Variable Speed Editing: Slow Motion and Time Lapse Effects

Speed adjustment lets you change how fast or slow a clip plays without affecting the rest of your timeline. Speed up a long walk to a quick time-lapse, or slow down a dramatic moment for emphasis. Each clip can have its own independent speed setting.

How to Change Clip Speed

1

Select the clip

Tap the clip on the timeline to select it. The clip toolbar appears with editing options.

2

Open speed settings

Tap the speed option in the clip toolbar. A control appears where you can set the playback rate.

3

Set the speed

Adjust the speed multiplier. Values above 1x speed the clip up; values below 1x slow it down. The clip's visual width on the timeline changes to reflect the new duration.

Speed Values and Their Effects

  • 0.5x — half speed, doubles the clip's duration. Creates a smooth slow-motion look.
  • 1x — normal playback speed (default).
  • 2x — double speed, halves the duration. Good for condensing transitions or walking sequences.
  • 4x and above — time-lapse territory. Great for establishing shots, sunsets, or any footage that benefits from compressed time.
Audio pitch: When you change clip speed, the audio pitch adjusts accordingly. Sped-up clips sound higher; slowed-down clips sound lower. For speech clips, keep speed changes moderate (0.75x to 1.5x) to maintain intelligibility.

Speed and Subtitles

If a clip has subtitles, changing the speed automatically adjusts the subtitle timing to stay in sync. Words still appear at the correct moments relative to the spoken audio. However, at very high speeds, subtitles may flash too quickly to read — consider removing them from heavily sped-up clips.

Combine with trimming: Speed up a clip first, then trim the edges for precise timing. This gives you maximum control over both pacing and content.