Use an idea or an approved script
For an idea, describe the audience, purpose, tone, and facts to include. For an approved script, write Use the following text word for word as the narration. Do not paraphrase. and paste the script. If Pickford asks how to treat the text, choose the narration option. Keep visual instructions separate from spoken words.
Use a web page
Paste the direct article URL into the agent input or add it through the attachment menu.
State what to cover, what to omit, and who the video is for.
Wait for extraction, answer the setup questions, and review the script and selected source images.
A page behind a sign-in, paywall, or access restriction may not provide usable content. Paste the relevant text or upload an exported document instead.
Use documents
Add DOCX, DOC, PDF, TXT, MD, or RTF files. Documents and URLs share a limit of five sources. Each document can be up to 50 MB, with up to 100 MB of documents in one creation request. Tell Pickford which sections to use, how much to condense, and which source takes priority.
Create a two-minute training video from chapters 2 and 3. Exclude the appendix. Keep the procedure steps in their original order and preserve product terminology.
Review extracted images, charts, and numbers against the source. For a scanned PDF with no readable text, provide a text-based export or the relevant text. Remove password protection from a copy you are authorized to use.
Use a PowerPoint deck
Upload a PPTX file. Convert older PPT files to PPTX first.
Review the detected slides and speaker-note information.
Choose speaker notes as narration when offered, or ask for narration written from slide content.
Choose Keep my slides as the scenes or Build a new video from the content.
Complete the remaining setup, review narration slide by slide, and generate the preview.
Keeping slides retains their design and order. The slides supply the visuals, so the usual visual-source and aspect-ratio questions are skipped. Check slide edges and animation playback. Embedded slide audio and video are not imported as narration or reusable media. Rebuilding uses the deck as source material for new Pictory scenes, visuals, and branding.
When you choose notes, slides with notes use them word for word. Narration is generated for slides without notes. In a kept-slide project, edit narration per scene. Use the new-video path for a complete script rewrite. Pictory treats a PDF of your slides as document content. It does not import speaker notes from it.
Use an audio recording
Choose Add audio recording on the home page and upload MP3, WAV, M4A, AAC, or WEBM audio.
Wait for transcription and answer whether to use the recording as the voiceover.
Choose the visuals, format, and brand, then create the preview.
When you use the recording as voiceover, Pictory preserves its words, pauses, and timing. It skips the normal script-review step. If you choose an AI voice instead, Pictory uses the transcript to create an editable script. A recording must be the only attached source, and you cannot add a new recording midway through chat. This workflow does not remove filler words or clean up audio. Narration rewrite and translation are restricted while the recording supplies the voiceover.