> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.adstellar.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Video Editor
> Trim, layer, caption, and polish your video ads with a built-in editor. Add AI voiceovers and sound effects, then save back to your project.
The Video Editor lets you refine any video in your workspace without leaving AdStellar. Open a generated video ad, an uploaded clip, or start from a blank canvas — then trim, layer media, add captions and overlays, generate AI voiceovers, and export the finished cut back to your project and Media Library.
## Opening the Editor
You can launch the Video Editor in a few ways:
* **Canvas → Video Editor** to start from scratch or pick from your existing videos
* From any **video generation result** — open the video and click **Edit**
* From a **project** — open a video asset and click **Edit Video**
If you start fresh, you'll pick an aspect ratio (Reels 9:16, Square 1:1, Feed 4:5, or In-Stream 16:9) and a name for the new editor project before the canvas opens.
## What You Can Do
Cut, split, and reorder clips on a multi-layer timeline. Build a sequence from multiple videos or images.
Drop in titles, captions, shapes, stickers, and animated text with full control over fonts, colors, and timing.
Search a built-in library of stock videos, images, and animated stickers to layer into your edit.
Apply cinematic filters, adjust brightness/contrast/saturation, and color-grade individual clips.
Add transitions between clips and apply effects like blur, zoom, and motion to keep viewers engaged.
Upload your own music, layer multiple audio tracks, adjust volume per clip, and fade in/out.
Open **AI Audio** in the left sidebar, type a script, pick a voice, and generate a natural-sounding voiceover from a library of professional AI voices.
In the same **AI Audio** panel, switch to **Sound Effects** and describe the sound you want in plain English (e.g. "upbeat whoosh transition") and the editor generates it.
Automatically transcribe your video and add styled captions to the timeline in one click.
Switch between Reels, Feed, Square, and In-Stream formats without re-creating your edit.
## How to Edit a Video
Go to **Canvas → Video Editor**, or click **Edit** on any video in a project or generation result.
For new editor projects, pick the aspect ratio that matches where you'll run the ad. You can change it later from the toolbar.
Drag clips, images, and audio onto the timeline. Use the playhead to preview as you go. Trim by dragging clip edges; split clips at the playhead to cut.
Add text, stickers, or shapes from the sidebar. Use **Auto Captions** to transcribe spoken audio and drop styled captions onto the timeline.
Click the **AI Audio** icon in the left sidebar (under Media, My Assets, Text, Stock, Transitions, Captions). The panel slides out with two tabs:
* **Text to Speech** — pick a voice, paste your script (up to 5,000 characters), and click **Generate Speech**. When the clip is ready, click **Add to Timeline** to drop it onto the timeline at the playhead.
* **Sound Effects** — describe the sound you want in plain English and click generate. Add the result to the timeline the same way.
Once the clip is on the timeline you can trim, move, or layer it like any other audio track. AdStellar's video editor does **not** include a "Lip Sync" step — if you need a talking-head video where an avatar's mouth matches new audio, generate it from **Canvas → AI Actor / Premium Video** instead, then open the resulting video here for trimming and overlays.
Click **Save** in the top-right. You'll be asked whether you want to **save as a new version** or **overwrite the current video**. The exported MP4 is saved back to your project and added to your Media Library so you can launch it as an ad.
## AI Audio: Voiceovers & Sound Effects
The **AI Audio** panel is where you generate AI voiceovers (text-to-speech) and AI-generated sound effects directly inside the editor. It lives in the **left sidebar** of the editor — look for the music-note icon labeled **AI Audio**, at the bottom of the stack underneath Media, My Assets, Text, Stock, Transitions, and Captions. Clicking it opens the panel; clicking it again (or anywhere else) closes it.
The panel has two tabs:
### Text to Speech
1. Open **AI Audio** in the left sidebar.
2. Make sure the **Text to Speech** tab is selected.
3. Pick a **Voice** from the dropdown — the list includes our curated professional voices.
4. Paste or type your script into the **Text** field (5,000-character limit per generation).
5. Click **Generate Speech**. A short progress indicator appears while the audio is rendered.
6. When the clip is ready, click **Add to Timeline** to place it onto the timeline at the current playhead position.
Once it's on the timeline you can drag it, trim it, layer it under other audio, or fade it in/out like any other track.
### Sound Effects
1. Open **AI Audio** in the left sidebar.
2. Switch to the **Sound Effects** tab.
3. Describe the sound you want in plain English (e.g. *"short upbeat whoosh transition, no music"*).
4. Click **Generate**, then **Add to Timeline** when the preview sounds right.
### What AI Audio is *not*
The video editor's AI Audio panel is for **adding** audio to a timeline. It does **not** include a "Lip Sync Render" or any step that re-syncs an existing avatar's lip movements to new audio. If you've generated an AI-actor / talking-head video and want to swap the spoken audio with the lips re-synced to the new track, that's the **Premium Video / AI Actor** flow — generate it from **Canvas → AI Actor**, render the final lip-synced output from the project page (the **Render Final Video** button), and then bring the finished MP4 into the Video Editor here for any additional trimming, captions, or overlays.
## Saving: New Version vs. Overwrite
When you save an edit, AdStellar gives you two choices:
* **Save as new version** — keeps the original video untouched and creates a separate edited copy. Use this when you want to A/B test different cuts, or keep a fallback.
* **Overwrite current video** — replaces the displayed video on the generation with your edited cut. The original source file is preserved internally so you can always come back and re-edit.
Both options save the editor project state too, so reopening the video drops you back into the timeline exactly where you left off.
## Aspect Ratios
The editor supports the four aspect ratios you'll use for Meta ads:
| Aspect Ratio | Best For |
| -------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------- |
| **9:16 (Reels & Stories)** | Instagram Reels, Stories, TikTok-style placements |
| **4:5 (Feed)** | Facebook Feed, Instagram Feed (mobile-optimized) |
| **1:1 (Square)** | Facebook Feed, Instagram Feed, marketplace placements |
| **16:9 (In-Stream)** | In-stream video, Audience Network, YouTube |
You can switch aspect ratios mid-edit — the canvas resizes and your clips stay in place so you can reposition them.
## Browser Requirements
The Video Editor runs in your browser using hardware-accelerated rendering, so it needs a modern browser with **WebGL2** support. We recommend the latest version of **Chrome**, **Edge**, **Brave**, or any other Chromium-based browser. Safari and Firefox are not currently supported.
## Plan Availability & Limits
The Video Editor is included on every plan so you can explore and try edits. However, **exporting and saving** a finished edit — along with some AI features — has limits depending on your plan.
### Saving & Exporting
The Video Editor — including **unlimited saves and exports** — is included on every plan (and during your free trial). Editing and exporting consume AI credits like other AI features, and you'll see the cost before you render.
### Other Limits
* **Voiceover script length** — up to **5,000 characters** per text-to-speech generation. For longer scripts, split them across multiple generations and stitch the audio clips together on the timeline.
* **Aspect ratios** — 9:16, 4:5, 1:1, and 16:9 are supported. New blank editor projects default to 9:16 (Reels & Stories).
* **Project state size** — very large editor projects (hundreds of clips and overlays) may take longer to save. For typical 15–60 second ads, you won't hit any practical limit.
## Tips for Great Video Ads
* **Hook in the first 2 seconds** — start with motion, a bold caption, or a question to stop the scroll
* **Add captions** — most viewers watch with sound off; auto captions take seconds and dramatically lift completion rates
* **Keep it short** — 15–30 seconds outperforms longer cuts on Meta in most cases
* **Use vertical (9:16) for Reels & Stories** — it's the highest-performing placement for most ecommerce brands
* **Layer a voiceover over silent b-roll** — combine AI text-to-speech with stock clips to produce talking-head-style ads in minutes
## Related Guides
* [Creating Video Ads](/guides/create/video-ads) — generate the source video before editing
* [UGC Avatar Videos](/guides/create/ugc-avatar-videos) — generate talking-head videos with AI actors
* [Media Library](/guides/create/media-library) — manage edited videos and use them in campaigns
* [Projects](/guides/create/projects) — organize generations and edits together
* [Plans & Credits](/billing/plans-credits) — how AI credits and billing work