Cursor Tips for ScreenFlow

Changing your cursor and adding mouse click effects in ScreenFlow

There are two primary ways to affect your cursor in ScreenFlow. The Screen Recording Properties panel allows you to change the actual look of the recorded mouse cursor, while the Callout Action Panel allows you to add an action, such as a highlight or zoom, to your cursor.

Let’s first look at the Screen Recording Properties panel. First you need to highlight a screen recording clip in your timeline. Then, from this panel you can choose to:

• Show or hide your mouse pointer
• Change the size of your pointer
• Change the opacity of your pointer
• Add effects to the screen when you click
• Or change the look of your pointer – including uploading your own image to use as your mouse pointer

Once you’ve made your adjustments in the Screen Recording Panel, they will be applied to the entire clip that you have highlighted. Or, if you click the “Add Screen Recording Action” button, an action will be applied to your highlighted clip, and your adjustments will only be visible when the clip action is playing.

This brief video demonstrates all the awesome power of the Screen Recording Properties panel.

Video

The second way to affect your cursor in ScreenFlow is through the Callout Action panel.

When you use this panel, you have to “Call out” an action. Highlight a clip, and select the “Add Callout” button, and an action will be added to your clip.

One of the most useful capabilities here is the ability to add a highlight around your mouse cursor. This helps bring attention to the area on screen where your mouse is performing an action. Once you’ve added a highlight around your mouse, you can also:

• Change the opacity of the background (or the unhighlighted area)
• Blur the background
• Zoom in on the highlighted area (This does not increase the size of your mouse pointer, like in the Screen Recording Properties, this simply zooms in on the highlighted area of your screen that contains your mouse.
• Change the size of the circular highlighted area around your mouse
• Add an outline to the circular highlighted area

Here’s a short video demonstrating what you can do with the Call Out Action panel.

Video

So, as you can see, you have quite a bit of control when it comes to the shape, size, and highlight area around your mouse cursor. Just remember: The Screen Recording panel gives you the ability to change the actual look of the recorded mouse cursor, whereas the Callout Action panel allows you highlight your mouse in a variety of ways.

Enjoy!