- What Google Flow is
- Who can use Google Flow
- How to open Google Flow and start a project
- Making a video in Google Flow
- Making and editing images in Google Flow
- Planning a first Google Flow project
- Flow's watermarks, ownership and content rules
- Using Google Flow in a small business
- Google Flow and the tools people confuse it with
- Frequently asked questions
To use Google Flow, open Chrome or Edge on a computer, go to Flow, sign in and start a project from the prompt box. You must be 18 or older, in a supported region and have an eligible Google AI plan. It makes video clips and images, and a VPN won't get around the region rule.
Google Flow is Google's answer to a question a lot of small business owners are asking: can I make a decent video clip without a film crew? It's an AI tool for making clips, scenes and images, and it has more rules around who can use it than most. I've read Google's help pages so you know the requirements and steps before you open it.
What Google Flow is
Google's help page calls Flow an AI filmmaking tool for creating cinematic clips, scenes and stories with consistency. It uses Google's generative models, and its help topics cover making and editing videos and images, building scenes, working with an agent, creating avatars and organising your projects and collections.
It's meant to be used on a computer for the most powerful editing, with a mobile app for creating on the go. It isn't the same as the Gemini chat app, so don't expect it to answer questions the way Gemini does.
Who can use Google Flow
This is where Flow is more restrictive than most AI apps. According to Google's help, you must meet all of these:
- Be 18 or older, with your age verified through your Google account.
- Live in a supported region. Google says a VPN won't enable access in an unsupported one.
- Have an eligible Google AI plan, so check the help page to see which accounts and plans qualify.
Google's availability page lists the countries and territories, which include the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, India, Japan and Brazil, and recommends English prompts for the best results. It also names some regional limits: editing uploaded videos and avatars aren't available in the European Economic Area, Switzerland or the United Kingdom. Generating videos of prominent people isn't supported in any region.
How to open Google Flow and start a project
- On your computer, open a Chromium-based browser such as Chrome or Edge.
- Go to Google Flow and sign in with the Google account that has access.
- Start a new project.
- Use the prompt box to describe what you want to make.
- Click Generate, then look at the results and refine your prompt.
Google says Flow may work in other browsers and on mobile but that those aren't fully optimised yet, so a Chromium browser on a computer is the safe starting point.
Making a video in Google Flow
The help pages list the video models you can pick from, including Veo 3.1 Lite, Veo 3.1 Fast and Veo 3.1 Quality. It also supports starting from a picture: a feature called Frames to Video lets you give the first frame and have the model animate from there. Another option uses your own pictures as ingredients or references. Which options you get depends on the model you choose, and the help page has a table of supported lengths and aspect ratios, so check it before you plan a clip.
A practical tip from how these tools work: keep each clip to one simple action, describe the camera and light like a film director would, and generate several versions before choosing.
Making and editing images in Google Flow
Images use the same prompt box. Turn on the Agent, write a detailed prompt, and optionally drag your own media in as ingredients. By default Google says Flow uses its Nano Banana Pro image model. Edits are kept in a stack, your original stays safe, and a History panel lists earlier versions and the prompts used.
Planning a first Google Flow project
Before you spend an evening on it, decide what the clip is for. A product teaser, a background loop for a website banner and a storyboard for a client all need different things. Write your idea in two sentences, list the pictures you'll use as ingredients, and keep the first project small. Google's help page on projects explains how to organise your assets and collections, which is useful once you have a dozen attempts to compare.
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It also helps to check the models page before you start. Different models support different lengths and starting points, so a clip that works with one may not be possible with another.
Flow's watermarks, ownership and content rules
- Outputs include invisible SynthID watermarks. You can also toggle a visible watermark from the menu under your profile picture.
- Google says it won't claim ownership of original content you generate, but its Terms of Service govern how you can use it, so read them if you plan to use clips in adverts.
- Generating videos of prominent people isn't supported anywhere, and editing uploaded videos of identifiable minors isn't supported in any region.
My advice is to stick to your own footage and your own pictures, or people who have clearly agreed, and never to make anything that could mislead a viewer about what's real.
Using Google Flow in a small business
- Short social clips that show a product in a setting you can't easily film.
- Opening shots or background footage for a promotional video.
- Storyboards, so you can show a client your idea before you spend time on a shoot.
- Image variations for banners or thumbnails.
AI video works best as a supporting actor. Keep real people, real customers and real results in your marketing, and use tools like Flow for the visuals that don't need to be real. For a wider view of what's out there, my guide to the best AI tools for small business owners compares the main options.
Google Flow and the tools people confuse it with
| Tool | What it does |
|---|---|
| Flow | AI filmmaking and image creation in a project workspace, per Google's help |
| Gemini app | A chat assistant for text, voice, photos and documents |
| Whisk | An earlier Google Labs image experiment whose old address now redirects to Flow |
If you'd like help working out which of these suits your business, or how to use them without wasting your week, have a look at what a good AI consultant in the UK can deliver.
Frequently asked questions
What is Google Flow?
Google's help calls it an AI filmmaking tool for creating cinematic clips, scenes and stories, with support for images too.
How do I start using Google Flow?
Open a Chromium-based browser such as Chrome or Edge on a computer, go to Flow, sign in and start a project from the prompt box.
Who can use Google Flow?
You must be 18 or older, live in a supported region and have an eligible Google AI plan. A VPN won't give you access in an unsupported region.
Can I use Flow on my phone?
There's a mobile app, but Google says Flow is meant to be used on a computer for the most powerful editing features.
Can I make videos of real people in Flow?
Google's help says generating videos of prominent people isn't supported in any region. Only use footage and pictures you own or have permission to use.
