How to Use WAN 2.5: 2025 Free Tutorial + 2026 Update

WanVideoMaker Teamon a year ago

How to Use WAN 2.5: 2025 Free Tutorial + 2026 Update

2026 update: This guide was originally published in October 2025, when WanVideoMaker offered its own WAN 2.5 trial and credit workflow. Those site-specific free credits, checkout plans, generation buttons, speed promises, and licensing claims are historical and are no longer current. We have kept this URL because the WAN 2.5 tutorial itself still has reference value, while updating the article so it does not present old product offers as current facts.

WAN 2.5 was an important step in Alibaba's Wan video-model line. If you are researching the model today, this page explains what WAN 2.5 actually supported, which prompt techniques still transfer well to newer models, and what has changed since the original 2025 tutorial.

For the current Wan workflow, see our Wan 3.0 guide and Wan 3.0 pricing calculator. If you want to create with Wan rather than only read about it, current generation is available through Ikat.

What WAN 2.5 officially supports

Alibaba Cloud still documents the WAN 2.5 Preview video models:

wan2.5-t2v-preview — text to video
wan2.5-i2v-preview — image to video
480P, 720P, or 1080P output
5-second or 10-second video duration
30 fps, MP4 output
audio-video synchronization support

These are provider/model capabilities. They should not be confused with the old WanVideoMaker credit system or historical free-trial rules.

Why the old article needed correction

The 2025 version of this page mixed three different things together:

the underlying WAN 2.5 model,
Alibaba Cloud model capabilities,
WanVideoMaker's own temporary product offers and credit system.

That made time-sensitive site offers look like permanent WAN 2.5 model facts. This revision separates them clearly.

The prompt structure that still works

One part of the original tutorial remains useful: writing a clear video prompt. A practical structure is:

[Subject] + [Action] + [Scene] + [Visual style] + [Camera] + [Lighting]

A weak prompt:

A dog running

A more useful prompt:

A golden retriever runs through a sunflower field at sunset,
slow motion, warm cinematic lighting,
a low tracking shot following the dog,
soft background depth of field

1. Describe motion explicitly

Video models need motion information. Instead of only naming an object, describe what changes over time:

walks slowly toward the camera
rotates clockwise on a product pedestal
fabric moves in a light breeze
camera pushes in while the subject remains still

2. Separate subject from scene

A prompt is easier to control when the main subject and environment are distinct:

Subject: a red sports car
Action: driving through a curve
Scene: wet mountain road at dusk
Camera: low front tracking shot
Lighting: headlights reflecting on the road

3. Use camera language only when it helps

Terms such as close-up, wide shot, tracking shot, dolly in, and aerial shot can make intent clearer. More camera terms are not automatically better; use one or two that describe the shot you actually want.

4. Keep the first attempt simple

A common mistake is trying to put several scenes, characters, actions, and style changes into a short clip. For a 5- or 10-second WAN 2.5 generation, a single clear action is usually easier to evaluate and iterate on.

Historical text-to-video workflow

The exact WanVideoMaker interface shown in the original 2025 article is no longer the current product flow. The useful model-level workflow is still straightforward:

Choose a text-to-video workflow using wan2.5-t2v-preview or a newer Wan model.
Write one clear scene and motion description.
Select the supported duration and resolution for the provider you are using.
Generate a first draft.
Review motion, framing, subject consistency, and unwanted artifacts.
Revise one variable at a time instead of rewriting the entire prompt.

Example prompt: product shot

A matte-black wireless headphone set slowly rotates on a clean white pedestal,
soft studio lighting, subtle floor reflection,
medium close-up product shot, smooth controlled motion

Example prompt: atmosphere shot

A cup of coffee on a wooden table beside a rainy window,
steam rises slowly while soft morning light enters from the side,
static close-up, shallow depth of field, calm cinematic mood

Historical image-to-video workflow

For image-to-video, the source image already defines much of the composition. The prompt should focus more on motion than on redescribing every visible detail.

A useful process:

Start with a sharp source image with a clear subject.
Choose the image-to-video workflow (wan2.5-i2v-preview historically, or a newer model today).
Describe the motion you want to add.
Avoid motion that conflicts with the source image.
Generate a short first version and check subject deformation before increasing complexity.

Example motion prompt

The camera slowly moves closer.
The subject makes a subtle natural head movement.
Hair moves gently in the breeze.
Background motion remains minimal.

For a product image:

Slow 15-degree camera orbit around the product,
subtle studio-light movement,
keep the product shape and logo unchanged

What no longer applies from the 2025 WanVideoMaker tutorial

The following statements appeared in the original article but should not be treated as current offers or guarantees:

the no-signup free-generation offer on WanVideoMaker
the old signup-credit offer
a fixed number of videos per credit package
old fixed generation-time promises
blanket "no watermark" promises for every access method
blanket commercial-license statements
the old WanVideoMaker checkout plans
the old WanVideoMaker generation/download UI

Some provider/API configurations can differ from console experiences. For example, Alibaba Cloud documents different watermark behavior depending on how a model is accessed. Always check the current provider documentation and terms for the workflow you actually use.

WAN 2.5 vs newer Wan models

WAN 2.5 Preview remains useful for understanding the evolution of the Wan family, especially its 5/10-second generation, up-to-1080P output, and audio-video synchronization. Newer Wan generations have expanded duration, reference inputs, editing options, and workflow flexibility.

If your goal is to create a new project today rather than reproduce a 2025 workflow, start with the Wan 3.0 overview. For provider-side cost research, use the Wan 3.0 pricing calculator.

Frequently asked questions

Is WAN 2.5 still documented?

Yes. Alibaba Cloud's current video-model documentation still lists wan2.5-t2v-preview and wan2.5-i2v-preview. Newer models are also available, so which model you should use depends on your workflow and provider availability.

Does WAN 2.5 support 1080P?

Alibaba Cloud documents 480P, 720P, and 1080P output for the WAN 2.5 Preview text-to-video and image-to-video models.

How long are WAN 2.5 videos?

The documented WAN 2.5 Preview options are 5 seconds and 10 seconds.

Does WAN 2.5 support audio?

Yes. Alibaba Cloud describes WAN 2.5 Preview video models as supporting audio-video synchronization.

Is WAN 2.5 free on WanVideoMaker today?

The old WanVideoMaker free-trial and credit offers described in the original 2025 article are no longer current. This page now preserves them only as historical context, not as an active offer.

Where can I create with Wan now?

For the current Wan workflow on our ecosystem, use Ikat. WanVideoMaker now focuses on Wan guides, pricing references, tutorials, and search resources.

Official references

Originally published: October 2025
Substantially reviewed and corrected: August 2026