As video content continues to grow in popularity, editing has become an essential skill for anyone looking to produce high-quality videos. While there are a plethora of video editing programs available in the market today, OpenShot stands out among them as one of the best free and open-source video editors.
If you’re new to video editing or looking for an alternative to more expensive software, OpenShot is an excellent choice. In this guide, we’ll take you through everything you need to know about how to edit videos on OpenShot, step-by-step.
Before we dive into the step-by-step process, let’s first talk about what OpenShot is and why it’s such a great option.
What is OpenShot?
OpenShot is a free, open-source video editor that’s available on multiple platforms, including Windows, Mac, and Linux. It was first released in 2008 and has since been widely recognized as one of the best free video editors available.
OpenShot is packed with features that make it a powerful video editing tool, including:
- Support for a wide variety of file formats
- Cross-platform compatibility
- Unlimited tracks and layers
- Advanced timeline functionality
- Customizable title cards
- Powerful animation tools
Whether you’re an aspiring filmmaker or just starting with video editing, OpenShot provides everything you need to create stunning videos.
Getting Started With OpenShot
To start using OpenShot, you’ll need to download and install the software. You can do this by visiting the OpenShot website and selecting your operating system. Once downloaded, follow the installation instructions to set up the program on your computer.
Once you’ve installed OpenShot, it’s time to familiarize yourself with the interface. When you open the program, you’ll be greeted with the main window, which contains your video preview screen, timeline, and multiple panels that provide access to various editing tools.
The first thing you’ll want to do is import your video footage. To do this, click on the “Import Files” button in the top left corner of the interface. This will bring up a file browser where you can navigate to the folder containing your video files. Select the file you want to import and click “Open”.
Once you’ve imported your video, it will appear in the project files panel on the left side of the interface. From here, you can drag and drop your video onto the timeline to start editing.
Editing Your Video on OpenShot: Step-by-Step
Now that you have your video imported into OpenShot, it’s time to start editing. Here are the steps you’ll need to follow:
- Add your video to the timeline
To start editing your video, you’ll need to add it to the timeline. To do this, simply drag and drop the video file from the project files panel onto the timeline at the bottom of the interface.
- Trim your footage
Once your video is added to the timeline, you can trim it down to the desired length. To do this, hover your mouse over the edge of the clip you want to trim until the cursor changes into a bracket icon. Then click and drag the edge of the clip to shorten or extend it.
You can also use the “Razor Tool” (shortcut key B) to split your clip into multiple segments and remove any unwanted sections. Simply position the playhead where you want to make the cut and press the “B” key on your keyboard. Then repeat this process for any other sections you want to remove.
- Add transitions
Transitions are an important part of video editing as they help smooth out cuts between different clips. OpenShot comes with a variety of transition effects you can use. To add a transition, simply drag and drop it from the transitions panel onto the timeline between two clips.
- Add audio
Adding audio to your video is easy in OpenShot. Simply drag and drop an audio file from the project files panel onto the audio track below the video track on the timeline. You can also adjust the volume of the audio by clicking on the audio clip and dragging the bar up or down.
- Add text and titles
OpenShot provides several tools for adding text and titles to your video. To add text, select the “Text” option in the toolbar at the top of the interface. This will bring up a text editor where you can enter your text and customize its appearance.
You can also add pre-made title templates by selecting the “Title” option in the toolbar. This will bring up a library of customizable title cards that you can use to add professional-looking titles to your video.
- Export your video
Once you’ve finished editing your video, it’s time to export it. To do this, click on the “Export Video” button in the top right corner of the interface.
We Covered This Topic :
- Free video editing software for beginners
- Best open-source video editor
- How to trim videos in OpenShot
- Adding transitions and effects in OpenShot
- Audio editing in OpenShot
- How to add text and titles to videos in OpenShot
- Exporting videos in OpenShot
- OpenShot vs. other video editors
- Tips for editing videos on OpenShot
- Animations in OpenShot
- Advanced timeline features in OpenShot
- Cross-platform video editing with OpenShot
- OpenShot shortcuts and hotkeys
- Professional video editing with OpenShot
- Using masks in OpenShot