Zoom & Pan¶
The zoom system is what makes FollowCursor recordings feel cinematic — it creates smooth camera movements that glide between the areas of your screen your audience needs to see.
How Zoom Works¶
You add zoom segments to your timeline. Each segment tells the camera to zoom in on a specific area for a period of time, then zoom back out. Transitions use a smooth ease-out curve so the camera never snaps or jolts.
Auto-Generate Zoom Keyframes¶
FollowCursor can analyze your recorded activity and automatically suggest where to zoom.
- In the Editor Panel (right sidebar), find the SMART ZOOM section
- Pick a sensitivity level:
| Sensitivity | What it generates |
|---|---|
| Low | Up to 3 zoom areas, with a 6-second gap between them |
| Medium | Up to 6 zoom areas, 4-second gap |
| High | Up to 10 zoom areas, 2.5-second gap |
- Click Auto-generate zoom keyframes
The analyzer looks for two kinds of activity in your recording:
- Activity bursts — when your mouse was still during a dense patch of interaction, the camera zooms into that area
- Click clusters — one or more clicks in a short window; clicks are the strongest signal and always generate a zoom
When related activity happens in the same area, it's merged into a single sustained zoom. When clusters happen close together in different spots, the camera stays zoomed and pans smoothly between them rather than zooming out and back in.
Already have zoom keyframes?
If you run auto-generate when there are existing zoom segments, you'll be asked whether to replace them or cancel.
AI Smart Zoom¶
For even smarter results, you can have an AI model analyze your recording and generate zoom suggestions like a professional cameraman would.
See AI Features for setup instructions. Once configured:
- In the SMART ZOOM section, click AI Auto-generate zoom
- The AI reviews the rhythm and flow of your activity
- Zoom keyframes are applied automatically — up to 50 sections
Adding Zoom Manually¶
You have full control to add zoom keyframes anywhere:
- Right-click the preview — adds a zoom centered on where you clicked at the current playback position
- Right-click the timeline (empty space) — adds a zoom section at that point in time
- Press Z — inserts a keyframe at the playhead, centered on where your cursor was during recording
- Editor Panel → Add Zoom — adds at the current playback position
Editing Zoom Segments¶
Zoom segments appear as colored blocks on the timeline. You can adjust them freely:
| Action | How |
|---|---|
| Select a segment | Left-click it |
| Delete a segment | Select it, then press Delete |
| Resize the duration | Drag either edge of the segment |
| Move it in time | Drag the segment body left or right |
| Change zoom level or center | Right-click the segment |
Zoom Depth Levels¶
Right-click a segment and choose how far in the camera zooms:
| Depth | Zoom Level | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Subtle | 1.25× | Gentle emphasis — large UI panels or wide areas |
| Medium | 1.5× | A good default for most content |
| Close | 2.0× | Focused detail — small UI elements, buttons, fields |
| Detail | 2.5× | Maximum zoom — fine text, small icons, or code |
Setting the Camera Focus Point (Centroid)¶
Each zoom segment has a centroid — the point the camera centers on. To change it:
- Right-click the zoom segment on the timeline
- Choose Set centroid
- The preview switches to crosshair mode
- Click the spot on the video where you want the camera to focus
Pan Path Points¶
When a zoom segment is long, you can guide the camera to different parts of the screen while it stays zoomed in — without ever zooming out.
To add a pan point:
- Make sure the playhead is inside a zoom segment so the preview is zoomed in
- Right-click on the preview
- Choose Add pan point here
A numbered yellow marker appears on the timeline. Pan points are numbered sequentially so you can see the order the camera will follow.
Editing pan points:
| Action | How |
|---|---|
| Move it in time | Drag the marker horizontally |
| Change the camera target | Right-click → Pick center on preview |
| Reorder it | Right-click → Move earlier or Move later |
| Remove it | Right-click → Delete pan point |
The camera smoothly interpolates between pan points using ease-in-out transitions.
Zoom Timeline Visual¶
The timeline shows zoom segments as gradient-colored blocks. Pan point markers appear as numbered yellow circles. This gives you a clear picture of where the camera is active and what path it takes through your recording.