Faceless UGC for apps and software: 6 formats you can film today
Yes, you can make UGC without showing your face, and apps and software are the easiest case: the product already lives on a screen. Six formats do the job: screen recording with voice-over, over-the-shoulder, hands only, text storytime, split-screen before and after, and a voice reacting to a real result. iPhone and Android both record the screen natively. Before filming, check two things: what the brief accepts, and that nothing private shows on screen.
Can you do UGC without showing your face?
Yes. UGC is a video that looks and sounds like a real user talking about a product. A face is one way to build that trust. A real voice, real hands and a real screen are others, and for an app they are often the better ones: the viewer wants to see what you tap and what happens next, not a reaction shot.
Faceless does not mean anonymous: the brand knows who posted the video, and the advertising disclosure applies exactly as it would with your face on camera.
The real limit is the brief. Some briefs ask for a person speaking to camera, a testimonial for example, and a faceless video will not fit them however good it is. On UGC Pocket, what is accepted depends on the brief of each challenge: read it before you film, not after. If you have never read one, here is what a UGC brief usually contains.
The 6 faceless formats that work for apps and software
Each format follows the same backbone: a hook that names a problem or a result, a short demonstration, and what the app changed for you. What differs is how the viewer sees it.
1. Screen recording with voice-over
The most direct format. You record the screen while you use the app, then talk over it: the problem you had, the two to four steps you take in the app, the result. It works for almost any app because it shows exactly how the product behaves.
Keep one action per sentence and move slowly: a first-time viewer needs time to follow. On Android, turning on the option to show touches makes each tap visible.
2. Over-the-shoulder
A second phone or a tripod films your screen from behind, with your hands, your desk and a bit of real life around it. It is the natural format for desktop software on a laptop.
Watch the reflections: a dark screen or a window can show your face. Tilt the screen or change the light.
3. Hands only
You hold the phone in the frame while another device films from above. Viewers see the taps, the scrolling and how the interface responds. It suits mobile apps and the discovery angle.
Use a plain background, keep the framing steady and turn the screen brightness up so the interface stays readable on camera.
4. Text storytime over the screen
No voice at all. The story is written on screen, one short line at a time, over a screen recording or a few screenshots: the situation, the frustration, the moment the app solved it. It works with the sound off, and it is the option if you want to keep your voice private too.
Keep each line short enough to read in one glance. For ads, TikTok recommends displaying 5 to 10 words per second when using text, which is a useful ceiling for organic videos as well.
5. Split-screen before and after
On one side, the old way: a messy note, a spreadsheet, ten open tabs. On the other, the same task in the app. The value is visible in a single image, which makes it a strong opener.
The before has to be honest. Show your own old method, not a named competitor made to look bad, and never fake a result the app does not deliver.
6. A voice reacting to a real result
You run the app on something real (your budget, your photo, your text) and react out loud to what comes out. The reaction carries the emotion a face would normally carry.
It only works if the reaction is genuine: use real input, and do not promise a result the app cannot guarantee.
| Format | Best for | What you need | Main pitfall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Screen and voice-over | Any app, step-by-step demos | Native screen recording, a quiet room | Going too fast |
| Over-the-shoulder | Desktop software, work-session feel | A second phone or a tripod | Reflections showing your face |
| Hands only | Mobile apps, discovery angle | A second device filming from above | Screen unreadable on camera |
| Text storytime | Viewers scrolling with the sound off | An editing app with text tools | Too many words per line |
| Before and after | Tasks the app makes faster or tidier | Two recordings, a split layout | A before that is not honest |
| Voice reaction | Apps that produce a visible result | Real input data | A staged reaction |
For formats with a face too, see our guide to UGC video formats.
A simple shot list for one faceless video
- Read the brief twice. Note the key message, the mandatory mentions, what is forbidden and the accepted formats.
- Prepare the phone. Turn on Do Not Disturb, charge the battery, turn the brightness up, and open the app on demo data rather than your personal account.
- Write four lines. Hook, problem, demo, result: one sentence each. Read them out loud once to hear what sounds stiff.
- Record the screen. Do the full task two or three times so you can keep the cleanest take.
- Record the voice. Either during the screen recording, with the microphone on, or afterwards in a quiet room, phone close to your mouth.
- Film the extra shots. Hands, desk, over-the-shoulder, only if your format needs them.
- Edit. Cut the dead time, add captions, export vertically, and keep text and key buttons away from the edges, where the platform places its own buttons and caption.
- Check before posting. Watch the whole video once looking only for private information, then run the checklist further down.
TikTok's creative best practices for performance ads recommend introducing your proposition in the first 3 seconds, orienting the video vertically at 9:16, shooting at least 720p and keeping content within the UI safe zone. They are written for ads, but the logic holds for organic videos. From the brand side, see also UGC video for TikTok and Meta ads.
Source: TikTok Ads Manager, Creative best practices for performance ads, checked 30 September 2026
How to record your screen on iPhone and Android
Both systems have a built-in screen recorder. Here are the steps as Apple and Google describe them.
On iPhone
- Swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen to open Control Center. If the Record button is not there, add it to Control Center first.
- To record your voice at the same time, touch and hold the gray Record button, then tap Microphone to turn it on.
- Tap the gray Record button, wait for the three-second countdown, then leave Control Center.
- To stop, tap the Screen Recording button at the top of the screen, then tap Stop. The video is in the Photos app.
Apple notes that some apps might not allow you to record audio or video, and that you cannot record the screen and use screen mirroring at the same time.
Source: Apple Support, Record the screen on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, checked 30 September 2026
On Android
- Swipe down twice from the top of the screen and tap Screen record. You might need to swipe right to find it; if it is not there, tap Edit and drag Screen record into your Quick Settings.
- Choose whether to record audio and whether to show touches on the screen, choose what you want to record, then tap Start. Recording begins after the countdown.
- To stop, swipe down from the top of the screen and tap the Screen recorder notification.
- The video is in Photos, under Collections, then On this device, then Movies.
Some phone makers rename or move these menus: if a label differs, check your manufacturer's help pages.
Source: Android Help, Take a screenshot or record your screen on your Android device, checked 30 September 2026
Hooks to adapt
The hook is the first line, spoken or written, that stops the scroll. These are generic on purpose: replace the brackets with the app's real use, and keep a hook only if the video actually shows what it announces.
- I stopped doing [task] by hand. This is what I use now.
- If you still [painful habit], watch this.
- [Number] taps to [result]. That's it.
- The app I wish I had when I [situation].
- POV: you finally found an app that [does the job].
- My [task], before and after [type of app].
- Things I no longer do since I use [app]: [one example].
- Here's how I [result] without [pain].
- Stop scrolling if you [have this problem].
Leave out hooks that promise money, guaranteed results or anything the brief forbids.
Protect your privacy on screen
A screen recording captures everything that appears on the screen, including a banner that drops in halfway through. Faceless creators often hide their face and forget the rest.
- Notifications. Turn on Do Not Disturb before recording. On iPhone, Apple describes it as silencing calls, alerts and notifications: open Control Center and use the Focus button. On Android, swipe down from the top of the screen and tap Do Not Disturb.
- Accounts and emails. Use a demo account or test data. Your name, email address, profile picture and contacts often appear in settings pages and share menus.
- Keyboard and search. Predictive text and recent searches can reveal names and habits. Clear them, or type on a fresh account.
- Location. Maps, weather widgets and the status bar can place you. Keep them out of the frame.
- Reflections. Screens, windows and glasses in over-the-shoulder shots.
- The final pass. Watch the export slowly wherever the screen changes, and blur or crop anything you missed before posting.
Sources: Apple Support, How to turn Do Not Disturb off or on for iPhone or iPad and Android Help, Limit interruptions with Modes & Do Not Disturb on Android, checked 30 September 2026
The rules a faceless sponsored video still follows
Faceless or not, a sponsored video follows the same rules.
- The product is shown as it is. Named correctly, real screens, no feature it does not have.
- The advertising disclosure. In France, article 5-2 of the law of 9 June 2023 requires a clear, legible and understandable mention of the commercial intent, such as "publicité" or "collaboration commerciale". In the United States, the FTC says that when you endorse in a video, the disclosure should be in the video and not just in the description.
- AI voices. TikTok announced in September 2023 that its policy requires people to label AI-generated content that contains realistic images, audio or video. A realistic synthetic voice is AI-generated audio, so label it; whether a brand accepts it at all is up to the brief.
- Real views. When pay depends on views, do not buy views or engagement.
Sources: Légifrance, article 5-2 of law no. 2023-451 of 9 June 2023; FTC, Disclosures 101 for Social Media Influencers; TikTok Newsroom, New labels for disclosing AI-generated content (19 September 2023); checked 30 September 2026
Faceless or not, the brief decides
Each challenge has its own brief, and it says which formats are accepted. The path is the same for everyone: request access to a brand, declare the accounts you will post on, follow the brief, publish on your own TikTok or Instagram, and paste the link in the app. The video must be public and posted on one of your declared accounts, and the team reviews each video. Each challenge shows its pay conditions before you start.
The status conditions are set out in the creator contract; for background, see our guide to UGC creator legal status.
When it is not the right fit: if you would rather deliver video files to a brand without posting them on your own account, UGC Pocket works the other way round. And if you are starting from zero followers, read how to start UGC with no followers and how to make money on TikTok with no followers.
FAQ
Can you get paid for faceless UGC?
Yes. For apps and software, many videos are built around the screen, so a face is often optional, as long as the video follows the brief. On UGC Pocket, each challenge shows its pay conditions before you start, and pay depends on the views of videos published on your declared accounts, above a cumulative views threshold.
Do I need to show my face on UGC Pocket?
There is no general rule: it depends on the brief of each challenge. The brief says which formats are accepted. If it asks for someone speaking to camera, a faceless video will not fit that challenge, so read the brief before you film.
Is an AI voice-over allowed?
It depends on the brief, and some brands prefer a real voice. If you use one on TikTok, its policy requires people to label AI-generated content that contains realistic images, audio or video. Your own voice, or on-screen text only, avoids the question.
How do I record my screen on iPhone or Android?
On iPhone, open Control Center and tap the Record button (touch and hold it first to turn on the microphone). On Android, swipe down twice from the top of the screen and tap Screen record. Both save the video to Photos.
How long should a faceless video be?
The brief sets it. Without a length in the brief, cut everything that does not show the product and put the promise at the very start: TikTok's creative best practices for ads recommend introducing the proposition in the first 3 seconds.
Should I use a separate account for faceless videos?
Yes, and it keeps these videos separate from your personal life. On UGC Pocket, the video must be public and posted on an account you declared. There is no follower minimum to sign up, and each brand accepts or refuses access requests to its challenges.