Online Teleprompter

Reading to camera without a prompter means either memorising every line or glancing down at notes, which viewers notice at once. A teleprompter scrolls the script at your speaking pace near the lens, so you can look at the audience while reading. This one runs in a browser on a laptop, tablet or phone, and works behind teleprompter glass too.

Setting the speed in words per minute

Most teleprompter apps set speed in arbitrary units, which means guessing. This one uses words per minute: the scroll is calculated so the text reaches the end in exactly the time it takes to read it at that pace. The reading time and the time remaining are shown underneath. Start at about 140 words a minute, a natural pace on camera, and adjust while you rehearse.

Text size and line width

The further you sit from the screen, the larger the text should be. Narrow lines also help: your eyes move less from side to side, which is less visible on camera. At arm’s length on a laptop, 44 pixels and 80% width are a good start; on a tablet in a rig, try larger text and 60% width. The red reading line marks where your eyes should rest; keep it level with the lens.

Mirror mode for glass rigs

Hardware teleprompters bounce the screen off a sheet of angled glass in front of the camera, which flips the image. Mirror mode flips it back so the reflection reads correctly. Some rigs mount the screen upside down as well; the flip option handles that.

Controlling it while recording

Click the prompter once to give it keyboard focus. Space starts and pauses, the up and down arrows change speed by 10 words a minute, left and right (or Page Up and Page Down) jump back or forward half a screen, and Home returns to the top. A three- or five-second countdown before scrolling begins gives you time to look up and settle.

Preparing the script

Write as you speak: short sentences, contractions, and a blank line between paragraphs. Put stage directions such as [PAUSE] or [SHOW PRODUCT] on their own line in square brackets; they appear dimmed so you do not read them aloud. Avoid long numbers and abbreviations that are hard to read at speed — write “forty percent” rather than “40%” if you stumble over it.

Rehearsing to sound natural

Read the script aloud twice before recording. Mark where you breathe, and slow down for the important lines. If you find yourself chasing the text, lower the speed; if you wait for it, raise it. The sample script, a short company update, takes 41 seconds at 140 words a minute.

Positioning the screen

For a laptop, put the camera at eye level by raising the laptop on books, and place the text window just below the lens. For a tablet or phone, a simple stand behind the camera works; the closer the text is to the lens, the less your eyes appear to move. Light your face from the front so the screen’s glow does not dominate.

Related tools

Plan a talk by section with the Conference Talk Timer, practise fast reading with the RSVP Speed Reader, hear your script read aloud with Text to Speech, or check its length with the Word Counter.