Free Video Backgrounds: What You Can and Can't Do (Licence Explained Simply)
"Free" can mean many things online. Some free clips can't be used in monetized videos, some need credit, and some are only free to watch, not to use. Here's what you can and can't do with clips from Telar Clips, in plain language, with real examples.
This guide explains our own licence. Other websites have their own rules, so always check the licence wherever you download from. This isn't legal advice.
The short version
You can use our clips for free in personal and commercial projects. You don't need to sign up, pay or give credit. You just can't resell or re-upload the clips on their own, or claim them as your own work.
What you can do
- Post them on social media, including monetized YouTube channels, TikTok, Facebook and Instagram.
Example: a YouTuber uses our gold bokeh as the background of a monetized "Top 10" video. - Use them in ads and business videos.
Example: a bakery puts its logo and a holiday sale over our falling snow loop and runs it as a Facebook ad. - Use them in client work you're paid for.
Example: a freelance editor uses our confetti green screen in a wedding video for a client. - Use them at school, church and events, on projectors, LED walls, livestreams and in slideshows.
- Edit them however you like: crop, recolour, speed up or slow down, add text, and combine them with other footage.
What you can't do
- Resell or re-upload the clips by themselves. You can't put our clips, unchanged or only slightly changed, on another stock site, in a paid pack, in a template bundle, or in a wallpaper app.
Example: uploading our sunset gradient to a stock marketplace as your own clip isn't allowed. - Claim them as your own or register them with Content ID or similar systems. That would cause copyright claims for everyone else using the same clip.
- Use them as a logo or trademark. A background in your video is fine; making our clip your brand's official logo is not.
- Use them in illegal, hateful or misleading content.
Common questions
Do I have to give credit?
No, but we'd love it. If you'd like to, write Background by Telar Clips in your description. It helps other creators find free clips.
Can I use a clip in a video template I sell?
Only if the clip is a small part of a bigger, original design and isn't offered as a separate file. If buyers are mainly paying for our clip, it's not allowed.
What about the illustrated scenes?
The same rules apply. Our illustrated scenes are made by Telar Labs with AI-assisted illustration, and you can use them in your own videos, greetings and presentations.
What about the music in my video?
Our clips have no sound. The music you add has its own licence, so make sure your music is cleared for how you'll use it, especially in ads and monetized videos.
Can I use the clips offline, like in a printed QR card or a TV in my shop?
Yes. Screens in shops, events, classrooms and churches are all fine.
Why "free with no credit" matters
Many creators get copyright claims because they used a clip that was "free to watch" but not free to use. Using clips with a clear, simple licence, and keeping a note of where you downloaded them, protects your channel. Bookmark our licence page so you can point to it if anyone asks.
Ready to start?
Browse all free clips, or read how to use backgrounds, green screens and overlays.
