Adobe Captivate (12.4 update) Release Notes

What's new and changed in this update

Release date: September 17, 2024

Adobe Captivate 12.4 offers new and enhanced features to improve eLearning content creation. It includes question pools for better quiz management and randomization. The text-to-speech feature generates audio from closed captions using Captivate and system voices. You can now set custom project dimensions and choose between fixed and proportional content displays for optimal device viewing.

This release lets you add padding to content blocks, components, and objects. Simulations include blur effects, a recording pod, and components for Full Motion Recording. You can quickly publish projects on Adobe Learning Manager (ALM) for better content distribution. Opening older projects is now simpler and ensures compatibility with the latest version. Other enhancements include hyperlinking files to text, resizing hotspots, previewing quizzes without setting correct answers, and adding more buttons to the button content block.

Download the update

Visit the Captivate downloads page and try out the new update.

Topics in this page:

Add question pools and random question slides

Question pools in Adobe Captivate 12.4 allow you to create, manage, and reuse questions efficiently. You can add random question pools to a quiz so each student receives a randomized or a different question. Add Multiple Choice, True or False, Match, Short Answer, and Sequence questions to a question pool. Additionally, you can add, rename, remove pools, switch pools, and import questions from CSV (Comma Separated Values) files into pools. 

Refer to the document on how to Add question pools and random question slides for more information.

Generate text-to-speech for closed captions with Captivate voices

Adobe Captivate 12.4 enables the creation of audio from closed captions using both Captivate and system voices. It allows for the selection of multiple captions with the option to assign different voice agents to each or collectively, enhancing engagement and accessibility of content. Additionally, it provides the capability to update the audio to align with any changes made to captions or voice agents, ensuring consistency.

Refer to the document on how to Add and edit audio in a project for more information.

Change project dimensions

Set pre-defined or custom project sizes to enhance content display on larger screens. Select fixed or proportional display options to ensure content scales correctly on different screen sizes. Changing the project's dimensions enhances a learner's experience and the project's usability across devices. 

Refer to the document on how to Change project dimensions for more information.

Add padding to content blocks, components, and objects

To make slides appear better, add padding to content blocks, components, and objects. The padding adds space between an element's border and content, improving the project's design. You can add padding to objects like images, text, and buttons. The Auto Layout option adjusts padding automatically for different devices.  

Refer to the document on how to Add padding to content blocks and components for more information.

Blur content and capture screenshots in simulations

Adobe Captivate 12.4 has new features to improve tutorials and demos. You can now blur sensitive information, move the recording pod for better control, and take screenshots during recording. Full-motion recording (FMR) now includes click boxes, instructions, highlight boxes, input fields, buttons, blur areas, and mouse pointers. These updates help you create detailed, interactive simulations showing complex workflows and software usage.

Refer to How to record software simulations in Adobe Captivate for more information

Publish to Adobe Learning Manager (ALM)

Publish courses directly to Adobe Learning Manager (ALM). The workflow makes managing and sharing content easier by adding your projects to ALM’s Content Library. Log in to your ALM account and fill in details like content name, tags, and completion criteria. The integration makes sharing and publishing content with learners through ALM simple. Learn more about how to Publish projects in Adobe Captivate.

Open projects created in Adobe Captivate 12.3 and earlier

Adobe Captivate 12.4 lets you open projects from version 12.3 or earlier versions of Captivate 12. Once saved in version 12.4, you can no longer open the project in earlier versions. This feature makes switching to the latest version easier without interrupting your work. 

Other enhancements

Additional enhancements include:

• Adding hyperlinks to text to open or download files. Learn more on how to work with texts in Adobe Captivate.
• Resizing hotspots with adjustable padding. Learn more about hotspots in Adobe Captivate.
• Preview or publish quizzes without the need to add correct answers initially.
• Up to 10 buttons in a button content block for more navigation options. Learn more about the button component in Adobe Captivate.

Bug fixes in this update

Adobe Captivate (12.4 update) fixed the following bugs:

• The hotspots did not scale as expected on devices. The hotspots would move and did not align with the callouts.
• If a user re-attempts a course and selects the Click box component in a simulation slide, the project doesn't move to the next slide.
• Google Fonts failed to load bold font weights, showing only regular options in the font-weight dropdown.
• The theme editor screen occasionally turned blank when adjusting Font Palette settings.
• The quick start projects on the Captivate home screen displayed identical thumbnails for several projects.
• In Captivate 12.3, when a user retakes a course, the enabled Table of Contents does not display a tick mark for completed slides.
• In Captivate 12.3, keyboard select sounds are still recorded despite the option being unchecked in the Key Settings for Software Simulations.
• In Captivate 12.3, switching a background image to the Tile display style and then trying to revert it to a Solid Fill causes Captivate to behave unexpectedly.

Known issues

In version 12.4, projects that have been upgraded and have modified design options might experience alignment and spacing issues, necessitating manual adjustments to padding.

System requirements

Check the System Requirements for Adobe Captivate 12.4.

Update to the latest version

After clicking Help > Check for Updates, the error message, Error 184, may display.

Follow the steps below to resolve the issue:

1. In version 12.0, 12.1, 12.2, or 12.3, select Help > Check for Updates.
2. Once the update is visible, close the Adobe Captivate app.
3. Select Update now.