# Show viewers how far along they are

> In Tella, ask the Tella Agent to add a Tella Motion progress bar overlay to a clip, for example a thin bar along the bottom that fills over the clip in your brand color. Tella Motion builds it from shapes, animates it with keyframes and easing, and times it to what you say.

Page: https://www.tella.com/motion/animated-progress-bar · Part of Tella Motion (https://www.tella.com/help/editing/tella-motion)

## How do I add an animated progress bar so viewers see how far along they are?

In Tella, ask the [Tella Agent](https://www.tella.com/agent) to add a [Tella Motion](https://www.tella.com/help/editing/tella-motion) progress bar overlay to a clip, for example a thin bar along the bottom that fills over the clip in your brand color. Tella Motion builds it from shapes, animates it with keyframes and easing, and times it to what you say.

## Prompt to start from

```text
Add a Tella Motion overlay: a 6 pixel bar along the bottom that fills left to right over the clip with linear easing. Light gray track at 50% opacity, blue #2563EB fill, rounded corners, and a white 'Lesson progress' label above it.
```

## More prompts

### Online course

```text
For my watercolor course, add a Tella Motion overlay at the top: five rounded segments, the first two sage green, the third filling as the lesson plays. Above it, fade in 'Lesson 3 of 5' over the first second.
```

### HR onboarding

```text
For our onboarding module, add a Tella Motion overlay: a navy bar in the bottom left, 30% of the frame wide, filling over the clip. Show 'Welcome', 'Benefits' and 'Tools' underneath, each turning white when I start that topic.
```

## How to do it in Tella

1. Open your video in the Tella editor and select a clip.
2. Describe the bar to the Tella Agent: position, colors, fill time, easing and labels.
3. Move, trim or split the overlay card to set when the bar shows.

## Good to know

- Available to everyone: through the Tella Agent on a paid plan or the 7-day trial, or through Claude or ChatGPT on any plan.
- Overlays belong to one clip, so a bar spanning a multi-clip video needs an overlay on each clip.
- For a chapter card, use [Add clip → New Tella Motion clip](https://www.tella.com/help/editing/tella-motion#add-a-tella-motion-clip). It adds a blank 10-second clip at the end.
- A Tella Motion clip has no transcript, layouts or cuts, but you can add overlays on top.

## Questions people ask

### Can I add a progress bar in Tella with Claude or ChatGPT?

Yes. Connect [Claude](https://claude.ai/directory/tella) or [ChatGPT](https://chatgpt.com/plugins/plugin_asdk_app_6a7026f78434819186579d93d20ab38b?open_in_app) to Tella's [MCP server](https://www.tella.com/mcp) and ask it to add a Tella Motion overlay to a clip. It can animate the bar and check the result against a frame from the clip.

### Can the progress bar fill in stages?

Yes. Tella Motion overlays are timed to what you say, so you can ask the Tella Agent to fill the bar in stages, for example a new segment each time you start a topic.

### Can I change the progress bar after Tella makes it?

Yes. The bar stays editable, so you can ask the Tella Agent for a new color, thickness, label or speed. To match your brand, attach an image of your style or reference another video in your workspace.

## Related

- [A countdown that plays before your event starts](https://www.tella.com/motion/animated-countdown-timer.md): A pre-show countdown clip in your Tella video.
- [A checklist that ticks off each step as you say it](https://www.tella.com/motion/animated-checklist.md): Check off each step as you talk through it.
- [Film each lesson's screen demo, then add your voice](https://www.tella.com/auto-capture/software-lesson-videos-for-courses.md): One take per lesson, ready for your voiceover.
- [Tella Motion](https://www.tella.com/help/editing/tella-motion)
- [Add motion graphics over your recording](https://www.tella.com/help/editing/tella-motion#add-motion-graphics-over-your-recording)
- [Edit overlays on the shared timeline](https://www.tella.com/help/editing/overlays#edit-overlays-on-the-shared-timeline)
- [Attach files, videos and playlists](https://www.tella.com/help/editing/edit-with-the-tella-agent#attach-files-videos-and-playlists)
- [All of Tella's AI features](https://www.tella.com/ai.md)