Editing in Clipchamp

…All editing is done in Microsoft Clipchamp. This page covers the order of operations that keeps text in sync, how to bring in extra footage, and how to get the transcript and captions right.

The Clipchamp editor

Three areas matter for this workflow: the tool rail on the left (media, text, graphics, transitions), the preview and toolbar at the top, and the timeline along the bottom with its separate rows for video, text and audio.

The Clipchamp editor: media library on the left, preview top-centre, and the timeline below with its Add text and Add audio rows.

Add your clips before anything else

⚠️ Heads up: Clip hierarchy rule: always add every video segment to the timeline before you place text boxes or graphics. If you insert a clip earlier in the timeline after the text is placed, everything after it shifts along and your on-screen text no longer matches the audio.

If you do need to add footage later, expect to reposition the text boxes that come after the insertion point. The safe order of work is: assemble all clips → trim the gaps → correct the transcript → only then add text and graphics.

Adding text and graphics

Text is added from the Text tab in the left-hand tool rail. Plain headings and subheadings are the workhorses for training videos; the styled options are rarely appropriate for internal material.

The Text tab in the left-hand rail, with plain text and text style options.

1. Select Text in the left-hand rail.
2. Choose a style — Heading or Subheading for most training content.
3. Drag it onto the text row of the timeline at the point where it should appear.
4. Edit the wording, then drag the ends of the text block to set how long it stays on screen.

Timing text to the spoken words

Use Edit with transcript to place text exactly where the words are spoken, rather than eyeballing it on the timeline.

The Edit with transcript panel open on the right, showing each line of narration against its timestamp.

1. Open Edit with transcript (the Transcript & captions button on the right of the toolbar).
2. Click a specific word in the transcript. A white line appears in the timeline showing that word's timestamp.
3. Navigate to that exact time in the timeline.
4. Insert your text box or graphic at that point.

💡 Pro Tip: Use the transcript line as your reference for every overlay in a section, not just the first. It is far more accurate than judging the position by eye, and it means a text box lands on the word it is explaining.

Bringing in more footage

To merge a new recording into the project you already have open:

1. With Clipchamp still open, right-click the video file in File Explorer.
2. Choose Open in Clipchamp.
3. Confirm the prompt to add it to the current library — this adds it to the project you are working in rather than starting a new one.
4. Drag the clip from the media panel into the gap on the timeline where it belongs.

⚠️ Heads up: Remember the clip hierarchy rule — dropping a clip in ahead of existing text boxes will push them out of sync. See Add your clips before anything else.

Trimming gaps and unwanted takes

This is where the spoken take markers pay off:

1. Search the transcript for a marker such as “Take 5 End” to find the boundary of the segment.
2. Use the scissors tool to cut at that point.
3. Delete the unwanted segment.
4. Delete the gap left behind so the remaining clips close up and the video stays tight.

ℹ️ Good to know: Deleting a clip and deleting the gap it leaves are two separate actions. If the video suddenly has a silent black pause in it, the gap is still there.

Correcting the transcript

Automatic transcription is good, not perfect — expect errors, particularly with names, acronyms and system terminology.

⚠️ Heads up: Review and correct the transcript before you build anything on top of it. The transcript drives the captions and is the reference you use for timing text overlays, so an uncorrected error propagates into both.

💡 Pro Tip: Fix transcript errors early, before adding graphics. Correcting them afterwards means re-checking every overlay you have already placed.

Managing captions

Captions are generated and shown automatically once the video is transcribed. If a particular tutorial does not need them burned into the video, hide them before you export.

The CC menu in the toolbar: Hide captions in video, Edit transcript and captions, and Download as .srt.

1. Click CC in the top toolbar.
2. Select Hide captions in video.
3. Confirm the captions are gone in the preview before exporting.

ℹ️ Good to know: The same menu holds Edit transcript and captions and Download as .srt, which is one way to keep a copy of the transcript with the project files.

Using transitions

Transitions merge two sections into one continuous piece rather than cutting hard between them. They are most useful where the shot type changes — for example moving from you speaking to camera into an on-screen walkthrough, or joining two takes recorded at different times.

• Open Transitions in the left-hand rail and drag one onto the join between two clips.
• Keep them simple — a fade in or out is enough.
• Use the same transition throughout a video so it reads as one piece of work.

Editing tips

• Add a 1–2 second buffer before and after each clip. It prevents abrupt transitions and makes the finished video feel polished.
• Use consistent fonts and colours for text boxes, so all our training videos share one look.
• Add simple transitions (such as a fade in or out) between clips to smooth the flow, without making the video feel over-produced.

Transcript and caption tips

• Correct transcript errors early. Fixing them before adding graphics prevents misalignment later.
• Search the transcript strategically. Search for keywords such as “take”, “start” or “end” to jump straight to the segments you want to keep or remove.
• Export the transcript and store it with the project files. It becomes the reference for future updates and for compliance documentation.

Content design tips

• Use visual anchors — icons, arrows, highlights — to guide attention during complex steps.
• Keep text overlays short. Aim for 5–10 words per box; anything longer competes with the narration instead of supporting it.