Elevate your recordings with ScreenPal’s intuitive Video Editor. Whether you’re crafting tutorials, lesson videos, social media clips, or personalized video messages, our free editing suite gives you professional results with zero hassle.
Getting Started
- Free Editor
Visit the ScreenPal website, select a file, and launch the free editor. All core tools are available at no cost. - Paid Plans
Deluxe, Premier, or Max subscribers can start the editor from the website, taskbar (Windows), menu bar (Mac), or the dedicated desktop app. Paid users unlock the Project Manager and advanced features such as green‑screen compositing.
How to Edit a Video
The editor’s workflow is built around two layers: global adjustments and timeline‑specific edits. Global tools modify the entire clip, while timeline tools let you target precise moments.
- Click the desired point on the timeline.
- Select Tools from the top menu.
- Choose the desired effect.
- Adjust the duration by dragging the timeline bar (optional for most tools).
- Click OK to apply.
Every applied effect is represented by an icon in the toolbar, allowing you to re‑edit or delete it at any time.
Timeline Tools & Their Uses
- Cut (free) – Trim sections of your video.
- Copy (free) – Duplicate segments for reuse.
- Hide (free) – Temporarily remove the cursor, webcam, or annotations.
- Insert – Add new or existing recordings, pause markers, external MP4 files, or pasted clips.
- Narrate (free) – Record voice‑overs directly onto the timeline.
- Overlay – Enhance with images, blurs, freehand drawings, shapes, arrows, highlights, text, or video clips. Free overlay options include Image, Blur, Shape, Arrow, Highlight, Text, Paste, and Video.
- Replace – Swap out video sections or freeze a frame for extended playback. Free option: Freeze Video.
- Sound (free) – Add up to three stock sound effects or music tracks per category.
- Speed (free) – Accelerate or decelerate video segments.
- Transition (free) – Insert a variety of visual transitions, some with directional control.
- Volume (free) – Fine‑tune audio levels for specific clips or the entire timeline.
Global Video Controls
Adjust your main clip with the following free options:
- Resize / Crop – Remove black bars or fit the frame to your desired aspect ratio.
- Style – Choose square, oval, or rounded borders and add shadows.
- Layering – Drag layers to reorder them.
- Opacity – Set transparency via the eye icon slider.
Additional canvas settings allow you to pick preset sizes or enter custom dimensions, and to choose a background color.
Audio Management
- Narration – Record, normalize, reduce noise, and import or export audio files.
- Computer Audio – Control system audio volume directly.
- Music (free) – Add up to three stock tracks or import your own MP3. Paid plans unlock the full music library.
- Original (free) – Manage the default audio track’s volume.
Show/hide options let you toggle the cursor, webcam, or captions. Captions can be added from .txt or .srt files; advanced speech‑to‑text and custom captions are available with a paid upgrade.
Advanced Features
Edit Points allow you to animate overlays or move objects across the timeline. For a complete animation guide, visit our tutorials.
This cheat sheet is your quick reference for mastering ScreenPal’s Video Editor. Print it or bookmark the page for on‑hand assistance while editing. Explore our library of in‑depth articles for deeper tips and best practices.
Ready to unlock more features? Upgrade to Deluxe, Premier, or Max for full access to green‑screen tools, additional overlays, unlimited music tracks, and enhanced export options. View plans.
Get Started for Free
Build engaging, polished videos with ScreenPal’s free editor—no credit card required.
Quick Links
- Full list of video tutorials for easy editing
- Easy Video Editing Software: Guide to ScreenPal Video Editor
- How to Edit YouTube Videos for Free: Ultimate Guide