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GET
https://api.pictory.ai
/
pictoryapis
/
v1
/
smartlayouts
Get Smart Layouts
curl --request GET \
  --url https://api.pictory.ai/pictoryapis/v1/smartlayouts \
  --header 'Authorization: <authorization>'
{
  "items": [
    {
      "templateId": "202507141030549677ylq8k8gu44vy1y",
      "templateName": "Modern minimalist",
      "schemaVersion": "v3"
    },
    {
      "templateId": "20250813042630669e658e159aa60455692c1dad5473adhg7",
      "templateName": "Kinetic",
      "schemaVersion": "v3"
    },
    {
      "templateId": "20250813042630669e658e159aa60455692c1dad5473adaa3",
      "templateName": "Chic",
      "schemaVersion": "v3"
    },
    {
      "templateId": "20250813042630669e658e159aa60455692c1dad5473adcf7",
      "templateName": "Wanderlust",
      "schemaVersion": "v3"
    },
    {
      "templateId": "20250813042630669e658e159aa60455692c1dad5473adtd3",
      "templateName": "Bulletin",
      "schemaVersion": "v3"
    }
  ]
}

Overview

Fetch all smart layout templates available in your Pictory account. Smart layouts are pre-designed visual templates that define how text, visuals, and other elements are arranged in your video scenes. They provide professional styling with consistent positioning, animations, and visual effects. Use this endpoint to retrieve available smart layouts for video creation, allowing users to select from pre-defined layout options that match their content style.
You need a valid API key to use this endpoint. Get your API key from the API Access page in your Pictory dashboard.

What Are Smart Layouts?

Smart layouts are visual templates that control:

Text Positioning

Where subtitles and captions appear on screen

Visual Arrangement

How background media is displayed and cropped

Animations

Entry, exit, and emphasis animations for elements

Styling

Colors, fonts, and visual effects applied to scenes

API Endpoint

GET https://api.pictory.ai/pictoryapis/v1/smartlayouts

Request Parameters

Headers

Authorization
string
required
API key for authentication
Authorization: YOUR_API_KEY

Response

Returns an object containing an array of smart layout templates.
items
array of objects
List of available smart layout templates

Response Examples

{
  "items": [
    {
      "templateId": "202507141030549677ylq8k8gu44vy1y",
      "templateName": "Modern minimalist",
      "schemaVersion": "v3"
    },
    {
      "templateId": "20250813042630669e658e159aa60455692c1dad5473adhg7",
      "templateName": "Kinetic",
      "schemaVersion": "v3"
    },
    {
      "templateId": "20250813042630669e658e159aa60455692c1dad5473adaa3",
      "templateName": "Chic",
      "schemaVersion": "v3"
    },
    {
      "templateId": "20250813042630669e658e159aa60455692c1dad5473adcf7",
      "templateName": "Wanderlust",
      "schemaVersion": "v3"
    },
    {
      "templateId": "20250813042630669e658e159aa60455692c1dad5473adtd3",
      "templateName": "Bulletin",
      "schemaVersion": "v3"
    }
  ]
}

Default Smart Layouts

The following smart layouts are available by default:
Layout NameStyleBest Used For
Modern minimalistClean, simple design with subtle animationsProfessional content, corporate videos, tutorials
KineticDynamic, energetic with bold movementsSocial media content, promotional videos, engaging clips
ChicElegant, sophisticated stylingFashion, lifestyle, premium brand content
WanderlustTravel-inspired, adventurous feelTravel content, adventure videos, outdoor themes
BulletinNews-style, informative layoutNews updates, announcements, educational content
You can also create custom smart layouts in the Pictory App. Custom layouts will appear in your API response alongside the default layouts.

Code Examples

Replace YOUR_API_KEY with your actual API key
curl --request GET \
  --url 'https://api.pictory.ai/pictoryapis/v1/smartlayouts' \
  --header 'Authorization: YOUR_API_KEY' \
  --header 'accept: application/json' | python -m json.tool

Using Smart Layouts in Video Creation

Once you have the layout ID, use it with the smartLayoutId parameter when creating videos:

Using Layout ID

const response = await fetch('https://api.pictory.ai/pictoryapis/v2/video/storyboard/render', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {
    'Authorization': 'YOUR_API_KEY',
    'Content-Type': 'application/json'
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    videoName: 'my_video',
    smartLayoutId: '202507141030549677ylq8k8gu44vy1y', // Modern minimalist
    scenes: [{
      story: 'Your video content here',
      createSceneOnEndOfSentence: true
    }]
  })
});

Using Layout Name

Alternatively, you can use the smartLayoutName parameter with the exact template name:
const response = await fetch('https://api.pictory.ai/pictoryapis/v2/video/storyboard/render', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {
    'Authorization': 'YOUR_API_KEY',
    'Content-Type': 'application/json'
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    videoName: 'my_video',
    smartLayoutName: 'modern minimalist', // Case-insensitive
    scenes: [{
      story: 'Your video content here',
      createSceneOnEndOfSentence: true
    }]
  })
});
You cannot use both smartLayoutId and smartLayoutName in the same request. Choose one method to specify your layout.

Error Handling

{
  "message": "Unauthorized"
}
Solution: Check your API key is valid and correctly formatted in the Authorization header.
{
  "error": {
    "code": "INTERNAL_ERROR",
    "message": "An unexpected error occurred"
  }
}
Solution: Retry the request. If the issue persists, contact support.