Etsy lets you add one short video to each listing, and at the time of writing (October 2026) it should be 5–15 seconds long. Etsy plays listing videos without sound, so the video has to work visually: show the print in a room, use a slow zoom, and finish on a close-up of the detail.
Why add a video
A video sits in your listing gallery next to your photos and works like an extra image that moves. Movement can catch attention, and a short pan across a room gives a better sense of scale and atmosphere than a still photo. For a digital product the buyer cannot touch, every extra way of showing the art helps.
Check Etsy's current guidance on video length, file formats and size, as these can change.
What to show
- Start in a room: the print in a frame on the wall, with furniture for scale.
- Use a slow zoom or gentle pan towards the artwork. Slow is better; quick movement looks jumpy on a phone.
- End on a close-up so buyers can see texture, brush strokes or line detail.
- Optionally include a set view if the print belongs to a collection.
- Keep the scale honest, matching the sizes you actually sell.
Planning for no sound
Because Etsy plays listing videos without sound, music and voiceover will not be heard. Do not rely on narration to explain anything. If you need words, keep them to a short text overlay, such as “Digital download” or “5 sizes included”, and leave it on screen long enough to read.
How to make one
There are two common approaches:
- Film a real print: print the art, frame it, hang it in good daylight and film a slow move with your phone on a steady surface or small gimbal. Shoot in the highest quality your phone allows.
- Animate a mockup: use a video or slideshow tool to add a slow zoom across a room mockup and then cut to a close-up of the art.
Either way, keep the colours true to the file. Avoid strong filters that change how the art looks.
Technical tips
- Keep it between 5 and 15 seconds; 8–12 seconds is often enough for a zoom and a close-up.
- Use a steady shot. Shaky footage makes the product look less polished.
- Frame the video so the artwork stays visible when cropped for different screens.
- Trim the start so the art appears in the first second or two.
- Watch the final video on your phone before uploading.
Keep it consistent
Using the same style of video across your listings, with similar rooms, timing and frame colours, makes your shop feel cohesive. Once you have a template, making a video for each new listing becomes quick.
Doing it faster
ArtworkPilot creates a product video for each artwork along with room mockups, close-ups, a size guide and print files. A complete listing with video, pins, 5–6 mockups, size guide and close-ups takes about 1.5 hours by hand and at most 10 minutes with ArtworkPilot.