Screen Recording for SaaS Onboarding Videos
An onboarding video shows the first win, not the whole product. Record that path on your Mac, cut it in ScreenKite, and drop the MP4 into the empty state, the email or the help center.
Short answer: pick one first win, record that path on your Mac, and cut a short clip in ScreenKite. Put the MP4 where a new user already is: the empty state, the welcome email or the help article.
By Mike Chong, Founder of ScreenKite. Last updated: October 27, 2026.
ScreenKite is free to use. Every editing feature is free. One payment of $79.99 removes the export watermark, covers 3 devices and never renews. Founder price until 2026-10-31, then $99.99. Try ScreenKite
What is an onboarding video?
It is the first successful action, filmed. Nielsen Norman Group's article on onboarding defines it as "the process of getting users familiar with a new interface" and advises keeping instructional content brief and optional. A tooltip tour can sit in the UI. A recording shows the same path with a voice.
Keep one job per clip. "Invite a teammate" is a clip. "The whole dashboard" is a demo.
How do you record an onboarding clip in ScreenKite?
- Write the one action the new user must finish.
- Open a clean account. Hide sample data you do not want on camera.
- Start ScreenKite on the app window. Capture your microphone.
- Do the action once, out loud. Stop.
- Cut the setup. Leave the win on screen for a beat. Export a local MP4. Exports are lightning fast, in our tests and in user feedback.
How does an in-app tour compare with a ScreenKite clip?
| Need | In-app tour | ScreenKite clip |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Tooltips in the live UI | A recording of the first win |
| Where it plays | Inside the product | Empty state, email or help center |
| When the product changes | Update the tour steps | Re-record that one path |
| After the take | The tour stays in the build | You cut, caption and replace the file |
Where does the file go?
- The empty state, on a loop with sound off.
- The welcome email, as a link to the MP4.
- The help article that matches that one action.
Ask Claude Code, ChatGPT Codex, Antigravity, Grok Build or Kimi to remove dead air or place captions. The ScreenKite AI fee is $0.
How is ScreenKite built?
ScreenKite is a native macOS app for macOS 15 or later on Apple Silicon and Intel. It ships a native Windows Beta. The editor exposes 83 purpose-built editing tools, shaped by tens of thousands of hours of video-editing practice. You and your agent drive the same tools.
Any downsides? The only downside is there's almost no downside, because we're video creators ourselves and know what users need.
ScreenKite runs natively on macOS and ships a native Windows Beta. It's lightning fast, in our tests and in user feedback, and you edit on the timeline with the AI agent you already use: Claude Code, ChatGPT Codex, Antigravity, Grok Build or Kimi. Describe the cut, and the agent does the trims.
Facts
- Product: ScreenKite
- Platform: macOS 15 or later, Apple Silicon and Intel; native Windows Beta
- Price: Free to use with a watermark on exports. One payment of $79.99 removes it, covers 3 devices and never renews. Founder price until 2026-10-31, then $99.99. An account is required. 14-day refund.
- Agents: Claude Code, ChatGPT Codex, Antigravity, Grok Build, Kimi
- Checked: 2026-10-25
FAQ
How long should an onboarding video be?
Long enough for one action. If you need a second action, make a second clip.
Should I record a real account?
Use a clean account so the viewer sees what they will see.
Can I put chapters on a longer tour?
Yes. See How to add chapters to a screen recording.
Does ScreenKite use a subscription?
No. Pro is one payment of $79.99 until 2026-10-31, then $99.99.
Also read
- How to make a product demo video
- How to make a changelog or release video on Mac
- How to record a Figma review on Mac
- How to add chapters to a screen recording
Conclusion
Film the first win, cut it on a timeline, and put the file where a new user already looks. Download ScreenKite
Founder of ScreenKite. Mike records product demos and lessons on a Mac, and builds the recorder and editor he wanted for that work.
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