
Do you struggle to turn your creative ideas into high-quality videos?
Traditional video production is incredibly expensive and slow.
You often need complex software, costly cameras, and days of editing.
Your great ideas shouldn’t stay stuck in your head. Runway AI solves this problem completely.
It allows anyone to generate stunning videos from simple text or images in seconds.
You don’t need a film crew or a degree in animation.
This guide shows you exactly how to use Runway AI to create professional videos effortlessly in 2026.

Runway AI is the tool behind countless viral videos and award-winning films. Experience the power of the future today and elevate your video creations to new heights.
Runway AI Tutorial
Learning how to use this tool is very simple.
We will look at the main features right now. You do not need any special skills to start.
Follow these clear steps to build your first video today.
How to Use Runway AI Video Generator
Generating high-quality video clips has never been easier than it is today.
This powerful video tool helps you turn ideas into reality within minutes.
You can start by making a free account on the official website.
This allows you to test the features without paying anything upfront. The system uses advanced models like Gen-3 Alpha to create smooth motion.
It can generate videos based on your specific text descriptions or pictures.
Follow the steps below to make your first cinematic scene.
Step 1: Start Your Project
- Log in to your dashboard and look for the Gen-3 Alpha section.
- Choose between Text to Video or Image to Video modes.
- If you have a photo, click the image icon to upload it.
- This image will serve as the first frame for your new creation.
Step 2: Write Your Instructions
- Enter a clear description in the prompt box provided on the screen.
- Tell the AI exactly what should happen in your video clips.
- Include details about lighting and how the camera should move.
- You can use the Prompt Enhancer to make your ideas even better.

Step 3: Generate and Review
- Pick the length of your clip, such as five or ten seconds.
- Tap the “Generate” button to let the AI start its work.
- Watch your new video clip once the processing is finished.
- If you need changes, you can start editing videos by using the “Actions” menu.
How to Use the Magic Tools
Runway offers many AI tools that feel like real magic.
These features use artificial intelligence to fix your videos in seconds.
You can remove objects or change the style of a source video without being an expert.
Most people love these because they are faster than old editing software.
Make sure you have enough credits in your account before you begin the generation process.
Step 1: Find the Right Tool
- Go to the dashboard and look for the Magic Tools section.
- You will see options like Gen 2, Gen-3, and other advanced versions.
- Pick a tool like “Inpainting” if you want to erase something from a clip.
- You can also choose image-to-video tools to animate a still image.
Step 2: Use Your Prompts
- Upload your file and use the brush to highlight what you want to change.
- Type a short text prompt to tell the AI what to do next.
- For example, use text prompts like “remove the car” or “add a sunset.”
- If you are starting from scratch, use the text-to-video tool for a new scene.

Step 3: Adjust the View
- Look at the camera controls to change how the scene looks.
- You can adjust the motion or look at other settings for better quality.
- Many of these tools work similarly to stable diffusion for great detail.
- When you are ready, simply click the generate button to finish.
How to Use AI Generative Audio
Adding sound is the best way to make your videos feel real.
The generative audio feature uses smart technology to create voices and music from a simple description.
You do not need a studio to record high-quality sound for your clips.
Many users find this tool very helpful for writing stories or making social media posts.
Just follow this easy process on your computer to start.
Step 1: Access the Audio Tool
- Log in to your Runway account and find the “Generative Audio” tab.
- Look at the resources available in the menu to find tutorials if you get stuck.
- You can upload a video file if you want to match the voice to a character.
- You can also start with an empty project if you only need the sound file.
Step 2: Set the Sound Style
- Type a short prompt in the box to describe the voice you want.
- For example, you can ask for a “happy narrator” or a “deep robot voice.”
- Check the settings to pick the right language and tone for your work.
- Choose a style that fits the mood of your video inspiration.

Step 3: Generate and Save
- Click the button to let the AI build the audio based on your writing.
- Preview the sound to make sure it matches the motion of your scene.
- If you have a picture of a person, use the Lip Sync tool to make them speak.
- Once you are happy, click download to save the file to your device.
Runway AI Alternatives
Here are some Runway alternatives, with a brief description of each:
- Pika: Specializes in rapidly generating high-quality videos from text prompts and images, with a focus on creative control and efficiency.
- Sora: OpenAI’s highly anticipated model can generate realistic and imaginative video scenes from simple text instructions or by extending existing clips.
- Luma: Focuses on transforming still images into dynamic, high-quality videos using AI-powered animation and cinematic effects, alongside text-to-video capabilities.
- Kling: An AI creative studio for video and image generation and editing, supporting text-to-video and image-to-video creation with high-resolution output.
- Assistive: A platform that turns ideas into videos by processing text content or animating uploaded photos, currently in alpha testing.
- BasedLabs: An AI studio for creating professional video content from text prompts and images, offering cinematic quality and a streamlined workflow.
- Pixverse: An AI-powered video creation suite that converts photos, text, and videos into engaging content quickly, with various creative modes and effects.
- InVideo: A versatile online video editor that includes AI video generation to convert articles, scripts, or prompts into videos, alongside extensive editing features.
- Veed: A complete AI production studio featuring text-to-video generation, AI avatars, automatic subtitles, and various editing tools for quick video creation.
- Canva: Primarily a graphic design platform with robust video editing capabilities, allowing users to add text, images, animations, and music to their videos.
- Fliki: An AI-powered tool that transforms text into videos with lifelike AI voices, offering features like blog-to-video conversion, AI avatars, and script-to-video generation.
- Vizard: Focuses on simplifying video production by extracting short, engaging clips from long-form videos using AI, and offering tools for social media optimization.
Runway Compared
Here is a comparison of Runway with various alternatives, briefly expanding on their differences:
- Runway vs Pika: Runway offers a more comprehensive suite of AI magic tools for diverse video creation, while Pika Labs excels in rapid video generation from text and images, often with a focus on ease of use.
- Runway vs Sora: Runway provides an interactive experience with dynamic editing features and a broader range of models. In contrast, Sora, from OpenAI, focuses on generating highly realistic, detailed video content from text prompts with remarkable fidelity.
- Runway vs Luma: Runway emphasizes a broad array of generative AI video tools and effects. Luma AI stands out for its ability to transform still images into dynamic, lifelike visuals, including sophisticated camera movements.
- Runway vs Kling: Runway offers extensive AI video tools for various creative tasks, while Kling specializes in producing cinematic, high-quality video with advanced motion control and enhanced prompt adherence.
- Runway vs Assistive: Runway is a powerful visual AI platform for generating and editing images, videos, and 3D models. Assistive AI, conversely, is primarily focused on text-based AI, aiding in writing, content generation, and language support.
- Runway vs BasedLabs: Runway provides a direct platform with its own generative AI models. BasedLabs, in contrast, functions as an AI studio that aggregates leading AI image-to-video models like Kling, Pika, and Runway, offering a centralized access point for diverse generation options.
- Runway vs Pixverse: Runway offers a wide array of AI tools and capabilities for advanced video creation. Pixverse, on the other hand, emphasizes user experience and streamlined workflows for converting text, images, and videos into engaging content.
- Runway vs InVideo: Runway focuses on cutting-edge AI video generation and advanced editing capabilities, perfect for creative professionals. InVideo is a user-friendly online editor that emphasizes templates and quick video creation, often for marketing purposes.
- Runway vs Veed: Runway provides advanced AI video generation, particularly its text-to-video features, for pushing creative boundaries. Veed offers a more streamlined, accessible platform for everyday video editing, including some AI-powered assistance for tasks like subtitling.
- Runway vs Canva: Runway is a dedicated AI video and creative platform with sophisticated generative capabilities. Canva is a versatile graphic design tool that includes easy-to-use video editing features, appealing to a broader audience for various visual content.
- Runway vs Fliki: Runway provides greater creative flexibility and advanced video editing tools. Fliki specializes in efficiently transforming text into videos with natural-sounding AI voices, making it ideal for repurposing written content.
- Runway vs Vizard: Runway offers a comprehensive AI toolkit for diverse and complex video projects. Vizard focuses on simplifying video production by leveraging AI for scriptwriting and extracting engaging clips from longer videos, primarily for content optimization.
Conclusion
Runway AI is a powerful tool for everyone in the modern world.
You can start for free today to see how it works.
Do not wait to try out your first creative idea. It is amazing what you can make in just a moment.
You have the power to imagine any scene you want.
This software gives you access to professional movie tricks.
The simple layout makes it easy to find every button.
Every single frame of your video will look great.
You should not forget to save the clips you created. Have fun building your own videos!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Runway AI free to use?
Yes, but it’s limited. The “Free Forever” plan gives you 125 one-time credits to test the waters (enough for about 25 image generations or 8 seconds of video). However, you cannot buy more credits on this plan, and all your exports will have watermarks.
How much does Runway AI cost?
Pricing starts at roughly $15/month for the Standard Plan (625 credits/month, no watermarks). Heavy users often switch to the Unlimited Plan (around $95/month) which offers unlimited video generations at a “relaxed” speed once you burn through your high-speed credits.
Is Runway AI safe and legit?
Absolutely. Runway (RunwayML) is a legitimate, industry-standard tool used by professional filmmakers and editors (even used for Everything Everywhere All At Once). It is a serious creative suite, not a scam, though users sometimes complain about how quickly credits are consumed.
What is the difference between Gen-3 and Gen-2 Runway?
Gen-3 Alpha is a massive leap forward. While Gen-2 (released 2023) is solid for stylization, Gen-3 delivers significantly better photorealism, temporal consistency (less flickering), and precise motion control. Gen-3 understands complex physical movements that Gen-2 often struggles with.
Is Runway AI worth it?
For professionals, yes. The “Motion Brush” and high-fidelity output are game-changers for video production. For casual users, the cost might feel steep because generating video burns credits very fast (a 10-second clip can cost heavily), so the free trial is the best way to decide.
How can I use Runway Gen-2?
Sign up at RunwayML.com, go to the dashboard, and select “Gen-2.” You can type a text prompt (e.g., “A cinematic drone shot of Mars”) or upload an image to animate it. Use the “Motion Brush” tool to paint specific areas you want to move.
Is there a Runway AI app?
Yes, but currently only for iOS. The official “RunwayML” app is available on the Apple App Store, allowing you to generate content from your phone. Android users currently have to use the web browser version.
More Facts about Runway AI
- Make Videos from Text: You can type a sentence, and the AI will turn those words into a video in any style you want.
- Use Pictures to Start: You can upload a photo to show the AI what the video should look like. You can also add text to tell it what to do with that photo.
- Change the Style: There is a tool that takes the look of one picture and puts it onto every part of your video.
- Better Results: You can train the AI to recognize specific people or things so the videos look more realistic.
- Wait Times: Some videos take longer to make than others. It depends on how long the video is and how hard the prompt is for the AI to understand.
- See it First: The app lets you see a few still photos as a “sneak peek” before you spend your credits to make the whole video.
- The Dashboard: When you log in, you see a main page. This is where you find all the tools, settings, and lessons on how to use them.
- Watch the Length: There is a limit on how many letters you can type into the prompt box.
- Keep Your Work: All the videos you make are saved on your own private page so you can find them later.
- Save to Your Computer: You can download your finished videos as MP4 files, which work on almost any phone or computer.
- Credits Cost Money: Free accounts only get a small number of credits. Once you use them up, you have to wait or pay for more.
- Get Ideas: You can browse a gallery of videos made by others to see the prompts they used for inspiration.
- Details Matter: The more details you give the AI, the better the video will look.
- Video Length: Most videos start at 5 or 10 seconds long. In newer versions like Gen-3, you can make them up to 10 seconds or extend them even more.
- Change the Shape: You can pick if your video is a square, a wide rectangle for TV, or a tall rectangle for phones.
- Control the Camera: A tool called “Director Mode” lets you tell the camera to zoom in, tilt up, or move side-to-side.
- Magic Brush: You can use a “Motion Brush” to paint over one part of a picture to tell the AI that only that part should move.
- Talking Characters: The AI can animate a character’s mouth to match a voice recording as they speak.
- Model Types: Runway has different versions. Gen-3 Alpha is the newest and looks the most real, while Gen-2 is also popular.
- Fact Check on Gen-4: There is no “Gen-4” model yet. The current top-tier models are Gen-3 Alpha and Gen-3 Alpha Turbo.
- Plans and Costs: The Standard plan gives you more credits and removes the blurry watermark from your videos. The Unlimited plan lets you make as many videos as you want in a special “Explore” mode.
- Keep Characters the Same: There are tools to ensure a character looks the same even when they appear in different videos or scenes.
- Everything in the Browser: You don’t need to download a big program. Everything happens on the internet in your web browser.













