Whether you’re Jeff Bezos, the secretary-general of the United Nations, or just an average Joe looking to start a YouTube channel, you can use the help of a teleprompter. Teleprompters are extremely useful when presenting a large amount of information to an audience. After all, even if you are well-versed in the subject, you may become distracted and end up forgetting the critical details. This is when teleprompters come in handy!

How does a teleprompter work, and what are the best teleprompter apps for Windows? This piece will answer those questions, so please read on.

How a Teleprompter Works

Hubert Schafly came up with the idea of the teleprompter in 1948. It was invented to primarily replace cue cards that were used in live acting. 

The concept behind the operation of teleprompters is relatively simple. The teleprompter displays the text from which the presenter can read their cues. This way, you can maintain eye contact with the camera or the audience while giving the impression that you’re speaking extemporaneously. There is no longer a need to memorize a bunch of texts as the words automatically scroll on the screen as the cameras roll. 

Another key component in teleprompters is using a beamsplitter glass. It is a transparent mirror that reflects text from your screen while also recording video through it. The rear side of the mirror features an anti-reflective coating that avoids the appearance of a double image, as in the case when using typical glass material. In short, beamsplitters reflect the text onto a one-way mirrored glass screen in front of the camera without actually projecting it on the camera.

Today, the practicality of having a teleprompter cannot be understated. Using one enables you to say the correct thing at the appropriate time and improves the quality and engagement of your video content, making them more impactful. Have you ever wondered how your favorite social media influencers and celebrities appear to have so much confidence speaking in front of a camera? That’s because they use teleprompters!

Best Teleprompter Apps for Windows

The traditional teleprompter setup consists of a reflecting screen in front of the camera lens and a monitor placed directly underneath it to display the script. It’s not a very complex arrangement, but it’s also not very handy and could cost a couple hundred bucks. If you’re one of those people who’d benefit from a more straightforward setup, you should look at a teleprompter app.

A teleprompter app is a streamlined version that allows you to run the same capabilities of a full-fledged teleprompter on your smartphone, laptop, PC, or tablet. These apps are easier to use and are customizable so that you’ll have a teleprompter as soon as you finish downloading them. 

This article will focus on the best teleprompter apps and software for Windows that you can currently find. So, if you’re using a Windows phone, PC, or laptop, these are the teleprompters that you should be looking at.

Microsoft Teleprompter Pro

The “Pro” in the MS Teleprompter Pro is a dead giveaway. This teleprompter app is intended for professional TV and film producers, but even if you’re not, you’d totally benefit from using a tool straight from an expert’s toolbox.

The Teleprompter Pro covers all the essentials, but the software goes above and beyond ordinary teleprompters by including built-in functionality to record your performance. Furthermore, it has advanced features such as dual-screen and voice recognition at a fraction of the cost compared with teleprompters that don’t even belong in the same stratosphere.

Here are more of the things that this teleprompter app allows you to do:

• Adjust scroll speed, text size, and colors
• Load and save scripts straight from your device’s text files
• Mirror and invert the scrolling text to be used seamlessly with a teleprompter hardware 
• Readily embeds the scroll speed and font size of your choice into the script file, allowing you to save the file with various settings for different users or project requirements.

As terrific as the Teleprompter Pro is, it’s not perfect. These are the things that most users deemed as works in progress:

• Even at the highest speed setting, the text reading is still too slow. This is a negative if you need to fit a script within a specified time.
• If you choose to record yourself on camera, some find the design to be a bit awkward. The video appears directly below the text, but it would be great if there was an option to move the video to the side or hide it altogether.
• There is no way to reverse the scrolling if you go too fast, and therefore, you cannot correct a minor scrolling problem. You must go all the way from the beginning and scroll all the way through.

You can buy Teleprompter pro from the windows store for $8.99.

https://apps.microsoft.com/store/detail/teleprompter-pro/9WZDNCRFJSS3?hl=en-us&gl=us

EasyPrompter

The guys at EasyPrompter couldn’t have chosen a better name for their teleprompter software. It’s very easy to use; simply type a script, press Play, and there you have it!

And yet, don’t be fooled by how simple it is to use this web-based solution. It can be an outstanding professional video production tool for anyone who needs to deliver a natural-sounding speech or sing a tune without memorizing the lyrics. Sometimes, less is more, and EasyPrompter is living proof that that concept works.

Pros:

• Can be used online and offline (available in the Pro version)
• The Pro version allows you to control your prompter via a smartphone
• Has a dual-screen function– splits the prompter into an operator display and a talent display

Cons:

• It’s safe to say that it won’t win any design awards anytime soon.
• Charging $10 a month is a little bit of a stretch 

CuePrompter

CuePrompter is a Windows-only online tool that could turn your computer screen into a teleprompter. The best thing about it is it won’t cost you a penny! It’s truly a no-nonsense teleprompter solution that they won’t even ask you for an email address. You may use it as a part of any commercial and non-commercial work. In other words, the CuePrompter is just here to save the day when you need it to!

Pros:

• Absolutely free
• No log in required
• Simple to use and intuitive interface

Cons:

• You can’t save or load a script on the site.
• May not work as well on the Firefox browser
• Maximum text length allowed is only 2,000 characters

If you want to try it, just open up https://cueprompter.com, our main page and use our Teleprompter for free!

MirrorScript Pro

MirrorScript Pro is a cross-platform teleprompter program designed for people who frequently need to talk in front of an audience or a camera. It has a plethora of customization controls, such as text size and background colors, so you can easily read the script from your perspective. MirrorScript also has a highly intuitive interface, the kind that doesn’t need any learning curve. To begin, simply copy and paste your content into the program’s window, or use it as a text editor if you’re starting from scratch. Either way, you won’t be disappointed!

Pros:

• Even the free version of MirrorScript is better than many paid teleprompter apps.
• Has a function to flip the text vertically and horizontally
• Smooth scrolling effect

Cons:

• May encounter glitches on its default settings

Teleprompter Mirror

Teleprompter Mirror is a superb online teleprompter app that works well with computers and smartphones. It’s a ​​no-frills, ‘no sign-in required’ web-based teleprompter solution that surprisingly packs a powerful punch.

Like any straightforward web-based teleprompter, you only have to copy and paste the script on the main window. Then, based on your personal preferences, you can adjust the scrolling speed, text size, background colors, and more. Conveniently, you have the option to save the script and its settings for later use.

If you can, however, it is highly recommended to download the software so you can still use the teleprompter even when the internet connection is not reliable. The program is available across all platforms– Windows, Mac, Linux, and mobile operating systems. Like its web-based counterpart, the software is just as easy to use and simple to set up.

Pros:

• Features vertical and horizontal flip
• Free of charge
• Highly customizable and easy to use
• Allows use of non-English characters such as kanji

Cons:

• Its related software solution, Voice Activated Teleprompter, leaves a lot to be desired. 

Final Thoughts

The invention of the teleprompter has proven to be a game-changer in video production. It enables the speaker to concentrate on connecting with the audience rather than remembering their lines. This allows anyone– from the President to actors and news anchors– to deliver a speech with little to no hiccups.

Taking the convenience game a level higher, teleprompter apps have now been made available for various platforms. These apps turn your ordinary computer or mobile screen into a teleprompter. They are straightforward to use and have an intuitive interface that you don’t need much to get the ball rolling. 

If you want to improve your videos, we strongly suggest you try the Pro versions of Microsoft Teleprompter or go straight to an online solution like CuePrompter. Whether it’s for a simple video production project or you need to deliver a report or speech, you can trust these apps to help you win the audience with seamless delivery.