How to use a teleprompter on Zoom without showing your notes (Mac)

See Promptly over a presentation

This desktop recording shows the product over a slide deck. The overlay keeps the script on the same screen as the presentation, so you do not need to look down at a phone or across at another monitor.

How to use this on your own call

1. Bring your script. Paste the words you plan to say into Promptly, then open your presentation.
2. Put your words near the camera. Click Go Live, choose your presentation window when prompted, and position the overlay where it is comfortable to read.
3. Speak at your own pace. Voice tracking follows your script as you speak and waits when you pause. For a less scripted conversation, use the manually scrolled outline mode.

Promptly runs on macOS 13 or later. Your first 3 Go Live sessions are free, with no card required. A subscription costs $20/month. See pricing and try Promptly.

Set up Promptly and Zoom on Mac

1. Install Promptly. Get the Mac app, move it to Applications, and open it.
2. Allow microphone access. Promptly needs this to follow your voice. Accessibility permission is needed if you use action cues to control slides or other apps.
3. Open Zoom's Settings. Look under Share Screen, then Advanced, for the screen capture option that enables window filtering. Depending on your Zoom version, the wording may include “Capture with window filtering” or “Use advanced screen sharing with window filtering.”
4. Prepare your script and presentation. Paste your script, click Go Live, and choose the presentation window when prompted. Adjust the overlay's position, size, and opacity to suit your screen.
5. Start a test share. Share the screen or window you will use on the real call, then complete the audience-view check below.

Using slide-advance cues? The full Promptly setup guide covers targeting your presentation app, adding cues, and recovering your place.

Check what your audience sees

Before your first presentation, join a private Zoom meeting from a second device. Mute that device's microphone and speaker to avoid feedback.

1. Start Promptly and share from your Mac using the exact sharing method you plan to use on the call.
2. Look at the shared content on the second device. Confirm that your presentation is visible and your script is absent.
3. Advance a slide and move the overlay. Check the audience view again.
4. If you will record the meeting, make a short test recording using your intended recording method and inspect the playback too.

If the script appears, stop sharing and revisit Zoom's window filtering setting. Retest before presenting. Repeat this check after changing your sharing method or updating Zoom or macOS.

Which approach fits your presentation?

• Share one window with notes elsewhere: a simple option when you can keep the entire presentation inside one window. Keep your notes outside the content you share.
• Use a phone or second monitor: keeps notes on a separate device or display. Place it carefully to limit how far your gaze moves from the camera.
• Use a floating teleprompter: keeps your script close to your presentation. Promptly adds voice-controlled scrolling; hiding the overlay requires a compatible capture setup.

Compare supported platforms, scrolling modes, and capture requirements in our Mac teleprompter comparison.

Common questions

Can Zoom participants see my teleprompter?

Ordinary notes can appear when you share an entire display. Promptly's overlay is designed to be excluded from capture with Zoom's window filtering enabled. Confirm the result from a second device before your call.

Will my notes appear in a recording?

That depends on what the recording captures. Check a short recording with the same Zoom and recording settings you intend to use. A separate desktop recorder can behave differently from the meeting's shared feed.

Does Promptly work with Google Meet or Microsoft Teams?

Meet and Teams support is in testing. This guide covers Zoom on Mac; do not assume those apps use the same capture behavior.

Do I need a paid subscription to try it?

No. Your first three Go Live sessions are free with no card required. Subscribe for $20/month if you want to continue.