If you have ever wanted to make a video for your class but found video editing software too complicated or too time-consuming, Google Vids is worth a look. It sits directly inside Google Workspace for Education, which means if your school already uses Google, you likely have access to it right now. No new software to install, no subscription to manage, no steep learning curve eating into your weekend.
This post covers the main features you will actually use as a teacher. For a full step-by-step walkthrough of the interface, watch the video above.
What Is Google Vids?
Google Vids is a video creation tool built into Google Workspace. You can access it at vids.google.com or by going to vids.new in your browser. It also appears in the Google Workspace app grid alongside Docs, Sheets, and Slides.
The first thing to understand is that Google Vids is a scene-based editor, not a timeline editor. Rather than working with one long continuous track of audio and video (as you would in iMovie or Adobe Premiere), you build your video scene by scene. Think of it like working with slides in a presentation. Each scene is a separate block of time, and you manage them in sequence. This structure makes it considerably more accessible for teachers who are not experienced video editors.
Starting a New Video
When you open Google Vids, you have several options for how to begin:
- Blank video: Start from scratch with a clean canvas.
- Convert slides: Turn an existing Google Slides presentation into a video, with scenes generated from your slides.
- Screen recording: Record yourself, your screen, or both at the same time.
- Templates: Use a pre-made layout to get started more quickly.
- Storyboard (AI-generated): Type a prompt and let Google Vids build a full draft video for you.
You can also choose your format before you begin: landscape (16:9, suitable for YouTube), portrait (for Shorts or TikTok), or square (for Facebook or LinkedIn).
Building Scenes: Text, Images, and Stock Content
Within each scene, you can add text, images, shapes, and stock content. Google provides a library of stock photos, video clips, and music tracks you can search and insert directly.
Text styles come pre-formatted and are fully editable. Images can be placed, layered, resized, and reordered. If you want an image in the background behind text, simply right-click and use the Order menu to send it backwards. You can also adjust fill transparency to create a subtle overlay effect behind text, which helps with readability.
Each element within a scene can be animated. You can set how something enters and exits, choose from styles such as typewriter or fade, and adjust the duration of each scene to suit the pace of your content.
Screen Recording
The built-in screen recorder is one of the most useful features for teachers producing tutorial videos, how-to guides, or lesson walkthroughs. It is free and integrated directly into the tool.
One important note: the screen recorder currently works reliably only in Google Chrome. If you are using another browser, you may run into issues.
To record, click the Record option in the right-hand panel. You can choose to record:
- Camera only
- Camera and screen (picture-in-picture)
- Screen only
- Voiceover only
You can also paste a script into the recorder panel before you start, and it will function as a teleprompter while you record.
There is also a Google Vids Screen Recorder extension available in the Chrome Web Store. Once installed, it adds a button to your browser toolbar, so you can start a screen recording at any point without needing to be inside the Vids interface first.
AI Voiceover
If you would rather not record your own voice, Google Vids includes an AI voiceover feature. You type your script, choose from a range of available voices, and the tool generates a narration for you. The audio is then added as a track within the scene, stretching the scene length to match.
This works particularly well when converting a Google Slides presentation into a video, where you want a clean narration without background noise or the need to find recording time.
It is not a replacement for recording yourself when a personal tone matters, but for revision videos, curriculum explainers, or general instructional content, it is a practical option.
Music and Audio Ducking
You can add background music from the stock music library by searching for a style or mood. Once added, the track runs across multiple scenes for as long as you need it.
If you have both background music and a voiceover or recording running at the same time, you will want to use audio ducking. This automatically lowers the background music when someone is speaking, then brings it back up during quieter moments. You can find this setting in the audio panel. It is a small detail, but it makes a noticeable difference to the finished result.
Captions, Transitions, and Export
Google Vids will generate captions automatically from any audio in your video. You can apply them to individual scenes or across the whole video, and you can edit the text manually if needed. If you have a vertical video you want to use for YouTube Shorts, you can import it, add captions, and export it without any further editing.
Transitions between scenes are added by clicking the icon between two scenes in the timeline. Options include dissolve, fade, and push, with adjustable duration.
When your video is ready, you can export it to:
- Google Drive (private, accessible to you)
- YouTube (directly from Vids, if you have a YouTube account linked)
- MP4 download (for use wherever you need it)
The Storyboard Generator
For teachers who want to produce content quickly, the Storyboard feature is worth exploring. You type a prompt describing the video you want, and Google Vids generates a full draft, including suggested scenes, images, and a structure.
In the video, I used the prompt: “Original video about photosynthesis for Year 5 students, covers the main vocabulary and the process of photosynthesis.” Within about a minute, it produced a structured draft that looked polished and was ready to edit. You will likely want to make adjustments, but it gives you a solid starting point rather than a blank canvas.
Classroom Application: Three Steps to Get Started
Step 1: Convert an existing presentation into a video. If you have a Google Slides resource you already use in lessons, try converting it using the Convert Slides option. Add an AI voiceover scene by scene, and you have a revision video your pupils can watch at home. It takes far less time than recording from scratch.
Step 2: Record a short how-to for your class. Use the camera and screen recording option to create a 2-3 minute tutorial on something your class regularly needs support with, such as how to structure a piece of writing or how to set out a maths problem. Keep it short, export to Google Drive, and share the link with pupils.
Step 3: Try the Storyboard generator for an upcoming topic. Pick a topic you are teaching in the next few weeks, write a one-sentence prompt, and let Google Vids generate a draft. Use it as a starter or send it ahead of the lesson so pupils arrive with some prior knowledge already in place.
Worth Knowing
Google Vids will not replace professional video editing software. If you are producing content that needs precise editing, layered audio, or complex graphics, tools like iMovie or Adobe Premiere are still better suited to that work. But for lesson explainers, revision content, staff tutorials, and quick instructional videos, Google Vids is capable, straightforward, and already sitting in your Google account.
Check whether you have access: go to vids.google.com and see what is available to you. The AI avatar and Gemini music features require a premium Google Workspace subscription, but the core features covered here are available on the standard Education tier.
If you want to see every feature demonstrated in full, watch the video. There are chapter markers in the description so you can jump to the sections most relevant to you.
Google Vids for Teachers: A Practical Guide to Getting Started
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