Kling 4.0 User Guide

This manual is based on the capabilities of the Kling 4.0 model and the platform’s launch specifications. Features and parameters are subject to the actual product interface.
Kling AI
Oct 14, 2026
77 min read
Kling 4.0 User Guide

Kling 4.0 Release Overview

📌

Kling 4.0 is a next-generation native multimodal AI model for video creation. It delivers more stable complex motion, stronger consistency across diverse references, and more coherent, precise, and controllable storytelling. It enables creators to efficiently transform creative concepts and multiple source assets into complete, controllable video outputs.

1.1 Key Upgrades at a Glance

Upgrade Highlights

Feature Description

Audio-Visual Performance for True-to-Life Visuals

Omni Reference for Greater Creative Control

Narrative Upgrade for Seamless Storytelling

Diverse Content for Limitless Creativity

Kling 4.0 Flash for Faster, Easier Creation

Significantly faster generation at exceptional value

Designed for high-frequency creation, 4.0 Flash Mode enables video creation with faster generation and greater cost efficiency, lowering the barrier to entry for creators.

Video Extension for Longer Stories

Extend videos multiple times, up to 2 minutes, and keep your stories going

Upload a video and extend it multiple times, up to 2 minutes, giving actions, emotional buildup, and multi-part storylines more room to unfold. (Coming soon)

1.2 Core Capabilities and Specifications

Capability

Kling 4.0

Text-to-Video

✓

Image-to-Video

✓

First and Last Frames

✓

Multiple Keyframes

✓, Supports up to 10 keyframe inputs New

Omni Reference

✓

Generation Duration

3-30s New

Resolution

720p / 1080p / 4K

Dynamic Range

10-bit HDR (1080p and 4K)New

Aspect Ratios

21:9New / 16:9 / 1:1 / 9:16 / Auto

Audio Specifications

Stereo, 2-channel New

Supported Languages

Chinese, English, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, Portuguese, German New、French New、Hindi New and other accents.

Dialects and Accents

Chinese: Beijing accent, Taiwanese Mandarin, Northeastern Chinese accent, Sichuan dialect, Cantonese, and more. 

English: American, British, Indian, and other accents.

Text Rendering

Supports Chinese, English, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, Portuguese, German, French, Hindi, and multilingual text, emojis, and logos New

Input Text Length

Up to 8,000 tokens New

Reference Image Input

Up to 10 images

Reference Video Input

Up to 5 videos; 

Total video duration ≤ 30s

Reference Audio Input

Voice reference supported

Reference Element Input

Up to 7 elements, including up to 3 video elements

Note

A maximum of 15 reference inputs in total, including images, videos, voice styles, and elements.

Video Editing

Supports up to 5 video clips, including 1 primary video. 

  • Each clip must be 3–30s long, with a maximum total duration of 30s.

Unless otherwise specified, all parameters and capability descriptions in the following chapters of this manual apply to Kling 4.0.

Getting Started

2.1 Choose a Creation Mode

Kling 4.0 offers two primary entry points in the creation workspace: Omni Reference and Keyframes.

The two entry points differ as follows:

Comparison

Omni Reference

Keyframes

Best For

When you have images or video assets to reference, or only a creative concept to start with

When key visual moments are predefined and need to be reproduced precisely in the final video

What It Controls

The appearance, style, actions, and camera movements of the generated video

The distribution of key moments along the video timeline

Supported Uploads

Images, videos, and voice profiles

Images only

 

Omni Reference is the default entry point and offers the most comprehensive capabilities. Both Text-to-Video and Keyframe-to-Video generation are also available through this entry point.

The Keyframes entry point remains available as a separate option. It preserves the familiar Image-to-Video workflow (the first frame /the first and last frames) while meeting the need for pixel-level consistency in keyframe images.

The capabilities of the two entry points cannot be combined within a single generation task.

2.2 Write Effective Prompts

Principle: Use descriptive language and minimize abstract terms and negative instructions.

Describe visual details as explicitly as possible to reduce the need for the model to infer or guess. Negative prompts can increase the likelihood of errors.

Only two types of negative instructions are truly necessary: no subtitles and no background music. The model may add these by default, so explicitly exclude them when they are not needed.

Not Recommended ❌

Recommended ✅

“Premium look”

Side backlighting outlines the object's edges, the background is blurred, and fine matte grain is visible on the surface.

“Vintage feel”

Yellowed walls, worn furniture edges, and warm incandescent lighting.

“A middle-class family's kitchen”

Wood-grain cabinets, a rice cooker and seasoning jars on the countertop, and sticky notes on the refrigerator door.

“Don't show the element's face while they're on the phone.”

(Describe what you want to see directly) The element is shown in profile while talking on the phone.

Features and Usage

3.1 Omni Reference

Input Limits and Parameters

Input Type

Quantity and Specification Limits

Text

≤ 8,000 tokens

Images

Up to 10 images in total; ≤ 30 MB per image; aspect ratio: 2:5–5:2

Videos

Up to 5 videos; 3–30 seconds per video; ≤ 30 seconds total; ≤ 300 MB per video; aspect ratio: 2:5–5:2

Voice Profiles

Up to 3 per generation task; 5–30 seconds of audio to create a voice profile; ≤ 50 MB per file

Elements

Up to 7 elements in total, including up to 3 video elements; source footage for creating a video element must be 3–8 seconds long

Combined

Up to 15 reference assets in total across images, videos, voice profiles, and elements

 

 

Parameter

Available Options

Generation Mode

720p / 1080p / 4K

Duration

3–30 seconds, adjustable in 1-second increments; default: 10 seconds

Aspect Ratio

21:9 / 16:9 / 1:1 / 9:16 / Auto; default: Auto

⚠️ Reference videos, videos for editing, and video elements share the same video quota: up to 5 clips and a maximum combined duration of 30 seconds.

Omni Reference Usage Guide

Assets are automatically numbered in upload order, such as @Image1, @Image2, and @Video1.

Specify the intended role of each asset, for example, “@Image1: preserve the character's appearance” or “@Video1: reference the action pacing.”

If you provide only asset IDs without specifying their roles, the model will infer their intended use, making the results less predictable.

Example:

 

@Image1 defines the scene. Preserve its spatial layout, furnishings, and lighting.

@Image2 defines the female protagonist. Preserve her facial features, hairstyle, and clothing.

The female protagonist walks toward the window, stops, and looks back.

 

When multiple assets provide different types of information, specify the scope of each asset's role and explicitly exclude elements that should not be carried over.

 

Prompt Structure

[Asset Roles]  

@Image1 defines ___; preserve its ___.  

@Image2 defines ___; preserve its ___.  Reference the ___ of @Video1.

 

[Overall Settings]  

Scene and texture: ___; visual style: ___; camera tone: ___.

 

[Sequence of Events]  

0–X s: ___ (visuals + action + emotion)  

X–Y s: ___ (camera movement + additional details)  

Y s–end: ___ (closing shot)

 

[Audio]  

Dialogue/voiceover + ambient sounds + music + sound effects

Capabilities and Prompt Writing

① Generation from Simple Prompts

You can start creating with just a single creative idea. Describe the element and what you want to happen, and the model will automatically expand simple prompts by filling in the storyline, scene blocking, and camera movements. When the description is already sufficiently clear, the model follows it faithfully without adding its own interpretation.

 

This approach is ideal for exploring visual ideas and getting a first result to work with.

 

An old man ranting about AI.

 

② Multimodal Reference

Character appearance, action and posture, camera language, spatial relationships, and voice profiles can come from different assets and be combined within a single generation task. The key is to tell the model what each asset contributes and how they should come together in the final video.

Reference Type

Prompt Example

Multi-Character Reference

Reference the facial features of the characters in @Image1, @Image2, and @Image3, keeping them strictly consistent. Reference the design of the blue motorcycle in @Image4 and keep it strictly consistent. Reference the design of the red sports car in @Image5 and keep it strictly consistent. Reference the filming equipment in @Image6 and keep it strictly consistent.

Action Reference

Reference the fighting moves and attack timing in @Video1. Use @Image1 and @Image2 as the character appearance references.

Camera Movement Reference

Reference the camera path and pacing of @Video1. Replace the element with the car in @Image1 and the background with @Image2.

Composition Reference

Reference the composition of @Image1 and preserve it exactly.

Storyboard Reference

 

Multi-Character Reference

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Action Reference

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Kling 4.0 User Guide (2)Kling 4.0 User Guide (3)

Use @Video 1 as the reference for the fight choreography and attack timing. Use @Image 1 and @Image 2 as the references for the character designs.

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Camera Movement Reference

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Kling 4.0 User Guide (4)Kling 4.0 User Guide (5)

Use @Video 1 as the reference for camera movements and shot pacing. Replace the Element with the car from @Image 1 and the background with @Image 2.

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Composition Reference

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Storyboard Reference

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③ Resolution

Supports 720p, 1080p, and 4K output for large-screen playback, commercial campaigns, and further video editing.

Kling 4.0 User Guide (10)

 

④ Long-Form Video Generation

Kling 4.0 supports single-generation videos ranging from 3 to 30 seconds. Multi-shot is enabled by default, allowing the model to automatically split shots and organize pacing based on the content.

 

Best for: Short films and finished ads with a complete storyline and multi-shot narrative.

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⑤ Video Editing

You can make targeted changes to character expressions and actions, camera angles and movements, overall style, or backgrounds in existing videos. Specify which visual elements must be preserved to minimize changes beyond the intended scope.

 

⚠️ When editing, explicitly include “Edit @Video1” in the prompt and clearly specify what to change and how. If other elements must remain unchanged, add “Keep everything else unchanged.” Simply writing “Reference @Video1” may be interpreted as reference-based generation instead of editing. Without specifying what to preserve, other visual elements may also change.

Purpose

Correct Prompt

Incorrect Prompt

Modify the original video

Edit @Video1, change … to …

Write “Reference @Video1” instead of “Edit @Video1.”

Editing Type

Prompt Example

Add an Element

Edit @Video1. When the box is opened again at the end, add @Element1 lying inside asleep.

Replace Characters and Scenes

Edit @Video1. Replace the environment and characters throughout with those in @Image1.

Replace Multiple Characters

Edit @Video1. Replace the three people who walk out of the convenience store one after another with the following: the first person with @Image1 + “describe the new element's appearance”; the second person with @Image2 + “describe the new element's appearance”; the third person with @Image3 + “describe the new element's appearance.”

Remove an Element

Remove the person in the foreground from @Video1. Keep everything else unchanged.

Change the Style

Edit @Video1. Replace the corgi in the video with a 3D pixel-art corgi while preserving its actions.

 

Add an Element

Video 1:

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Element 1:
Kling 4.0 User Guide (13)Kling 4.0 User Guide (14)Kling 4.0 User Guide (15)

Edit @Video1. When the box is opened again at the end of the video, @Element1 is lying inside, asleep. Replace the final line, “Ah, it's all old stuff,” with “Why is there a pig here?”

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Replace Characters and Scenes

Video 1:

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Image 1:
Kling 4.0 User Guide (16)

Edit @Video1. Replace the environment and characters throughout the video with the content from @Image1.

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Replace Multiple Characters

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Remove an Element

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Edit @Video 1 to remove the foreground person. Keep everything else unchanged, including the background, other subjects, camera movement, lighting, composition, and video duration. Seamlessly reconstruct the areas previously obscured by the person, ensuring natural, consistent details with no visible artifacts.

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Change the Style

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⑥ Creative Recreation

Have a reference video you like? Borrow its narrative pacing, shot composition, or presentation style, then replace the characters, products, and scenes with your own. Clearly specify what to borrow and what to replace in your prompt.

Optimized for viral social media videos and performance ads.

 

Replace the element in @Video1 with @Image1. Keep everything else unchanged.

 

The closer the reference clip and target content are in pacing and shot structure, the easier it is to achieve the desired results.

Video 1:

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Image 1:

Kling 4.0 User Guide (20)

Replace the Element in @Video 1 with the Element from @Image 1. Keep everything else unchanged, including the background composition, camera movements, lighting, shadows, audio, and video duration. Ensure the replacement Element integrates naturally into the original footage, matching the original Element's position, scale, movements, and trajectory.

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⑦ Audio and Languages

Audio output supports two-channel stereo.

Category

Supported Languages and Accents

Languages

Chinese, English, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, Portuguese, German, French, Hindi

Chinese Dialects

Sichuanese, Cantonese

Chinese Accents

Beijing, Northeastern Chinese, Taiwanese Mandarin

English Accents

American, British, Indian

To generate speech in a specific language, write the dialogue in that language inside quotation marks. For example:

 

A Spanish female tourist looks at the interpreter in the middle and raises the map in her hand. She speaks in natural, clear, slightly slow Spanish: “¿Dónde está la estación de metro más cercana?”

 

For a more specific voice, describe the speaker's age, vocal tone, speaking speed, and emotion. For example:

 

The promotional character has the voice of a 15-year-old adult woman. She speaks in English with sincerity and emotional engagement: “I honestly love this Kling jacket—the cropped fit feels so confident, and it goes with everything.” Start with warm appreciation, emphasizing “love” and “confident.”

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⑧ Text Generation

Text rendered in video supports Chinese, English, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, Portuguese, German, French, Hindi, and other languages, as well as emoji and logo generation.

 

Text remains clear and stable during camera movements, character movements, and scene transitions.

 

You can also include subtitles directly in the prompt. For best results, specify the font size, alignment, display duration, and whether the subtitles should be synchronized with the dialogue.

 

Subtitles Burn in English subtitles, bottom-center within the title-safe area, positioned 10% above the bottom edge of the frame. Use no more than one or two lines. Rounded cream-colored felt subtitle panels with bold, dark chocolate-brown text, high contrast, and stable positioning. Each subtitle appears and disappears in sync with the corresponding voiceover: 0.78–1.38 sec: “ONE.” 1.98–3.84 sec: “ONE MEANS JUST ONE.” 4.16–4.66 sec: “TWO.” 4.86–6.82 sec: “TWO MEANS ONE AND ONE TOGETHER.” 7.26–7.78 sec: “THREE.” 8.04–10.16 sec: “THREE MEANS TWO AND ONE MORE.” 10.32–10.80 sec: “FOUR.” 11.06–13.08 sec: “FOUR MEANS THREE AND ONE MORE.” 13.32–14.24 sec: “ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR.” 14.40–15.00 sec: “GREAT JOB!”

 

Ideal for brand advertising, product packaging, on-screen interfaces, and other visuals that require accurate text rendering.

[Sample Video Placeholder]

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⑨ Stylized Generation

Supports a wide range of visual styles, including cinematic, retro DV, animation, felt, fantasy, and cyberpunk. Style control extends to materials, lighting, and the overall atmosphere of the scene.

 

When specifying an animation style, explicitly exclude photorealism to avoid inconsistent results that mix the two styles.

 

When specifying a style, combining positive descriptions with explicit exclusions produces more consistent results:

 

Edit @Video1. Replace the video’s style with the felt style of @Image1. Preserve the original composition, shots, and actions. Change only the style; do not alter the characters’ clothing designs, motorcycle design, scene elements, or event sequence.

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3.2 Keyframes

Already know how your video should start, where the turning point should be, and what the final frame should look like? Set these moments as keyframes, then describe the actions and transitions between them.

 

The Keyframes entry lets you precisely control points along the timeline. Without keyframes, the model determines the order and timing of visual changes. With keyframes, you define the visuals at specific timestamps.

Input Limits and Parameters

Input Type

Quantity and Specification Limits

Text

≤ 8,000 tokens

Images

Up to 10 images in total; ≤ 30 MB each; aspect ratio 2:5–5:2

 

Parameter

Available Options

Generation Mode

720p / 1080p / 4K

Duration

3–30 sec, in 1-sec increments; default: 10 sec

Aspect Ratio

Without uploaded images: 21:9 / 16:9 / 1:1 / 9:16. After uploading images, the aspect ratio follows the first keyframe.

⚠️ The Keyframes entry does not support uploading reference assets.

Keyframe Usage Guide

Kling 4.0 supports first frames, last frames, start-and-last frames, and middle frames at any position in the timeline.

Control

Description

Character Actions

Raise a hand at 3 seconds, turn around at 7 seconds

Character Entry and Exit

Character B enters through the door at 6 seconds, rather than appearing only at the end

Scene Changes

The sky darkens at 5 seconds; it starts raining at 10 seconds

Composition Changes

Transition from an extreme wide shot to a close-up at a specified timestamp

State Progression

Define the transition from State A to State B and the intermediate stages along the way

Usage and Prompt Writing

① first frame

Format: Use @Image1 as the first frame, then describe what happens next.

 

Use @Image1 as the first frame. [Describe what happens next.]

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② First and Last Frames

Format: Use @Image1 as the first frame and @Image2 as the last frame, then describe the [process] in between.

 

Use @Image1 as the first frame (a piece of raw iron) and @Image2 as the last frame (a finished knife). Generate a 15-second video showing the process of forging a large iron sword, in a realistic documentary style.

 

Use @Image1 as the first frame and @Image2 as the last frame. The entire video should be one continuous lateral tracking shot from the side, with no cuts, angle changes, or scene changes.

 

Best for: Showing transformation processes, craftsmanship, and before-and-after comparisons.

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③ Last Frame

Format: Use @Image1 as the last frame, then describe what happens before it.

 

Use @Image1 as the last frame. [Describe what happens before it.]

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④ Middle Frames

Add a description to each keyframe, specifying what appears at that point and how the camera reaches that position.

 

X–Y sec | Keyframe 1: [Describe what happens] Y–Z sec | Keyframe 2: [Describe what happens] A–B sec | Keyframe 3: [Describe what happens] And so on

 

Ideal for projects with an existing storyboard that require each key visual to be precisely mapped to the timeline.

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FAQ

Entry Points and Versions

Q: How do I choose between the two entry points?

Choose Omni Reference when you need to reference specific assets or want to start with a creative idea without having specific visuals in mind. Choose Keyframes when you need to lock in visuals at specific moments. The two entry points cannot be combined in a single generation task.

 

Q: How do I choose between Kling 4.0 and Kling 4.0 Flash?

Kling 4.0 Flash is ideal for rapid creative iteration and short-form video creation. It supports videos up to 20 seconds at a maximum resolution of 720p, but does not currently support start-and-last frames or multiple keyframes. Choose Kling 4.0 for longer videos, higher resolutions, or precise visual control using start-and-last frames and multiple keyframes. Refer to the product page for the latest supported capabilities.

Capabilities

Q: What is the total asset upload limit?

In Omni Reference mode, you can upload up to 15 assets in total across images, videos, voice profiles, and elements. The limits are 10 images, 5 videos, 7 elements, and 3 voice profiles. When working with many assets, prioritize those that have the greatest impact on the visuals and pacing.

 

Q: Can I add video elements after uploading 5 reference videos?

No. Reference videos, videos for editing, and video elements share the same video quota, with a maximum of 5 clips and a combined duration of no more than 30 seconds.

 

Q: What is the prompt length limit?

8,000 tokens.

 

Q: Can I upload background music or sound effects?

No. Audio input currently supports voice profile references only, allowing you to specify a speaker's voice. Background music and sound effects are generated by the model based on the visuals. Describe your audio requirements in the audio section of the prompt.

 

Q: Do I need to manually enable sound effects and storyboarding?

No. Audio-visual synchronization and Smart Storyboard are enabled by default and have no separate toggles.

 

Q: How can I improve results that don't match my expectations?

Check two things first: whether each asset's role is clearly specified, and whether the prompt contains abstract terms such as “premium look” or “cinematic feel.” Replacing abstract terms with concrete visual descriptions—such as lighting, materials, and composition—can often improve results.

 

Q: Are longer prompts always better?

No. Start with one sentence that clearly describes the element, scene, action, and emotion. Then add only the details that meaningfully affect the result, such as camera work, timing, audio, and preservation requirements. This is more effective than piling on adjectives.

Additional Tips

  • When using multiple assets, verify that each @ reference points to the correct asset and clearly defines its role in the characters, actions, camera work, or audio.
  • For video recreation, choose reference clips with pacing, composition, and camera movements similar to your target content.
  • Choose Keyframes to lock in specific visuals. Choose Omni Reference to combine multiple references or explore creative ideas.