How long should a training video be?
Updated 28 October 2026
What the research says
Guo, Kim and Rubin's 2014 study of 6.9 million viewing sessions on edX, the online course platform, is by its authors' account the largest study of video engagement to date. Video length was the strongest signal they found:
Median engagement time is at most 6 minutes, regardless of total video length. [...] Students often make it less than halfway through videos longer than 9 minutes.Guo, Kim and Rubin, How Video Production Affects Student Engagement, L@S 2014
Their recommendation was to cut videos into chunks shorter than six minutes. The videos were university course videos, not workplace training, so read it as a direction rather than a rule: shorter holds attention better.
A length for each kind of video
| Kind of video | Length | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A single scenario (one scene, one behaviour) | 45 seconds to 2 minutes | one choice and its cost |
| A phishing or security refresher | 60 to 90 seconds | one trick, one habit |
| An onboarding welcome | 2 to 4 minutes | where, who, the first week |
| A procedure walkthrough | 3 to 6 minutes | the steps, in order |
| A policy overview | split it | one short video per rule people get wrong |
These are our working lengths, not a standard. The rule under them is the same: one behaviour per video.
How many words fit
| Length | Words of narration and dialogue |
|---|---|
| 45 seconds | about 100 |
| 1 minute | about 130 to 150 |
| 2 minutes | about 260 to 300 |
| 5 minutes | about 650 to 750 |
Count the script before you make anything. If it is long, cut a scene, not the pauses: a second of silence on a face does more than a sentence. How to write the script.
Microlearning
Microlearning is the name for training in short pieces, each with one objective, often a few minutes or less. Short animated scenarios are a natural fit: one situation, one behaviour, made in the same cast as the rest of the series so staff recognise the people.
Common questions
How long should a training video be?
Under six minutes for most topics, and one to two minutes for a single scenario. One behaviour per video.
Is a 10-minute training video too long?
Usually. Split it into three or four short videos, each with one behaviour, and people are more likely to watch them to the end.
How long should a microlearning video be?
Often one to three minutes, with one objective each.
How many words is a one-minute training video?
About 130 to 150 words of narration and dialogue.
Want your next training video made this way? Get started with our team.
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