Frequently Asked Questions

The basics

What is MyZinky?

MyZinky is free video hosting built for family videos. Upload your home movies, from decades-old camcorder tapes to clips from the newest phone, then mark the moments that matter, tag the people in them, and turn them into movies you can keep private or share.

Is MyZinky really free?

Yes. MyZinky is completely free for personal use. There are no fees, no trial period, and no credit card needed to sign up.

Who can see my videos?

Only you. Everything you upload is private by default. Nothing appears anywhere public unless you deliberately share a link or mark a scene Public.

How do I sign up?

Click Get Started and enter your email address or mobile number. We send you a one-time code, so there is no password to remember.

Preparing and uploading your videos

What video format should I upload?

Upload an MP4 file using the H.264 video codec with AAC audio. It is the most widely supported format and plays in every browser. MyZinky also accepts .m4v and .mov files that use H.264, and WebM files that use VP8 or VP9.

My videos are already digitized, but not as MP4. How do I convert them?

Use a free converter such as HandBrake (Windows, Mac and Linux). Open your file, choose the "Fast 1080p30" preset (or "Fast 720p30" for older standard-definition camcorder videos), make sure the format is MP4 and the video codec is H.264, then click Start Encode. Upload the MP4 it creates.

How big can a video be?

Each video can be up to 4 GB. A one to two hour standard-definition camcorder video encoded with the HandBrake 720p preset usually fits comfortably. If a video is larger, split it into parts or encode it at a slightly lower quality.

How do I upload?

Sign in, click Upload, and choose your file. You can keep using MyZinky while it uploads. When the upload finishes, MyZinky prepares your video automatically.

What happens after I upload?

MyZinky checks the video, creates a cover image and a filmstrip of preview frames so you can scrub through the video, and transcribes the spoken audio so you can search for what people said. Your video is usually ready to watch within minutes.

Getting the most out of MyZinky

What are scenes?

A scene is a bookmark for a moment in a video, such as a birthday, a first step or a funny bit. While watching, click Add Scene, give it a name and description, and MyZinky captures a thumbnail. Click any scene later to jump straight to it.

How do I tag people, places and topics?

Add people and tags to any scene. Type a name once and MyZinky suggests it next time. The People and Tags pages list everyone and everything you have tagged, with a count of scenes for each.

Can I search my videos?

Yes. Search looks through video titles, scene names and descriptions, people, tags, playlist names, and even the transcript of what was said in the video. Results take you straight to the right moment.

What are playlists?

A playlist strings scenes from any of your videos into one movie that plays straight through, like a highlight reel. Drag scenes to reorder them, pick a cover, and add scenes from the player with Add to Playlist.

What are Smart Playlists?

Every person and tag becomes a one-click movie. Click a name on your home page and MyZinky plays every scene with that person, oldest first, so you can watch someone grow up in a single sitting.

Can I choose the cover image for a video?

Yes. Pick any frame from the video, or grab the exact frame you are watching, and use it as the cover.

Sharing and privacy

How do I share a video, scene or playlist?

Click Share to create a private link, or have MyZinky email it for you with a personal note. Anyone with the link can watch without an account. Links can last forever or expire after 7, 30 or 90 days.

Can I stop sharing later?

Yes. Every link can be revoked individually at any time, and it stops working immediately.

When I share a scene, can people see the rest of my video?

No. A shared or public scene plays from its own short clip, up to three minutes long, so viewers cannot scrub into the rest of the video.

What is my public page?

Every member has a page at myzinky.com/u/ followed by their username. It shows only the videos and scenes you mark Public, and nothing else.

What happens when I delete a video?

It disappears from your library right away, every share link to it stops working, and its public clips are removed.