Timeline basics

The timeline is where you build your edit. Multi-track, non-linear, and fully editable — use shortcuts or the agent to shape your story.

Timeline overview

The timeline sits at the bottom of the editor. It contains:

• Main track — primary video content
• Overlay tracks — graphics, images, text overlays
• Audio tracks — music, voiceover, sound effects
• Text tracks — captions, titles
• Graphic tracks — shapes, stickers
• Effect tracks — adjustment layers, color grades

Getting familiar

Zoom and scroll

• Zoom in/out — scroll wheel (over timeline) or zoom buttons
• Scroll left/right — drag timeline ruler or use scroll bar
• Fit to screen — press F (select all) then zoom adjusts

Playhead

• Red line — shows current playback position
• Click ruler — jump to that time
• Spacebar — play/pause from playhead

Selecting clips

• Click — select one clip
• Shift+click — add to selection
• Cmd/Ctrl+A — select all (on active track)
• Drag box — multi-select by dragging

Trimming clips

Hover the edge of a clip, then drag:

• Left edge — adjust start time (clip becomes shorter from beginning)
• Right edge — adjust end time (clip becomes shorter from end)
• Opposite end stays — content inside shifts, but clip position stays

Splitting clips

• Split at playhead — S
• Split and delete left — Shift+Left
• Split and delete right — Shift+Right

Moving clips

• Drag — move clip along the track
• Shift+drag — lock vertical position
• Across tracks — move clips between main/overlay/audio tracks

Snapping

Snapping aligns clips to:

• Playhead position
• Other clip edges
• Timeline markers

Toggle with N or the magnet icon.

Ripple editing

When ripple is on (R to toggle):

• Deleting a clip shifts later clips back
• Inserting a clip shifts later clips forward
• Gaps auto-close when enabled

When ripple is off:

• Deleting creates a gap
• Inserting overwrites
• Maintain manual spacing

Groups and compounds

Group selected clips

• Cmd/Ctrl+G — group clips (move together, edit individually)
• Cmd/Ctrl+U — ungroup

Grouped clips:

• Move as a unit
• Maintain relative timing
• Still editable separately

Compound clips

• Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+G — merge selected clips into one compound
• Double-click compound — enter nested timeline
• Exit — click breadcrumb or back button

Compounds collapse multiple clips into one container:

• Behaves like a single clip on the main timeline
• Nested timeline opens for detailed edits
• Good for organizing complex sequences

Linked clips

When video and audio come together (from the same source):

• Linked — move together, delete together
• Unlinked — move video and audio independently

Toggle with L or right-click menu.

Markers

Add markers to remember important moments:

• Add marker — M
• Jump to next — J
• Jump to previous — K
• Delete marker — click it

Markers appear as dots on the timeline ruler.

Keyboard shortcuts

Cutting and trimming:

| Key | Action | |-----|--------| | S | Split at playhead | | Shift+Left | Split and delete left | | Shift+Right | Split and delete right |

Movement and selection:

| Key | Action | |-----|--------| | Space | Play/pause | | . / , | Frame forward/back | | → / ← | Jump forward/back | | Cmd/Ctrl+A | Select all | | Cmd/Ctrl+D | Duplicate selection |

Editing modes:

| Key | Action | |-----|--------| | N | Toggle snapping | | R | Toggle ripple | | L | Link/unlink clips | | Cmd/Ctrl+G | Group | | Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+G | Create compound |

(? shows full keyboard shortcut cheatsheet in editor)

Tips

• Zoom to fit — select all clips, zoom adjusts to show full timeline
• Show/hide tracks — click track header icons to hide unused tracks
• Snap to markers — add markers at key beats for edit alignment
• Mousewheel precision — slow scroll for frame-accurate playhead placement
• Esc cancels — mid-drag, press Esc to cancel without dropping

See also

• Extract best moments — agent tool for automated cutting
• Cut silences — automated dead-air removal
• Effects and transitions — adding visual polish