The timeline is the area in Video Editor where you can see and arrange your video, audio, image, and text elements.
Elements and tracks
After you add video, image, audio, or text element to the project, it is added to a separate track. Each track displays the added element as a small thumbnail with its content (video or image frames, audio waveform, or text).
You can have several elements of one type in one track (for example, several audio elements or several text elements). But you cannot have different types of elements in one track.
Timeline snapping
The snapping feature helps to easier align the elements with one another. When dragging the yellow handles of an element, you can snap to the edge of another element.
The Snapping toggle is located at the top right of the timeline. By default, the snapping feature is always enabled when you start working on your project.
To toggle the feature on or off, you can do one of the following:
- Click the Snap icon.
- To temporarily toggle the feature on or off while dragging the yellow handle of an element, press and hold down Ctrl (on Windows) / ⌘ Command (on Mac). After releasing the key, the previous state will be restored. Please note that the icon will not change when temporarily toggling the feature on or off.
Ripple editing
Ripple editing is a helpful video editing mode that helps you keep the gaps between the project elements when removing, trimming, or bulk resizing them.
The Ripple editing toggle is located at the top right of the timeline, next to the Snapping icon. By default, the ripple editing feature is always disabled when you start working on your project.
To toggle the feature on or off, click the Ripple editing icon.
Change timeline scale
To zoom in or out in the timeline, at the top right of the timeline bar, use the Zoom Out, Zoom In, or Fit to Screen icons.
Select elements
To perform any actions for a specific element, click its thumbnail in the timeline (use the Shift key to select multiple elements). The selected elements are outlined in yellow.
Change duration
Each element in the timeline has a certain duration. The element appears or is heard in your video as long as it lasts in the timeline.
The longest or the far-right element in the timeline determines the overall video duration. You can see the total video duration at the mid-top of the timeline.
To change the duration of an element, select its thumbnail in the timeline, and then drag the yellow handles to specify the new duration. Alternatively, in the settings section of an element, click the Timing tab and set the required duration manually.
You can shorten video and audio elements, but you cannot make them longer than their original length. If you need your audio or video elements to repeat, duplicate them.
Organize elements
To organize your timeline, you can move the elements from one track to another. Each element can be in a separate track, or you can have the same type of element (video, audio, image, or text elements) in one track.
To move the elements within one track or to another track, click, and then drag the element to the new position. Use the yellow indicators to choose where to place the element.
Split elements
To divide or split an element into two or more parts, select its thumbnail in the timeline, and then do the following:
- Drag the playhead (the white vertical line in the timeline) to select the desired split point.
- At the top-left of the timeline bar, click the Split icon or press s on your keyboard.
Note: When you split an element, it is not physically split. Rather, part of the element after or before the split point becomes not visible. If you drag the yellow handles of the new elements, you can make the hidden parts visible again.
Remove gaps
To remove gaps between the elements in one track after deleting or adding new ones, do one of the following:
- Select and drag the element until it snaps to the edge of another element.
- Select the gap, and at the top-left of the timeline, click the Delete icon.
Duplicate elements
To make a copy of an element, select its thumbnail in the timeline, and then do one of the following:
- At the top-left of the timeline, click the Duplicate icon.
- Press d or Ctrl + c, Ctrl + v / ⌘ Command + c, ⌘ Command + v on your keyboard.
Reorder elements
The order of the tracks in the timeline determines the visibility of the video, image, and text elements in the video. The elements located in the top tracks of the timeline overlap the elements located in the underneath tracks.
To change the order of the element, select the element, and then do one of the following:
- Click and drag the selected element to the new position.
- At the top-left of the timeline, click the Bring Forward or Send Backward icons to move the selected element up or down.
- Press Ctrl + ↑ / ⌘ Command + ↑ or Ctrl + ↓ / ⌘ Command + ↓ on your keyboard.
Delete elements
To delete an element from the project, select its thumbnail in the timeline, and then do one of the following:
- At the top-left of the timeline, click the Delete icon.
- Press Delete or Backspace on your keyboard.