Turning videos into process documentation has never been easier. With Whale’s Video-to-Guide feature, you can upload any instructional video — whether it’s a screen recording, equipment demo, or training walkthrough — and our AI automatically transforms it into an editable step-by-step guide.
Whale doesn’t just transcribe the audio — it analyzes the visuals too. Every movement, click, and action is detected to build accurate, clickable instructions that link directly to specific timestamps in the video. This is perfect for onboarding, SOP creation, or documenting complex workflows.
When working with long, detailed videos in Whale, you may encounter issues such as timeouts or difficulties in processing. This guide provides practical solutions to help you manage and process long videos effectively.
How to Create a Guide from an existing Video
Option 1: From the Main “+” Button
Step 1: Click the ➕ icon at the top-right corner of your Whale screen
Step 2: Select “Import Video”
Step 3: Upload your video and click Next
Step 4: Give your new card a title and choose a location in your workspace
Step 5: Click Next to let Whale process your video
Whale will automatically analyze the video and generate a new card containing the step-by-step breakdown — each step linked to the moment it happens in the video.
Primary Solution: Splitting Videos
The most effective way to handle long videos is to break them into shorter clips. Here’s how:
Divide the Workflow: Identify clear sections or steps in your workflow and record each section as a separate video.
Upload Shorter Clips: Aim to keep each video concise to avoid processing issues. Shorter videos are easier for the AI to analyze and convert into meaningful steps.
Link Guides Together: Once the shorter videos are processed, you can link the resulting guides to create a comprehensive workflow overview.
Alternative Solutions
If splitting videos is not feasible, consider these alternatives:
Upload the Full Video with a Transcript:
Upload the long video as a file in a Whale card.
Add a transcript of the video beneath it to provide context and clarity.
Use Summarization Tools:
Extract the transcript from the video and use a summarization tool to create clear, step-by-step instructions.
Add these instructions to the Whale card instead of relying solely on the video for auto-generated steps.
Option 2: From Within a Playbook
You can also start directly from a playbook (Grid or List View):
Click Create New Card
Choose Import Video
Follow the same steps above to upload and generate the guide
Example
You’ve recorded a 2-minute video walking through a new software feature. Once uploaded, Whale turns that into a guide with steps like:
“Click the ‘Settings’ icon”
“Navigate to ‘Preferences’”
“Enable the integration toggle”
Each step includes a clickable link that jumps to the exact moment in the video.
💡 Bonus: Download a Whale Screen Recording
If you used Whale’s built-in screen recorder, and the video has been turned into a guide you can download that video:
Click on clog wheel in the video
Choose Download
The video downloads to your hard drive
File export options also include saving the walkthrough as PDF or Word documents through the Share button or Workspace Settings, which is ideal for creating guides with step-by-step visuals and instructions.
Tips for Effective Video Processing
Plan Your Recording: Before recording, outline the key steps or sections to ensure clarity and brevity.
Test Short Clips: Upload a short test video to understand how Whale processes it and adjust your approach accordingly.
Leverage Tools: Use video editing or transcription tools to streamline the process of splitting videos or creating transcripts.
With Whale, your training content becomes instantly reusable, searchable, and actionable — no more manual breakdowns or hours spent transcribing videos.