Teleprompter
Paste your script and press Start: the text scrolls smoothly at the speaking speed you choose, with a reading guide, mirror mode for beam-splitter glass and fullscreen. Your script never leaves your browser.
Keys: Space start/pause · ↑/↓ speed · ←/→ back/forward a line · +/− text size · Home restart · F fullscreen. Tap the text to pause.
How to use the Teleprompter
- Paste or type your script in the box, or import a .txt file. Put stage directions in [brackets] to dim them.
- Set the speed in words per minute. About 130–150 wpm suits most presentations; the read time updates instantly.
- Adjust the look: font size, line height, margins, colors and the reading guide position.
- Turn on Mirror if you read through a beam-splitter glass, and choose a countdown.
- Press Start (or Space) and Fullscreen. Use ↑/↓ to change speed, ←/→ to jump back or forward, and Space to pause.
Words per minute and script length
Teleprompter speed is easiest to set in words per minute because it matches how fast you speak. Use the table to estimate how long a script will run, or how many words to write for a target length.
| Speaking pace | wpm | 1 minute | 2 minutes | 5 minutes | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slow and clear | 110 | 110 words | 220 words | 550 words | Tutorials, e-learning, non-native audiences |
| Conversational | 130 | 130 words | 260 words | 650 words | Vlogs, presentations, webinars |
| Typical presenter | 150 | 150 words | 300 words | 750 words | Corporate video, news reading, ads |
| Fast | 170 | 170 words | 340 words | 850 words | Energetic social clips, short promos |
Formula: read time (minutes) = words ÷ wpm. A 450-word script at 150 wpm takes 3 minutes. For speech drafts without a prompter, the Speech Length Calculator gives the same estimate.
Tips for reading naturally from a teleprompter
- Write for the ear: short sentences, contractions and one idea per paragraph. Blank lines become visible paragraph breaks and natural breathing points.
- Keep lines short: place the camera close to the screen and increase the side margins so your eyes move less. Viewers notice side-to-side eye movement more than reading.
- Use cues: write directions such as [PAUSE], [SMILE] or [SLIDE 3] in square brackets. They appear dimmed and are not counted as spoken words, so the timing stays right.
- Read at the reading line: keep your eyes on the orange guide about a third of the way down; that keeps your gaze close to the lens.
- Rehearse twice: do one read-through to find the right speed with the ↑ and ↓ keys, then record.
- Large text at distance: as a rule of thumb, allow about 2.5 cm (1 inch) of letter height for every 3 m (10 ft) of reading distance.
Using mirror mode with teleprompter glass
A hardware teleprompter places a monitor, tablet or phone face-up under a sheet of beam-splitter glass angled at 45° in front of the camera lens. The camera sees through the glass, while you see the screen reflected in it. The reflection reverses the text, so turn on Mirror horizontally to make it read normally. If the screen sits above the glass or your rig turns the image upside down, add Flip vertically. High-contrast themes such as white or yellow on black work best on glass because dark backgrounds do not reflect.
Frequently asked questions
How fast should a teleprompter scroll?
Most people speak at about 130 to 160 words per minute in presentations and videos. News anchors are often around 150 to 170 wpm, while slow, clear delivery for training videos or non-native audiences is closer to 110 to 130 wpm. Start at 140 and adjust with the arrow keys while you rehearse.
How is the speed in words per minute calculated?
The tool counts the spoken words in your script (bracketed cues are ignored) and scrolls the whole text in exactly words ÷ wpm minutes. Because the speed is tied to the script rather than to pixels, it stays the same when you change the font size or window size.
What does mirror mode do?
Professional teleprompters reflect a screen in a sheet of beam-splitter glass in front of the camera lens, which reverses the text. Mirror horizontally flips the text left to right so it reads correctly in the glass. Flip vertically is for rigs where the screen is mounted upside down.
Can I use it on a phone or tablet?
Yes. Open the page on the device, paste your script and press Fullscreen. Tap the text to pause or resume. For a DIY rig, place the tablet under a piece of glass at 45° in front of your camera and turn on mirror mode.
Is my script uploaded anywhere?
No. The text stays in your browser and is saved only in this device's local storage so it is still there next time. Nothing is sent to a server.
How do I control the teleprompter with the keyboard?
Space starts and pauses, ↑ and ↓ change the speed by 5 wpm, ← and → jump back or forward a line, + and − change the font size, Home goes back to the start and F toggles fullscreen. You can also scroll the text with the mouse wheel.