Video Editing

Your footage, an editable timeline, and an assistant that takes direction. Start with a rough cut, then shape the details until it feels like you.

Open SocialGPT

Sign in to continue. Web access requires a paid plan. You can edit your own media without connecting a social account.

Make your first edit

1. 1
   Start a project

   Open SocialGPT and create a project. If you see Try example project, use it to explore an editable timeline before bringing your own footage.
2. 2
   Bring in the material

   Import the clips, images, and audio you want to use. Wait for media uploads to finish. Preview your clips so you know which moments belong in the edit.
3. 3
   Make a rough cut

   Try: “Cut my raw footage. Add captions. Make it look good.” For more control, name the target length, the opening moment, and anything you want to preserve. Caption generation needs speech in the source.
4. 4
   Refine, then export

   Watch the result all the way through. Tighten a cut, correct a caption, or adjust the music. Export when the sequence, sound, and text work together.

Find your way around

• Media: your source clips, images, and audio. Importing a file gives you material to work with; check that the intended clips are actually on the timeline.
• Preview: the video at the current playhead position. Use it to judge framing, text, and movement.
• Timeline: the sequence of clips and layers. Horizontal position controls when something appears; overlapping layers let you combine footage, text, and audio.
• Selection and properties: select the clip or element you want to change before adjusting its settings.
• Editor chat: describe an edit, review what changed, and give a follow-up direction. The assistant works inside the project.
• History: review project changes when you need to understand or revisit an earlier edit.

Give a direction the editor can use

A useful request names the target, the change, and the constraint. Select a clip for a local change. For a sequence-wide change, say so explicitly and name any footage or audio that must stay.

• Target: “On the selected clip…”
• Change: “…trim the first two seconds…”
• Constraint: “…and keep the original audio.”

For a whole edit, try: “Make a 20-second vertical recap from these clips. Open on the action, keep the sequence chronological, and end on the wide shot.” Treat the first result as a draft: watch it before adding another request.

Build the cut on the timeline

Get the sequence working before polishing it. Put the strongest opening first, remove material that repeats the same point, and leave enough time for the ending to land.

1. 1
   Trim the edges

   Select a clip and adjust its start or end to remove unused material. Preview the boundary: a tight cut should still preserve the action or sentence.
2. 2
   Split inside a clip

   Move the playhead to the point where you want a cut, select the clip, and use Split. You can then work with the two pieces independently.
3. 3
   Arrange the sequence

   Move clips into the order you want. Check for gaps, unintended overlaps, and audio that no longer lines up after rearranging.
4. 4
   Watch across the cut

   Start playback a little before the edit. Judge the transition in context, rather than looking at a single still frame.

You can also ask for these changes: “Trim this clip to three seconds,” or “Move this shot to the beginning.” Check the timeline after the request to confirm the right material changed.

Make captions readable

Ask “Add word-by-word captions to the speech,” or request phrase captions if you want several words visible together. For silent footage, add a title or your own text instead of expecting a transcript.

• Check the words. Review names, specialist terms, and punctuation against the audio. Correct the text before spending time on styling.
• Check the timing. Play through the speech. Words should arrive when they are spoken and leave time to read.
• Choose a treatment. Ask for clean, minimal captions for an explainer, a handwritten look for a casual diary, or a stronger text background for a busy shot.
• Check the whole frame. Keep text away from faces and important details. Leave room at the edges for the interface of the app where you plan to publish.
• Recheck after cutting. If you change the sequence or speech, review captions again and ask to resync them when needed.

Build the sound around the story

Decide what the viewer needs to hear first: speech, a performance, ambient sound, or music. Import your own audio or ask the assistant to find music and sound effects.

Try: “Find a relaxed instrumental bed and keep it below the voice.” Then listen to the busiest part of the video, adjust levels, and check the start and end of the track. A fade can soften an abrupt entrance or finish.

Use effects where they have a purpose: “Add one subtle sound effect at the reveal.” Review the placement so it lands with the visual moment. If the original footage is a musical performance, ask to preserve that audio rather than adding a competing soundtrack.

Only use audio you have permission to publish. Check any source-specific license or attribution requirements for the track you choose.

Direct the framing and movement

Ask for a slow zoom, a pan, or a punch-in on a specific clip. Name what the movement should emphasize: “Slowly zoom toward the hands on this shot; keep the whole object visible.” Still images can benefit from a small amount of movement too.

Watch the beginning and end of the move. Check that faces, products, and text remain inside the frame. If every shot moves, the important moment can lose its emphasis. Remove a move or make it gentler when it distracts.

A different starting point for every story

Choose a subject, explore two shots, and borrow a direction for your own material. These examples focus on editorial choices: what to keep, what to cut, and what to check.

Save your work and revise confidently

Give the project a recognizable name. Wait for the saved state and media uploads to complete before leaving. A downloaded video and an editable project serve different purposes: exporting does not replace keeping your project available for later changes.

Use Undo for a recent change you do not want. Open History to review how the project evolved. After undoing or revisiting work, play the affected section again before continuing. Keep requests small when you are experimenting so it is easier to identify the change you want to keep.

Export something ready to share

Watch once for the picture, once for the words, and once for the sound. Check the final frame as well as the opening. Then choose Export.

• Format: MP4 is a practical starting point for a finished social video. Use an audio-only format only when you want sound without the picture.
• Resolution: use the project's canvas size or an available output preset. Check the displayed dimensions and aspect ratio. A larger export cannot recover detail missing from the source.
• Quality and audio: choose the available quality setting and confirm audio is included when the video needs it.
• Range: if you choose an In/Out range, only that section is exported. Use the full timeline for the complete edit.

Keep the export open until it finishes, then download and play the file. Check that it contains the intended beginning, ending, captions, and audio before publishing. Available output settings depend on your browser and device.

When something looks wrong

The assistant changed the wrong thing

Undo the change, select the intended clip, and repeat the request with a clear target. Separate a local adjustment from a request that affects the whole sequence.

Captions are missing or out of sync

Confirm the source contains audible speech. Check the caption text and timing after any cuts, then ask to generate or resync captions for the intended speech. Music and silent footage do not provide spoken words to transcribe.

The preview is silent

Check your device volume, the browser tab, and the clip or audio-track levels. Make sure the playhead is over a section with audio. If only the downloaded file is silent, check the export's audio setting.

There is a black gap or an unexpected ending

Inspect the timeline for empty space and clips extending beyond the intended finish. Play across the affected section and check the export range before trying again.

Media or export is not ready

Let uploads finish and inspect any error shown in the editor. For an export capability warning, try an offered lower resolution or supported format. Keep the tab open while it runs. If it still fails, note the error, output settings, and browser when contacting support.