How to Use Google Flow: Step-by-Step Guide (2026)

Quick Answer: To use Google Flow, sign in at labs.google/flow with a Google account that is 18+, in a supported country, and (per Google's eligibility page) on Google AI Plus, Pro or Ultra. Pick a Veo 3.1 model (Lite costs 10 credits, Fast 20, Quality 100 per clip), write a prompt that describes the shot and the sound, generate, then extend, edit or upscale the clips you like. If Flow isn't available to you, an independent web tool can run Veo 3.1 without a Google AI plan.

Google Flow is a strong AI filmmaking tool when it fits your situation, but it has real limits: age and region checks, very different credit prices per model, and peak-hour pauses for some users. This Google Flow tutorial covers requirements, each step of a first project, prompts you can copy, credit-saving tips, and what to do when Flow says no.

What Is Google Flow?

Flow is a browser-based creative workspace from Google Labs. Inside a project you generate clips, keep them together, and refine them into a sequence. Models available, per Google's help pages:

Veo clips in Flow are 4, 6 or 8 seconds long, and you can extend them to build longer shots. Every output (Veo, Omni and Nano Banana) carries an invisible SynthID watermark. There is also a visible watermark toggle, but for users in India, South Korea and Vietnam the visible watermark is applied automatically.

So "Google Flow Veo 3" in practice means Flow as the workspace and Veo 3.1 as the main video engine inside it.

Requirements Checklist Before You Start

Most "Flow doesn't work for me" problems come from one of these lines.

There is one point where Google's own pages don't agree. Google's credits page says every account gets 50 daily credits, while its eligibility page lists an AI Plus/Pro/Ultra subscription as a requirement — check what your own account shows. Our guide Is Google Flow free? covers the free and paid options.

Approximate plan prices from Google's public pricing: AI Plus about $4.99/month, AI Pro about $19.99/month, and AI Ultra in two tiers at about $99.99 and about $199.99/month. Prices vary by region, so check Google's page for your country.

Flow is not available in every country where Google AI Pro is sold; China, Russia, Iran, Belarus and Cuba are among the unsupported ones.

How to Use Google Flow: Step by Step

Flow's interface changes as Google ships updates, so the steps below describe what to do rather than exact button labels.

Step 1: Open Flow and start a project

Go to labs.google/flow, sign in with the Google account that holds your plan, and create a new project. Treat one project as one video idea so clips, references and edits stay together.

Step 2: Pick a model and check the credit cost

Before you type a prompt, choose the model in the prompt box settings. This is the single biggest decision for your credit balance:

To put that in context: 50 daily credits buy two Veo 3.1 Fast clips or five Lite clips, and zero Quality clips. A 1,000-credit AI Pro month covers ten Quality clips or fifty Fast clips. Monthly plan credits are 200 for AI Plus, 1,000 for AI Pro, and 10,000 or 25,000 for the two AI Ultra tiers.

Draft with Lite or Fast, and switch to Quality only once the prompt is locked. More on the cheaper tier: Veo 3.1 Lite.

Step 3: Generate your first text-to-video clip

Write a prompt, pick the clip length (4, 6 or 8 seconds) and generate. A good first prompt names the subject, the action, the setting, the camera and the sound. Veo 3.1 generates audio along with the picture, so describe what we should hear as well as what we should see. The prompt tips section below has examples you can paste straight in.

Rewriting the prompt is usually cheaper than rolling the same prompt many times.

Step 4: Start from images (frames and ingredients)

When you need a specific product, character or ending pose, start from images. Flow lets you bring images into a project (Nano Banana can generate them for you inside Flow), and Google has offered image-based video modes in the past that work roughly like this:

• Frames-style: you give a starting image, and optionally an ending image, and Veo animates the motion between them.
• Ingredients-style: you give reference images of a subject or style, and Veo builds a new shot that keeps them consistent.

The exact options depend on what your Flow workspace shows today. For the general technique, see our Veo 3.1 frames-to-video guide.

Step 5: Extend clips and build the scene

A single Veo clip tops out at 8 seconds, so longer shots are built by extending a clip you like: Flow continues from where the clip ends. Then arrange your clips in order inside the project's scene view to check pacing. Google has called this scene-building area Scenebuilder; if the label in your account differs, look for the place where clips are laid out as a sequence.

Extending works best when the next prompt continues the same action, light and camera. Our guide to extending Veo 3 video beyond 8 seconds covers prompt patterns for this.

Step 6: Edit with Gemini Omni Flash

Omni editing (40 credits) changes an existing video with a written instruction instead of regenerating it, which is handy for small fixes like a new background. Two limits apply: editing uploaded videos is not available in the EEA, Switzerland or the UK, and Flow does not allow editing uploaded videos of identifiable minors or generating videos of prominent people.

Step 7: Upscale and download

When a clip is final, upscale it before downloading if your plan allows it. 1080p upscaling is free on AI Plus, Pro and Ultra but is not available to non-subscribers. 4K upscaling costs 50 credits and is limited to AI Ultra. Then download the file and finish captions or music in your usual editor.

Prompt Tips for Google Flow (With Examples)

Veo 3.1 responds best to prompts that read like short director's notes. Use this order: subject → action → setting → camera → light → sound. Keep one main action per clip.

1. Product shot

A matte black coffee grinder on a light oak counter, morning sun through a window, slow dolly in toward the grinder as fresh beans pour into the hopper. Soft kitchen ambience, the crisp rattle of beans, no music.

2. Dialogue scene

Medium close-up of a young woman in a yellow raincoat at a bus stop at night, neon reflections on wet pavement. She looks at the camera and says, "I think I missed the last bus." Light rain, distant traffic, handheld camera.

3. Nature establishing shot

Aerial drone shot gliding over a misty pine forest at sunrise, golden light breaking through the fog, slow forward movement. Birdsong and a gentle wind, calm ambient music.

4. Vertical social clip

Vertical 9:16 shot of a street food vendor flipping noodles in a flaming wok at a night market, close-up, steam and sparks in warm light. Loud sizzle, crowd chatter, upbeat background music.

5. Extend prompt (continuing a clip)

Continue the same shot: the camera keeps moving forward through the forest as the fog lifts and a river appears below, same golden light, same birdsong.

For dialogue, keep lines short enough to be spoken in the clip length you chose.

How to Save Google Flow Credits

• Draft cheap, finish expensive. Lite (10) and Fast (20) for testing, Quality (100) only for the final take.
• Use shorter clips while testing. A 4-second test tells you if the look is right before you commit to 8 seconds.
• Fix with edits only when it's cheaper. Omni editing at 40 credits is cheaper than a Quality regeneration, but more than a Fast one.
• Plan around refresh times. Unused daily and monthly credits don't carry over, so use daily credits each day you work. The daily refresh starts with your first generation of the day.
• Know the zero-credit catch. AI Ultra users can run Lite at lower priority for 0 credits, but Google may rate-limit generations, especially on zero-credit models.

Common Google Flow Problems and Fixes

"Flow isn't available in your country." Flow runs in about 150 countries and territories, and a VPN doesn't change that. Being able to buy Google AI Pro where you live doesn't guarantee Flow access.

Generation paused during peak hours. Non-subscribers may be unable to generate videos at around 2–5 PM UTC. Try outside that window, or use a subscription.

Out of credits. Wait for the daily refresh, or buy extra AI credits if you're a subscriber in a supported region. Extra credits are not available in Japan.

Can't edit an uploaded video. Editing uploaded videos and Avatars is not available in the EEA, Switzerland or the UK.

No 1080p or 4K option. 1080p upscaling needs AI Plus, Pro or Ultra; 4K needs AI Ultra.

If You Can't Use Google Flow

Flow is a good choice if you are in a supported country and already pay for a Google AI plan. If you aren't, or you need 4K without paying for Ultra, a Google Flow alternative may suit you better.

Veo3 AI is an independent platform and is not affiliated with Google. It gives you browser access to Veo 3.1 without a Google AI subscription and is not tied to Flow's country list. What it offers:

• Veo 3.1 clips of 8 seconds with native audio, in 16:9 or 9:16, via text-to-video and image-to-video with first and last frame.
• 720p, 1080p or 4K output depending on plan, with 4K on the Standard plan.
• Other models in the same account, including Gemini Omni, Seedance 2.5, Kling 3.0, Sora 2 and MiniMax H3.
• Free sign-up with starter credits and no credit card.

Paid plans start at Mini, about $12/month billed yearly ($20 monthly) for 200 credits; Standard is about $30/month yearly ($50 monthly) for 1,000 credits and 4K; Plus is about $60/month yearly ($99 monthly) for 3,000 credits. Like Flow, monthly credits don't roll over. See the full pricing page for details.

If Flow works for you, keep using it. If it doesn't, try the Flow AI video generator page to run the same prompts from this guide.

FAQ

Is Google Flow free to use?

Google's credits page says every account gets 50 daily credits, while its eligibility page lists an AI Plus, Pro or Ultra subscription as a requirement. Check what your own account shows. Our Google Flow pricing guide covers the details.

How many Veo 3.1 videos can I make in Flow per day?

With 50 daily credits, you can make two Veo 3.1 Fast clips or five Lite clips. A Quality clip costs 100 credits, so it isn't possible on daily credits alone.

How long can a Google Flow video be?

Each Veo clip is 4, 6 or 8 seconds. You make longer shots by extending clips and arranging them in a scene.

Does Google Flow work with a VPN?

No. Google says VPNs don't enable access in unsupported regions.

Can I get 4K video from Google Flow?

Only on AI Ultra, where 4K upscaling costs 50 credits. 1080p upscaling is free on AI Plus, Pro and Ultra.

Do Google Flow videos have a watermark?

All Flow outputs carry an invisible SynthID watermark. A visible watermark can be toggled, but it is applied automatically for users in India, South Korea and Vietnam.

Do unused Flow credits roll over?

No. Unused daily and monthly credits don't carry over.