Zoom in on guide steps
Push the demo camera in on a guide step's target element so viewers see exactly what you are pointing at, then ease back out when the step ends.
Zoom in on guide steps
Overview
The Zoom effect lets a guide step push the demo camera in on the element it is pointing at. The screen zooms to the target as the step opens, holds while the guide is on screen, then eases back out when the viewer moves on.
It is set per step, so you can zoom the two or three moments that need emphasis and leave the rest of the demo full-screen.
Why this matters: Dense product UI is the enemy of a clear demo. A tooltip can point at a button, but the viewer still has to find it. Zooming removes that work — the thing you are talking about becomes the only thing on screen.
Before You Start
Where to set it: In an individual annotation's ⚙️ settings, not in global guide settings.
Supported guide types: Tooltip and hotspot annotations, including annotations attached to custom elements.
Scope: Per step. Turning zoom on for one step does not affect any other step.
How Zoom Works
On per step, not per demo. Flip the Zoom switch in the annotation's ⚙️ settings. Every other step stays full-screen unless you turn zoom on for it too.
Auto-framed, no fiddling. Walnut picks a zoom level that sits the target comfortably in view. There is no percentage to tune — the camera centers on the element and eases in as the step opens.
Zoom an area, not just an element. Point the annotation at a custom element rectangle to frame a whole region of the screen rather than a single element. This is the way to say "look right here" about an area that has no single selectable element behind it.
Smooth in, smooth out. The guide appears only once the camera has settled, never mid-move. Leaving a zoomed step eases the view back to full screen.
Respects reduced motion. For viewers with a reduced-motion preference set, the zoom snaps into place instead of animating.
Works where you need it. Zoom works on both responsive and fit-scaled screens, and video exports capture it, because the render records the live player.
Quick Start Guide
Open the template in Edit mode and select the guide step you want to emphasize.
Open the annotation's ⚙️ settings.
Switch Zoom on.
Click Done, then Save.
Click Preview and step through the demo to check the framing as a viewer would see it.
Best practice: Zoom the moments that carry the message, not every step. When every step zooms, the effect stops signaling anything — and the constant camera movement gets tiring to watch.
When to Use Zoom
Small targets in dense interfaces — a toggle, a status pill, a single cell in a table.
A specific region of a dashboard — use a custom element rectangle to frame the chart or panel you are narrating.
The payoff moment — the result your demo has been building toward deserves the viewer's full attention.
When not to use it: Steps whose target is already large or already the visual focus of the screen. Zooming those adds motion without adding clarity.
FAQs
Can I set a specific zoom percentage?
No. Walnut frames the target automatically so it sits well in view. If the framing is not what you want, attaching the annotation to a custom element rectangle of the size you want gives you control over the region being framed.
Does zoom apply to the whole demo?
No. Zoom is a per-step setting. Each guide step decides for itself, and steps without it stay full-screen.
Will zoom show up in a video export?
Yes. Video exports record the live player, so the zoom is captured the same way a viewer sees it.
What happens for viewers who have reduced motion enabled?
The view snaps to the zoomed framing rather than animating into it, so the emphasis still lands without the movement.
Related Resources
Summary
Zoom turns a guide step from a pointer into a spotlight. The camera moves in on the target as the step opens, the guide appears once the view settles, and the demo eases back out when the viewer continues.
Because it is set per step, it works best as an accent — used on the few moments that carry your message rather than applied across the whole demo.
Final Takeaway: Telling a viewer where to look is not the same as showing them. Zoom closes that gap on the steps that matter most.