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Step-by-Step Guide

Everything you need to go from raw footage to a polished, captioned, AI-enhanced video in minutes.

Getting Started

Set up and import

1

Download and install LazyReel

Head to lazyreel.app and download the macOS app. Open the DMG and drag LazyReel into your Applications folder. Launch it from Spotlight or Launchpad.

2

Sign in with Google (or skip as guest)

On first launch you'll see a sign-in screen. Sign in with Google to unlock cloud features and sync your plan. You can also continue as a guest — editing works fully offline either way.

3

Import your first video

Click the Media tab on the left, then drag and drop your video file into the panel (or click to browse). Supported formats: MP4, MOV, WebM. Your video loads instantly as the base timeline.

Basic Editing

Cut, caption, and arrange

4

Navigate the timeline

Use scroll to zoom in/out of the timeline. Click and drag to scrub. Key shortcuts:

  • Space — Play / Pause
  • S — Split clip at playhead
  • Del — Delete selected clip
  • ⌘S — Save project
5

Add captions

Go to the Captions tab and click Transcribe. AI generates word-level captions in seconds. Browse 14 animated caption styles and pick the one that fits your vibe.

6

Adjust caption timing and text

Click any caption in the panel to edit its text. Drag caption blocks on the timeline to fine-tune start/end times. Everything updates in real-time in the preview.

AI Features

Let AI do the heavy lifting

7

Auto-generate B-Roll

Go to the B-Roll tab and click Auto-Gen. AI reads your caption transcript and generates matching visual overlays — images, animations, and graphics that enhance your narrative.

Important: B-Roll generation requires captions first. The AI needs the transcript to understand what visuals to create.

8

Use DreamLayer

Click the purple DreamLayer button in the Generate dialog. Describe any animation in plain English — "floating neon particles", "cinematic lens flare", "retro VHS glitch". AI writes the code and renders it live.

DreamLayer does not require captions — it's entirely prompt-based.

9

Generate trailers and teasers

Open the Clips tab. AI analyzes your full video and creates short trailers/teasers by selecting the most engaging moments. Perfect for social media previews.

10

Remove filler words

After transcribing, use the filler-word removal tool in the Captions panel. It detects and removes "um", "uh", "like", "you know" — tightening your delivery automatically.

11

Text-based editing (Descript mode)

Edit your video by editing text. Delete a word from the transcript and the corresponding video segment is removed. Re-arrange sentences to re-arrange your timeline.

Polish & Effects

Make it look professional

12

Color grading

Open the Style tab and scroll to Color Grading. Choose from 11 cinematic presets — Warm, Cool, Vintage, Noir, Sunset, and more. Each preset is tunable with intensity sliders.

13

Audio visualizers

In the Style tab, enable Audio Visualizer and pick from 7 reactive styles — bars, wave, circular, spectrum, and more. They sync to your audio in real-time.

14

Intro/outro builder

Go to the Intro tab. Add a title card, logo reveal, or animated intro. Same for outros — end screens with subscribe CTAs, social handles, etc.

15

Transitions between clips

After splitting your video into clips, add transitions from the Style panel. Cross-dissolve, slide, zoom, glitch — drag to adjust duration.

16

PIP / split-screen

Import a second video via the Media panel. Drag it onto the timeline as a PIP (picture-in-picture) overlay. Resize and position it in the preview. Great for reaction videos and tutorials.

Export

Ship it

17

Choose format

Click the Export button in the top bar. Pick your aspect ratio:

  • 16:9 — YouTube, desktop
  • 9:16 — TikTok, Reels, Shorts
  • 1:1 — Instagram feed, Twitter
18

Choose resolution

Free plan: 720p with LazyReel watermark. Creator / Pro: Up to 4K, no watermark, priority rendering.

19

Export and share

Hit Export and wait for the render to complete. Your video is saved locally. Upload directly to YouTube, TikTok, or wherever you publish.

Power-user shortcuts

B-Roll needs captions first. AI reads the transcript to generate matching overlays. No captions = no auto B-Roll.

DreamLayer works without captions. It's entirely prompt-based — just describe what you want.

Keyboard shortcuts: Space play, S split, Del delete, ⌘S save, F fullscreen preview.

Bring your own API key. Go to Settings and add your Google / OpenAI / Anthropic key for unlimited AI usage.

Works offline. After first sign-in, all editing features work without internet. AI features need a connection (or BYOK).

Background rendering. LazyReel pre-renders segments in the background — when you export, it's near-instant.

Ready to create?

Download LazyReel and start editing in minutes.

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