Do I need special equipment to use a teleprompter?

No. A phone with a teleprompter app is enough for most videos. A glass rig only helps when the camera is a separate device.

Should I memorise my script if I use a teleprompter?

Not the whole script, but learning the first and last sentences lets you look straight at the lens when it matters most.

How to use a teleprompter: a step-by-step guide for beginners

Updated October 23, 2026 · Anthony Delmotte

Short answer. Paste a script written for speaking, make the text big, put it just under the camera, set a slow speed or turn on voice follow, rehearse once out loud, then record. Expect to keep the second take.

1. Prepare the script

Short sentences, one idea per paragraph, an empty line between ideas. Read it aloud once and fix anything you trip on. Check its length with the speech time calculator.

2. Choose your setup

Phone or tablet alone: the text runs under the front camera. Simplest, and fine for most videos.
Glass rig (beam splitter): the text reflects on glass in front of the lens, so you look straight through it. The text has to be mirrored. See our DIY teleprompter guide.
Laptop or browser: handy for rehearsing or video calls. Try our free online teleprompter.

3. Set the text

Large enough to read at arm’s length without squinting, with short lines. Light text on a dark background tires the eyes less.

4. Set the speed, or let it follow you

For a fixed scroll, start slow, around 120 words per minute, and speed up. A voice-activated prompter removes this step: it moves when you speak and waits when you pause.

5. Frame and light

Camera at eye level, head and shoulders in frame, a window or soft light in front of you. A framing grid helps keep your eyes on the upper third line.

6. Rehearse, then record

Do one full read-through without recording. Then record two takes and keep the better one. In SmoothCue, if you lose your place, tap the word you’re on and the prompter picks up from there without stopping the take.