To use Veo 3.1, open a Veo app, write a prompt that describes the shot, the camera and any dialogue, pick a format and resolution, and click generate. You get a 4 to 8 second clip with sound, which you can download, regenerate or extend into a longer scene.
That is the short version. This guide walks through every step in Veo Studio, including the features that separate a lucky clip from a repeatable workflow: reference images, first and last frames, audio direction and scene extension. Everything here applies to Veo 3 as well; Veo 3.1 just gives you more controls.
New to Veo? Start with what Veo is and come back.
Quick start
- Sign up free at useveo.ai (no card needed).
- Type a prompt: subject, action, setting, camera, sound.
- Choose 16:9 or 9:16, a model and a resolution.
- Click Generate and review the clip.
- Download it, tweak the prompt and regenerate, or extend the scene.
How to access Veo 3 and Veo 3.1
There is no single "Veo app" from Google. You can access Veo in four main ways, and the right one depends on what you are making.
- Veo Studio (useveo.ai). A browser app with one prompt box, every Veo model and a free plan. Best if you want to start in under a minute and pay only for what you make.
- Gemini app. Ask Gemini to make a video. Simple, but with fewer controls and daily limits tied to your Google AI plan.
- Google Flow. Google's filmmaking tool, with scenes and a timeline. Powerful, but credit-based and built for longer projects.
- Gemini API, AI Studio or Vertex AI. For developers who want to call Veo from code and pay per second of video.
No invite code or waitlist is needed for any of them. The steps below use Veo Studio, but the prompting advice works everywhere.
How to use Veo 3.1: step by step
Here is the full workflow for your first video, from sign-up to download.
Step 1: Create a free account
Go to useveo.ai and sign up. The free plan gives you 160 credits a month, enough for up to 2 videos at 720p, with no card required. Veo 3.1 is selected by default.
Step 2: Choose Video mode
The prompt box can make videos or still images. Make sure Video is selected. Images are useful later as reference frames.
Step 3: Write your prompt
Describe the shot the way you would brief a camera crew. A good Veo prompt answers five questions: who or what, doing what, where, how it is filmed and what it sounds like.
Example:
Slow dolly-in on an elderly fisherman mending a net on a wooden pier at dawn. Mist over the water, warm golden light, 35mm film look. He looks up and says, "The sea always gives back what it takes." Gulls cry in the distance, waves lap against the posts.Plain language works. You do not need special syntax, but you do need specifics. Our Veo 3 prompt guide has 40+ prompts to copy.
Step 4: Set the format
Pick 16:9 for YouTube, websites and ads, or 9:16 for TikTok, Reels and Shorts. Then choose a model, resolution and duration (details in the settings section below). For a first test, Veo 3.1 Lite or Fast at 720p is the cheapest way to check your idea.
Step 5: Generate
Click Generate. Veo renders the picture and the audio together, so there is no separate sound step. Generation usually takes a few minutes, longer at 4K.
Step 6: Review, iterate and export
Watch the clip with sound on. If it is close, change one thing in the prompt at a time and regenerate; changing everything at once makes it hard to learn what worked. When you have a keeper, download it from your media gallery or extend it into a longer scene.
The four ways to create with Veo
Veo 3.1 accepts more than text. Picking the right input is the biggest lever you have over the result.
| Mode | You provide | Use it when |
|---|---|---|
| Text to video | A prompt | You are exploring ideas or need generic footage |
| Image to video | One image + a prompt | You have a product shot, artwork or still to bring to life |
| Reference images | Up to 3 images + a prompt | A character, product or style must stay consistent |
| First and last frame | A start image + an end image + a prompt | You need a precise transition, transformation or reveal |
How to use image to video
Upload your image and describe only what should move and what should be heard. The image already defines the look, so do not re-describe it. For example: "The camera slowly orbits the sneaker as it rotates on its stand, soft studio light, a low electronic beat."
How to use reference images
Click + References, add up to three images, then mention each one in your prompt with @:
@[image1] and @[image2] argue about a missing piece of cake in a sunlit kitchen, handheld camera. She says, "I know it was you."Use clean, well-lit references: one subject per image, plain background, face or product clearly visible. Veo copies what it sees, including bad lighting.
How to use first and last frame
Switch to First → last frame, upload the opening and closing images, and describe the motion between them, such as "a smooth 180-degree arc around the singer, ending on the crowd behind her". The more the two frames share (same subject, same light), the cleaner the transition.
Veo settings explained
Draft cheap, finish expensive. Test ideas on a fast model at 720p, then re-run the winner on Veo 3.1 at 1080p or 4K.
| Setting | Options | How to choose |
|---|---|---|
| Model | Veo 3.1, Veo 3.1 Fast, Veo 3.1 Lite, Veo 3, Veo 3 Fast | 3.1 for final quality, Fast for most work, Lite for bulk drafts |
| Aspect ratio | 16:9, 9:16 | Match the platform: 9:16 for TikTok, Reels and Shorts |
| Resolution | 720p, 1080p, 4K | 720p to test, 1080p for social, 4K for ads, TV and cropping room |
| Duration | 4, 6 or 8 seconds | 8 seconds for dialogue; 4 to 6 seconds for B-roll and cutaways |
Two things to know:
- Resolution and model affect credit cost. Higher resolution and the full Veo 3.1 model use more credits per clip. The free plan is limited to 720p.
- Dialogue needs time. A line of 8 to 12 words fits comfortably in an 8-second clip. Longer speeches get rushed or cut off.
How to add sound and dialogue in Veo
Veo generates audio automatically, but it only generates the audio you ask for well. Direct the sound in three layers.
- Dialogue. Put exact words in quotation marks and say who speaks and how:
The barista leans in and whispers, "We're out of oat milk."Veo lip-syncs the line to the speaker. - Sound effects. Name specific sounds tied to on-screen action:
SFX: a coffee grinder whirs, a cup clinks on the saucer. - Ambience and music. Set the background:
Ambient: quiet café chatter, rain against the window. Soft jazz piano.
Tips that save regenerations:
- Keep one or two speakers per clip and name them clearly ("the man in the red jacket says…").
- If you hear unwanted subtitles or captions burned into the video, add "no subtitles, no on-screen text" to the prompt.
- Want silence? Say so: "no music, only natural room tone".
- For accents and tone, describe them plainly: "in a calm, low British voice" or "excited and out of breath".
How to make Veo videos longer than 8 seconds
Use scene extension. Veo continues a finished clip from its last second, keeping the same world, characters and sound, so the join is seamless rather than a cut.
- Generate a clip you like with a Veo 3.1 model.
- Choose Extend on that clip.
- Write a prompt for what happens next only, for example: "The fisherman stands, coils the net over his shoulder and walks toward the village as the sun breaks through."
- Generate. Each step adds 7 seconds.
- Repeat until the scene is done, up to about 148 seconds in Veo Studio.
For multi-scene videos, such as an ad with several locations, generate separate clips instead and cut them together in any editor. Reuse the same reference images in every clip so your character or product looks the same throughout.
How to use Veo 3 for free
The simplest free route is the Veo Studio free plan: 160 credits every month, enough for up to 2 videos at 720p, with no card and no watermark added. It is enough to see what Veo can do before you pay. Start with Veo 3 free.
To stretch free credits:
- Write and refine your prompt before you generate, not after.
- Use 4 or 6 second clips to test motion, and save 8 seconds for the final.
- Get the shot right at 720p before paying for a higher resolution.
When you need more, plans run from $14 a month (up to 50 videos) to $99 a month (up to 392 videos), all with a commercial licence. If you create in bursts, one-time credit packs never expire. Compare them on the pricing page.
Google also includes limited Veo access in some Google AI plans and trials. Those offers change often, so check Google's current terms if you go that route.
Common Veo problems and how to fix them
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Video ignores part of the prompt | Too many ideas in one clip | One subject, one action, one camera move per clip |
| Character looks different between clips | No anchor image | Use the same reference image in every generation |
| Garbled text or logos | Veo struggles with lettering | Leave text out of the prompt; add it in an editor |
| Dialogue cut off or rushed | Line too long for the clip | Keep speech to 8 to 12 words per 8 seconds |
| Captions burned into the video | The model guessed you wanted subtitles | Add "no subtitles, no on-screen text" |
| Prompt refused | Safety filters (violence, explicit content, some real people) | Rephrase, remove real names, describe a fictional person |
| Camera wanders or shakes | Camera not specified | Name the move: "locked-off tripod shot" or "slow dolly-in" |
Five habits of people who get good results
- Direct, don't describe. Say where the camera is and how it moves.
- Be specific about light. "Golden hour backlight" beats "nice lighting".
- Change one variable at a time between generations.
- Write the sound. Silence in the prompt gives you generic audio.
- Save prompts that work and reuse them as templates. Start with the templates in our prompt guide.
FAQ: using Veo
How do I access Veo 3.1?
Create a free account at useveo.ai and Veo 3.1 is the default model in the prompt box. There is no waitlist and nothing to install. You can also reach Veo through Google's Gemini app, Flow, AI Studio or Vertex AI.
Can I use Veo 3 for free?
Yes, with limits. Veo Studio's free plan includes up to 2 videos a month at 720p without a card.
Do I need to download anything?
No. Veo Studio runs in the browser on desktop and mobile.
How long does Veo take to make a video?
Usually a few minutes per clip. Fast and Lite models are quicker; 4K takes longest.
Can I use my own photos with Veo?
Yes. Upload an image to animate it, add up to three reference images to keep a person or product consistent, or set first and last frames. Only upload images you have the rights to use.
How do I make Veo videos longer?
Use scene extension: each extension adds 7 seconds, up to about 148 seconds of continuous video in Veo Studio. For multi-scene videos, generate clips separately and edit them together.
Can I use Veo on my phone?
Yes. Veo Studio works in mobile browsers, and 9:16 output is made for phone screens.
Make your first Veo video
You now know the whole workflow: prompt, references, settings, sound and extension. The fastest way to get good is to generate, compare and adjust. Open Veo Studio and start with one of the prompts from our Veo 3 prompt guide.
