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Add videos to an Adobe Captivate project

  1. Captivate User Guide
  2. Introduction to Captivate
    1. What's New in Adobe Captivate
    2. Adobe Captivate System Requirements
    3. Adobe Captivate Updates
      1. Adobe Captivate (12.4 update) release notes
      2. Adobe Captivate (12.3 update) release notes
      3. Adobe Captivate (12.2 update) release notes
      4. Adobe Captivate (12.1 update) release notes
    4. Download Adobe Captivate
    5. Frequently Asked Questions
  3. Add a slide
    1. Slide navigator in Adobe Captivate
    2. Add a conversation slide
    3. Add characters to your Adobe Captivate project
    4. Edit the background image on a slide
    5. Add padding to content blocks and components
    6. Create a long scroll project
  4. Add text blocks
    1. Add text to a project
  5. Add media blocks
    1. Add images to a project
    2. Add videos to a project
    3. Add quotes
    4. Add SVGs to a project
  6. Interactive components
    1. Add a button
    2. Add an input field
    3. Add a radio button group
    4. Add a dropdown
    5. Add a checkbox
  7. Widgets
    1. Add a Card
    2. Add Tabs
    3. Add a Certificate
    4. Add a Carousel
    5. Add a Hotspot
    6. Add Drag-and-Drop
    7. Add a Timeline
    8. Add Click to Reveal
  8. Create quizzes
    1. Add a Multiple-choice question
    2. Add a True or false question
    3. Add a Match the column question
    4. Add a Short answer question
    5. Add a Sequence question
    6. Add question pools and random question slides
    7. Import questions as CSV
  9. Add audio to a project
    1. Add audio
  10. Interactions
    1. Add interactions to a project
    2. Create interactive video with overlay
    3. Create a slide-level interaction
    4. Create an object-level interaction
  11. Animations
    1. Add animations to a project
  12. Accessibility
    1. Make a project accessible
  13. Customize the timeline
    1. Timeline panel in Adobe Captivate
  14. Customize TOC and Playbar
    1. Table of Contents in Adobe Captivate
  15. Edit project properties
    1. Variables in Adobe Captivate
    2. Preferences
    3. Project dimensions
    4. Themes
  16. Create a simulation project
    1. Simulation
  17. Preview a project
    1. Preview
  18. Share a project for review
    1. Share for review   
  19. Publish a project
    1. Publish your project
  20. Upgrade projects in Adobe Captivate
    1. Upgrade projects to the latest version 

Learn how to add videos to a Captivate project.

Note:

Adobe Captivate introduces content blocks, such as text or an image block, which contain components like text, image, or button. Play this video to learn more about content blocks and components.

In the all-new Adobe Captivate, you can use a video slide or a video content block to feature single or multiple videos in a single slide. You can also use a video grid to present multiple videos on a single slide of your tutorial. Each video in the video content block can contain videos on different topics or modules, allowing learners to navigate the content easily and select the specific videos they need.

Video content blocks

Two types of media content blocks support videos in Adobe Captivate:

A slide video is synchronized with the timeline. After you insert a slide video, the slide time adjusts to the duration of the video. You can pause and play the slide video by using the Play or Pause buttons on the timeline. Each slide can contain only one slide video.

In a video, each video has an independent player. You can add multiple videos to a slide.

Add a slide video content block

Select Add media blocks > Slide Video in the left toolbar. You can insert only one video slide.

Once you add a slide video content block, you can customize the properties at two levels -  at the slide video content block and video levels. In the following sections, let’s understand the various properties available under both levels.

Change the properties of the slide video content block

The block-level properties are available when you select the slide video content block. You can change the properties available under the various sections, such as Alignment and Spacing, Design Options, Components, and Appearance.

  1. In the Visual Properties panel, expand the Alignment and Spacing section.

    The Content Width slider and Horizontal Padding are linked in the Alignment and Spacing section. Moving the slider from the left side changes the left padding value, and moving the slider from right changes the right padding value. The same change is replicated in the Content Width slider when you change the left or right Horizontal padding values.

    If you want to add padding at the top or bottom of the selected content block, then enter the desired values for the Top and Bottom padding by changing the values in Vertical padding.

    Select the Autofit height checkbox to change the height of the content block to fit the slide. If there are other content blocks in the slide, the content block adjusts itself to fit the slide's height.

  2. Select a design option. The Design Options presents pre-configured layouts with cleaner design elements to apply to the slide video content block.

    For more information, view Design options in Adobe Captivate.

  3. In the Components section, you can change the following:

    • Video: This option remains disabled.
    • Title: Add or remove the video's title.
    • Body: Add or remove the video's body text.
    • Card: Add or remove the card around the video.
    Note:

    You can align the components in the Components section. Hover over a component and select any option (Align left, Align center, or Align right).

  4. In the Appearance section, you can change the color settings at the content block level. Add the background color, border, and apply a shadow to the border. Select a solid color, linear or radial gradient, or add an image as a background.

  5. If you have selected Card, in the Card section, you can increase or decrease padding to the card, add a background color, add a radius to one or four corners of the card, add a border to the card, and apply a shadow to the card's border.

Replace the slide video

Adobe Captivate lets you replace the default video and replace it with a video from Assets, your computer, or web. 

  1. Select the video placeholder.

    Add videos

  2. Select Assets, your computer, or web.

  3. If you select Assets, select the video you want to insert. Click Replace Video.

  4. If you select Web, you can insert a video from YouTube or Vimeo. Enter the Youtube or Vimeo URL and click Insert.

    Insert video from web

Change the properties of the video added from web

After adding a video from YouTube or Vimeo, you can change its aspect ratio and change its start and end times.

  1. Move the Opacity slider in the Visual Properties panel to increase or decrease the transparency of the video.

  2. Select the video's aspect ratio in the Aspect Ratio section. The options are:

    • 16:9- Widescreen
    • 4:3- Standard definition
    • 1:1- Square
    • 9:16- Vertical videos for mobile
    • 21:9- Ultrawide
  3. In the Content section, you can replace the video. Select the ellipsis icon in Video source, and select Assets, System, or Web.

  4. Change the Start time and End time of the video. When a learner previews the project, the video starts at the Start time and ends at the End time specified.

  5. Select the thumbnail icon to replace the video thumbnail.

  6. Select any image on your computer and click Open to replace the thumbnail.

Change the properties of the video added from Assets or your computer

Adobe Captivate lets you replace the default video with a video from Assets. After replacing the video, you can change its aspect ratio, and add closed captions to the video.

  1. Move the Opacity slider in the Visual Properties panel to increase or decrease the transparency of the video.

  2. Select the video's aspect ratio in the Aspect Ratio section. The options are:

    • 16:9- Widescreen
    • 4:3- Standard definition
    • 1:1- Square
    • 9:16- Vertical videos for mobile
    • 21:9- Ultra wide
  3. In the Content section, you can replace the video. Select the ellipsis icon in Video source, and select Assets, your computer, or Web.

  4. Select the thumbnail icon to replace the video thumbnail.

    Replace the thumbnail
    Replace the thumbnail

  5. Select any image on your computer.

  6. In the Closed Captions section, add closed captions to the video. View the next section for instructions on adding closed captions.

Add closed captions on a slide

After you replace the video, add closed captions for the video. You can change the appearance of the caption and apply the change to the slide or all slides.

  1. Click Add captions in the Closed Captions section.

  2. Enter the caption in the placeholder.

    Add a caption
    Add a caption

  3. Drag the playhead on the timeline to the point where you want to add the next caption.

  4. Click the + icon to add another caption.

    Add another caption
    Add another caption

  5. In the Position section of the Visual Properties panel, select a caption's position. You can place the caption at the top or bottom of the video.

  6. Move the Opacity slider in the Visual Properties panel to increase or decrease the transparency of the caption.

  7. Change the caption's background color from the Solid color picker.

  8. Change the appearance of a caption.

    Also, change the color of the caption, add an outline to the caption, or add a shadow.

    View Work with text in Adobe Captivate to know more about changing the appearance of text.

  9. Apply the caption text properties to the slide or all slides in the project.

    • Apply to this slide: Select this option to apply the changes to the text properties to the captions on the selected slide.
    • Apply to all the slides: If there are other slides with captions, select this option to apply the changes to the text properties on all other slides.

Edit a caption

After adding a caption, edit the caption in the Closed Captions section.

Click Edit and change the caption properties in the Visual Properties panel.

Delete a caption

You can either delete a caption on the current slide or delete all captions in the project.

Click the ellipsis icon next to the Edit button. Click either of the following:

  • Delete for this slide
  • Delete all from the project

After selecting an option, there is a confirmation popup message for the action.

Import closed captions to a slide video

Adobe Captivate allows importing and exporting closed captions or subtitles for videos in your project. Captivate supports .srt and .vtt file formats for the captions.

You can format the font style, size, and color or make it bold, italic, underline, and change the position of the caption. Additionally, vtt files support CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) for styling. For srt files, you can format the same, except for the subtitle position.

Note:

If an SRT or VTT file contains a font type that is not compatible with Captivate, the caption text will automatically switch to Arial as the default font.

Here is how you can import captions to a slide video:

  1. Add a video to a slide.

  2. Select the video inside the video content block.

  3. Select Import captions under Closed Captions in the Visual properties toolbar.

    This is an image on how to import captions to a slide video
    Import captions to a slide video

    Note:

    Ensure that the duration of the captions does not exceed the duration of the audio or video for the slide.

  4. Select the captions file (srt or vtt)from the system.

  5. View the captions in the Closed captions panel.

    Imported captions on the timeline
    Imported captions on the timeline

Note:

When both the video and its corresponding captions share identical file names and are located in the same directory, the captions are seamlessly imported upon adding the video.

In cases where both SRT and VTT files coexist in the same directory, priority is given to the VTT file, which will be automatically selected as the default.

Replace existing captions

You have the option to replace current captions if you have imported an incorrect file or wish to adjust timing and font styles in the existing file. Make the changes in the caption file and utilize the replace feature to upload the revised version or upload a different file entirely.

  1. Select Replace from the captions timeline.

    Replace captions for a video
    Replace captions for a video

  2. Choose a captions file (vtt or srt) from the system. 

Export closed captions

You can export closed captions from an existing project for reusability.  If you have used the same video in another project, you may export these captions to incorporate them into those projects seamlessly.

  1. Select Export from the captions timeline.

    Export captions for a video
    Export captions for a video

  2. Enter the filename and the destination where you want the file to be exported.

  3. Select the file format (srt or vtt).

  4.  Select Export.

    Choose the file name and location for exporting captions
    Choose the file name and location for exporting captions

Troubleshooting with captions

When importing and exporting closed captions there are some common errors that you may encounter.

Error

Steps to mitigate

Failed to import the captions, The duration of the subtitles must not exceed the duration of the video.

Ensure the length of the video is more than the caption duration. Open the captions file, check the end timing, and ensure it is less than or equal to the video duration.

Import Failed: Subtitles have conflicting time ranges. Adjust the timing to avoid overlapping with other captions. 

Captions have conflicting time ranges. Check and adjust the timing of each caption in the file. Ensure the start and end times of each caption do not overlap. You can fix the timing in the file and re-import.

Import Failed: Subtitle format is incorrect.

Check the file and ensure the format or syntax is correct and adheres to respective srt or vtt formats.

Import Failed: Subtitle file cannot be empty.

Srt or vtt file must contain caption texts and their timing information.

Import Failed. The end time of a subtitle cannot be less than or equal to its start time.

Ensure the end time is greater than the start time and re-try. Any particular caption's end time should not be less than its start time.

Add a video content block

A video content block features multiple videos in a single view. 

Select Add media blocks > Video in the left toolbar.

Change the properties of the video content block

The block-level properties are available when you select the video content block. You can change the properties available under the various sections, such as Alignment and Spacing, Design Options, Components, and Appearance.

  1. In the Visual Properties panel, expand the Alignment and Spacing section.

    The Content Width slider and Horizontal Padding are linked in the Alignment and Spacing section. Moving the slider from the left side changes the left padding value, and moving the slider from right changes the right padding value. The same change is replicated in the Content Width slider when you change the left or right Horizontal padding values.

    If you want to add padding at the top or bottom of the selected content block, then enter the desired values for the Top and Bottom padding by changing the values in Vertical padding.

    Select the Autofit height checkbox to change the height of the content block to fit the slide. If there are other content blocks in the slide, the content block adjusts itself to fit the slide's height.

  2. Move the Number of videos slider to increase or decrease the number of videos.

  3. Select a design option. The Design Options presents pre-configured layouts with cleaner design elements to apply to the video content block.

    For more information, view Design options in Adobe Captivate.

  4. In the Components section, you can change the following:

    • Video: Add or remove the videos.
    • Title: Add or remove the titles of the videos.
    • Body: Add or remove the body text of the videos.
    • Card: Add or remove the card around the videos.
    Note:

    You can align the components in the Components section. Hover over a component and select any option (Align left, Align center, or Align right).

  5. Change the appearance of the content block. Add a background color, border, or shadow in the Appearance section.

  6. If you have enabled Card, you can change the card's properties, such as padding, background color, border, or shadow.

Replace a video in a video grid

Adobe Captivate lets you replace the default video in a grid and replace it from Assets, your computer, or web. 

  1. Select the video you want to replace.

    This is an image

  2. Move the Opacity slider in the Visual Properties panel to increase or decrease the transparency of the video.

  3. Select the video placeholder.

  4. In the Content section, click Add video.

  5. Select Assets, your computer, or web.

  6. If you select Assets, select any video from the Asset panel.

  7. Click Replace Video.

  8. Repeat the steps for the other videos.

  9. If you select Web, you can insert a video from YouTube or Vimeo. Enter the Youtube or Vimeo URL. 

  10. Click Insert

  11. Click Add captions to add closed captions on the slide in the Closed Captions section. See the section Closed captions for information on adding and editing a caption.

 Adobe

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