You can add a zoom effect to a video recording using the zoom tool in the Screencastify Editor! This is a helpful tool for showcasing certain elements of your recordings by zooming into the section of your video you'd like to emphasize.
Please check out the below steps for a detailed overview of this process:
- How to add a zoom effect
- How to edit a zoom effect
- How to move a zoom effect to a different location on a clip
- How to change the duration of the zoom effect
How to add a zoom effect
- Open the Screencastify Editor and click on a clip that you would like to zoom into.
- The edges of the clip will turn yellow to indicate that you have selected that clip.
- Click on the zoom tool from the Editor toolbar.
- This will insert a zoom effect at the point in the clip you originally chose.
How to edit a zoom effect
1. Drag the zoom box anywhere on the screen, using the green sliders as a guide to the location you would like to be centered in the zoom.
- When you play the clip, the screen will zoom in to the part highlighted by this zoom box.
2. Drag the green sliders in and out to decrease or increase the size of the zoom box.
- The smaller the zoom box size = the more magnified the zoomed portion of your clip will be.
- The larger the zoom box size = the more subtle the zoom effect will appear.
3. Change the transition speed by increasing or decreasing the amount of time listed in the "In" and "Out" sections, noted in seconds.
4. Click outside of the zoom effect or click the Done button to save.
Note: You can add as many zoom effects as you would like to a clip, as long as each zoom effect occupies its own distinct time on the clip's timeline.
How to move a zoom effect to a different location on a clip
Once you have created a zoom effect, you can also choose to move that entire effect to a different part of the video clip. For example, if the position of the clip where you originally clicked doesn't represent the point in time of the clip where you would like to zoom, you can move the entire effect sooner or later in the clip.
1. Drag the zoom effect forward or backward on the clip.
- This will retain all the same properties (size, location, transition speed) of your original zoom effect; it will just now exist at a different location on the clip.
Note: Once you drag the zoom effect to a different location on a clip, the playhead will automatically be redirected to the center of the zoom effect so you can verify the placement matches what you would like.
How to change the duration of the zoom effect
Once you have created a zoom effect, you can also change how long the screen stays zoomed into that point of the clip. For example, if you're showing a longer segment where your mouse cursor is focused on a certain part of the screen, you may want to extend the zoom effect to last for the entire time you are showcasing that segment.
1. Click on the zoom effect for which you would like to change the duration.
- Handles will appear on either side of the zoom effect.
2. Drag the handles of the zoom effect to make the zoom effect shorter or longer.
- This will retain all the same properties (size, location, transition speed) of your original zoom effect; it will just now exist for a shorter or longer period of time.
Note: Zoom effects can be lengthened to the entire length of a clip, but they cannot be extended to cover multiple clips. If you make a cut to your clip in the middle of a zoom effect, the screen will transition out at the end of the clip (where the cut was made), and in at the beginning of the next clip.
What's Next? 🧐
Now that you've added a zoom effect to your clip: