Generate AI Videos in Google Docs with Vids & Veo 3.1【2026】
Google Docs is where most workplace writing happens—reports, proposals, meeting notes, training materials. But reading a document is not the same as watching one, and video consistently outperforms plain text for retention, engagement, and sharing. In 2026, Google finally closed that gap: you can now turn any Google Doc into a polished AI video in minutes, without leaving the Google Workspace ecosystem, without recording on camera, and without paying anything to start.
The tool is called Google Vids, and it runs on Veo 3.1—Google DeepMind's latest video generation model. As of April 2026, Veo 3.1 is free for every Google account holder (10 clips per month), with paid tiers unlocking much higher limits, AI avatars, and custom Lyria music generation.
This guide explains exactly how it works, step by step, from opening Vids for the first time to publishing a finished video to YouTube.
What Is Google Vids and How Does It Connect to Google Docs?
Google Vids is a timeline-based video creation app that ships as part of Google Workspace—the same family as Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Drive. It is not a plugin inside Google Docs. Instead, it is its own app at vids.google.com that integrates with Google Docs via the "@mention" system.
The integration works in both directions:
Docs → Vids: Inside Google Vids, you can reference any Google Doc by typing "@" in the AI prompt field. Gemini reads the document and uses its content to generate your video script, scene outline, and media selection automatically.
Vids → Docs: A finished Google Vids project lives in Google Drive, can be shared via link, embedded in a Doc or Site, and opened collaboratively—just like any other Workspace file.
This means the workflow most people want—"I wrote a document, now make it a video"—is exactly what Google Vids is built for.
Prerequisites: What You Need Before You Start
Before opening Google Vids, confirm you have:
A Google account (free @gmail.com works for up to 10 free Veo 3.1 clips per month)
A modern browser (Chrome recommended; Vids is web-only, no app download)
The source Google Doc (optional, but speeds up the process dramatically)
A Google Workspace subscription for the full editing suite, or simply a personal Google account for the AI generation features
Free vs. paid: The free tier generates 8-second, 720p clips using Veo 3.1, limited to 10 per month. Google AI Pro and Google AI Ultra ($249.99/month) unlock up to 1,000 clips/month, watermark-free export, Lyria 3 music, and advanced AI avatars.
Method 1: AI Storyboard Generation with "Help Me Create"
This is the fastest path when you already have a Google Doc you want to convert into a video. Gemini reads your document and builds a complete multi-scene storyboard in one shot.
Step 1: Open Google Vids
Go to vids.google.com and sign in with your Google account. On the homepage, click "New video" → "Help me create".
Step 2: Write Your Prompt
A side panel opens with a text field. Write a short prompt describing the video you want. Examples:
"Create a 2-minute explainer video about our Q2 sales results for the executive team"
"Make a training video on our new onboarding process for new hires"
"Turn this product brief into a video pitch for investors"
Be specific about audience, tone (formal, casual, educational), and length if you have preferences.
Step 3: Attach Your Google Doc with "@"
Inside the same prompt field, type "@" and a search box appears. Type the name of your Google Doc and select it. You can attach multiple documents, Sheets, or Slides this way.
Gemini will read the contents of every attached file and incorporate them into the video structure—pulling key points, data, quotes, and structure from your existing work.
Step 4: Generate and Review the Storyboard
Click "Create". Within about 30–60 seconds, Vids generates:
A suggested outline with labeled scenes
Scene text (scripts, captions, or narration bullets) pulled from your document
Stock media (images and video clips) matched to each scene's topic
Video placeholders for scenes where you may want Veo-generated clips
Background music from the stock library
You'll see the full timeline laid out in the Vids editor. Every element is editable—swap media, rewrite scripts, reorder scenes, delete anything that doesn't fit.
Step 5: Customize Scenes and Media
Click any scene in the timeline to edit it:
Replace stock media: Click the scene thumbnail → "Generate video" to replace it with a Veo 3.1 AI clip (see Method 2 below)
Edit the script: Click the text layer and type directly
Adjust timing: Drag scene edges to extend or shorten duration
Add a voiceover: Record your own audio, or use an AI avatar to narrate
Method 2: Veo 3.1 AI Video Clip Generation
This method generates individual 8-second video clips from a text prompt. Use it to replace stock footage, fill a blank scene, or create a standalone clip.
Step 1: Open or Create a Vids Project
Either start fresh (New video → Blank video) or open an existing project from Drive.
Step 2: Click "Generate Video" on a Scene
In the timeline, click the "+" icon to add a new scene, or click an existing scene and choose "Replace". In the scene options panel, select "Generate video".
Step 3: Write a Clip Prompt
A prompt panel opens. Describe the visual you want:
"Aerial view of a modern city at golden hour, time-lapse, cinematic"
"A team of diverse professionals brainstorming around a whiteboard, natural light, documentary style"
"A laptop screen showing lines of code with a coffee cup beside it, shallow depth of field"
Tips for better Veo 3.1 prompts:
Prompt element
Example
Subject
"A data scientist"
Action
"reviewing charts on a large monitor"
Setting
"in a modern office with floor-to-ceiling windows"
Style
"cinematic, 4K, shallow depth of field"
Mood
"calm, professional, focused"
You can also upload a reference image to guide the visual style—Veo 3.1 uses it as a visual anchor for the generated clip.
Step 4: Generate and Select
Click "Generate". Veo 3.1 produces one or more 8-second clips (the number depends on your plan). Preview each option and click "Use" on the one that best fits your scene.
Free account note: You get 10 Veo 3.1 generations per month. Each generation request uses one credit, regardless of whether you keep the result. Plan your generations before clicking.
Step 5: Extend or Trim the Clip
Once placed in the timeline, you can:
Trim the clip start/end by dragging the handles
Extend the clip by generating a follow-on clip that picks up where the last frame left off (available for Pro/Ultra subscribers with the "extend video" feature)
Adding AI Avatars (Free for US Users)
AI avatars are AI-generated human presenters that speak your script on screen—no camera required.
In the timeline, click "+" → "Avatar"
Choose from the pre-built avatar library (diverse age, gender, style options)
Type or paste the script you want the avatar to deliver
Click "Generate"—the avatar lip-syncs to the script using a natural AI voice
Free accounts can use basic avatars in the US. Google AI Pro/Ultra subscribers get Veo 3.1-powered avatars that can be placed in custom Veo-generated scenes and physically interact with objects you upload.
Adding AI Music with Lyria (Pro/Ultra Only)
For subscribers on Google AI Pro or Ultra:
In the timeline, click the audio track → "Generate music"
Describe the mood or style: "upbeat corporate background music, no lyrics, 60 BPM"
Choose Lyria 3 (up to ~30 seconds) or Lyria 3 Pro (up to 3 minutes, supports verse-chorus-bridge structure)
Generate, preview, and insert
Free accounts have access to Google's stock music library instead.
Publishing and Sharing Your Video
Once your video is ready:
Share via Drive link: Click "Share" in the top-right—same permissions model as Google Docs (view, comment, edit)
Publish to YouTube: Click File → Publish to YouTube for direct upload without leaving Vids (added in the April 2026 update)
Download: Export as MP4 for use outside Google's ecosystem (watermark-free on Pro/Ultra; watermarked on free tier)
Embed: Copy the share link and paste it into a Google Doc, Site, or Slides presentation
Free vs. Paid: Full Feature Comparison
Feature
Free Google Account
Google AI Pro
Google AI Ultra ($249.99/mo)
Veo 3.1 clip generations
10/month
500+/month
1,000/month
Clip resolution
720p
720p+
Full HD, watermark-free
AI avatars
Basic (US only)
Advanced
Veo 3.1 avatars in custom scenes
Lyria music generation
No
Lyria 3 (~30s clips)
Lyria 3 Pro (up to 3 min)
"Help me create" (storyboard)
Yes
Yes
Yes
Stock media library
Yes
Yes
Yes
YouTube direct publish
Yes
Yes
Yes
Collaboration (multi-user)
Yes
Yes
Yes
Practical Use Cases
Workplace training: Turn a written onboarding document into a narrated video with slides and avatar presenter. New hires watch a 3-minute video instead of reading a 15-page PDF.
Sales and marketing: Convert a product one-pager into a short pitch video. Share via Drive link with prospects or publish to YouTube.
Education and e-learning: Transform a lesson plan or curriculum doc into a structured video course segment. Building AI literacy is easier when learners can watch rather than read.
Executive communications: Turn a quarterly business review deck into a video summary that stakeholders can watch asynchronously.
Content creation: Bloggers and creators who write scripts can turn text into illustrated video content without a production team. This pairs well with AI-assisted content workflows already popular in Workspace.
Product demos: Developers and PMs can create product demo videos faster by mixing screen recordings (via the built-in Chrome screen recorder in Vids) with Veo-generated B-roll.
Tips for Getting the Best Results
Start with a detailed Doc: The richer your source document, the better Gemini's storyboard will be. Bullet points, headers, and structured sections help Gemini map content to scenes.
Be specific in Veo prompts: Vague prompts produce generic clips. Include subject, action, setting, camera style, and mood in every generation prompt.
Use portrait format for mobile: Vids supports portrait (9:16) output for social media. Switch aspect ratio before generating clips, since Veo generates in the selected ratio.
Combine methods: Use "Help me create" for the overall structure, then swap individual scenes with custom Veo clips where the stock media doesn't fit.
Generate multiple options: On Pro/Ultra, request 2–3 clip variations per prompt and pick the best one—costs the same but improves output quality significantly.
Keep scenes short: 8-second clips hold attention better than long, static shots. Build rhythm by varying clip length and cutting on motion or beat.
How This Fits Into the Broader Google AI Stack
Google Vids is one piece of a much larger AI investment. The Gemini model family powers the storyboard and text generation inside Vids, while Veo 3.1 handles the video synthesis. Both run on Google's custom TPU 8 infrastructure announced at Cloud Next 2026—which partly explains why Veo 3.1 generation takes under a minute even on free accounts.
The broader pattern here mirrors what Google AI Studio did for Android app creation: lower the barrier to creating a previously expensive, skills-intensive artifact (app, video, music) to the point where anyone with a Google account and a text prompt can do it. Video is just the latest domain.
Conclusion
Generating videos from Google Docs content is no longer a multi-step process that requires video editing software, a camera, or a production budget. Google Vids with Veo 3.1 makes it a text-to-video workflow that lives entirely inside your existing Google Workspace environment.
The free tier—10 Veo 3.1 clips per month for any Google account—is genuinely useful for occasional video needs. Teams with heavier workloads will find the Pro or Ultra tiers worthwhile for the higher generation limits, AI avatars, and Lyria music.
The best place to start is with a Google Doc you already have. Open Google Vids, click "Help me create," attach your document with "@", write a one-sentence prompt, and see what Gemini builds in the next 60 seconds. The storyboard it produces in one pass will likely save you hours of production work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you generate videos directly inside Google Docs?
Google Docs itself does not generate videos, but Google Vids—a dedicated app in the Google Workspace suite that integrates tightly with Docs, Slides, and Drive—does. You can reference any Google Doc in a Vids prompt by typing "@" and selecting the file, and Gemini AI uses that content to build a full video storyboard automatically.
Is Google Vids free?
As of April 2026, anyone with a free Google account can generate up to 10 Veo 3.1 video clips per month at no cost inside Google Vids. Full Google Vids editing (without AI clip generation) is also free. Paid tiers—Google AI Pro and Google AI Ultra ($249.99/month)—unlock hundreds to 1,000 clips per month, watermark-free output, Lyria 3 music generation, and advanced AI avatars.
What is Veo 3.1 in Google Vids?
Veo 3.1 is Google DeepMind's third-generation video generation model, integrated directly into Google Vids. It generates 8-second, 720p video clips from a text prompt or reference image in minutes. The April 2026 update made Veo 3.1 available to all Google account holders at no cost, replacing the previous Workspace-only restriction.
How long can videos be in Google Vids?
There is no hard cap on total video length—you can chain as many scenes as you need. Each scene can hold up to one AI-generated clip (8 seconds via Veo 3.1). A single video project supports up to 50 video objects and 50 audio objects. Published videos can be shared via Drive link or exported directly to YouTube.
Can I use my own Google Docs content to generate a video?
Yes. In Google Vids, open "Help me create," type your prompt, then type "@" to pull in a specific Google Doc, Sheet, or Slide. Gemini reads the document and uses it to generate a matching script, scene outline, stock media, and voiceover. This is the fastest way to turn a written report, proposal, or training document into a shareable video.
What are AI avatars in Google Vids?
AI avatars are AI-generated human presenters that read your script aloud inside a video scene. As of mid-2026, basic avatars are free for US-based Google accounts; Pro/Ultra subscribers get Veo 3.1-powered avatars that can be placed in custom scenes and physically interact with uploaded objects. Avatars save you from recording on camera while still creating a professional, presenter-led video.
Does Google Vids support background music?
Yes. Google Vids includes a stock music library. Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers can also generate original background tracks using Lyria 3 (approximately 30-second clips) or Lyria 3 Pro (up to 3 minutes, with full verse-chorus-bridge structure). Music is added to the timeline like any other audio object and adjusts automatically to scene length.
