# WhiteboardAnimation.ai — Whiteboard Animation

> WhiteboardAnimation.ai turns a finished PNG, JPEG, or WebP picture into whiteboard drawing assets. The browser Studio plays and exports the drawing-process video; the REST API does not currently return an MP4.

## Product facts

- Input: one finished PNG, JPEG, or WebP image, at most 10 MB.
- API output: reusable drawing plan and asset download URLs, not a rendered video file.
- Studio output: a browser-playable sequence with local video export on supported devices.
- Controls: outline duration, colour duration, region hold, colour order, brush behaviour, and optional hand overlay.
- Best inputs: illustrations, diagrams, and flat artwork.
- The service does not generate an original picture from a text prompt.
- Pricing: the [pricing page](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/pricing) states the current plans and prices; request it with `Accept: text/markdown` for Markdown.

## Agent API

- [Headless API guide](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/api.md)
- [Developers](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/developers) — what the API and MCP are for, the quickstart, keys, limits and plans.
- Base URL: `https://whiteboardanimation.ai/api/v1`
- Authentication: `Authorization: Bearer $WHITEBOARD_API_KEY` (keys start with `lede_`).
- Keys are self-service: a workspace owner or admin creates, names, sets the expiry of, and revokes keys at [Studio → API](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/studio/api). Creating a key needs a plan with API access (Pro). The key is shown once; it acts for that workspace and spends its credits.
- A key whose workspace no longer has API access is not revoked: requests answer `403` with `error.code` `plan_required` until the workspace upgrades again. An expired or revoked key answers `401` `invalid_api_key`: replace it.
- Provide the key to an agent through a secret manager or environment variable, never through chat.
- Never ask a user to paste a browser session cookie or an API key into chat.

Given `WHITEBOARD_API_KEY` set in the environment and a local `picture.png`, begin with a real upload reservation (the size must match the file):

```sh
curl https://whiteboardanimation.ai/api/v1/uploads \
  --request POST \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer $WHITEBOARD_API_KEY" \
  --header "Content-Type: application/json" \
  --data-binary @- <<JSON
{
  "file_name": "picture.png",
  "content_type": "image/png",
  "size": $(wc -c < picture.png)
}
JSON
```

Then PUT bytes to the returned `upload_url` without the API key, confirm `upload_id`, submit `POST /api/v1/drawings` with a stable `Idempotency-Key`, and poll the returned `status_url` about every five seconds. The [Headless API reference](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/api.md) defines endpoint input/output types, errors, and download fields. Do not retry faster when a response includes `Retry-After`.

## Important pages

- [Homepage](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/) — product overview and live examples.
- [Prepare a picture](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/guides/prepare-a-picture) — what pictures draw well, what to avoid, and prompts to make one in ChatGPT or Midjourney.
- [Examples](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/examples) — pictures drawn as whiteboard animation, by kind.
- [Pricing](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/pricing) — plans, credits and what is free.
- [Transparent export](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/features/transparent-export) — export formats, sizes, transparent and layered clips, and how to use them in an editor.
- [Hand styles](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/features/hand-styles) — the six hands, or none, and how the hand appears in exports.
- [FAQ](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/faq) — every common question, grouped, each linked to the page that answers it in full.
- [Studio](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/studio) — interactive drawing workspace.
- [API reference](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/api.md) — authentication and endpoint type contracts.
- [Terms of Service](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/terms) — plans, credits, refunds, content and commercial use.
- [Privacy Policy](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/privacy) — what data is collected, who processes it and how to delete an account.
- [Task pages](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/create/animated-infographic) — `/create/<task>`: one thing to make (an animated infographic, a logo reveal) shown with real pictures and the clips drawn from them.
- [Comparisons](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/compare/videoscribe-alternative) — `/compare/<tool>-alternative`: another tool beside this one, with a same-picture test and dated sources.

## Contact

- Email: hello@celados.com

## Landing

- [Whiteboard Animation Maker – Image to Hand-Drawn Video Clip](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/index.md): What the product does, what it takes and gives, pricing and questions.

## Pricing

- [Whiteboard Animation Pricing – Plans and a Free Start](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/pricing.md): The plans, what a credit buys, what is free, and the questions people ask before paying.

## Feature

- [Whiteboard animation with a transparent background](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/features/transparent-export.md): Export a whiteboard animation as a transparent WebM, a PNG sequence or a green-screen MP4, in 16:9, 9:16 or 1:1 at up to 1080p, and lay it over your footage.
- [Whiteboard animation hand styles](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/features/hand-styles.md): Draw your whiteboard animation with one of six hands, or with none. Switch hands at any time without redrawing, and keep the hand in transparent exports.

## Developers

- [Whiteboard animation API and MCP for agents](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/developers.md): Turn a folder of finished pictures into whiteboard animation drawings from Claude Code, Codex, Cursor or a script: an API key, one upload, one drawing call.

## Faq

- [Whiteboard animation FAQ](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/faq.md): What people ask before turning a finished picture into a whiteboard animation clip: pictures, export, pricing, commercial use and the API.

## Example

- [Whiteboard animation examples](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/examples.md): Hand-drawn whiteboard animations for lessons, product marketing, social shorts and team training, each drawn from one picture: line art first, then colour. Browse by use case, watch any of them draw, and start your own in the same style.
- [Whiteboard animation for teachers and lessons](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/examples/education.md): Science and how-it-works diagrams that draw themselves while you explain. Upload the diagram you already teach with, and it is drawn by hand on screen: outlines first, then colour, ready for a lesson video, a flipped classroom or a slide.
- [Whiteboard animation for explainer videos](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/examples/explainers.md): The drawn scenes of a whiteboard explainer video, from the pictures you already have. Upload each illustration, get it drawn by hand as a clip, and cut the clips together under your script and voice-over in your own editor.
- [Whiteboard animation for product marketing](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/examples/marketing.md): Your product, your funnel, your launch, sketched in by hand. Upload a finished illustration and get a drawn clip for a landing page hero, an ad opener or a pitch-deck slide that feels made, not stocked.
- [Whiteboard animation for social shorts](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/examples/social.md): A hook that draws itself in the first seconds of a Reel, Short or TikTok. Upload one picture, export it in 9:16 or 1:1, and lay your voice or music over it.
- [Whiteboard animation for training and onboarding](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/examples/training.md): Turn a process slide or a safety poster into a short drawn walkthrough for new hires and compliance modules, without booking a studio. Upload the picture, and each step draws in while the narrator explains it.
- [Whiteboard animation for stories and kids’ videos](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/examples/storytelling.md): Characters and scenes that draw in at story pace: a lighthouse at dusk, a baker at work, a robot tending a flower. Upload your illustration for a bedtime story, a read-aloud or a channel intro.
- [Water cycle animation](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/examples/water-cycle.md): Watch the water cycle drawn step by step: the sun lifts vapour off the sea, it gathers into a cloud, rain falls on the mountain and the river carries it back to the sea. A hand-drawn whiteboard animation made from one illustration.
- [Plant life cycle animation](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/examples/plant-life-cycle.md): Watch a plant grow in three drawn steps: a seed in the soil, a seedling with its first two leaves, and a full tree. A hand-drawn whiteboard animation of the plant life cycle, made from one finished diagram.
- [Solar system animation](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/examples/solar-system.md): Watch the solar system drawn by hand: a smiling sun, then the eight planets in order from Mercury to Neptune along a dotted orbit, among the stars. A whiteboard animation made from one finished illustration.
- [Light bulb circuit animation](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/examples/light-bulb.md): Watch a simple circuit drawn by hand: a battery, a switch and wires that lead to a light bulb, which lights up as the colour comes in. A whiteboard animation made from one finished diagram.
- [Marketing funnel animation](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/examples/marketing-funnel.md): Watch a marketing funnel drawn by hand: a megaphone calls people in at the top, the funnel narrows, and a shopping bag and coins come out at the bottom. A whiteboard animation made from one illustration.
- [App launch animation](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/examples/app-launch.md): Watch an app launch drawn by hand: a phone with a big button on its screen, five stars, and a rocket lifting off from a cloud beside it. A whiteboard animation made from one illustration.
- [Sneaker drawing animation](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/examples/sneaker.md): Watch a sneaker drawn by hand from the side: outline, laces and sole first, then its red and blue panels. A product reveal as a whiteboard animation, made from one illustration.
- [Coffee and croissant animation](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/examples/coffee-and-croissant.md): Watch a cup of coffee and a croissant drawn by hand, latte art and all, then washed in warm colour. A whiteboard animation for café and food brands, made from one illustration.
- [Vintage camera animation](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/examples/vintage-camera.md): Watch a vintage film camera drawn by hand, lens, dials and leather body in fine detail, then given its colour. A whiteboard animation made from one illustration.
- [Desk setup animation](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/examples/desk-setup.md): Watch a home desk drawn by hand: a laptop, a desk lamp and a monstera plant by the window. A whiteboard animation for remote-work guides and workspace content, made from one illustration.
- [Vertical fox vlogger animation](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/examples/fox-vlogger.md): Watch a fox vlogger drawn by hand in portrait: phone on a selfie stick, hearts floating up. A 9:16 whiteboard animation for Reels, Shorts and TikTok, made from one illustration.
- [Waving fox animation](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/examples/fox-waving.md): Watch a little fox in a red scarf drawn by hand, waving hello with a sketchbook under its arm. A friendly whiteboard animation for channel intros and greetings, made from one illustration.
- [Rainy café animation](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/examples/rainy-cafe.md): Watch a corner café on a rainy day drawn by hand: a striped awning, a tree, and someone passing with an umbrella. A slow, calm whiteboard animation made from one illustration.
- [Employee onboarding animation](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/examples/employee-onboarding.md): Watch an onboarding process drawn by hand in four steps: the offer email, the ID badge, the checklist and the handshake. A whiteboard animation for new-hire training, made from one illustration.
- [Safe lifting animation](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/examples/safe-lifting.md): Watch a worker drawn by hand lifting a box the safe way: knees bent, back straight, load close to the body, with a green check above. A whiteboard animation for safety training, made from one illustration.
- [Teacher at the board animation](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/examples/teacher-at-the-board.md): Watch a teacher drawn by hand, pointing at a triangle, a circle and a square on her easel. A whiteboard animation of a presenter, made from one illustration, for lesson and course intros.
- [Lighthouse animation](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/examples/lighthouse.md): Watch a lighthouse drawn by hand on its rocky point, gulls overhead and a sailing boat on the waves. A whiteboard animation that opens a story, made from one illustration.
- [Baker animation](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/examples/baker.md): Watch a round-faced baker drawn by hand, carrying out a tray of fresh bread. A warm whiteboard animation for kids’ stories and bakery videos, made from one illustration.
- [Robot gardener animation](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/examples/robot-gardener.md): Watch a little robot drawn by hand, watering a sunflower in a pot. A gentle whiteboard animation for read-alouds and kids’ videos, made from one illustration.
- [Morning kitchen animation](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/examples/morning-kitchen.md): Watch a kitchen windowsill drawn by hand in the morning light: a teapot, a cup, toast and a potted plant. A slow, calm whiteboard animation made from one illustration.
- [Campsite at night animation](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/examples/campsite-at-night.md): Watch a campsite drawn by hand under the stars: a tent, a crackling campfire and the trees around them. A whiteboard animation for bedtime stories and outdoor videos, made from one illustration.
- [Astronaut reading animation](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/examples/astronaut-reading.md): Watch a little astronaut drawn by hand, sitting on the moon with an open book while the Earth hangs in the sky. A whiteboard animation for story hooks and reading videos, made from one illustration.
- [Butterfly life cycle animation](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/examples/butterfly-life-cycle.md): Watch the butterfly life cycle drawn step by step: eggs on a leaf, a hungry caterpillar, a chrysalis hanging from a twig and the butterfly that comes out. A hand-drawn whiteboard animation made from one illustration.
- [Frog life cycle animation](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/examples/frog-life-cycle.md): Watch the frog life cycle drawn step by step: frogspawn in the pond, a tadpole, a tadpole growing legs, a froglet and the adult frog on its lily pad. A hand-drawn whiteboard animation made from one illustration.
- [Photosynthesis animation](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/examples/photosynthesis.md): Watch photosynthesis drawn step by step: sunlight on the leaves, water rising from the roots, carbon dioxide going in and oxygen coming out, and the glucose the plant makes. A hand-drawn whiteboard animation video made from one illustration.

## Guide

- [How to prepare a picture for whiteboard animation](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/guides/prepare-a-picture.md): What pictures draw well as whiteboard animation, what to avoid, and copy-paste ChatGPT and Midjourney prompts to make one before you upload it.

## Changelog

- [Changelog](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/changelog.md): What is new in WhiteboardAnimation.ai: Studio features, export options, plans and fixes, newest first.

## Task

- [Animated infographic maker: draw your infographic by hand](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/create/animated-infographic.md): Upload a finished infographic or diagram and get an animated clip: a hand draws every line, then colours it in. You design the picture; we animate it.
- [Logo reveal animation: hand-draw your logo from a PNG](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/create/logo-reveal-animation.md): Upload your logo as a PNG, JPEG or WebP and get a logo reveal clip: a hand sketches the outline, then fills it in. No template, no After Effects.

## Compare

- [VideoScribe alternative: draw your own pictures by hand](https://whiteboardanimation.ai/compare/videoscribe-alternative.md): VideoScribe builds whole whiteboard videos; we draw your own finished picture stroke by stroke. Same-picture test, prices and when to choose each.