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How do I use the Kaltura video editor?

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5.0 - Updated on 2025-02-18 by Judith Stern

4.0 - Updated on 2024-01-03 by Sara Viray

3.0 - Updated on 2023-10-02 by Sara Viray

2.0 - Updated on 2021-09-29 by Sara Viray

1.0 - Authored on 2021-08-09 by Sara Viray

Launching the Kaltura video editor

  1.  In My Media, locate the video you would like to edit and click the pencil icon to the right of its name.

Shows My media page with a video on it. The tools on the right hand side of the screen are highlighted with a purple square-this is a pencil icon for editing and a trash icon for deleting the selected video.

2.  Click the Launch Editor button. (located to the right of the video)

You can also open the editor by clicking on the video's title in My Media and selecting Launch Editor from the Actions dropdown menu.


The Kaltura video editor navigation bar

The video editor will open in a new window on your screen with a video player on the right side.

The icons in the navigation bar on the left represent:

  1. Editor Tab
  2. Help Tab
  3. Exit

Please note that if at any point in your editing you want to exit and start over, simply click the Exit arrow at the bottom of the left hand navigation bar.


Kaltura video editor tools

The video editor is what you will use to edit the content of your video.

Shows video editor with highlights for where the editing tools are.

Switching recorded screens/streams

When the video editor is launched, a preview of the recorded video will open up on the right hand side of the editor. If the recording is a dual stream video (meaning that both screen capture and video capture were enabled), there will be two streams in the video player, with one being the larger main screen.

To switch the main stream while editing, click on the icon under the play button (highlighted below) and select the stream you wish to be the main one from the pop up menu. 

See the vendor guide Clipping and Trimming Media with Multiple Video Streams for more information on how to edit video and audio in multiple streams.


Trimming tool (changing start and end time)

The beginnings (heads) and ends (tails) usually need to be reviewed or tightened up in recordings.

Image of video timeline and where the beginnings and ends of videos are.

When you are done adjusting the start and end times, you can preview your edits by clicking the play button below the video player. (on the right side of the editor window)


Splicing/Cutting tool (removing sections)

You can remove segments of your video by using the splicing and cutting tool.

Shows video editor timeline and tool for how to split a video.

  1. Click the timeline or drag the blue bar to the point where you would like your cut to start.
  2. Click the scissors icon in the blue window; this splits the video into two segments at that point.
  3. Click the timeline or drag the blue bar to the place where you would like your cut to end.
  4. Click the scissors icon again; at this point you have cut the video into three segments, with the segment you want to remove in the middle.
  5. Click the middle segment (the one you want to remove) and click the trash can icon or press the delete key on your keyboard to remove the segment.
  6. Once the segment is removed, you can drag the remaining segments together in the timeline, but it is not necessary. We recommend previewing these edits prior to saving; you will find that whether or not you have slid the segments together in the timeline, the video is played straight through as if they were slid together.


Fade in and out effect

To add a fade in and out effect at the beginning and end of a segment, click the Fade tool next to the trashcan icon (highlighted in the screenshot below). Enter the seconds you wish to fade in and out of a segment. Click anywhere outside the window or press enter to confirm your changes and close the Fade In/Out window.

Image of fade in and fade out tool. Shows number of seconds in and out, and also option for deleting.


Saving Edits

When you are happy with the edits, make sure to save using the buttons at the top right corner of the window. We suggest using "Save a Copy" rather than "Save," just in case you ever need to access your original content. If you "Save," any segments you have deleted are permanently gone. Your edited video will be saved to My Media.

For additional assistance, watch How to use the Kaltura Video Editor and review the Kaltura Video Editing Tools User Guide and Editing Media Using the Video Editor.