Tutorial videos people can actually follow.
Every step zoomed in, every shortcut on screen, every word captioned. Record the task once and Dolly turns it into a tutorial that reads on any screen.
How do you make a tutorial video on a Mac?
Plan the end result and the 3 to 7 steps to get there, then record your screen and voice in Dolly. Dolly zooms in on each click, the keystroke overlay shows the shortcuts you press, and captions are transcribed on your Mac. Cut filler words in the transcript, then export a 16:9 MP4 and an SRT file. The free plan has no time limit.
Who it’s for: Anyone teaching software: educators, YouTubers, support teams and developers writing docs.
Every step in focus.
The camera lands on each click, so nobody hunts for the button.
How to make a tutorial video in Dolly.
4 steps, most of them automatic.
- Plan the outcomeWrite the end result first, then the 3 to 7 steps to get there.
- Show your keysTurn on the keystroke overlay so viewers see ⌘K, not just a menu appearing. It needs Input Monitoring permission.
- Record the stepsRead along from the teleprompter (⇧⌘1), which never shows up in the video. One take per step is fine; Dolly lines several takes up on one timeline.
- Point and captionInsert numbered steps and arrows, dim the rest with a highlight mask, generate captions, then export 16:9 and an SRT.
Settings that work, and what to avoid.
Recommended settings
- Shape
- 16:9
- Resolution
- 1080p
- Frame rate
- 30 or 60 fps
- Quality
- High
- Extras
- Keystroke overlay, captions, SRT
Mistakes to avoid
- Not saying the goal first. “By the end you'll have a shared calendar.”
- Clicking faster than you talk. One action per sentence, so the zoom lands on what you say.
- Invisible shortcuts. If you press ⌘K, show it on screen.
- No pause on the result. Hold for a second so viewers can check their own screen.
Dolly or QuickTime
QuickTime and macOS's ⇧⌘5 record a flat, full-screen video for free. On a laptop screen, small menus become hard to read and shortcuts are invisible. Making that followable means adding zooms, captions and keystroke callouts by hand in an editor. Dolly adds them during and right after recording, on your Mac.
What makes a tutorial easy to follow
- Say the goal first, then the steps.
- One action per sentence, and the zoom lands on it.
- Show shortcuts, then say them.
- Pause on the result, so people can check their own screen.
The full walkthrough, from script to export, is in how to make a tutorial video on Mac.
Tutorials and how-tos: questions
How do I make a tutorial video on my Mac?
Record your screen and voice, zoom in on each step, show your shortcuts and add captions, then export. Dolly does the zooms automatically, shows your keystrokes and transcribes captions on your Mac.
What's the best free software for tutorial videos on Mac?
QuickTime is free but records a flat video without zooms or captions. Dolly's free plan adds auto zoom, keystrokes, captions and Auto edit, with no time limit and exports up to 1080p.
Can viewers see my keyboard shortcuts?
Yes. Dolly's keystroke overlay shows the keys you press. It needs Input Monitoring permission in System Settings.
How long should a tutorial video be?
As long as one task takes, and no longer. If a tutorial covers several tasks, split it into one video per task.
Can I add arrows and step numbers to a tutorial?
Yes. Insert text, arrows, boxes and numbered steps from the Insert menu, and dim everything else with a highlight mask.
Related
Roll camera.
Screen Studio quality. Free. No 5-minute limit.
First time: open Dolly, click Done, then System Settings → Privacy & Security → Open Anyway (macOS 13–14: right-click Dolly → Open). Once only. Installation help