works? That's the headline.

## What does a changelog video script look like?

About 100 to 120 words for 45 seconds, written from the release notes. Here's a sample week for a fictional design tool.

> **Opener (on-screen title "Week 41"):** "Here's what shipped this week."
>
> **Headline:** "You can now comment directly on a frame. Press C, click anywhere, and your note sticks to that spot, even if the layer moves."
>
> **Quick hit 1:** "Export is faster on big files. This 300-frame project used to stall; now it doesn't."
>
> **Quick hit 2:** "Dark mode follows your system setting."
>
> **Close:** "Plus nine fixes. Full notes on the changelog page. See you next Friday."

Write it the way you'd say it out loud, then read it with a timer. If it runs long, cut a quick hit, not words from the headline.

## How do I make changelog videos in Vidiyo?

Keep a card on the Board for each week, record a short clip of each change when it ships, then hand the assistant your release notes and clips on the day. The format stays the same; only the clips and words change.

1. **Plan.** Create a Board card for the week ("Changelog, week 41") and set its date. The Calendar shows the series lined up.
2. **Record as you ship.** When a change lands, record a 10 to 20 second screen clip of it. On a Mac, Shift-Command-5 opens the [Screenshot app](https://support.apple.com/en-us/102618); turn on **Show Mouse Clicks** in Options.
3. **Write the script.** Attach the release notes (Markdown or plain text, up to 100 KB) and ask: "Write a 45-second changelog script from these notes. Lead with the commenting feature, two quick hits, fixes in one line." Edit it in the card.
4. **Voice it.** Record the script in any audio app while the clips play, and import it with them. The [script length calculator](https://getvidiyo.app/tools/video-length-calculator) shows roughly how many seconds your text will take.
5. **Cut it.** Import the clips and ask: "Cut the changelog video from this script. 'Week 41' title at the start, each clip under the line that describes it, end card with 'See you next Friday'."
6. **Finish.** Captions are transcribed on your Mac. Add a callout on the new control if it's small. Set the brand look so titles and captions match last week.
7. **Schedule.** Export, write the post copy, and schedule it through Buffer for the same time every week, after you review and approve it.

Our own [changelog](https://getvidiyo.app/changelog) is built from our release notes, and the plan is to turn it into exactly this kind of weekly video.

## How do I make changelog videos without Vidiyo?

Build a template project once in a traditional editor, then duplicate it every week. The template holds the opener title, caption style, music bed and end card; each week you swap in the new clips, voice and words.

1. Duplicate last week's project and rename it.
2. Replace the screen clips and record a new voiceover.
3. Retype the opener title and quick-hit labels.
4. Re-caption: generate, then fix product terms.
5. Export vertical and landscape versions and schedule them.

The template is what makes it sustainable. Without it, each week starts from zero, and a weekly series gets hard to keep up.

## How do I keep a changelog series going?

Make the work smaller than the habit. Three things help most:

- **Fixed day, fixed length.** "Every Friday, under a minute" is easier to keep than "whenever there's something big".
- **Clips recorded at ship time.** Recording a change the moment it lands takes a minute. Recreating it on Friday takes much longer.
- **Allow small weeks.** A 20-second "two fixes and one tweak" episode keeps the series alive better than skipping.

Pair the weekly changelog with standalone [feature announcements](https://getvidiyo.app/blog/feature-announcement-video) for the big releases, and you'll have a steady, honest record of the product moving forward.

## Honest limits

- No speed ramps or speed control; cut waiting time instead.
- No cursor-follow zoom; zooms into screen recordings are keyframed punch-ins.
- Brand looks are per project, so set the look in each week's project.

## Frequently asked questions

### How long should a changelog video be?

30 to 60 seconds for a weekly update, covering one to three changes. Big features deserve their own announcement video instead.

### What should a changelog video include?

A consistent opener with the week or version, the most useful change shown in the real UI, one or two smaller changes, and where to find them. Bug fixes can be a single line.

### Can AI write my changelog video script?

Yes. In Vidiyo you can attach your release notes as a Markdown or text file and ask the assistant for a 45-second script. Edit it before you record; you know which change matters most to users.

### Do I need to be on camera for changelog videos?

No. Screen recordings with a voiceover work well. A two-second face open helps people recognise the series, but it's optional.

## Related

- [How to make a feature announcement video](https://getvidiyo.app/blog/feature-announcement-video)
- [How to make founder-led video content](https://getvidiyo.app/blog/founder-led-video-content)
- [A content calendar that schedules your videos](https://getvidiyo.app/features/content-calendar-and-scheduling)
- [Vidiyo for developers: edit video with the Claude Code or Codex you already use](https://getvidiyo.app/for/developers)
- [Changelog](https://getvidiyo.app/changelog)
- [Title card](https://getvidiyo.app/glossary/title-card)

## Sources

- [Keep a Changelog 1.1.0](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.1.0/) (accessed 2026-10-08)
- [Apple Support: How to record the screen on your Mac](https://support.apple.com/en-us/102618) (accessed 2026-10-08)

Download Vidiyo for Mac (free during the beta): https://getvidiyo.app/download