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Adobe Captivate 2025: Interactive Videos

In this Adobe Captivate 2025 (version 12.6) tutorial, you’ll learn how to create an interactive video that displays knowledge check questions as overlays—going far beyond a traditional play-and-pause video.

You’ll see how to add and configure knowledge checks, insert bookmarks at key points in the video, and trigger actions that display those questions as overlays when a bookmark is reached. You'll also learn how to use an action to resume the video timeline after the learner interacts.

This technique helps keep learners engaged while reinforcing key concepts without disrupting the flow of the video.

If you need help with Adobe Captivate, I offer public vILT classes and one-on-one mentoring.

Also, check out my Adobe Captivate 2025 course on Udemy.

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Adobe Captivate Classic: Add AI Audio (Text-to-Speech) to a Shape

Adding audio to a Captivate Classic slide is easy: choose "Audio, Record to" or "Import to." Adding text-to-speech to a slide object is a bit more complicated.

  1. Choose Audio > Speech Management.
  2. Click the plus sign to create a note area.
  3. Type a script.
  4. Pick your voiceover "talent."
  5. Click Generate Audio and then click Close. (This will add the audio to the slide, which you will delete during that last step below.)
  6. On the slide, select a shape.
  7. On the Library, drag the new audio onto the shape.
  8. Choose Audio > Speech Management and remove the audio from the slide background.

Here's a video that will walk you through the process.

Looking for help with Adobe Captivate or Adobe Captivate Classic? I've got you covered with live training, recorded training, and one-on-one or group mentoring. https://www.iconlogic.com/instructor-led-training/software-title/captivate.html

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TechSmith Camtasia 2025: Two Updates Add Features and Fix Bugs

TechSmith has released two updates to Camtasia in the past week. All updates are available on the Home screen, appearing automatically after the program starts.

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2025.1.1, released May 1, 2025, fixes a startup crash that could occur when using a graphics processor that does not support Direct3D Feature Level 12_0.

2025.1.0, released April 29, 2025, adds new features and enhances others.

New Features

  • Added Onboarding Tooltips that will appear on hover for specific controls to help guide your Camtasia experience. This setting must be toggled on.
  • Added new Cursor Effects: Cursor Isolation, Gradient, Lens, and Negative.
  • Added new Click Effects: Burst 1, Burst 2, Burst 3, Burst 4, and Zoom.
  • New visual effects were added: CRT Monitor, Static Noise, and Torn Edge.

Feature Updates

  • Added Angle property to Slide Right and Gradient Wipe transitions.
  • Updated the placeholder look and text.
  • The Camtasia free trial no longer has a time constraint: users can explore editing and features at their own pace, with watermarked exports.
  • Smart Focus can now create animations for recordings with dimensions smaller than the canvas dimensions.
  • Modifications were also made to Smart Focus's ability to add zoom and pan animations.
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Captivate 12.6 Update Highlights – Big Fixes, Smoother Projects!

Adobe has just released Captivate 12.6. While this update is primarily focused on bug fixes, several of them directly address issues that have impacted many developers. This release is worth your attention if you’ve been running into quirks or crashes.

Here’s a look at what’s been fixed (starting with one I think many of you will appreciate):

✅ Intel GPU Compatibility

Captivate 12.6 resolves a known issue where the program would crash when attempting to insert a video on systems using Intel graphics processors. This is a big win for stability, especially if you’re working with video-heavy projects.

✅ SVG Rendering

Problems with SVG images not displaying correctly are now history. Your vector graphics should now render cleanly and consistently.

✅ Animation Delays

Animations now behave as expected, with improved timing and smoother transitions throughout your projects.

✅ SCORM Title Consistency

SCORM package titles now remain consistent across platforms, eliminating mismatches between your published output and what your LMS displays.

✅ Hyperlink Editing

Editing hyperlinks inside your projects is a smoother process with fewer bugs and unexpected behavior.

✅ Google Fonts Formatting

Formatting issues when using Google Fonts have been corrected—your text will now appear as designed.

✅ Drag-and-Drop Scaling

Scaling glitches in drag-and-drop interactions have been fixed, making your interactions more reliable and visually aligned.

If you've been waiting for fixes to these issues, Captivate 12.6 is a must-install. As always, I recommend backing up your projects before updating—just in case.

Have you installed the update yet? Let me know in the comments how it’s working for you!

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Adobe Captivate Training Now Available on Udemy

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Whether you’re an instructional designer, corporate trainer, or eLearning developer, this step-by-step video Udemy course will teach you to quickly create professional, interactive Captivate projects, regardless of your experience level.

Gain the skills to confidently design and develop courses that engage learners and deliver results.

Learn Captivate from one of the most experienced Captivate developers in the world, a certified master trainer, an expert in adult learning theory, and a developer with decades of experience in eLearning and instructional design.

You'll benefit from an expert's perspective and hands-on guidance.

Course highlights:

  • Build fully responsive courses that look great on any device, ensuring an optimal learning experience across all screen sizes

  • Create software simulations for hands-on training so learners can practice in real-world scenarios

  • Use interactive elements like buttons, quizzes, widgets, and triggers to keep learners engaged and actively participating

  • Add audio, video, and images, including recording and editing your voice, adding AI audio, adding video blocks, and image blocks

  • Ensure accessibility with best practices for inclusive learning so every learner can benefit from your content

No coding, no headaches—just a practical, easy-to-follow approach that gets results. You'll walk away with the confidence and tools to create high-quality Adobe Captivate eLearning courses.

Learn more about this Udemy course.

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QuarkXPress Training Now Available on Udemy

Whether you're a beginner or an experienced user looking to refine your skills, this course is designed to take you to the next level. You'll discover how to streamline your workflow, ensure design consistency, and troubleshoot common issues with confidence. With hands-on exercises and real-world applications, you'll gain the expertise needed to produce high-quality layouts for print and digital media.

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Throughout the course, you'll master essential QuarkXPress features, including creating new projects, working with master pages, managing text flow, formatting paragraphs, using style sheets, importing and editing images, and applying advanced typography techniques like tracking, kerning, and drop caps. You'll also dive into tables, color management, item styles, and best practices for exporting PDFs and preparing files for print.

Click here to get started.

 

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TechSmith and Subscriptions

I'm seeing plenty of chatter about TechSmith's recent subscription model and how it relates to perpetual licenses (if you have Camtasia 2024 installed) and access to subscription software should the subscription lapse. Here's what TechSmith says about this issue on their FAQ page:

"A perpetual license allows you to use the software version for as long as the device's operating system remains compatible with the software after a one-time purchase but only includes updates and support for a limited time.

"A subscription license, on the other hand, provides access to the software for a specific period. With a subscription license, you pay a recurring fee to continue using the software and receive all new versions, updates, and support. If you stop paying the subscription fee, you lose access to the software. All 2025 and later versions will be subscription licenses.

"This transition does not mean Camtasia and Snagit will become cloud-based software. Both products will remain desktop clients and can be downloaded the same as before.  We do not require sign-in (login) to access our software. The subscription model provides a more continuous delivery of updates and new features. However, this transition does enable us to offer optional AI and cloud-based workflows, which complement your use of Camtasia and Snagit." 

"While internet access is not required continuously, it is necessary for initial activation and then once every 90 days to maintain product functionality.

"Customers will always have access to previously purchased perpetual versions, with continued support per our support policy."

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Adobe Captivate: Auto-Advance Slides

In older versions of Adobe Captivate, slides automatically advanced from one to the next. If you wanted a slide to pause for learner engagement, you had to add an interactive component, such as a button or click box. This version of Captivate is as different from Captivate Classic as night is from day.

To make a Captivate 12 slide auto-advance, add a bookmark to the Timeline and set its action to go to the next slide.

This short video demonstrates the process.

If you need Adobe Captivate training, mentoring, or development support, we can help.

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TechSmith Camtasia: Two Transitions to Timeline Media?

I received the following email from a student who attended my TechSmith Camtasia Certificate training program: Is it possible to apply two different transitions at the start and end of the same track?

Great question! Camtasia does not allow multiple transitions to be applied to a single object simultaneously. Each object on the timeline can have only one transition applied to its start and one to its end.

If you try to apply a second transition to the same part of an object, the new transition will replace the existing one.

To create the appearance of multiple transitions on the same object, you can use a workaround:

  1. Split the Object: Use the Split tool (S) to divide the object into smaller segments.
  2. Apply Different Transitions: Add a different transition to each segment to create a multi-transition effect.