Meet CapCut and start a project
CapCut is like a pair of scissors and a box of stickers for your videos. You cut out the boring parts, keep the good parts, and add words and music on top.
- CapCut is a free-to-download video editor for phones (iPhone and Android), computers and the web. On the Apple App Store the developer is listed as Bytedance Pte. Ltd. and the app is rated 13+.
- The App Store listing describes tools such as trimming and splitting, speed curves, keyframe animation, automatic captions (speech recognition), background removal, chroma key, stabilization and text-to-speech.
- CapCut offers optional paid subscriptions (the App Store lists monthly and yearly plans). Prices change and differ by country, so check the store before you pay. You do not need to pay to learn the basics in this course.
- Aspect ratio = the shape of the video. 9:16 is tall (TikTok, Reels, Shorts). 16:9 is wide (regular YouTube, TV). 1:1 is square.
- The timeline is the strip at the bottom where your clips sit in order. The playhead is the white line that shows where you are.
- Install CapCut from the App Store or Google Play and open it.
- Tap New project.
- Select 3 short clips from your gallery and tap Add.
- Find the ratio option and set it to 9:16 (names can differ by version).
- Find the timeline at the bottom, where your clips sit in order.
- Find the playhead, the white line that shows where you are, and drag it along the timeline.
- Find the Undo button and tap it once.
- Check: you can point to the timeline, the playhead and Undo, and the preview is tall (9:16).
Videos by other creators on YouTube, for reference. They are not made by or affiliated with The Future Market.
Read the video script
[Host, holding phone] "This is CapCut. Think of it as scissors and stickers for your videos."
[Screen: tapping New project, picking three clips] "Tap New project, pick your clips in the order you want, then tap Add."
[Screen: pointing at the timeline and playhead] "Down here is your timeline. This white line is the playhead. Wherever it sits, that is where you edit."
[Screen: Ratio menu, choosing 9:16] "First job: set the shape. 9:16 for TikTok, Reels and Shorts. 16:9 for a normal YouTube video."
[Text on screen: 9:16 = tall · 16:9 = wide] "Pick the shape before you edit, so you don't have to fix everything later."
Install CapCut, start a new project with 3 short clips, set the ratio to 9:16, and find the timeline, the playhead and the Undo button.
ClaudeStuck? Copy a ready-made prompt for Claude
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I'm learning "Phone Video Editing with CapCut" on The Future Market. Lesson 1: "Meet CapCut and start a project". What the lesson teaches: - CapCut is a free-to-download video editor for phones (iPhone and Android), computers and the web. On the Apple App Store the developer is listed as Bytedance Pte. Ltd. and the app is rated 13+. - The App Store listing describes tools such as trimming and splitting, speed curves, keyframe animation, automatic captions (speech recognition), background removal, chroma key, stabilization and text-to-speech. - CapCut offers optional paid subscriptions (the App Store lists monthly and yearly plans). Prices change and differ by country, so check the store before you pay. You do not need to pay to learn the basics in this course. - Aspect ratio = the shape of the video. 9:16 is tall (TikTok, Reels, Shorts). 16:9 is wide (regular YouTube, TV). 1:1 is square. - The timeline is the strip at the bottom where your clips sit in order. The playhead is the white line that shows where you are. The exercise I'm working on: Install CapCut, start a new project with 3 short clips, set the ratio to 9:16, and find the timeline, the playhead and the Undo button. I'm stuck. Please: 1. Explain the main idea in plain, simple words with one everyday example. 2. Walk me through the exercise one small step at a time. Ask me what I've done so far before giving the next step. 3. Don't just give me the final answer. Help me do it myself, and check my work when I share it.
I'm a parent helping my child (about 8 years old) with a lesson called "Meet CapCut and start a project" from the course "Phone Video Editing with CapCut". Here's what the lesson says: CapCut is like a pair of scissors and a box of stickers for your videos. You cut out the boring parts, keep the good parts, and add words and music on top. The activity: Install CapCut, start a new project with 3 short clips, set the ratio to 9:16, and find the timeline, the playhead and the Undo button. Please explain this so an 8-year-old understands: short sentences, a fun everyday example, and no hard words. Then give me 3 simple questions I can ask my child to check they understood, and a way to do the activity together, one tiny step at a time.
Sources
- Apple App Store, CapCut listing (developer, age rating, feature list, in-app purchases): apps.apple.com/us/app/-/id1500855883
The clean cut (trim, split, delete)
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Captions and text
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Music, voice and sound effects
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Speed, keyframes and transitions
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Export and check before you post
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Final project
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Quiz
What aspect ratio is a tall video for TikTok, Reels and Shorts?
9:16.
What does Split do?
It cuts one clip into two pieces at the playhead.
What is a jump cut?
A cut that removes a pause inside a talking clip so the picture jumps slightly.
Why must you read auto captions before posting?
Automatic captions make mistakes, especially with names, slang and mixed languages.
What is a keyframe?
A marker that saves a setting at one moment so the app can animate between two settings.
Why might slow motion look choppy?
The clip was filmed at a low frame rate (like 30 fps).
According to CapCut's help centre, why might 4K export be missing?
It depends on the device, operating system, app version and platform, or the project is set to 1080p.
Does a song being in an editing app mean you can post it anywhere?
No. Licenses differ by track and platform.
Final exam
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Certificate
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