StoryFolder Help

Appearance

Import from YouTube or Vimeo ​

You can build a storyboard from any public YouTube or Vimeo video by pasting its URL into StoryFolder.

How do I import from a URL? ​

  1. Open the desktop app and go to the home screen.
  2. Click the URL input at the top that reads “Paste a YouTube or Vimeo link”.
  3. Paste the link.
  4. Press Enter or click the Import button.

StoryFolder will fetch the video, transcode the bits it needs, and start detecting shots.

Which URL formats work? ​

YouTube

  • https://youtube.com/watch?v=…
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=…
  • https://youtu.be/… (short links)
  • https://youtube.com/shorts/… (Shorts)
  • https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=… (mobile)
  • https://youtube.com/embed/…

Vimeo

  • https://vimeo.com/123456789
  • https://vimeo.com/channels/.../123456789
  • https://vimeo.com/groups/.../videos/123456789
  • https://player.vimeo.com/video/123456789

If your URL looks valid but isn't accepted, double-check that the video is public.

Can I import a private or unlisted video? ​

  • YouTube unlisted videos typically work — anyone with the link can access them.
  • YouTube private videos do not work. The link only authorizes specific accounts in your browser session, not StoryFolder.
  • Vimeo password-protected or member-only videos are not supported via URL.

If you have the underlying file, the cleanest workaround is to import it as a file.

What metadata is captured from a URL import? ​

When you import from a URL, StoryFolder pulls:

  • The video title.
  • Duration.
  • A reference thumbnail (used in your project list).
  • The source URL (so you can jump back to it later).

You can rename a project at any time from the home screen.

How do I open the original source again? ​

In the home screen, hover the project tile and click the ⋯ menu. Pick Open on YouTube or Open on Vimeo — your default browser will jump straight to the original video.

Does the original video get uploaded somewhere? ​

No. The video is fetched directly to your local cache. It never travels through StoryFolder's servers.

The only thing the server sees is your notes and storyboard metadata, and only when you choose to publish a share link.

Troubleshooting ​

  • “Could not retrieve video metadata.” The URL is private, taken down, or the video has region restrictions for your IP.
  • The import gets stuck at 0%. Check your internet connection. Cancel and try again.
  • The import works but the shots look wrong. Drag the AI shot detection sensitivity slider to refine.

For deeper fixes, see Troubleshooting imports.

Next step ​

→ Import from a video file