How to Edit Youtube Videos: An Ultimate Guide

YouTube is a popular and fast-growing video content platform. Many Creators are joining YouTube to make videos and build a successful career from it. If you are someone who wants to get started on YouTube, the first skill to learn is How to Edit YouTube Videos. 

According to Statista, YouTube has 2.1 billion users worldwide as of 2023. With such a large user base, it’s the right time for Creators to learn how to Edit Videos on YouTube, reach a wider audience and build a successful career. 

But how can one Edit Videos on YouTube? Read this blog to learn How to Edit YouTube Videos from desktop and mobile devices. Also, explore some advanced Editing techniques for YouTube.  

Table of Contents 

1) Pre-editing preparation 

2) Editing YouTube Videos on desktop 

3) Editing YouTube Videos on mobile devices 

4) Advanced editing techniques 

5) Conclusion 

Pre-editing preparation  

Before getting started with learning How to Edit YouTube Videos, it’s crucial to know some of the essential steps. These steps will provide a smooth and more efficient Editing experience to create high-quality videos. The following are some pre-editing preparation methods that will help you enhance your Editing journey: 

Organising your footage  

Organising videos and files before starting to work on Video Editing can make the process easy. You can create a folder for your video project and further divide it into subfolders if necessary. Each subfolder can represent different scenes, sequences, or content categories. This organisational structure minimises the time spent searching for specific clips, allowing you to focus on the creative aspects of editing.   

Selecting a Video Editing software 

Choosing a Video Editing software is crucial to creating high-quality and engaging videos. Before selecting an Editing tool, you must consider your Video Editing skills, the project you are working on and the desired outcome.  

For beginners and those looking for a user-friendly experience, software like iMovie or Filmora provides excellent interfaces with simplified editing tools. These platforms are ideal for entry-level Video Creators, allowing them to get comfortable with the Editing process. 

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Editing YouTube Videos on desktop   

Editing YouTube Videos is a creative process which includes various elements like adding text, trimming clips, adding filters and more. Mastering the art of Editing Videos for YouTube might take some time for beginners. However, the following steps will take you through the whole process and help you Edit Videos efficiently: 

Sign into YouTube Studio 

To get started with Editing Videos on YouTube, first, you need to sign in to YouTube Studios. You can easily sign in using your Google account. Here’s how: 

Select videos to upload 

Once you are logged in to the YouTube Studio, click on the ‘Content’ tab from the sidebar on the left of your screen. In the Content tab, click on the ‘Select Files’ tab in the centre of your screen. YouTube supports multiple formats like 3GPP, AVI, MOV, MPEG4, MP4 etc. However, YouTube's suggested formats are MP4 and MPEG4.
 

Add video details and elements 

After uploading selected videos, you need to fill in the details in four steps: 

a) Details 

b) Video Elements 

c) Checks 

d) Visibility 

In these sections, you will be asked to fill in the following information:
 

a) Video title and description  

b) Video thumbnail and the playlist you want to add the video to  

c) The language and subtitles (if required)  

d) Audience type   

In the Visibility section, you can select the visibility of the video. There are three Visibility options: Public, Private and Unlisted. After selecting the Visibility, click on the ‘Save’ button to complete the uploading process.   

Select the video to begin editing 

Once your video is uploaded, go back to the ‘Content’ tab and click on the video thumbnail you want to edit. After selecting the video thumbnail, click on the ‘Editor’ tab on the sidebar on the left side of the screen.  

Trimming your videos 

In the Editor tab, to trim your videos, click on the ‘Trim’ button, and you will be able to see a timeline panel. Drag the bar at both ends of the timeline to remove the part you do not want to get published. Click on ‘Preview’ to view the changes made in the videos after trimming. Click on the ‘Save’ button situated on the top right corner of the desktop screen to save the changes.
 

You can also trim the middle section of your videos by dragging the blue bar from the cornet to the part you want to trim. Once you have placed the bar on the part you want to edit, click on trim and click on the ‘Split’ option. 

After clicking the ‘Split’ option, drag the blue bar to the point you want to remove from your video and click ‘Save’ to save the changes. 

Adjusting audio levels and adding music 

To add music and other sound effects to your video, click on the ‘Audio’ tab. On clicking the Audio tab, you will see a dialogue box with ‘Free music’ and ‘Starred’ options. Click on the ‘Add’ option by hovering on the audio clip.
 

Once the clip is added, you can see the track timeline over the video timeline. Here, you can adjust and trim the music using the adjust bars on the timeline.   

Blur your videos 

You can blur your videos by clicking on the Blur option in the Editor tab. Upon clicking on the Blur section, you will see options like ‘Face blur’ or ‘Custom blur’. The ‘Face blur’ option automatically detects faces in the video and blurs them.
 

 

By clicking on the ‘Custom blur’ option, you can adjust the timing and size of the blur. The two options for custom blur are ‘Rectangle blur’ and ‘Oval blur’. After the changes are done, click on the ‘Save’ button to apply changes. 

Adding end screen 

Adding an end screen to your videos will provide the option for viewers to watch other videos on your channel. You can also add a playlist of videos or subscribe to your channel on the end screen.
 

Click on the ‘End screen’ tab in the ‘Editor’ tool. Upon clicking, you will see options like Apply template, Video, Playlist, Subscribe, etc. Click on the element you want to add to your end screen.
 

You can also apply the previous templates from previous videos by clicking on the ‘Apply Template’ option. Lastly, click on the ‘Save’ button to save the changes.
 

Editing YouTube Videos on mobile devices 

While on desktop, YouTube includes options like trim, audio, end screen and others, on mobile devices, these options are not available. However, some of the options and how to use those features are as follows: 

Select the video 

To edit YouTube videos from mobile, click on the ‘Library’ option situated on the bottom right of your mobile screen.
 

 

In the Library tab, click on the dots in front of the video you want to edit. Here’s how:
 

Select the ‘Edit’ option from the list to begin editing the selected video – as shown in the image:
 

 

Edit page on mobile devices 

On the edit page, you will see various sections to add details such as Title, Description, Visibility, Location and more.  Fill in the details by clicking on each section. In the ‘Tags’ option, you can tag relevant topics to your videos, which will help your videos to reach more viewers. Here's how you can do
 

Adding thumbnail 

You can add a thumbnail to your video by clicking on the ‘Image-like’ icon on the top left corner of the video – as shown in the following image:
 

             

Set Visibility and audience 

Click on the ‘Visibility’ button and select one of the Visibility options. In the Visibility section, you will find three options: Public, Private, and Unlisted.
 

                                 

In the ‘Audience’ tab, you need to answer if the video is ‘Made for Kids’ or not. Select any one option based on your video.
 

 

You can also add specific age restrictions in the advanced setting, as shown in the image. Once you are done filling in all the details, click on the ‘Upload Video’ button to successfully upload and publish the video.   

The best way to Edit YouTube Videos on mobile devices is by using the in-build editor or using a compatible app to edit videos before uploading them onto your YouTube channel. Some of the most trusted YouTube Video Editing apps on mobile are CapCut, VSCO, InShot, and Kinemaster. 

Advanced editing techniques  

YouTube is known for its advanced editing tools and high-quality videos. If you also want to make high-quality and engaging video content, the following techniques will help you: 

Green screen (chroma key) effects  

Green screen or chroma keying is a powerful editing technique used in filmmaking and video production. It involves replacing the background of a scene with a different image or video.   

In the green screen, a subject is placed in front of a green or blue background. Furthermore, with the help of specialised software, the background colour is removed and replaced with the desired background. This technique allows Creators to place their subjects in virtually any environment, from a distant location to a fantastical setting. 

Advanced green screen editing involves precise colour correction, matching lighting angles, and attention to details like shadows and reflections. This technique is widely used in movies, TV shows, and even live broadcasts to create visually stunning and immersive experiences. 

Slow motion and time-lapse  

Slow motion and time-lapse are creative techniques that manipulate and adjust time in videos. Slow motion involves capturing footage at a higher frame rate and then playing it back at a regular frame rate, resulting in a dramatic slowing of motion.   

It's commonly used to emphasise details or capture fast-paced actions more clearly. Time-lapse, on the other hand, involves capturing a series of frames at intervals over an extended period and then playing them back at a regular frame rate.   

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Picture-in-picture overlay  

Picture-in-picture (PiP) overlay is an editing technique that involves placing one video or image within another, creating a layered effect. This is commonly used in news broadcasts, tutorials, and commentary videos, where the main content is displayed in the larger frame while supplementary content appears in a smaller inset frame.   

Advanced PiP editing requires attention to framing and alignment to ensure both the main and inset content are visually cohesive. Precise timing and synchronisation are crucial, especially when dealing with multiple layers of video.   

Achieving a balanced composition, where both the main and inset content are clear and easily distinguishable, is an art in itself. Experienced Editors also incorporate transitions, animations, and effects to make the overlay more engaging and seamless. 

Audio enhancement and noise reduction 

Audio enhancement and noise reduction are essential techniques to improve the overall sound quality of videos. This process involves cleaning up audio recordings by reducing or removing unwanted background noise, echoes, or distortions. Advanced audio editing goes beyond basic noise reduction tools. Creators can utilise spectral editing to pinpoint and eliminate specific noises without affecting the desired audio.   

Moreover, techniques like equalisation, compression, and reverb are employed to balance audio levels, enhance clarity, and add depth. Foley effects and ambient sounds can be added to create a more immersive auditory experience.  

Seamless synchronisation of enhanced audio with video is critical. Experienced Editors also work on mastering audio to ensure compatibility with different playback systems and formats. Thus, they deliver professional-grade sound that complements the visual quality of the video. 

Conclusion 

We hope that this blog helped you to learn How to Edit YouTube Videos and some advanced editing techniques. With the exponential increase in online content consumption worldwide, YouTube attracts great opportunities for Content Creators. By learning to Edit YouTube Videos, Creators can reach a wide audience and showcase their talent. 

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