Kling 4.0 Text to Video Guide: Prompts and Settings
Learn Kling 4.0 text to video: structure a prompt, choose aspect ratio, length and resolution, avoid common mistakes, and try six example prompts.
With Kling 4.0 text to video, your prompt is the only input, so the model decides anything you leave out. Pin the shot down in words: who is in it, where it happens, how it's filmed and what we hear. Specific prompts tend to need fewer paid re-runs in the AI video generator.
When text only is the right choice
Text alone suits shots where nobody expects an exact likeness: concept tests, b-roll, establishing shots, pitch clips and original characters.
When the result must match something real, like a product, person or place, add a photo and follow image to video. To borrow motion or sound from a clip or audio file, see reference to video. All three share one prompt box.
Anatomy of a Kling 4.0 text to video prompt
Without a reference image, the subject line does a photo's job. Follow the order of the six-part formula and give the subject the most detail:
| Element | What to write | Example phrase |
|---|---|---|
| Subject | Who or what, concretely | "a gray-bearded fisherman in a yellow oilskin coat" |
| Action | Main movement, then beats in order | "hauls in a net, then wipes spray from his face" |
| Setting | Place, time, weather | "a trawler's deck at dawn, choppy sea" |
| Camera | Shot size, angle, one move | "medium shot, low angle, slow push-in" |
| Light and look | Light source, one style | "overcast light, muted colors, film grain" |
| Sound | Noises, music, dialogue in quotes | "gulls, creaking rope, waves on the hull" |
Skip elements the shot doesn't need.
Step by step in the generator
- Open the AI video generator. Until you sign in, the generate button reads Sign in; accounts are free.
- Upload nothing. A prompt with no references is text to video.
- Write the prompt. If the counter below shows "Prompt is too long," trim it; the generate button stays disabled until you do.
- Open the settings button beside the Kling 4.0 model picker and set aspect ratio, video length and resolution.
- Check the ✦ cost next to the generate button. Length and resolution change it; aspect ratio doesn't. If your balance is too low, a pricing dialog opens when you press generate; you can also buy a pack or plan on the pricing page.
- Press generate (the sparkle icon). Credits are deducted when the task starts. Most videos take a few minutes, and you can leave the page.
- If you stay, the clip plays in place with Download (MP4) and Share. It's also saved to My Videos.
Choosing aspect ratio, length and resolution
Aspect ratio
Pick the ratio for where the video will be posted; cropping later cuts into the composition.
| Ratio | Good fit |
|---|---|
| 16:9 | YouTube, websites, presentations |
| 21:9 | Trailer-style shots, wide banners |
| 9:16 | TikTok, Reels, Shorts, Stories |
| 1:1 | Feed posts, marketplace listings |
| 4:3 | Classic TV framing, tablets |
| 3:4 | Portrait feed posts |
Then compose for it: vertical suits one centered subject moving toward or away from the lens, while 21:9 rewards sideways motion.
Length
Match length to the number of beats: a glance suits a short clip, a three-beat sequence needs more room. Too long, and the clip stalls; too short, and beats get rushed. Longer clips also cost more.
Resolution
Draft at a lower resolution to judge composition and motion cheaply, then raise it for the final. That run is a new generation, not an upscale, so it won't match the draft exactly.
Example prompts to try
Suggested ratios follow each title.
Wildlife documentary · 16:9
A red fox trots across a snowy meadow at dawn, pauses to listen, then dives nose-first into the snow. Long-lens tracking shot, soft blue light. Sound: crunching snow.
Food close-up · 1:1
A knife saws through a crusty sourdough loaf on a wooden board, crumbs scattering, steam rising. Tight close-up, shallow depth of field, warm window light. Sound: crackling crust.
Storm drama · 21:9
A lighthouse keeper climbs the outer ladder in a night storm, lantern swinging, waves bursting below. Low-angle wide shot, slow crane up to the turning beam. Sound: howling wind, thunder.
Climbing clip · 9:16
A climber on a sunlit sandstone wall chalks her hands, then lunges and catches a distant hold one-handed. Camera below, tilting up with her. Sound: a sharp exhale, wind.
Claymation short · 4:3
Claymation style. A purple clay octopus washes dishes with six arms and dries plates with two, then sighs at one last cup. Locked-off medium shot. Sound: splashing, a bassoon tune.
Florist b-roll · 3:4
A florist wraps peonies in brown paper, ties the stems with twine and slides the bouquet across the counter. Medium close-up from slightly above, static camera, soft morning window light. Sound: rustling paper, a shop doorbell.
Common mistakes and fixes
| Mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
| Vague subject ("a woman in a city") | Add age, clothing and one distinctive detail |
| Five actions in a short clip | Keep one or two beats, or choose a longer length |
| Mixed styles ("photoreal anime oil painting") | Commit to one look |
| No camera direction | State the shot size and one camera move |
| Negatives like "no people, no rain" | Describe what you want; there's no negative-prompt field |
| A content filter error | Rewrite the flagged wording and try again |
For other errors and credit questions, see Credits and troubleshooting.
Iterating on a result
Treat the first render as a draft.
- Change one thing at a time, so you know what helped.
- Keep what works, word for word.
- Expect variation. The same prompt can differ between runs; try a promising one twice before rewriting.
- Compare in My Videos, where each card shows its prompt and credits used.
- Finalize last, raising resolution and length once the draft is right.
If a face or product keeps drifting, switch to image to video.
Related guides
- Image to video: guide the look with a photo.
- Prompt guide: write clearer, more controllable prompts.
- Credits and troubleshooting: costs, failed runs and fixes.
- Ready? Open the AI video generator.