Create Branching Videos in YuJa

Last updated on September 11, 2026

Using YuJa videos in your Canvas Course is a great way to increase student engagement. With YuJa’s Branching Video feature, you can now create video pathways by connecting multiple videos together. These branches allow students to make decisions, observe the consequences, and choose what to do next. Including Branching Videos in your course adds interactivity and meaningful choices to your course videos.

Once your Branching Video is created, you can embed it in Canvas the same way as a regular YuJa video. View our tutorial, Embed Videos from YuJa, for guidance on how to do this.

Note: Branching Videos are not graded and cannot be turned into a YuJa quiz. Additionally, the YuJa video analytics feature does not track usage and activity for the branching video as a whole. For steps on creating a YuJa Video Quiz, view our spotlight, Video Quizzes the CTLD Way- Using YuJa to Increase Engagement.

When Should I Use Branching Videos?

• Decision-making scenarios: Have students choose how to respond to a specific situation or problem and then view the outcome of their decision.
• Choose-your-own-path demonstrations: Allow students to choose which part of a process to examine next.
• Targeted review: Have students select the topic/concept they need to review and receive a video focused on the topic or concept.
• Multiple perspectives: Have students select options to explore an event, topic, or idea from different perspectives, such as different people, groups, or stakeholders.

Directions

[Length 8:08, CC Available]

1. Open https://msudenver.yuja.com in your web browser.
2. Click Sign In at the top right of the screen.
3. Log in using your MSU Denver Credentials.
   1. Alternatively, click YuJa from the left-hand navigation menu in your Canvas course.
4. Click My Media from the left-side menu.

Record or Upload Video Parts

Branching videos in YuJa are created by connecting multiple existing videos together. At specific timestamps, buttons will appear, allowing viewers to select which video to play next. Before beginning, you will need to record or upload each video segment separately. 

For example, each of these sections, or branches, would be a separate video clip:

1. Introduction
2. Option A response
3. Option B response
4. Correct-choice explanation
5. Remediation or review segment
6. Conclusion

View our tutorial, Use YuJa to Create and Upload Videos, for guidance on recording or uploading each video segment.

For guidance on cutting a longer video to make a shorter video segment, view our tutorial, Edit Videos with YuJa Video Editor.

Create a Branching Video

1. Click Create at the top right of the My Media Page.
2. Select  Branching Video from the options that appear. The Branching Video Editor will open in a new tab.
3. Enter a video title at the top left of the screen.
   1. Note: The Title will be labeled “Branching Video [today’s date and time]” by default.

Select the Start Point

The start point is the introduction video that will play first. This is where your first branch point will come from.

1. Locate the first video that you want to add from the list of videos on the right-side panel.
   • Note: This will be the introduction video that will play first.
2. Click and drag the video from the video panel on the right onto the editor canvas.
   • Alternatively, click the three dots at the top right of a video on the editor canvas and select Set as Starting Point.

Create First Branch Point 

A branch point is a specific point in a video when viewers are presented with one or more choices. Depending on the decision the viewer makes, they will be connected to a branching video. Your first branch point will come from your Start Point video.

1. Locate your branching videos from the right-side panel.
   • Note: These will be the video options that will play depending on the option that viewers choose.
2. Click and dragthe videos onto the editor canvas.
   • Note: The placement of the videos does not matter. Place them in an arrangement that will be easy for you to see and understand the flow of your videos.
3. Hover over your Start Point video on the editor to create your first branch point. Three circular branch point buttons will appear (you have a limit of 3 decision points per video).
4. Select one of the circles. A new screen will appear that automatically starts playing the start video.
5. Pause the video at the point you want the branch point to appear.
   • Alternatively, enter the Start Time at which the branch point should appear or use the playback slider.
6. Enter an End Time for the branch point in the box at the bottom right.
   • Note: This is the duration of the video the decision point button will appear for the viewer to select an option. The default is 15 seconds.
     • If the Start Time for the branch point is at the end of the video, the decision buttons will remain on the screen until an option is selected.
7. Click Create at the bottom right of the Branch Point Window.

8. Locate the + sign beside the Start Point video.
9. Click and drag the + sign to one of the circles to the left of a Branching Video.
10. Click on the branch point line between your starting video and your first branch point video behavior.
11. Enter the Button Name in the text box at the top right.
    • Note: This is the name that will appear during playback for users when selecting an option.
12. Select the Video End Behavior.
    • End Branching Video: Select this option if you want the video to end after the branching video ends, or if you are going to create a separate branch point from the branching video.
    • Go back to [Starting Video]: Select this option if you would like the starting video to play again from the beginning after the branch point video ends.
13. Click Apply.

14. Repeat steps 8-13 for each branching video.
    • Note: For all branch point options to appear at the same time, use the same branch point circle from your Starting Video to connect to each branching video.
15. Click Save on the top right to save your video after each branch point.
16. Continue adding branch points and branching videos until all your video segments are connected.
    • Note: You can follow the same steps as above to create branch points off of branching videos.
    • Note: More than one video can branch to the same video by connecting to different branch point circles.
      • For example, both branching video A and B can branch off to the same explanation video.

Preview and Save the Branching Video

Once you have connected all your video segments, it is important to preview the video to make sure everything looks correct.

1. Click Preview at the top of the Branching Video Editor Canvas.
   • A pop-up may appear asking where in the video you would like to resume. Click Play from beginning
2. Play the video.
   • Skip ahead to where the branch points are located if necessary.
3. Ensure the decision buttons appear at the correct time.
4. Click a decision button to preview a branching option.
5. Click the X in the top right corner to exit the preview.
6. Repeat Steps 1-5 until you have previewed all branch point options.
   • Note: You must exit out of the preview, and click Preview again to start the branching video over from the beginning. The replay button at the end of the video preview will only replay the last video segment.
7. Click Save and Close once your Branching Video is ready.
   • Note: Your video will appear in a Branching Videos folder under My Media.
   • Note: To edit your branching video after saving, hover over the branching video, and select Edit.

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Have Questions?

Need additional support on this or other teaching and learning topics? Please visit us for drop-in support (10am-3pm, M-F) or try one of our self-help tutorials. 

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