Buzz
This guide provides step-by-step instructions for editing videos using methods similar to those commonly used on YouTube. Windows users can download and utilize Windows Movie Maker for this purpose, while Mac users can edit videos using iMovie.
Steps
Using Windows Movie Maker
Download Windows Movie Maker. Although Microsoft no longer supports Windows Movie Maker, you can still download the program for free from third-party websites.
- Windows Movie Maker is comparable to YouTube's older editing tools.
Open the video in Movie Maker. Navigate to the folder containing the video you wish to edit, then follow these steps:
- Right-click on the video.
- Select Open with.
- Click on Movie Maker.
Add additional content to Movie Maker. If you want to combine multiple clips into one video or include images in your project, you can add the necessary files to Windows Movie Maker:
- Click on the Home tab.
- Click on Add videos and photos.
- Select a video or image (or hold the Ctrl key while clicking to select multiple files).
- Click Open.
Arrange videos and images. You can reorder clips by clicking and dragging them left or right on the timeline.
- Dragging a clip or image to the far left places it at the beginning of the video, while dragging it to the far right places it at the end.
Add a title. While not every video requires an introductory title, placing one at the beginning allows you to include details or context about the video. Follow these steps:
- Click on Title in the Home tab of the toolbar.
- Highlight the text "My Movie" in the preview pane on the left side of the window.
- Enter the title you want to add to the video.
Choose a transition effect for the title. You can do this by selecting an option from the "Effects" section on the toolbar above the window after selecting the title.
- Hovering over an "Effects" option allows you to preview it in the left pane.
- You can also adjust the title's display duration by clicking the title icon on the timeline and changing the value in the "Text duration" box.
Add transitions between content segments. Moving from one video to the next (or from a video to an image) can feel disjointed, but Windows Movie Maker offers various options to insert smooth transitions:
- Click on the clip or image before the segment where you want to add the transition.
- Click on the Animations tab.
- Select a transition effect or hover over it to preview.
- To insert a transition within a video, drag the vertical black line to the desired point, right-click, select Split, and add the transition.
Trim parts of the video. Many YouTube videos are trimmed to remove dull or lengthy sections, resulting in a more polished and concise product. This is called trimming, and you can do it in Windows Movie Maker:
- Move the vertical line to the start of the section you want to cut.
- Right-click the line and select Split.
- Move the line to the end of the section you want to remove.
- Right-click the line and select Split again.
- Click the section you want to delete and press Delete.
Export the video. Once editing is complete, you can save the video as a finished file:
- Click on the Home tab if it’s not already open.
- Click on Save movie.
- Select Recommended for this project from the menu.
- Name the video file.
- Choose a save location (e.g., Desktop) from the left pane.
- Click Save.
Upload the video to YouTube. After exporting the video, the final step is uploading it to YouTube and sharing it with the community.
- If your YouTube account isn’t verified, you can’t upload videos longer than 15 minutes.
Using iMovie
Open the video in iMovie. Locate the video you want to upload to YouTube and follow these steps:
- Select the file by clicking on it once.
- Click on File.
- Choose Open With.
- Click on iMovie.
Add additional files to iMovie. If you want to include multiple clips or images in iMovie, follow these steps:
- Click on the Media tab at the top of iMovie.
- Click the "Import" button with the downward arrow icon.
- Select the location of the content (e.g., a folder on your Mac).
- Choose a video or image (or hold the ⌘ Command key while clicking to select multiple files).
- Click Import Selected.
Rearrange content. On the timeline near the bottom of the iMovie window, click and drag clips or images left or right to move them closer to or further from the beginning of the video.
Add a title. While optional, adding a title helps organize and annotate your video content:
- Click on the Titles tab at the top of the iMovie browser.
- Select a title template to preview the effect.
- Click and drag the template to the timeline above the video where you want the title to appear.
- Double-click the title in the preview and replace it with your desired text.
Insert transitions between content segments. When working with multiple clips, adding transitions can make the video flow more smoothly:
- Click on the Transitions tab at the top of the browser.
- Select a transition effect to preview it.
- Click and drag the transition between two clips and drop it in place.
Trim parts of the video. Many YouTube videos are trimmed to remove uninteresting or lengthy sections, resulting in a more polished and concise product. This is called trimming, and you can do it in iMovie as follows:
- Select the clip you want to trim.
- Move the vertical line (also called the "Playhead") to the start of the section you want to cut.
- Click on Modify, then select Split Clip or press ⌘ Command+B.
- Move the vertical line to the end of the section you want to cut and split the clip there.
- Select the portion you want to remove, then hold the Control key while clicking to open a menu.
- Click on Trim Selection in the displayed menu.
Export the video.Share
Upload the video to YouTube. After exporting the video, the final step is uploading it to YouTube and sharing it with the community.
- If your YouTube account isn’t verified, you can’t upload videos longer than 15 minutes.
Tips
- The iMovie app comes pre-installed on all newer iPhones and iPads, but the Mac version of iMovie has slightly different menus.
- YouTube accepts most common video formats (e.g., MP4, WAV, etc.) and supports a wide range of video resolutions.
- This guide covers basic video editing, but you can enhance your video quality with elements like scripting, professional lighting, and dedicated filming and audio equipment.
Warning
- YouTube's built-in video editor has been discontinued since September 2017.
