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Timeline Basics

The timeline is where you arrange, trim, and refine your video. This guide covers the essential operations.

Understanding the timeline​

The timeline displays your media horizontally from left to right:

  • Time flows from left (start) to right (end)
  • Video elements appear on the video track
  • Audio elements appear on audio tracks below
  • The playhead (vertical line) shows the current position

Moving the playhead​

  • Click anywhere on the timeline to jump to that position
  • Drag the playhead to scrub through the video
  • Use playback controls to play, pause, and step through frames

Zooming​

  • Zoom in to see more detail for precise edits
  • Zoom out to see the full timeline at a glance
  • Use zoom controls or keyboard shortcuts

Working with elements​

Selecting elements​

Single selection

  • Click an element to select it

Multi-selection

  • Hold Shift and click multiple elements to select them together
  • Selected elements can be moved or deleted as a group

Moving elements​

  1. Click and hold an element
  2. Drag left or right along the timeline
  3. Release to drop in the new position

Trimming elements​

Trimming adjusts the start or end point of a clip:

  1. Hover over the left or right edge of an element
  2. The cursor changes to a trim indicator
  3. Click and drag inward to shorten the clip
  4. Drag outward to extend (limited by original media length)

Tips for trimming:

  • Video and audio elements trim independently
  • Trimming is non-destructive — you can always extend back
  • Use zoom for frame-accurate trimming

Splitting elements​

Split divides an element into two parts at the playhead position:

  1. Move the playhead to the desired split point
  2. Select the element you want to split
  3. Execute the split command

Important: Split only affects the currently selected element. If you have multiple elements at the playhead, only the selected one will be split.

Deleting elements​

  1. Select one or more elements
  2. Press Delete or Backspace
  3. The element is removed from the timeline

Working with multiple tracks​

Video track​

Your main video content lives on the video track. Elements play in sequence from left to right.

Audio tracks​

Audio tracks hold:

  • Original audio from video clips
  • Background music
  • Sound effects
  • Voiceover or dialogue

Audio tracks play simultaneously — you can layer multiple sounds.

Playback​

Play/Pause​

  • Press Space to toggle playback
  • Use the play button in the playback controls

Preview​

Preview plays your video from the current playhead position. Use it to:

  • Check timing between cuts
  • Review audio levels
  • Verify pacing

Tips​

  • Use Shift + Click to select multiple elements for batch operations
  • Position the playhead before splitting — it defines where the cut happens
  • Zoom in for precise edits, zoom out for the big picture
  • Save time with keyboard shortcuts

Learn more​