If you're new to annotations, start with the 'Making Videos Interactive' section to understand what annotations are, or run through 'Getting Started' to load the annotations editor. If you have already started the editor, read on.
The editor screen is divided into two main parts: The video viewer (right side of the screen) and the annotations panel (left side).
On the bottom part of the annotations panel you will find buttons for adding new annotations and on top part of the annotations panel you will find buttons for saving and publishing annotations (more on this later).
Adding a new annotation
- Start playing your video, or seek to the moment you would like the annotation to appear.
- You can add the following types of annotations by clicking on the appropriate '+' icon on the bottom part of the annotations panel. Try them all out to find the ones you want.
- Speech bubbles
- for creating pop-up speech bubbles with text. - Notes
- for creating pop-up boxes containing text. - Spotlights
- for highlighting areas in a video - when the user moves the mouse over these areas the text you enter will appear. - Video Pauses - for pausing the video for a length of time you specify
- You can also add links to speech bubbles, notes and highlights (linking is restricted to certain pages on youtube.com).
- You can also double click on the movie to create a default Spotlight annotation.
- Notice that once added, the new annotation appears on the annotations list in the left-hand-side.
- for creating pop-up speech bubbles with text.Editing an annotation
To edit an annotation, first select it in the annotations list on the left hand side, or click on the annotation itself in the video viewer.Edit your annotation on the video itself
Basic annotation editing functionality is on the video display side of the editor (right side).
You can:
- Change the annotation text by simply clicking on it and entering the desired text.
- Drag the annotation to reposition it on the video.
- Resize an annotation by adjusting the resize handles (small white circles that appear when you move the mouse over the annotation).
- Change the speech bubble pointer location by dragging the resize handle that appears when you move the mouse over the annotation.
- Change the location of a spotlight text by dragging it to the desired location.
Additional editing options in the annotations list
Additional editing functionality can be found on the annotations list, which is part of the annotations panel (left side)
- You can change the start time and end time of your annotation. An annotation's default start time is when you click to add it ('+' icon). The default end time is 5 seconds later. To change this, just enter the start and finish times you want in [H:MM:SS.s] format. For instance, [0:01:05.2] means 1 minute, 5.2 seconds into the video.
- You can add a URL link to your annotation. Many types of links can be added including links to Youtube videos, Channel pages and much more. To find out about the types of links available go to 'Linking Annotations'.
- You can delete annotations from the list on the left. Click the [x] on the upper right corner of the annotation you want to delete.
- You can change the duration of a Movie Pause Annotation by changing the right time field of the pause annotation.
- You can switch between annotation types. Click on the arrow next to the annotation symbol (top left corner of the annotations cell in the annotations list) and select the annotation you would like to switch to.
Saving and publishing annotations
The system will automatically save your work in draft mode every 30 seconds. If you want to save your work more often, click on the 'Save Draft' button at the top left of the annotations panel.
Users won't see your annotations until you publish them using the 'Publish' button found at the top left of the annotations panel. The system will not automatically publish your annotations.
