Ijharul Islam
To use a teleprompter, paste your script, set the scroll speed to your speaking pace (about 130 to 160 words per minute for most people), put the text as close to the camera lens as you can, and read the line at the marker while looking through the words at the lens. Do one test read, adjust the speed, then record. Without teleprompter glass, keep the text window small and right under the lens so your eyes barely move.
More on this topic: Video editing how-tos, every guide in one place.
Here's how to pick the speed, set up a phone, laptop or glass rig, size the text, and write a script that sounds spoken rather than read.
The short answer
Start at 140 words per minute and adjust during a test read: slower (110 to 130) for technical or serious content, faster (150 to 170) for upbeat short videos. Place the scrolling text directly below or behind the lens, about one short line wide, with the camera at eye height. Use large text, short lines and marked pauses. On beam-splitter glass, turn on mirror mode. Pause rather than chase the text when you stumble.
Key takeaways
- Average US English speech is about 150 wpm (National Center for Voice and Speech); on camera, 130 to 160 suits most people.
- The further the text is from the lens, the more viewers notice your eyes reading.
- A narrow column of text reduces side-to-side eye movement.
- Mirror mode is only for teleprompter glass, which reflects the screen.
- A 1-minute video at 140 wpm is about 140 words; time the script before you record.
How do you use a teleprompter?
You use a teleprompter by matching its speed to your voice and keeping the text next to the lens. With QuickVeed's free online teleprompter:
- Paste or type your script. The panel shows how long it takes at the current speed.
- Set the speed in words per minute (60 to 260) and a text size you can read from where you'll sit (24 to 96 px).
- Put the browser window directly under your camera, or on the tablet under your glass with Mirror on.
- Press Start. After a 3-second countdown the text scrolls past a yellow reading line at your speed.
- Use Space to pause, the up and down arrows to change speed while it scrolls, and F for full screen.
It runs in your browser, and the script stays on the page; nothing is saved or uploaded. Record in another window with the free webcam recorder or your camera app.
What speed should a teleprompter be set to?
Set a teleprompter to the speed you naturally speak, which for most people on camera is 130 to 160 words per minute; start at 140 and adjust. The National Center for Voice and Speech gives about 150 wpm as the average for US English conversation, and reading to a camera usually runs a little slower.
| Content | Speed (wpm) | Words for 30 s | Words for 1 min | Words for 3 min |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Technical walkthrough, training | 110-125 | 55-63 | 110-125 | 330-375 |
| Explainer, product video | 130-145 | 65-73 | 130-145 | 390-435 |
| Conversational talking head | 145-160 | 73-80 | 145-160 | 435-480 |
| Upbeat short-form ad, hook | 160-175 | 80-88 | 160-175 | 480-525 |
If the text keeps pulling ahead of you, slow it by 10 wpm; if you're waiting for words, speed it up. To time a script before you record, paste it into the free words to minutes calculator. Background on paces is in average speaking rate by type, and script lengths by video length in how many words per minute for a video script.
Where should the teleprompter be placed?
Place the teleprompter text as close to the camera lens as possible, with the lens at your eye height. The angle between the text and the lens is what viewers notice. Some quick geometry for a reading point below the lens:
| Text centre below the lens | Eye angle at 50 cm | Eye angle at 1 m | Eye angle at 2 m |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 cm | 2.3° | 1.1° | 0.6° |
| 5 cm | 5.7° | 2.9° | 1.4° |
| 10 cm | 11.3° | 5.7° | 2.9° |
| 20 cm | 21.8° | 11.3° | 5.7° |
Two rules fall out of that table: keep the text within a few centimetres of the lens, and sit further back when you can (zoom in rather than moving the camera closer). With teleprompter glass, the text is reflected straight in front of the lens, so the angle is close to zero; that's why professional rigs use it.
| Setup | Where the text goes | Mirror mode |
|---|---|---|
| Laptop webcam | Small window just under the webcam, at the top of the screen | Off |
| Phone front camera | Teleprompter app or browser window near the top, by the lens | Off |
| Camera on a tripod + second screen | Screen right under the lens, as close as the tripod allows | Off |
| Beam-splitter glass rig | Tablet or phone under the glass, reflected in front of the lens | On |
How big should teleprompter text be?
Teleprompter text should be big enough to read without squinting from where you sit, and the column narrow enough that your eyes don't sweep side to side. A few starting points, then adjust on a test read:
- Laptop at arm's length: 32 to 48 px, window about a third of the screen wide.
- Phone held or mounted close: 24 to 32 px in a narrow column.
- Second screen or glass at 1 to 2 m: 64 to 96 px, full screen.
Bigger text means fewer words per line, which also makes your eye movement smaller. If you see your eyes moving in the test recording, make the window narrower before you change anything else.
How do you read a teleprompter naturally?
You read naturally by writing for the ear and giving yourself room to breathe. The script matters as much as the setup:
- Write how you talk. Short sentences, contractions, one idea per sentence. Read it aloud once and rewrite anything you trip over.
- Break lines at natural pauses and leave a blank line where you want a beat.
- Mark emphasis with capitals or a symbol you'll recognise, sparingly.
- Spell out numbers and names the way you'll say them ("twenty twenty-six", and brand names spelled as they sound if needed).
- Rehearse twice at your chosen speed before recording, so you're reading ahead rather than discovering the words.
- Keep your head still and look through the text, not at it. Viewers notice eyes moving more than eyes slightly off-lens.
- Don't chase it. If you stumble, pause the scroll, back up a line, and restart from a sentence start; it's an easy cut.
Speaking to camera regularly? How to make a training video covers the rest of the setup. And if you'd rather not be on camera, QuickVeed's AI avatars make a talking presenter from a photo and a script or audio, from 10 credits per 10 seconds.
To check how long your script will run before you record, use the words to minutes chart.
Frequently asked questions
What speed should a teleprompter be?
About 130 to 160 words per minute for most people. Start at 140, do a test read, and adjust in steps of 10.
Where do you put a teleprompter?
As close to the lens as possible, with the lens at eye height. With glass, the text sits right in front of the lens.
How do you not look like you're reading a teleprompter?
Keep the text narrow and close to the lens, sit further back, keep your head still, and rehearse the script twice.
Do I need mirror mode?
Only with beam-splitter teleprompter glass, which reflects the screen. For a screen you look at directly, leave it off.
How many words is a 1-minute teleprompter script?
About 130 to 160 words, or 140 at a typical on-camera pace.
Can I use a teleprompter on my laptop?
Yes. Open a browser teleprompter in a narrow window right under the webcam and record in another window.
Should I memorise the script instead?
For short intros and hooks, often yes: a few memorised lines look more natural. For anything over a minute, a teleprompter saves retakes.
How do I stop my eyes moving side to side?
Make the text window narrower and sit further back. Fewer words per line means smaller eye movements.
Try it with your own video
Prefer not to be on camera? Turn a photo and your script into a talking presenter. Pick a face, paste a short script, and judge the result for yourself. QuickVeed plans start at $18/month, and new accounts get a 14-day trial with 250 credits, no card needed. Sign up or see pricing.
Sources
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