In a nutshell
- Learning to edit videos on your iPhone opens up creative possibilities, whether you’re capturing daily moments or creating content for social media.
- Understanding key post-production terms like timeline, clips and transitions will help you navigate any video editing app.
- Start with simple edits using beginner-friendly apps like iMovie, and as you gain confidence, explore more advanced apps like LumaFusion or Adobe Premiere Rush for complex projects.
Being able to capture and edit videos right from your iPhone is an invaluable skill. Whether you’re documenting your daily life, creating content for social media, or exploring your creative side, learning how to edit videos on your iPhone can open up a world of possibilities. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the basics of the post-production editing process on an iPhone and recommend software or apps to help kickstart your video editing journey.
Terminology you should know
Before diving into the editing process, it’s essential to understand the basics of post-production. Post-production is the work that happens after production (hence the name). It involves refining and enhancing your video footage through various processes. So, essentially, you’re keeping the good and getting rid of the bad. This can cover anything from editing the video to adding sound effects and music or even reshooting video.
Here are some important post-production terms you should know before you edit videos on your iPhone:
Timeline – Your video editing app’s timeline is where the magic happens in video editing. It’s like a digital workspace where you arrange your video clips, audio and effects. As you drag and drop clips onto the timeline, you’re deciding when each part of your video will play. It moves from left to right, showing you the order and length of everything in your video.
Clips – A clip is just a piece of your video. It could be a few seconds or a couple of minutes long. When editing, you’ll take these clips and put them together on the timeline to create your final video. Clips can be raw footage or even a bit of audio.
Sequence – A sequence is just the fancy way of saying the whole video you’re working on. It’s made up of all the clips, audio and edits you’ve arranged on the timeline.
Cut/Splice – Cutting in video editing involves removing a section of a video clip. This action is often performed to eliminate unwanted content, correct mistakes or create seamless transitions between different scenes or shots. Cutting can be a fundamental editing technique and it’s typically done using various tools available in video editing software.
Trim – Trimming lets you tweak the start or end of a clip without cutting anything out completely. If you need a clip to start a little later or end sooner, you can trim it to the perfect length.
Effects – Effects are fun tools you can use to make your video look or sound better. You can change colors, add filters or improve sound quality to set a mood or just make things more interesting.
Transitions – Transitions are connections between different video clips. Transitions typically provide a gradual shift, improving the flow between scenes. They traditionally include fades, dissolves or animated effects, making the video transitions more visually pleasing and engaging for the viewer.
Import – Importing in video editing refers to the act of bringing external media files, such as video clips, audio tracks or images, into the editing software. This allows editors to incorporate various elements into their project.
Export: Exporting is the final step in the video editing process where the edited project is transformed into a standalone video file. This file can be shared, uploaded or viewed independently of the editing software. During the export process, editors choose the desired video format, resolution and other settings based on the intended use of the final video, such as online sharing or playback on specific devices.
How to edit a video on iPhone: Choosing the right app or software
The Apple App Store has tons of video editing apps for iPhones, so you’ve got plenty of options to choose from. If you’re just getting started, iMovie is a great pick because it’s simple to use but still has everything you need. Apps like CapCut or InShot are also great for beginners and come with built-in templates, so adding cool transitions and effects is super easy. If you’re ready to tackle something more advanced, with more layers and effects, you can check out LumaFusion or Adobe Premiere Rush for a more professional touch.
Things to consider:
- iMovie is Free for all iPhone Users.
- Cap Cut and InShot are Free to download but have features and ad-free version you can pay to unlock.
- LumaFusion requires a one-time payment of $30.
- If you already have a Creative Cloud subscription Adobe Rush comes free, otherwise it can be purchased separately for $10 per month.
Bonus tip: Create photo albums
It can be super helpful to organize your video clips by putting them into folders. To do this, tap Select in the top right corner, then tap on all the clips you want in the folder. Once you’ve selected everything, tap the circle icon with the three dots in the bottom right and choose Add to Album. You can either add the clips to an existing album or create a new one by giving it a title. Then just hit Save. Don’t worry; adding clips to an album doesn’t remove them from your camera roll — it just makes it easier to find your footage later without scrolling through everything.
Determine the complexity of your edit:
Figuring out if you’re doing a simple edit or something more detailed can help you pick the right app. For basic stuff like trimming and cutting, iMovie works just fine. But if you’re going for something more complex with multiple layers, cool transitions and advanced features, you might want to try LumaFusion or Adobe Premiere Rush. These apps give you a lot more tools to work with if you’re planning a bigger project.
Post-production process
Trim/cut footage: After picking your editing app, import your video clips. Start by trimming out any unnecessary parts and cutting out mistakes. Most apps let you drag the edges of a clip to trim or use tools for more precise cuts.
Make a rough cut, then finalize: Begin by arranging your clips in the order you want — this is your rough cut. It’ll give you a feel for how your video flows. Once you’re happy with it, go back and fine-tune things by adjusting transitions, adding text or including extra elements to polish it up.
Color correct and color grade: Color correction fixes any issues with the footage, like if the background is too bright and you need to make your subject stand out more. You’ll adjust things like color temperature, brightness and contrast. Color grading, on the other hand, is where you get creative — adjust the colors to set a mood or give your video a specific style. Play around with the settings until you find the look that fits your video.
Add effects if necessary: Depending on the style or theme of your video, you might want to add some effects to make it more interesting. Most editing apps give you tons of options, like filters, overlays and transitions, to help boost the look of your video. Just remember, a little goes a long way — use effects to enhance your video, not take attention away from it.
How to edit a video on iphone: The editing process in iMovie
Now, let’s go through the process of editing in iMovie (since it’s one of the most used apps for video editing on the iPhone). While there might be variations in terminology and feature placement across different video editing apps, the fundamental steps we cover will remain applicable universally across all major video editing apps.
Step 1: Download iMovie
If you haven’t already, head to the App Store and download iMovie.
Step 2: Open iMovie and start a new project
Open the app and tap “Movie” to start a new project.
Step 3: Import your clips
iMovie will open a “Moments” folder with your recent pics and videos. If you want to select other media, tap Media in the top left corner. You can choose from videos, photos or albums already on your phone. To preview a clip, tap the play button. When you’re ready, tap the check mark to select it. After picking all the clips you want, tap “Create Movie” at the bottom.
Step 4: Arrange clips on the timeline
Your clips will show up in the timeline at the bottom of the screen. To rearrange them, just tap and hold a clip, then drag it to where you want it.
Step 5: Trim and cut clips
To trim a clip, tap it in the timeline and then tap the scissors icon. Drag the edges of the clip to trim it down. To cut a clip, move the playhead to where you want to cut, tap the scissors, and select “Split.” This will split the clip, and you can delete the part you don’t want by tapping it and selecting “Delete.”
Step 6: Add transitions
In iMovie, you can only add transitions between two clips. Tap the transition icon (a square with a vertical line) between clips and choose the type of transition you want, like cross-dissolve, slide or fade.
If you want to use a theme transition, tap the gear icon in the bottom right to pick from iMovie’s built-in themes.
Step 7: Add music and voiceovers
To add background music, tap the plus icon, then choose Audio > Soundtracks. Preview a song by tapping it, and if you like it, tap the plus icon to add it to your timeline. To adjust the volume, tap the green audio line, tap the speaker icon and adjust the volume to your liking.
For voice-overs, tap the plus icon, then select Voiceover. When you’re ready, tap Record and narrate as your video plays. Tap Stop when you’re done and then review your recording.
Step 8: Apply effects
iMovie has a variety of filters and effects. Tap on a clip, then the filter icon (three overlapping circles) to choose an effect. You can adjust the intensity if needed.
To add text, tap the clip and select the “T” at the bottom. Choose a text style and font, then drag the text to move it around. You can make it bigger or smaller by pinching the screen.
Step 9: Adjust clip speed
To speed up or slow down a clip, tap it and then tap the speedometer icon. Adjust the speed as needed.
Step 10: Preview your project
Tap the play button to watch your video and make sure everything looks and sounds just right.
Step 11: Save and export
When you’re happy with your video, tap “Done,” then tap the arrow icon. Select “Share Video,” then “Save Video,” and it’ll be saved to your camera roll.
Export processes for other apps
LumaFusion: In LumaFusion, tap the export icon, pick the resolution and frame rate you want, then choose where you want to save or share your video. You can export directly to social media or save it to your device.
Adobe Premiere Rush: In Adobe Premiere Rush, tap the export icon, select the resolution and format you need, then either save the video to your device or share it straight to social media.
It’s time to edit videos on your iPhone
Editing your first video on your iPhone might feel a little overwhelming at first, but with the right app and some practice, you’ll be making awesome, polished content in no time. Start by learning the basics—like trimming, cutting and adding transitions — and work your way up to experimenting with effects, music and color grading. Don’t be afraid to explore different features in your editing app; sometimes trial and error is the best way to learn. Remember, video editing is as much about creativity as it is about technique, so have fun expressing yourself and bringing your ideas to life. With time, you’ll get faster and your videos will just keep getting better.