Storyline 360: Adding Content Library 360 Illustrations
Content Library 360 offers more than 20 million high-resolution photos, illustrations, icons, and videos—all accessible right from Storyline 360 for no additional charge. In this article, you’ll learn how to add beautiful Content Library 360 illustrations to your courses. Adding Content Library 360 Illustrations to Your Course Swapping Out Illustrations Making Illustrations Accessible Adding Content Library 360 Illustrations to Your Course Go to the Insert tab on the ribbon and click Illustrations in the Content Library 360 group. (You can also import Content Library 360 illustrations directly into the media library.) Type a search term in the field at the top of the media browser and press Enter. Tip: The media browser remembers your last search term, previous search results, and the last asset you selected. Zoom in and out while you’re browsing for illustrations by holding down the Ctrl key on your keyboard and scrolling your mouse wheel. If you want to look for a different type of media after opening the browser, use the drop-down list in the upper right corner to switch to another type: photos, illustrations, icons, or videos. Select the illustration you want to use and click Insert to add it your slide. Tip: You can select multiple illustrations at the same time using Ctrl+Click or Shift+Click, then insert them all at once. Swapping Out Illustrations You can swap out one illustration for another without losing existing formatting, animations, or triggers. Below, we describe three ways to do so. Right-Click the Illustration Right-click any image in your course, scroll to Replace Picture, and choose Content Library 360 Photos. The Content Library 360 browser remembers your last search during the current session, so you may need to use the drop-down list in the upper right corner to switch to Illustrations. Browse for a new illustration and click Insert. Use the Format Tab on the Ribbon Select any image in your course, go to the Format tab on the ribbon, click the Replace Picture drop-down arrow, and choose Content Library 360 Photos. The Content Library 360 browser remembers your last search during the current session, so you may need to use the drop-down list in the upper right corner to switch to Illustrations. Browse for a new illustration and click Insert. Use Content Placeholders If your course is built with content placeholders, you can delete an illustration you previously added to a placeholder and add another one in its place. Here’s how: Click the Insert Content Library 360 Media icon in the placeholder. The Content Library 360 browser remembers your last search during the current session, so you may need to use the drop-down list in the upper right corner to switch to Illustrations. Browse for a new illustration and click Insert. Making Illustrations Accessible Keeping accessibility in mind when using illustrations creates a more engaging and informative experience for everyone. Follow these tips to boost illustration accessibility: Rely on text—not illustrations—to convey important details. Offer text-based options and make sure each illustration has an alternative text (alt text) description. (1.1.1 Non-text Content and 1.4.5 Images of Text). Hide decorative illustrations. Purely decorative illustrations don’t need alt text. In fact, you can hide them from accessibility tools to prevent unnecessary announcements from screen readers. Meet color contrast guidelines. Use a web-based contrast checker or download a contrast checker tool to test the contrast ratio of your illustrations (1.4.11 Non-text Contrast and 1.4.3 Contrast [Minimum] if your illustration has text). Minimize distractions. Avoid unnecessary background illustrations since they add visual clutter. You Might Also Want to Explore: Formatting Pictures, Screenshots, and Characters Ordering, Grouping, Sizing, and Positioning ObjectsReview 360: Use Comments to Give Feedback
While viewing a Review 360 item, use the sidebar to post feedback and participate in discussions along the way. Learn more about working with comments below. Read Comments Post Comments Edit Comments Delete Comments Resolve and Reopen Comments Export Comments to CSV and PDF Files Disable and Re-Enable Comments Read Comments All reviewers can view comments. You can respond to or otherwise interact with comments using the comments sidebar or the feedback page. Read on to learn about each option. Comments Sidebar Feedback Page How to Use the Comments Sidebar The comments sidebar is in the default view for Review 360 items. This view allows you to see course content and watch videos. The comments sidebar displays comments for the content that’s currently displayed on the screen. For Storyline and Studio courses, comments are tied to specific slides, so the comments you see in the sidebar change as you move from one slide to another. For Rise courses, comments are lesson-specific, so the comments in the sidebar change as you switch lessons. For video content, all comments display in the sidebar simultaneously, with the newest thread on top. To see a comment in context, click its hyperlinked timestamp to jump directly to that point in the video. Brilliant! Collapse or expand the comment sidebar by clicking the arrow in the upper right corner. Sometimes it’s helpful to collapse the sidebar to have more space to view the content, especially on small screens. Hover your mouse over the edge of the sidebar and click and drag it to adjust the size. Reviewers who sign in with an Articulate ID see helpful badges for unread comments. A blue dot appears next to individual unread comments in the sidebar, and a red badge with the total number of unread comments appears next to the feedback tab at the top of the screen. Mark comments as read by clicking them, replying to them, or using the More (•••) icon in the top right corner of the screen to Mark All as Read. How to Use the Feedback Page Click the Feedback link on the top right to launch the feedback page. This page lets you see all comments for a Review 360 item on one screen. Each thread has a screenshot to show you exactly how the content looked when the first comment was posted. These screenshots let you see feedback in context so you know what changes are needed. Click the screenshots to zoom in and out. You can change how comments are sorted for Storyline, Studio, and Rise courses. Click the sorting dropdown on the top right of the first comment to toggle between slide/lesson order and chronological order. Tips: Video content always displays comments in chronological order, with the newest thread on top. Comments for deleted Storyline 360 slides display below a "Scene not found" section. Post Comments All reviewers can add comments, emojis, @mentions, and attachments. The process is the same for both the review and feedback tabs. How to Post Comments It’s super-easy to comment on a Review 360 item. Place your cursor in a comment box or reply field, type your comment or paste text from your clipboard, then press Enter on your keyboard or click the Post button. If you change your mind, click Cancel. When you start a new discussion thread, a screenshot of the content as it currently appears is automatically generated and attached to your comment. If you’re watching a video, the screenshot is captured as soon as you start typing. You’ll see these screenshots on the feedback page. Reviewers who subscribe to all comments will receive email notifications for new comments you post. And when you reply to an existing thread, you’ll see a list of reviewers who will be notified of your comment below the text-entry field. Tip: If you aren’t signed in to Review 360 with an Articulate ID, you’ll be prompted to enter your email address when you click inside a comment field. This allows you to receive notifications when other reviewers reply to your comments. (If you have an Articulate account, you’ll be prompted to enter your password.) How to Insert Emojis into Comments Give your comments more personality with emojis. If you’re using a device with an emoji keyboard, simply tap the emojis you want to add to your comments. Or, click the emoji icon in the comment field and select emojis from the list. How to Tag Other Reviewers in Comments Direct your comments to specific reviewers by tagging them. Here are two ways to tag people. Type @ followed by the person’s name or email address. A list of reviewers will appear as you type. Select the person you want to tag from the list. Click the @mention icon in the comment field and choose a reviewer from the list that appears. Who’s included in the @mention pick list? Great question! Everyone who has already commented on the current item appears on the list. And if you’re a member of an Articulate 360 Teams account, all your team members also appear in the list. How to Add Attachments to Comments Add attachments to comments to keep your team on the same page. Attach images, videos, audio tracks, and more! To add an attachment, click the paper clip icon in the comment field, then browse to the file you want to attach. To download an attachment, just click it and choose where you want to save it. To delete an attachment, hover over it and click the X that appears. (You can only delete attachments that you uploaded.) You can attach up to five files per comment. Learn more about attachments. Edit Comments All reviewers can edit their own comments. Here’s how. Hover over your comment, click the drop-down arrow that appears, and choose Edit. Change the text, emojis, @mentions, and attachments as needed. See above for details. Press the Enter key or click the Post button to save your changes. Tip: If you don’t see a drop-down arrow when you hover over your comments, you’ll need to sign in to Review 360 with your Articulate ID or click inside a comment/reply field and enter your email address when prompted. Delete Comments All reviewers can delete their own comments. Hover over the comment you want to delete, click the drop-down arrow that appears, and choose Delete. Here are some tips for deleting comments: While all reviewers can delete their own comments, the content owner can delete any comment by any reviewer. When you delete the first comment in a discussion thread, the entire thread gets deleted. You can't restore deleted comments. If you need to refer to a comment later, try resolving it rather than deleting it. If you don’t see a drop-down arrow when you hover over comments, you’ll need to sign in to Review 360 with your Articulate ID or click inside a comment/reply field and enter your email address when prompted. Resolve and Reopen Comments Avoid confusion by resolving comments that have been addressed or are no longer relevant. How to Resolve Comments All reviewers can resolve comments. It’s easy! Hover over an individual comment or the first comment in a discussion thread, then click the checkmark icon that appears. Depending on your settings, the comment or thread will disappear or fade into the background. Tip: If you don’t see a checkmark icon when you hover over comments, you'll need to sign in to Review 360 with your Articulate ID or click inside a comment/reply field and enter your email address when prompted. How to Show or Hide Resolved Comments By default, resolved comments disappear. To see resolved comments, click the More (•••) icon in the upper right corner of the screen and choose Show Resolved Comments. They’ll reappear with a faded or desaturated look so you can distinguish them from comments that are still open. To make resolved comments disappear again, click the More (•••) icon in the upper right corner and choose Hide Resolved Comments. The show/hide setting is specific to each Review 360 item, so you can show resolved comments in one item and hide them in another. Review 360 remembers your choice, so you don’t have to reset it every time you open an item. How to Reopen Comments Sometimes you need to reopen a comment or discussion that was previously resolved. No problem! First, show resolved comments as described above, then hover over the comment and click the green check mark icon that appears. Export Comments to CSV and PDF Files Export comments from a Review 360 item for analysis, backup, or regulatory requirements. Here’s how. First, make sure you’re signed in to Review 360 with an Articulate ID. Then, click the More (•••) icon in the upper right corner of the screen and choose Export Comments. Use the Comment Order drop-down list to choose how you want to organize comments in your report. Choose either CSV or PDF from the Export Format drop-down list. Click Export and choose where you want to save your report. All comments for all versions of the Review 360 item get exported to a single report. However, to include resolved comments in the PDF export, set the item to Show Resolved Comments first via the More (•••) icon in the upper right corner before exporting. Disable and Re-Enable Comments Only the content owner can turn off comments. Here’s what happens when comments are disabled: The sidebar disappears from the review tab, and the feedback tab disappears altogether. If the review item already had comments, you won’t be able to read them unless you export them to a report. If the content owner enables comments again, all pre-existing comments will reappear. (Re-enable comments by clicking the More (•••) icon in the upper right corner and choosing Enable Comments.)Articulate 360: Installing, Updating, and Managing the Articulate 360 Desktop App
The Articulate 360 desktop app gives you quick access to all the authoring tools and resources in your subscription. It’s where you: Install, update, and open desktop-authoring apps, such as Storyline 360 and Studio 360. Get notifications when new software updates are available. Open web apps, such as Rise 360 and Review 360. Manage your profile, account, and preferences. Run diagnostics. The Articulate 360 desktop app is always just a click away. It runs quietly in your computer’s system tray (by the clock). Click the Articulate 360 icon when you need it. In this user guide, you'll learn how to: Install the Articulate 360 Desktop App Update the Articulate 360 Desktop App Snooze Notifications Manually Check for Updates Launch Third-Party Software Report Set Your Preferences Install the Articulate 360 Desktop App Before you get started… Articulate 360 requires a Windows PC running Windows 10 or Windows 11. Click here for system requirements. If you're using a Mac, here's what you need to know about installing Articulate apps in a Windows virtual environment. You may also need to add these websites to your allowlist to access all Articulate 360 resources. Go to https://id.articulate.com/redirect/360 and sign in with your Articulate ID. (Your Articulate ID is the email address and password you used when you signed up for a free trial or bought a subscription. It’s also the email address and password you use to sign in to the E-Learning Heroes community. If you don’t remember your password, you can reset it.) After signing in, click Download Desktop Apps on the right sidebar. Click Start Download and save the installation file on your computer. (If you see a Microsoft Defender SmartScreen warning, click More info and then click Run anyway.) Right-click the installation file and choose Run as administrator. Select your preferred interface language when the installer launches by clicking the English (United States) drop-down list on the upper-right corner. If you want to change the directory where you install the apps, click the folder icon beside the language drop-down list. Learn how to customize your install folder. Click Install Now. When the installation is complete, click Finish. The Articulate 360 desktop app will automatically open. If you're prompted to sign in, use your Articulate ID email address and password again. (Articulate 360 uses your default browser to sign in.) That's it! When you click the X in the upper right corner of the desktop app, it'll shrink to your computer's system tray (by the clock) and continue to run quietly in the background. When you need it again, just click the Articulate 360 icon in your system tray or double-click the shortcut on your desktop. Now that you’ve installed your desktop app, check out these user guides to learn more about using it: Articulate 360: Using the Desktop-Authoring Apps Articulate 360: Using the Web Apps Articulate 360: Managing Your Profile and Account Articulate 360: Running Diagnostics Update the Articulate 360 Desktop App One of the benefits of an Articulate 360 subscription is that you get continuous updates when new features are available. Articulate 360 can install updates automatically as they become available. If you choose to disable automatic updates and enable notifications in your preferences, you’ll get an instant Windows notification when an update is available. And you’ll always know when an update is available as soon as you open the Articulate 360 desktop app, as shown here. To install an update for the Articulate 360 desktop app, simply click the blue Update button in the top right corner. The update will automatically download and install without any additional prompts. It couldn’t be easier! After updating the Articulate 360 desktop app, you can then update your authoring apps, such as Storyline 360. Learn more. Snooze Notifications If you choose to disable automatic updates and you’re not ready to install the new version, you can snooze the notification for a day, a week, or until the next update is available. Click the bell icon on the blue status bar and choose one of the options. Snoozing a notification temporarily hides the blue status bar. If you’d also like to turn off Windows notifications for Articulate 360 updates, see below for details. Manually Check for Updates You can manually check for updates at any time, even if you’ve temporarily snoozed notifications. Click the drop-down arrow in the upper right corner of the Articulate 360 desktop app and choose Check for Updates. Launch Third-Party Software Report We appreciate the open-source community's contributions to Articulate 360. To view a list of attribution notices for third-party software in Articulate 360, click the drop-down arrow in the upper-right corner of the Articulate 360 desktop app and choose 3rd Party Software. Set Your Preferences There are two ways to access your preferences. Open the Articulate 360 desktop app, then click the drop-down arrow in the upper right corner and choose Preferences. Or, right-click the Articulate 360 icon in your computer's system tray (by the clock) and choose Preferences. At the top, you’ll find the version number of your Articulate 360 desktop app. This information is helpful when you’re working with Articulate Support on an issue. Learn more about each setting below. Notifications Notifications are enabled by default. You’ll get Windows notifications, like the one shown below, for Articulate 360 events, such as when new updates are available. To hide these notifications, uncheck the Show notifications box. Updates Automatic updates are enabled by default, saving you time and ensuring you always have the latest enhancements. To stop automatic updates, uncheck the Install updates automatically for the Articulate 360 desktop app box. (If you don't see this option, it either means your Articulate 360 desktop app is out of date, or your organization has disabled automatic updates.) Privacy You can help improve Articulate 360 desktop products by sending usage data to our servers. We analyze feature metrics and error reports from Articulate 360 desktop products as well as device and browser data when learners view published output. To opt out of these analytics, uncheck the Privacy box. Learn more. Language The language setting controls the interface language for the Articulate 360 desktop app, Storyline 360, Studio 360, Replay 360, and Peek 360. You can display your Articulate 360 desktop apps in English, French, German, or Spanish. Choose your preferred language from the drop-down list, click Save, then restart all your Articulate apps, including the Articulate 360 desktop app itself. Tip: To restart the Articulate 360 desktop app, right-click the Articulate 360 icon in your system tray by the clock and choose Quit. Then launch it again from your desktop shortcut or your Start menu. Proxy If your organization is behind a proxy server that requires you to enter security credentials to access Articulate 360 services, switch your Proxy setting to Manual, then enter your username and password in the fields that appear. Legacy Access 64-bit Storyline 360 is the default Storyline version in the desktop app. To restore access to 32-bit Storyline 360, check the Restore 32-bit Storyline 360 box. (After you click Save, an optional "Product Feedback" dialog for 32-bit Storyline 360 appears before restoring legacy access.) Click Save when you've finished updating your preferences.Storyline 360: Creating and Editing Closed Captions With the Built-in Editor
Create and edit closed captions and subtitles right in Storyline 360 with the built-in editor. Fine-tune imported captions or quickly add new ones with the help of caption placeholders that are already synced with your audio and video content. And as of April 2023, Storyline 360 automatically generates synchronized video transcripts from closed captions. Opening the Closed Captions Editor Exploring the Editor Understanding Caption States Previewing Media and Captions Tabbing Back and Forth Between Caption Placeholders Adding or Editing Text in Caption Placeholders Speeding Up Your Workflow for Adding Closed Captions Formatting Caption Text Using Keyboard Shortcuts Adjusting the Timing and Duration of Caption Placeholders Inserting New Caption Placeholders Deleting Captions Splitting Captions Importing Captions Exporting Captions Translating Captions Closing the Editor and Saving or Discarding Your Changes Showing or Hiding the Closed Captioning Button on the Player Using Triggers to Turn Closed Captions On and Off Opening the Closed Captions Editor Select a video or audio track in your course, go to the Options tab on the Storyline ribbon, then click either Add Captions or Edit Captions. The button will change depending on whether your media clip already has captions. If you’re working with an interactive marker, right-click the marker, select Accessibility from the context menu, then click either Add Captions or Edit Captions in the window that appears. You can also open the caption editor from the media library. Details here. Tip: Caption Placeholders Are Created for You If your media clip doesn’t already have captions, the closed captions editor will automatically analyze the audio track to detect units of speech and add caption placeholders to the timeline that are synchronized with your content. All you need to do is type your captions in the placeholders. Brilliant! Background music can interfere with the auto-generated caption placeholders, so you might need to tweak the timing of captions, add more caption placeholders, or split captions into smaller chunks. The closed captions editor works with all narration and videos, except website videos. Exploring the Editor Explore this image of the closed captions editor and the numbered list below it for an overview of the interface. See the sections that follow for details on each feature. # Feature Description 1 Ribbon Commands Use the ribbon to: Preview your media and captions Jump back and forth between caption placeholders Insert new caption placeholders Delete caption placeholders Split caption placeholders Import captions Export captions Close the editor 2 Video Stage When you’re working with a video, it'll display on the video stage. When you’re working with an audio clip, the video stage disappears and the audio waveform fills the editor. 3 Closed Captions Preview As you type captions into the placeholders at the bottom of the editor, they’ll display on the video stage or audio waveform so you can see how they’ll look in your published output. 4 Timeline and Playhead The timeline shows the duration of your media, and the blue playhead travels along the timeline as you preview your video and audio content. 5 Audio Waveform The audio waveform is a visual representation of the audio track in your media. If there’s no video component for your media, the audio waveform will expand to fill the stage. 6 Caption Placeholders Caption placeholders are where you type and format text. You can also adjust the timing and duration of caption placeholders. If your media clip doesn’t already have captions, the closed captions editor will automatically analyze the audio track to detect units of speech and add caption placeholders to the timeline that are synchronized with your content. All you need to do is type your captions in the placeholders. Caption placeholders have four states, so you know what to expect when creating and editing captions. See the next section to learn about caption states. 7 Time Values The status bar shows you the current position of the playhead on the timeline, the start time of the selected caption placeholder, and the end time of the selected caption placeholder. 8 Zoom Slider Use the zoom slider in the lower right corner to zoom the timeline, audio waveform, and caption placeholders in and out when you need to make precise edits or get a big-picture overview. Understanding Caption States Caption placeholders have four states as described in this table. State Appearance Example Unselected caption placeholder without text Solid light gray Unselected caption placeholder with text Dark gray with white text Selected caption placeholder (with or without text) Blue with white text Caption placeholder in edit mode Dark gray with blue outline, white text, and blinking cursor The closed captions editor may behave differently, depending on the current state of a caption. See the following sections for details. For example, if no captions are in edit mode when you preview, playback will continue to the end of the timeline unless you pause it. However, if a caption is in edit mode when you preview, playback will stop at the end of the caption placeholder. And if you resume playback while the caption is still in edit mode, it'll start from the beginning of the current caption placeholder and stop again at the end. This helps you create captions one at a time, letting you hear a clip as many times as you need while typing. Previewing Media and Captions To preview the entire video or audio track, move the playhead to the beginning of the timeline—before the first caption placeholder—then click the Play button on the ribbon or press Enter on your keyboard. Drag the seekbar on the ribbon or the playhead on the timeline to scrub back and forth through the video or audio track. To preview just one caption, click inside the placeholder so it’s in edit mode. Playback will start as soon as you click inside it and stop when it reaches the end of the caption. To pause the preview, click the Pause button on the ribbon or press Enter. Caption placeholders that have text will display on the video stage or audio waveform during preview. (The size of a caption box and the point at which text wraps could change, depending on the size of the closed captions editor window.) Tabbing Back and Forth Between Caption Placeholders Press the Tab key on your keyboard to jump to the beginning of the next caption, and press Shift+Tab to jump to the beginning of the previous caption. Or, click the left and right arrows on the ribbon to move back and forth between captions. If no captions are in edit mode when you navigate between them, the playhead will simply move to the previous or next caption, but the media won’t start playing until you tell it to. If a caption placeholder is in edit mode when you jump to another caption, the new caption placeholder will also switch to edit mode so you can immediately start typing. Tip: By using the Tab key to move through caption placeholders in edit mode and pressing Enter to play/pause media, you never have to take your hands off the keyboard while typing captions, speeding up your workflow. Adding or Editing Text in Caption Placeholders To add or edit caption text, simply click inside a caption placeholder and begin typing. You can also paste text from external sources, such as text files or Word documents. When you click inside a caption placeholder, it switches to edit mode and your media automatically begins playing. If you need to pause it, just press Enter. To resume playback, press Enter again. If you need to add a line break to a caption, press Shift+Enter. Speeding Up Your Workflow for Adding Closed Captions By using keyboard shortcuts, you can quickly add closed captions to a video or audio track in Storyline 360. Here’s how: When you open the closed captions editor, the playhead will be positioned at the beginning of the first caption placeholder, and it'll be in edit mode. Press Enter to start playing your video or audio track, then begin typing text for the first caption based on what you hear. Playback will stop at the end of the placeholder so you have time to finish typing the caption. If you need to hear it again, just press Enter and it'll start over from the beginning of the placeholder. You can also use Enter to pause playback. Press Tab to move to the next caption placeholder. It'll switch to edit mode, and your media will being playing. Simply type what you hear. Playback will stop at the end of the placeholder so you have time to finish typing the caption. If you need to hear it again, just press Enter and it'll start over from the beginning of the placeholder. You can also use Enter to pause playback. Repeat step 2 to add captions, one placeholder at a time, until you reach the end of the timeline. Formatting Caption Text Bold, Italic, and Underline: Closed captions in Storyline 360 can have bold, italic, and underline formatting. Just select the text you want to format, then use the floating toolbar to make your selections. Or, use these keyboard shortcuts: Ctrl+B = Bold Ctrl+I = Italicize Ctrl+U = Underline Colors, Font, Font Size, and Position: You can choose the foreground and background colors, font, size, and position of your captions in the player properties. Learn more. Voice Tags: The closed captions editor doesn’t support voice tags, but you can identify speakers by typing their names with colons before their statements. (Press Shift+Enter to add a line break between speakers.) For example: Adam: E-learning is powerful. Lucy: And it’s transforming lives every day. If you import a caption file that has voice tags, the tags will be converted to the speakers’ names followed by colons, as shown above. Using Keyboard Shortcuts Work faster in the closed captions editor with these keyboard shortcuts. Key(s) Function Enter Play and pause media Shift+Enter Add a line break when typing text into a caption placeholder Tab Jump to the beginning of the next caption placeholder Shift+Tab Jump to the beginning of the previous caption placeholder Esc Exit edit mode for the current caption placeholder and switch to a blue selected state Ctrl+A Select all the text in a caption placeholder Ctrl+B Bold Ctrl+C Copy Ctrl+I Italicize Ctrl+U Underline Ctrl+V Paste Ctrl+X Cut Ctrl+Y Redo Ctrl+Z Undo Left Arrow If the playhead is at the beginning or end of a caption placeholder and the placeholder is in a selected state, the left arrow key moves the placeholder .25 seconds to the left on the timeline (or less than that if it bumps up against the previous caption placeholder). Otherwise, the left arrow key moves only the playhead .25 seconds to the left on the timeline. Right Arrow If the playhead is at the beginning or end of a caption placeholder and the placeholder is in a selected state, the right arrow key moves the placeholder .25 seconds to the right on the timeline (or less than that if it bumps up against the next caption placeholder). Otherwise, the right arrow key moves only the playhead .25 seconds to the left on the timeline. Shift+Left Arrow If the playhead is at the beginning or end of a caption placeholder and the placeholder is in a selected state, this shortcut moves the placeholder .5 seconds to the left on the timeline (or less than that if it bumps up against the previous caption placeholder). Otherwise, this shortcut moves only the playhead .5 seconds to the left on the timeline. Shift+Right Arrow If the playhead is at the beginning or end of a caption placeholder and the placeholder is in a selected state, this shortcut moves the placeholder .5 seconds to the right on the timeline (or less than that if it bumps up against the next caption placeholder). Otherwise, this shortcut moves only the playhead .5 seconds to the right on the timeline. Alt+Left Arrow When a caption placeholder is selected, shorten its duration by .25 seconds. Alt+Right Arrow When a caption placeholder is selected, lengthen its duration by .25 seconds (or less than that if it bumps up against the next caption placeholder). Shift+Alt+Left Arrow When a caption placeholder is selected, shorten its duration by .5 seconds. Shift+Alt+Right Arrow When a caption placeholder is selected, lengthen its duration by .5 seconds (or less than that if it bumps up against the next caption placeholder). Ctrl+Left Arrow This shortcut moves the playhead to the beginning of the current caption placeholder or the end of the previous placeholder, whichever is closest. This shortcut doesn’t work when a caption placeholder is in edit mode. Ctrl+Right Arrow This shortcut moves the playhead to the end of the current caption placeholder or the beginning of the next placeholder, whichever is closest. This shortcut doesn’t work when a caption placeholder is in edit mode. Ctrl+Mouse Wheel Zoom the timeline in and out Adjusting the Timing and Duration of Caption Placeholders To adjust the timing of a caption, simply drag the placeholder left or right along the timeline. To change the duration of a caption, drag either end of the placeholder along the timeline to shorten or lengthen it. You can also use several arrow keyboard shortcuts in the table above to tweak the timing and duration of caption placeholders. Inserting New Caption Placeholders Although the closed captions editor does its best to create caption placeholders for you that are already synced with your content, there may be times when you need to manually add a caption placeholder to the timeline. Click any space on the timeline that isn’t already occupied by a caption placeholder. The blue playhead will move to that position on the timeline. Then click Insert Caption on the ribbon. New captions are four seconds long by default—unless there isn’t enough space to fit a four-second placeholder, in which case it'll fill the available space. You need at least half a second of empty space on the timeline to insert a new caption placeholder. If there isn’t enough space, the Insert Caption button will be grayed out. Deleting Captions There are three ways to delete a specific caption: Select the caption placeholder and press Delete on your keyboard. Select the placeholder and click Delete Caption on the ribbon. Right-click the placeholder and choose Delete from the context menu. To delete all captions at once, click Delete Captions on the ribbon, then click Yes on the confirmation message. Splitting Captions You can split a caption into two placeholders when you need more control over timing and duration. Just select the placeholder and click Split Caption on the ribbon. Or, right-click the placeholder and choose Split Caption from the context menu. The original placeholder will split evenly in half. And if it has text, the text will split where the cursor is located—everything before the cursor will move to the first placeholder; everything after the cursor will move to the second placeholder. Exception: If the playhead is at the beginning of the caption and the placeholder is in a blue selected state, all the text will move to the first placeholder after being split. Importing Captions If you already have captions typed in a document, you can import them via the closed captions editor. Note that this replaces all the existing captions for your video or audio track. Click Import Captions on the ribbon. Click Yes when asked to confirm that you want to replace the existing captions. Browse to the SRT, SBV, SUB, or VTT file you want to import and click Open. You can also import caption files without opening the closed captions editor. See this user guide for details. Exporting Captions Export closed captions when you need to use them in another project, edit them with a different app, or save a backup copy. Click Export Captions on the ribbon, choose a location where you want to save the caption file, then click Save. When you export captions from the closed captions editor, it generates a VTT file. Translating Captions Export the captions file for each video or audio track in your course, translate it, then import it back into Storyline. Here’s how: If the closed captions editor is open, click Export Captions on the ribbon and save the file to your computer. You can also export captions without opening the closed captions editor. Just select the video or audio track, go to the Options tab on the Storyline ribbon, and click Export. Open the captions file in a text editor or a translation program, replace the captions with translated text, and save the file with your changes. In Storyline, select the video or audio track again, go to the Options tab on the ribbon, and click Import to bring the translated captions back into your course. Closed captions aren’t included when you export text strings from your course for translation. Closing the Editor and Saving or Discarding Your Changes To save your changes, click Save & Close on the ribbon. To discard your changes, click the X in the upper right corner or go to the File tab on the ribbon and click Exit. Showing or Hiding the Closed Captioning Button on the Player The closed captioning button on the course player is enabled by default, but you can disable it if you plan to build your own custom controls. Click here for details. Using Triggers to Turn Closed Captions On and Off If the closed captioning button is enabled on your course player (see above), learners can toggle captions on and off whenever they want. However, you can also control captions via triggers. Click here for details.Storyline 360: Converting Text to Speech
Speed up course development by converting text to speech right in Storyline 360. For example, use the text-to-speech feature to quickly narrate a course for stakeholder review or to localize narration in different languages. You can even choose the voice and language to make sure every word sounds right. Watch this video demonstration, then check out the detailed instructions below. Converting Text to Speech Selecting Languages and Voices Updating Script Changes or Using a Different Voice Generating Closed Captions Replacing Text-to-Speech Narration with Recorded Narration Create Text-to-Speech with AI Assistant Bring narration to life with AI-generated voices that are highly realistic and customizable. Add your script, define voice settings, and let AI Assistant do the rest. Learn how to use AI Assistant to level up your course authoring game. Converting Text to Speech Go to the Insert tab on the ribbon, click the Audio drop-down arrow, and choose Text-to-Speech. When the Insert Text-to-Speech window appears, select a Language from the first drop-down list. This ensures that your words are spoken with the correct pronunciations. Choose a Voice (standard or neural) from the second drop-down list. You can hear what a voice sounds like by clicking the Preview Voice button next to the list. Type or paste your script into the text-entry field. Or, if you want to use your slide notes as your script, just click the Copy from Slide Notes button. You can convert up to 10,000 characters at a time. When using speech synthesis markup language (SSML), you can convert up to 3,000 characters for text and 3,000 for SSML tags. If your script is longer than that, break it into smaller chunks and generate more than one text-to-speech audio clip. Then, place the audio clips back to back on the timeline so they play in sequential order. See below for tips on pronunciation and phrasing. Keep the Generate Closed Captions box marked to add closed captions to your text-to-speech narration. Learn more about text-to-speech closed captions below. Click Insert to complete the process. You must have an internet connection to convert text to speech. If you're offline, Storyline 360 prompts you to connect to the internet and try again. Storyline 360 converts your text to narration, and it’ll appear as an audio clip on the slide’s timeline. The conversion process is fast, but lengthy scripts take longer to convert. Text-to-speech narration works just like other audio clips in Storyline 360, so you can use the built-in audio editor and audio tools to customize it. You can add as many text-to-speech clips as you want. You can even use different voices for different clips, which is great when creating a scene where two or more characters are conversing. Tips for Controlling Pronunciation and Phrasing Don't use abbreviations. Spell out words to make sure they're pronounced correctly. If a correctly spelled word isn't pronounced the way you want, try spelling it phonetically or adding hyphens between syllables—for example, Articulate vs. Articu-late. Use punctuation, such as commas and semicolons, when inserting brief pauses. For longer pauses, convert your text to speech, then open the clip in the built-in audio editor and insert silence where needed. Want more control? As of December 2023, you can use SSML to adjust the speaking rate, modify pronunciation, add pauses, and more. Selecting Languages and Voices Choose from various standard and neural languages and voices to enhance your training. Standard Voices This is the full list of standard voices in Storyline 360, alphabetized and arranged by language. Language Name(s) Arabic Zeina (Female) Chinese (Mandarin) Zhiyu (Female) Danish Mads (Male), Naja (Female) Dutch (Netherlands) Lotte (Female), Ruben (Male) English (Australia) Nicole (Female), Russell (Male) English (India) Aditi (Female), Raveena (Female) English (United Kingdom) Amy (Female), Brian (Male), Emma (Female) English (USA) Joanna (Female), Joey (Male), Justin (Male), Kendra (Female), Kimberly (Female), Matthew (Male), Salli (Female) English (Wales) Geraint (Male) French (Canada) Chantal (Female) French (France) Céline (Female), Léa (Female), Mathieu (Male) German (Germany) Hans (Male), Marlene (Female), Vicki (Female) Icelandic Dóra (Female), Karl (Male) Italian Bianca (Female), Carla (Female), Giorgio (Male) Japanese Mizuki (Female), Takumi (Male) Korean Seoyeon (Female) Norwegian Liv (Female) Polish Ewa (Female), Jacek (Male), Jan (Male), Maja (Female) Portuguese (Brazil) Camila (Female), Ricardo (Male), Vitória (Female) Portuguese (Portugal) Cristiano (Male), Inês (Female) Romanian Carmen (Female) Russian Maxim (Male), Tatyana (Female) Spanish (Latin American) Lupe (Female), Miguel (Male), Penélope (Female) Spanish (Mexican) Mia (Female) Spanish (Spain) Conchita (Female), Enrique (Male), Lucia (Female) Swedish Astrid (Female) Turkish Filiz (Female) Welsh Gwyneth (Female) Neural Voices Starting with the September 2023 update, you can generate realistic, natural-sounding text-to-speech narration with neural voices. This is the full list of neural voices in Storyline 360, alphabetized and arranged by language. This list is updated whenever new voices are added. Language Name(s) Arabic (Gulf) Hala (Female), Zayd (Male) Catalan Arlet (Female) Chinese (Cantonese) Hiujin (Female) Chinese (Mandarin) Zhiyu (Female) Czech Jitka (Female) Danish Sofie (Female) Dutch (Belgian) Lisa (Female) Dutch (Netherlands) Laura (Female) English (Australia) Olivia (Female) English (India) Kajal (Female) English (United Kingdom) Amy (Female), Arthur (Male), Brian (Male), Emma (Female) English (USA) Danielle (Female), Gregory (Male), Joanna (Female), Joey (Male), Justin (Male), Kendra (Female), Kevin (Male), Kimberly (Female), Matthew (Male), Ruth (Female), Salli (Female), Stephen (Male) Finnish Suvi (Female) French (Belgian) Isabelle (Female) French (Canada) Gabrielle (Female), Liam (Male) French (France) Léa (Female), Rémi (Male) German (Austria) Hannah (Female) German (Germany) Daniel (Male), Vicki (Female) German (Swiss) Sabrina (Female) Irish English Niamh (Female) Italian Adriano (Male), Bianca (Female) Japanese Kazuha (Female), Takumi (Male), Tomoko (Female) Korean Seoyeon (Female) New Zealand English Aria (Female) Norwegian Ida (Female) Polish Ola (Female) Portuguese (Brazil) Camila (Female), Thiago (Male), Vitória (Female) Portuguese (Portugal) Inês (Female) South African English Ayanda (Female) Spanish (Latin American) Lupe (Female), Pedro (Male) Spanish (Mexican) Andrés (Male), Mia (Female) Spanish (Spain) Lucia (Female), Sergio (Male) Swedish Elin (Female) Turkish Burcu (Female) Updating Script Changes or Using a Different Voice What if you convert text to speech and then need to update it with script changes? Or what if you want to switch to a different voice later? No problem. Storyline 360 makes it easy to update text-to-speech narration. Right-click your text-to-speech audio track on the slide’s timeline and choose Text-to-Speech from the context menu that appears. Or, select your text-to-speech audio track, go to the Options tab on the ribbon, and click Text-to-Speech. The Insert Text-to-Speech window opens with your original script. Edit the script as needed or choose a different voice—or both. Click Update. Generating Closed Captions Storyline 360 can generate closed captions that are automatically synchronized with text-to-speech narration, making your course more accessible. You can add closed captions at the same time you convert text to speech or add them later. Here’s how. Generate Closed Captions When You Convert Text to Speech Keep the Generate Closed Captions box marked to add closed captions at the same time you convert text to speech. Learn how to convert text to speech above. Update Existing Narration with Closed Captions Right-click your text-to-speech audio track on the slide’s timeline and choose Text-to-Speech from the context menu that appears. The Insert Text-to-Speech window opens with your script. Check the Generate Closed Captions box. Click Update. Use the Closed Captions Editor to Add Captions Select your text-to-speech audio track on the slide’s timeline, then go to the Options tab on the ribbon and click Add Captions. When the closed captions editor opens, Storyline 360 automatically generates captions that are synced with your narration. Just click Save & Close on the ribbon. Learn More Creating and Editing Closed Captions with the Built-In Editor Importing Closed Captions for Narration and Videos Replacing Text-to-Speech Narration with Recorded Narration You can use text-to-speech narration during course development and later swap it out with professionally recorded narration, keeping your closed captions intact. Here’s how. Select your text-to-speech audio track on the slide’s timeline and go to the Options tab on the ribbon. Click the drop-down arrow beside Replace Audio. Choose to replace your text-to-speech audio with an audio file from your computer or an audio clip from the media library. Or, record narration with your microphone.
