Edit on the timeline

The timeline is where you build the video: you put clips in order, cut them and adjust their sound and picture. This guide follows Simple mode, the default; at the end you'll see what Advanced mode adds.

Add clips

• Drag a video, photo or music from Media or Library onto the timeline. You can drag several at once.
• Click the + on a thumbnail to add it to the end of the main track.
• Drop files from Windows File Explorer.

Music you drop together with the video goes to its own audio track. A large video comes in at once and its thumbnail arrives afterwards.

Move clips

The main track leaves no gaps: when you move a clip, the others make room and you see where it will land before you drop it. The tracks above and below are free, and linked audio travels with its video.

• Drag the clip to another position or another track.
• The timeline scrolls on its own when you reach the edge.
• Clips snap to the playhead and to the edges of other clips.

If you want gaps on the main track, press P to turn off its magnet.

Trim and split

• Trim: drag the edge of a clip. The thumbnail and waveform update while you drag, and on the main track the rest adjusts.
• Split: place the playhead where you want to cut and click Split in the timeline bar, or press S. Ctrl+Shift+B cuts every track at once.
• Remove the excess: Q deletes what's left of the playhead inside the clip, and W what's right of it.
• Delete: select the clip and click Delete selection or press Delete. On the main track, the gap closes on its own.

Right-click a clip to also see Remove silence, Remove filler words, Generate captions and Unlink clips (to separate the audio from its video).

Adjust a clip

Select a clip and the inspector on the right shows only what can be changed on it:

• Speed: 0.5×, 1×, 1.5×, 2× or 3×. The clip stretches or shrinks and the main track adjusts.
• Rotate, Flip horizontally and Flip vertically.
• Framing: Fill (covers the whole canvas, cropping if needed) or Fit (shown whole).
• Filter: the one applied; Remove takes it off.
• Animation: in and out animations, previewed as you hover.
• Audio: Volume, Fade in and Fade out.

If a setting was made in Advanced (for example, with keyframes), you'll see a note that it has to be changed there.

Filters and transitions

• Filters: in the Filters tab, hover over one to see it in the viewer. Click to apply it to the selected clips, or drag it onto a clip.
• Transitions: in the Transitions tab, drag one between two clips.

Tracks

• Mute track, on each track's header, turns its sound off without deleting anything.
• Delete empty tracks clears the ones left without clips.
• To see more or less, use Ctrl + mouse wheel or Zoom to fit.

What Advanced mode adds

In Advanced (see how to switch mode) you also get:

• Razor (C), Trim edit tool (T), Rate stretch (R), Slip (Y) and Slide (U).
• Markers (M) and Mark in and Mark out points (I, O).
• Adding and deleting tracks by hand, locking, disabling and soloing them.
• In the clip menu: joining clips, reverse, freeze frame, compound clips, copying and pasting the colour grade, and Ripple delete.
• Masks, blend modes and keyframes.

Frequently asked questions

How do I separate the audio from a video?

Right-click the clip and choose Unlink clips. You can then move or delete the audio on its own.

Why can't I leave a gap on the main track?

Because its magnet is on, as in CapCut. Press P to turn it off.

Can I change the speed more precisely?

Simple has fixed speeds. In Advanced you can stretch the clip with the Rate stretch tool.

How many times can I undo?

Every gesture is one step. Press Ctrl+Z to undo and Ctrl+Y to redo; the number of steps is set in Editor settings › General.