In 2024, Revolutionize Your Workflow Top-Rated Mac Speech to Text Tools You Might Be Missing Free & Instant Access

In 2024, Revolutionize Your Workflow Top-Rated Mac Speech to Text Tools You Might Be Missing Free & Instant Access

Isabella Lv12

Revolutionize Your Workflow: Top-Rated Mac Speech to Text Tools You Might Be Missing [Free & Instant Access]

Do you struggle to meet deadlines for your text assignments? If you do, then you are in luck. Speech recognition technology is the best way to beat this challenge. Whether you are a student or a corporate professional, several speech-to-text apps can be used to guarantee that you meet your deadlines. For example, Mac owners can use dragon for Mac to complete typing assignments in half the time.

Below are the best speech-to-text apps on Mac you might have missed since the beginning of 2022. Some of the apps in the list are in-built into your device, while others may require you to download additional software. Regardless, all of those listed below are free to use on your Mac device. Keep reading to find out more.

Part1: Top 1 Built-in Mac Dictation Feature

top 1

Did you know your Mac device comes with a built-in speech-to-text feature? So whether you use a laptop or desktop, you can generate text from your voice through your device’s microphone. Officially known as Dictation, the app allows you to transcribe text anywhere you can type it. So, for example, you can use Apple Dictation for your messaging and word processing apps.

The feature has been available since macOS Sierra as a free built-in feature. Earlier versions of Apple Dictation relied on its voice recognition software. However, it now relies on Siri for users of macOS Catalina onwards.

Typically, the app allows you to transcribe thirty seconds and below of audio. However, you can enable Enhanced dictation for longer transcription times. According to most users, the app is suitable for getting the first draft of your assignment, which you can manually edit later.

Follow these steps to enable Apple Dictation on your Mac:

  1. Tap the Apple logo on the top-left toolbar of your screen and select System Preferences from the resulting menu.
  2. Click on the Keyboard option from the system preferences screen.
  3. Once there, click on the Dictation option located at the top of the menu.
  4. Select On to activate the app in its default mode. In addition, you can check the Use Enhanced Dictation box to enable additional functions such as offline use and text commands like bold and italics.
  5. Finally, select your language from the dropdown menu and choose a shortcut key.

Please note that you need to speak your punctuation loudly when using Apple Dictation. Otherwise, the app will consider them as regular words.

Part2: Top 2 Microsoft Word [Free & No Download]

top 2

Another option to consider is speech-to-text Microsoft Word Mac. The app is free to use and relies on Microsoft Azure Speech Services to transcribe text. Below are the requirements to use speech-to-text word mac.

  • An external microphone for your Mac desktop, or you can use your built-in microphone for your MacBook. This is because speech-to-text on Microsoft word mac only allows input with a microphone rather than an audio file upload.
  • An active Office 365 subscription. Please note you need to log in to your account for the app to function.
  • Insider builds 16.32 (19120802) and above.
  • An active internet connection.

Once you have everything set up, follow these steps to use speech-to-text on Word.

  1. Launch Microsoft Word from your desktop.
  2. Click on the Dictate button from the top menu of your Word document, and wait for the red dot to appear. The button features a microphone for easy identification.
  3. Once the dot appears, start speaking to transcribe your text. Ensure you are in a quiet environment for the best results. In addition, speak louder when transcribing punctuations.
  4. Click on the Dictate button to finish the transcription.

Part3: Top 3 Google docs

top 3

Google Docs is arguably the market’s most accurate free speech-to-text service. In addition, it allows you to transcribe your voice to text and format documents with your voice. However, you can only use the service through the Chrome browser.

Follow these steps to activate Google Docs voice typing on your Mac device:

  1. Launch the Chrome browser on your macOS and select Docs from the app menu. Please note you will need an active Google account to use the service.
  2. Open a new document and click on the Tools tab from the top menu.
  3. Select Voice Typing from the menu to access speech-to-text on Google Docs.
  4. Tap the microphone to start transcribing, and tap it again to finish.

Google Docs speech-to-text is available in 71 languages. In addition, it supports simple commands such as ‘create a bulleted list,’ which are unavailable on other speech-to-text apps. As such, it is one of the market’s most popular voice typing apps.

Part4: Top 4 Filmora

top 4

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Adding subtitles to your videos can be incredibly time-consuming if you do not have the right tools. However, with Filmora’s speech-to-text function, you can add subtitles to your video with a single click. In addition, it automatically recognizes audio in your videos and transcribes it to text with incredible accuracy. The plugin uses state-of-the-art algorithms to ensure the video industry’s most accurate speech technology.

Furthermore, you can import external files to your video’s timeline and edit them as you please. For example, you can import a video from your thumb drive and use the Filmora speech-to-text plugin to transcribe to text. Currently, the plugin can transcribe the text in 26 languages. As such, it is a favorite for vloggers, teachers, and film editors, who all have to deliver their content with great efficiency.

Please note that you must have Filmora installed on your Mac device to access the Speech to Text plugin. In addition, check if your Filmora version is compatible with the plugin before downloading. Once you confirm that you meet all the requirements, here is how to use the service:

  • Launch the Filmora app on your Mac and open a new video workspace.
  • Click on the microphone symbol at the bottom right corner of the page to start recording. Tap it once again to finish the recording.
  • Tap the Tools tab on your main menu and select Speech to Text. Then, confirm your preferences and wait for the transcription.

Part5: Top 5 Dragon for Mac

top 5

Dragon Dictate is arguably the best dictation software currently on the market. According to most users, its accuracy and feature sets are next to none. For example, the Smart Format Rules learn how you represent dates, numbers, and abbreviations, resulting in less editing work for you. The Dragon Dictate app is free to download from the Apple Store.

Dragon for Mac users reports a dictation accuracy of nearly 99%, which is excellent in the speech-to-text software category. All of Nuance’s Dragon products use deep learning technology to capture your accent and cadence. As such, the app gets better at transcribing your text as you continue using it. In addition, dragon for Mac professional allows you to transcribe audio clips from uploaded files. For example, you can import audio from your iPhone to your Dragon Dictate workspace and transcribe it hassle-free.

Unfortunately, you cannot get a stand-alone dragon app for Mac. This is because Nuance discontinued its development in 2018. In addition, Microsoft’s acquisition of the company in 2021 proves that the decision is permanent. However, you can still use the Windows version of Dragon through Parallels, which allows you to run macOS and Windows simultaneously. In addition, this method also works for M1 Macs.

Part6: FAQs

Is there a difference between voice recognition and speech-to-text?

Voice recognition software allows your device to capture your accent and tone and then stores that data for different functions, such as user logins and speech-to-text functionality. For example, Siri will ask you to repeat a sentence several times as one of the setup steps.

Which is the best external device for the speech-to-text service?

Most users report better speech-to-text accuracy when using headsets compared to using an external microphone. This is because the microphone is much closer to your mouth, so your voice is less affected by external noise.

Can speech-to-text apps automatically translate a transcribed text?

Yes, they can. Apps such as Google’s Speech to Text include a translation feature in their functionality. However, you will need the Google Chrome browser to access Speech to text. This is because the service is only available to active google account holders.

How much faster is speech to text faster than typing?

A 2017 Stanford study states that speech to text is aboutthree times faster than typing . In addition, it found that speech-to-text apps can transcribe over 150 words per minute, while professional transcriptionists range between 50 to 80 words per minute.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Adding subtitles to your videos can be incredibly time-consuming if you do not have the right tools. However, with Filmora’s speech-to-text function, you can add subtitles to your video with a single click. In addition, it automatically recognizes audio in your videos and transcribes it to text with incredible accuracy. The plugin uses state-of-the-art algorithms to ensure the video industry’s most accurate speech technology.

Furthermore, you can import external files to your video’s timeline and edit them as you please. For example, you can import a video from your thumb drive and use the Filmora speech-to-text plugin to transcribe to text. Currently, the plugin can transcribe the text in 26 languages. As such, it is a favorite for vloggers, teachers, and film editors, who all have to deliver their content with great efficiency.

Please note that you must have Filmora installed on your Mac device to access the Speech to Text plugin. In addition, check if your Filmora version is compatible with the plugin before downloading. Once you confirm that you meet all the requirements, here is how to use the service:

  • Launch the Filmora app on your Mac and open a new video workspace.
  • Click on the microphone symbol at the bottom right corner of the page to start recording. Tap it once again to finish the recording.
  • Tap the Tools tab on your main menu and select Speech to Text. Then, confirm your preferences and wait for the transcription.

Part5: Top 5 Dragon for Mac

top 5

Dragon Dictate is arguably the best dictation software currently on the market. According to most users, its accuracy and feature sets are next to none. For example, the Smart Format Rules learn how you represent dates, numbers, and abbreviations, resulting in less editing work for you. The Dragon Dictate app is free to download from the Apple Store.

Dragon for Mac users reports a dictation accuracy of nearly 99%, which is excellent in the speech-to-text software category. All of Nuance’s Dragon products use deep learning technology to capture your accent and cadence. As such, the app gets better at transcribing your text as you continue using it. In addition, dragon for Mac professional allows you to transcribe audio clips from uploaded files. For example, you can import audio from your iPhone to your Dragon Dictate workspace and transcribe it hassle-free.

Unfortunately, you cannot get a stand-alone dragon app for Mac. This is because Nuance discontinued its development in 2018. In addition, Microsoft’s acquisition of the company in 2021 proves that the decision is permanent. However, you can still use the Windows version of Dragon through Parallels, which allows you to run macOS and Windows simultaneously. In addition, this method also works for M1 Macs.

Part6: FAQs

Is there a difference between voice recognition and speech-to-text?

Voice recognition software allows your device to capture your accent and tone and then stores that data for different functions, such as user logins and speech-to-text functionality. For example, Siri will ask you to repeat a sentence several times as one of the setup steps.

Which is the best external device for the speech-to-text service?

Most users report better speech-to-text accuracy when using headsets compared to using an external microphone. This is because the microphone is much closer to your mouth, so your voice is less affected by external noise.

Can speech-to-text apps automatically translate a transcribed text?

Yes, they can. Apps such as Google’s Speech to Text include a translation feature in their functionality. However, you will need the Google Chrome browser to access Speech to text. This is because the service is only available to active google account holders.

How much faster is speech to text faster than typing?

A 2017 Stanford study states that speech to text is aboutthree times faster than typing . In addition, it found that speech-to-text apps can transcribe over 150 words per minute, while professional transcriptionists range between 50 to 80 words per minute.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Discover the Best: 5 Reaction Video Makers to Follow

Top 5 Reaction Video Makers

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

A reaction video can be any type of video in which the host reacts to ideas and opinions that are expressed in another video. Reacting to a video that attracts a lot of attention on the Internet might put you in the middle of the debate the video you’re commenting on is covering.

Reaction videos boil down to expressing your attitude about the topic you feel strongly about, but they must also be entertaining to watch. That is why you are going to need software that enables you to capture both your screen and webcam footage, as the audience needs to see the host and what he or she is reacting to. So, in this article we are going to take you through the top 5 reaction video makers you can use on PC and Mac computers.


Top 5 Reaction Video Makers for Windows and Mac

It is worth noting that besides software that enables you to create reaction videos, you are going to need an external microphone , and in some cases lighting and other equipment that is commonly used for the production of YouTube videos . Let’s take a look at what the top 5 reaction video makers have to offer.

1. Filmora

Price: Freemium

Compatibility: Windows, Mac

Download Filmora9 Win Version Download Filmora9 Mac Version

Filmora grants you access to all the tools you are going to need while creating a reaction video Its screen recorder tool enables you to capture your computer’s screen and the webcam footage simultaneously so that you can record the video to which you are recording as well as your reaction at the same time. Watch the video below to explore how Daniel record and make a reaction video with Filmora.

Optionally, you can capture your computer’s screen and your reaction separately and then use Filmora to sync these two video files. The first thing you will have to do if you decide to use this method of creating a reaction video is to create a project and import all footage into it. You should then place the footage on two separate video tracks on the timeline, and readjust the size of each video in the preview window.

make reaction video with Filmora

Filmora lets you remove the background of the video clips you don’t want to include in the final cut with the human segmentation effect under AI Portrait. This feature allows you to separate people from the video background , and replace them with a new one. And then you can blend the reaction video with the original one fluently. After you complete the video editing process you can export your project to your YouTube or Vimeo account directly from Filmora.

make reaction video with Filmora human segmentation

There are several ways to create a reaction video in Filmora, you can read this article to find out the details: How to Make a Reaction Video with Filmora?

Pros

  • Excellent screen recording options
  • Equipped with a broad range of effects, text overlays, and transitions
  • Supports all commonly used video file formats
  • Videos can be exported in resolutions up to 4K

Cons

  • All reaction videos created with the free version of Filmora are watermarked.
  • Requires at least a basic set of video editing skills

2. VSDC

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows

In order to start making a reaction video with VSDC, you must first record your reaction to the video and make sure that the video you’re reacting to is saved on your computer’s hard drive. You should then create a new project in VSDC, specify the resolution for the entire project and proceed to import all media files you’re going to need during the video editing process, by selecting the Video option from the Add Object menu.

Place the files on the editor’s timeline so that they are positioned one above the other. The reaction video should occupy the full screen, and you can use the preview window to adjust the size of the reaction video. You should than readjust the on-screen position and the size of the video you’re reacting to, before proceeding to preview the resulting video. In case you like the result you should click on the Export button and choose the output file format and the destination to which the reaction video will be exported.

Pros

  • No previous video editing experience needed
  • Offers a rich selection of transitions and visual effects
  • Videos can be exported directly to YouTube from VSDC in resolutions up to 4K
  • Offers desktop capturing tools

Cons

  • Lacks advanced video editing tools
  • Outdated interface design

3. iMovie

Price: Free

Compatibility: macOS, iPhone, iPad

The process of making a reaction video in iMovie isn’t much different from the process of making any other type of video. Before you start working on your new reaction video, you need to make sure that you have all the media files you want you to use in your project. You can then simply import them into iMovie, and place footage of yourself reacting to a video to the timeline. Afterward, you should place the actual video to which you are reacting above or below the video file that contains the footage of your reaction, depending on which video clip you want to use as a background video.

However, the overlaid video is not going to be automatically visible in the preview screen, so you should just click on the Video Overlay Settings and pick the Picture in Picture option. As soon as you select this option the overlay video will become visible in the preview window, where you can adjust its size and position. When ready, you should export your reaction video and upload it to your channel.

Pros

  • The quick and easy video editing process
  • Available to all Mac users for free
  • Excellent for inexperienced video editors
  • A rich selection of visual effects

Cons

  • No screen capturing tools
  • Audio editing options could be better

4. OBS

Price: Free

Compatibility: macOS, Windows, Linux

OBS is a screencasting software that enables you to create live streams or record all actions you perform on your computer’s screen. After you launch OBS, you should select the For Recording option, and this reaction video maker will optimize the project settings automatically. Once the OBS’ main window loads, you just have to specify the sources from which you want to record the footage. Simply right-click anywhere within the Sources tab, select the Add option and choose the Display Capture setting from the submenu.

You can then repeat the same process to select Audio Output Capture option, in order to record the audio from the video you’re reacting to. Afterward, you should head over to the Add menu once more and add the Video Capture Device to the Sources tab. Optionally, you can readjust the size of each video source in the Preview Window, and hit the Start Recording button.

Pros

  • Free for PC and Mac users
  • Enables users to specify the format of the output video
  • Captures videos in HD resolution
  • Excellent audio recording features

Cons

  • OBS crashes easily
  • Not aimed at inexperienced users

5. VegasPro 18

Price: Freemium

Compatibility: Windows

Both the video of your reaction and the video to which you are reacting must be recorded before you start editing them in Sony Vegas Pro. Making a reaction video with this video editing software is a relatively easy task that only requires you to position your footage correctly on the timeline.

The video containing your reaction should be below the video you are commenting on so that the second video can be treated as an overlay. Click on the Event Pan/Crop button and readjust the size and the on-screen location of the video you’re reacting to. When done, you can proceed to sync both videos so that your reactions correspond with the events in the other video. Don’t forget to preview the reaction video you’ve created before exporting it.

Pros

  • Offers professional video editing tools
  • Grants users full control over the footage
  • Intuitive and modernly designed interface
  • Supports a broad range of output file formats

Cons

  • Aimed only at professional video editors
  • Capturing a computer screen with Sony Vegas Pro is not possible

Conclusion

In order to gather thousands of views, comments, and likes, every detail in your reaction videos needs to be perfect. Video reaction makers we featured in this article enable you to have complete creative control over the process of making a reaction video.

Among all these above, if you want to go for a free one, I’ll say you should go for OBS.

If you want to go for a paid one but don’t want to pay too much for it, I’ll suggest you go for Filmora, which provides you several ways to create a reaction video easily on Windows and Mac.

Download Filmora9 Win Version Download Filmora9 Mac Version

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

A reaction video can be any type of video in which the host reacts to ideas and opinions that are expressed in another video. Reacting to a video that attracts a lot of attention on the Internet might put you in the middle of the debate the video you’re commenting on is covering.

Reaction videos boil down to expressing your attitude about the topic you feel strongly about, but they must also be entertaining to watch. That is why you are going to need software that enables you to capture both your screen and webcam footage, as the audience needs to see the host and what he or she is reacting to. So, in this article we are going to take you through the top 5 reaction video makers you can use on PC and Mac computers.


Top 5 Reaction Video Makers for Windows and Mac

It is worth noting that besides software that enables you to create reaction videos, you are going to need an external microphone , and in some cases lighting and other equipment that is commonly used for the production of YouTube videos . Let’s take a look at what the top 5 reaction video makers have to offer.

1. Filmora

Price: Freemium

Compatibility: Windows, Mac

Download Filmora9 Win Version Download Filmora9 Mac Version

Filmora grants you access to all the tools you are going to need while creating a reaction video Its screen recorder tool enables you to capture your computer’s screen and the webcam footage simultaneously so that you can record the video to which you are recording as well as your reaction at the same time. Watch the video below to explore how Daniel record and make a reaction video with Filmora.

Optionally, you can capture your computer’s screen and your reaction separately and then use Filmora to sync these two video files. The first thing you will have to do if you decide to use this method of creating a reaction video is to create a project and import all footage into it. You should then place the footage on two separate video tracks on the timeline, and readjust the size of each video in the preview window.

make reaction video with Filmora

Filmora lets you remove the background of the video clips you don’t want to include in the final cut with the human segmentation effect under AI Portrait. This feature allows you to separate people from the video background , and replace them with a new one. And then you can blend the reaction video with the original one fluently. After you complete the video editing process you can export your project to your YouTube or Vimeo account directly from Filmora.

make reaction video with Filmora human segmentation

There are several ways to create a reaction video in Filmora, you can read this article to find out the details: How to Make a Reaction Video with Filmora?

Pros

  • Excellent screen recording options
  • Equipped with a broad range of effects, text overlays, and transitions
  • Supports all commonly used video file formats
  • Videos can be exported in resolutions up to 4K

Cons

  • All reaction videos created with the free version of Filmora are watermarked.
  • Requires at least a basic set of video editing skills

2. VSDC

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows

In order to start making a reaction video with VSDC, you must first record your reaction to the video and make sure that the video you’re reacting to is saved on your computer’s hard drive. You should then create a new project in VSDC, specify the resolution for the entire project and proceed to import all media files you’re going to need during the video editing process, by selecting the Video option from the Add Object menu.

Place the files on the editor’s timeline so that they are positioned one above the other. The reaction video should occupy the full screen, and you can use the preview window to adjust the size of the reaction video. You should than readjust the on-screen position and the size of the video you’re reacting to, before proceeding to preview the resulting video. In case you like the result you should click on the Export button and choose the output file format and the destination to which the reaction video will be exported.

Pros

  • No previous video editing experience needed
  • Offers a rich selection of transitions and visual effects
  • Videos can be exported directly to YouTube from VSDC in resolutions up to 4K
  • Offers desktop capturing tools

Cons

  • Lacks advanced video editing tools
  • Outdated interface design

3. iMovie

Price: Free

Compatibility: macOS, iPhone, iPad

The process of making a reaction video in iMovie isn’t much different from the process of making any other type of video. Before you start working on your new reaction video, you need to make sure that you have all the media files you want you to use in your project. You can then simply import them into iMovie, and place footage of yourself reacting to a video to the timeline. Afterward, you should place the actual video to which you are reacting above or below the video file that contains the footage of your reaction, depending on which video clip you want to use as a background video.

However, the overlaid video is not going to be automatically visible in the preview screen, so you should just click on the Video Overlay Settings and pick the Picture in Picture option. As soon as you select this option the overlay video will become visible in the preview window, where you can adjust its size and position. When ready, you should export your reaction video and upload it to your channel.

Pros

  • The quick and easy video editing process
  • Available to all Mac users for free
  • Excellent for inexperienced video editors
  • A rich selection of visual effects

Cons

  • No screen capturing tools
  • Audio editing options could be better

4. OBS

Price: Free

Compatibility: macOS, Windows, Linux

OBS is a screencasting software that enables you to create live streams or record all actions you perform on your computer’s screen. After you launch OBS, you should select the For Recording option, and this reaction video maker will optimize the project settings automatically. Once the OBS’ main window loads, you just have to specify the sources from which you want to record the footage. Simply right-click anywhere within the Sources tab, select the Add option and choose the Display Capture setting from the submenu.

You can then repeat the same process to select Audio Output Capture option, in order to record the audio from the video you’re reacting to. Afterward, you should head over to the Add menu once more and add the Video Capture Device to the Sources tab. Optionally, you can readjust the size of each video source in the Preview Window, and hit the Start Recording button.

Pros

  • Free for PC and Mac users
  • Enables users to specify the format of the output video
  • Captures videos in HD resolution
  • Excellent audio recording features

Cons

  • OBS crashes easily
  • Not aimed at inexperienced users

5. VegasPro 18

Price: Freemium

Compatibility: Windows

Both the video of your reaction and the video to which you are reacting must be recorded before you start editing them in Sony Vegas Pro. Making a reaction video with this video editing software is a relatively easy task that only requires you to position your footage correctly on the timeline.

The video containing your reaction should be below the video you are commenting on so that the second video can be treated as an overlay. Click on the Event Pan/Crop button and readjust the size and the on-screen location of the video you’re reacting to. When done, you can proceed to sync both videos so that your reactions correspond with the events in the other video. Don’t forget to preview the reaction video you’ve created before exporting it.

Pros

  • Offers professional video editing tools
  • Grants users full control over the footage
  • Intuitive and modernly designed interface
  • Supports a broad range of output file formats

Cons

  • Aimed only at professional video editors
  • Capturing a computer screen with Sony Vegas Pro is not possible

Conclusion

In order to gather thousands of views, comments, and likes, every detail in your reaction videos needs to be perfect. Video reaction makers we featured in this article enable you to have complete creative control over the process of making a reaction video.

Among all these above, if you want to go for a free one, I’ll say you should go for OBS.

If you want to go for a paid one but don’t want to pay too much for it, I’ll suggest you go for Filmora, which provides you several ways to create a reaction video easily on Windows and Mac.

Download Filmora9 Win Version Download Filmora9 Mac Version

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

A reaction video can be any type of video in which the host reacts to ideas and opinions that are expressed in another video. Reacting to a video that attracts a lot of attention on the Internet might put you in the middle of the debate the video you’re commenting on is covering.

Reaction videos boil down to expressing your attitude about the topic you feel strongly about, but they must also be entertaining to watch. That is why you are going to need software that enables you to capture both your screen and webcam footage, as the audience needs to see the host and what he or she is reacting to. So, in this article we are going to take you through the top 5 reaction video makers you can use on PC and Mac computers.


Top 5 Reaction Video Makers for Windows and Mac

It is worth noting that besides software that enables you to create reaction videos, you are going to need an external microphone , and in some cases lighting and other equipment that is commonly used for the production of YouTube videos . Let’s take a look at what the top 5 reaction video makers have to offer.

1. Filmora

Price: Freemium

Compatibility: Windows, Mac

Download Filmora9 Win Version Download Filmora9 Mac Version

Filmora grants you access to all the tools you are going to need while creating a reaction video Its screen recorder tool enables you to capture your computer’s screen and the webcam footage simultaneously so that you can record the video to which you are recording as well as your reaction at the same time. Watch the video below to explore how Daniel record and make a reaction video with Filmora.

Optionally, you can capture your computer’s screen and your reaction separately and then use Filmora to sync these two video files. The first thing you will have to do if you decide to use this method of creating a reaction video is to create a project and import all footage into it. You should then place the footage on two separate video tracks on the timeline, and readjust the size of each video in the preview window.

make reaction video with Filmora

Filmora lets you remove the background of the video clips you don’t want to include in the final cut with the human segmentation effect under AI Portrait. This feature allows you to separate people from the video background , and replace them with a new one. And then you can blend the reaction video with the original one fluently. After you complete the video editing process you can export your project to your YouTube or Vimeo account directly from Filmora.

make reaction video with Filmora human segmentation

There are several ways to create a reaction video in Filmora, you can read this article to find out the details: How to Make a Reaction Video with Filmora?

Pros

  • Excellent screen recording options
  • Equipped with a broad range of effects, text overlays, and transitions
  • Supports all commonly used video file formats
  • Videos can be exported in resolutions up to 4K

Cons

  • All reaction videos created with the free version of Filmora are watermarked.
  • Requires at least a basic set of video editing skills

2. VSDC

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows

In order to start making a reaction video with VSDC, you must first record your reaction to the video and make sure that the video you’re reacting to is saved on your computer’s hard drive. You should then create a new project in VSDC, specify the resolution for the entire project and proceed to import all media files you’re going to need during the video editing process, by selecting the Video option from the Add Object menu.

Place the files on the editor’s timeline so that they are positioned one above the other. The reaction video should occupy the full screen, and you can use the preview window to adjust the size of the reaction video. You should than readjust the on-screen position and the size of the video you’re reacting to, before proceeding to preview the resulting video. In case you like the result you should click on the Export button and choose the output file format and the destination to which the reaction video will be exported.

Pros

  • No previous video editing experience needed
  • Offers a rich selection of transitions and visual effects
  • Videos can be exported directly to YouTube from VSDC in resolutions up to 4K
  • Offers desktop capturing tools

Cons

  • Lacks advanced video editing tools
  • Outdated interface design

3. iMovie

Price: Free

Compatibility: macOS, iPhone, iPad

The process of making a reaction video in iMovie isn’t much different from the process of making any other type of video. Before you start working on your new reaction video, you need to make sure that you have all the media files you want you to use in your project. You can then simply import them into iMovie, and place footage of yourself reacting to a video to the timeline. Afterward, you should place the actual video to which you are reacting above or below the video file that contains the footage of your reaction, depending on which video clip you want to use as a background video.

However, the overlaid video is not going to be automatically visible in the preview screen, so you should just click on the Video Overlay Settings and pick the Picture in Picture option. As soon as you select this option the overlay video will become visible in the preview window, where you can adjust its size and position. When ready, you should export your reaction video and upload it to your channel.

Pros

  • The quick and easy video editing process
  • Available to all Mac users for free
  • Excellent for inexperienced video editors
  • A rich selection of visual effects

Cons

  • No screen capturing tools
  • Audio editing options could be better

4. OBS

Price: Free

Compatibility: macOS, Windows, Linux

OBS is a screencasting software that enables you to create live streams or record all actions you perform on your computer’s screen. After you launch OBS, you should select the For Recording option, and this reaction video maker will optimize the project settings automatically. Once the OBS’ main window loads, you just have to specify the sources from which you want to record the footage. Simply right-click anywhere within the Sources tab, select the Add option and choose the Display Capture setting from the submenu.

You can then repeat the same process to select Audio Output Capture option, in order to record the audio from the video you’re reacting to. Afterward, you should head over to the Add menu once more and add the Video Capture Device to the Sources tab. Optionally, you can readjust the size of each video source in the Preview Window, and hit the Start Recording button.

Pros

  • Free for PC and Mac users
  • Enables users to specify the format of the output video
  • Captures videos in HD resolution
  • Excellent audio recording features

Cons

  • OBS crashes easily
  • Not aimed at inexperienced users

5. VegasPro 18

Price: Freemium

Compatibility: Windows

Both the video of your reaction and the video to which you are reacting must be recorded before you start editing them in Sony Vegas Pro. Making a reaction video with this video editing software is a relatively easy task that only requires you to position your footage correctly on the timeline.

The video containing your reaction should be below the video you are commenting on so that the second video can be treated as an overlay. Click on the Event Pan/Crop button and readjust the size and the on-screen location of the video you’re reacting to. When done, you can proceed to sync both videos so that your reactions correspond with the events in the other video. Don’t forget to preview the reaction video you’ve created before exporting it.

Pros

  • Offers professional video editing tools
  • Grants users full control over the footage
  • Intuitive and modernly designed interface
  • Supports a broad range of output file formats

Cons

  • Aimed only at professional video editors
  • Capturing a computer screen with Sony Vegas Pro is not possible

Conclusion

In order to gather thousands of views, comments, and likes, every detail in your reaction videos needs to be perfect. Video reaction makers we featured in this article enable you to have complete creative control over the process of making a reaction video.

Among all these above, if you want to go for a free one, I’ll say you should go for OBS.

If you want to go for a paid one but don’t want to pay too much for it, I’ll suggest you go for Filmora, which provides you several ways to create a reaction video easily on Windows and Mac.

Download Filmora9 Win Version Download Filmora9 Mac Version

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

A reaction video can be any type of video in which the host reacts to ideas and opinions that are expressed in another video. Reacting to a video that attracts a lot of attention on the Internet might put you in the middle of the debate the video you’re commenting on is covering.

Reaction videos boil down to expressing your attitude about the topic you feel strongly about, but they must also be entertaining to watch. That is why you are going to need software that enables you to capture both your screen and webcam footage, as the audience needs to see the host and what he or she is reacting to. So, in this article we are going to take you through the top 5 reaction video makers you can use on PC and Mac computers.


Top 5 Reaction Video Makers for Windows and Mac

It is worth noting that besides software that enables you to create reaction videos, you are going to need an external microphone , and in some cases lighting and other equipment that is commonly used for the production of YouTube videos . Let’s take a look at what the top 5 reaction video makers have to offer.

1. Filmora

Price: Freemium

Compatibility: Windows, Mac

Download Filmora9 Win Version Download Filmora9 Mac Version

Filmora grants you access to all the tools you are going to need while creating a reaction video Its screen recorder tool enables you to capture your computer’s screen and the webcam footage simultaneously so that you can record the video to which you are recording as well as your reaction at the same time. Watch the video below to explore how Daniel record and make a reaction video with Filmora.

Optionally, you can capture your computer’s screen and your reaction separately and then use Filmora to sync these two video files. The first thing you will have to do if you decide to use this method of creating a reaction video is to create a project and import all footage into it. You should then place the footage on two separate video tracks on the timeline, and readjust the size of each video in the preview window.

make reaction video with Filmora

Filmora lets you remove the background of the video clips you don’t want to include in the final cut with the human segmentation effect under AI Portrait. This feature allows you to separate people from the video background , and replace them with a new one. And then you can blend the reaction video with the original one fluently. After you complete the video editing process you can export your project to your YouTube or Vimeo account directly from Filmora.

make reaction video with Filmora human segmentation

There are several ways to create a reaction video in Filmora, you can read this article to find out the details: How to Make a Reaction Video with Filmora?

Pros

  • Excellent screen recording options
  • Equipped with a broad range of effects, text overlays, and transitions
  • Supports all commonly used video file formats
  • Videos can be exported in resolutions up to 4K

Cons

  • All reaction videos created with the free version of Filmora are watermarked.
  • Requires at least a basic set of video editing skills

2. VSDC

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows

In order to start making a reaction video with VSDC, you must first record your reaction to the video and make sure that the video you’re reacting to is saved on your computer’s hard drive. You should then create a new project in VSDC, specify the resolution for the entire project and proceed to import all media files you’re going to need during the video editing process, by selecting the Video option from the Add Object menu.

Place the files on the editor’s timeline so that they are positioned one above the other. The reaction video should occupy the full screen, and you can use the preview window to adjust the size of the reaction video. You should than readjust the on-screen position and the size of the video you’re reacting to, before proceeding to preview the resulting video. In case you like the result you should click on the Export button and choose the output file format and the destination to which the reaction video will be exported.

Pros

  • No previous video editing experience needed
  • Offers a rich selection of transitions and visual effects
  • Videos can be exported directly to YouTube from VSDC in resolutions up to 4K
  • Offers desktop capturing tools

Cons

  • Lacks advanced video editing tools
  • Outdated interface design

3. iMovie

Price: Free

Compatibility: macOS, iPhone, iPad

The process of making a reaction video in iMovie isn’t much different from the process of making any other type of video. Before you start working on your new reaction video, you need to make sure that you have all the media files you want you to use in your project. You can then simply import them into iMovie, and place footage of yourself reacting to a video to the timeline. Afterward, you should place the actual video to which you are reacting above or below the video file that contains the footage of your reaction, depending on which video clip you want to use as a background video.

However, the overlaid video is not going to be automatically visible in the preview screen, so you should just click on the Video Overlay Settings and pick the Picture in Picture option. As soon as you select this option the overlay video will become visible in the preview window, where you can adjust its size and position. When ready, you should export your reaction video and upload it to your channel.

Pros

  • The quick and easy video editing process
  • Available to all Mac users for free
  • Excellent for inexperienced video editors
  • A rich selection of visual effects

Cons

  • No screen capturing tools
  • Audio editing options could be better

4. OBS

Price: Free

Compatibility: macOS, Windows, Linux

OBS is a screencasting software that enables you to create live streams or record all actions you perform on your computer’s screen. After you launch OBS, you should select the For Recording option, and this reaction video maker will optimize the project settings automatically. Once the OBS’ main window loads, you just have to specify the sources from which you want to record the footage. Simply right-click anywhere within the Sources tab, select the Add option and choose the Display Capture setting from the submenu.

You can then repeat the same process to select Audio Output Capture option, in order to record the audio from the video you’re reacting to. Afterward, you should head over to the Add menu once more and add the Video Capture Device to the Sources tab. Optionally, you can readjust the size of each video source in the Preview Window, and hit the Start Recording button.

Pros

  • Free for PC and Mac users
  • Enables users to specify the format of the output video
  • Captures videos in HD resolution
  • Excellent audio recording features

Cons

  • OBS crashes easily
  • Not aimed at inexperienced users

5. VegasPro 18

Price: Freemium

Compatibility: Windows

Both the video of your reaction and the video to which you are reacting must be recorded before you start editing them in Sony Vegas Pro. Making a reaction video with this video editing software is a relatively easy task that only requires you to position your footage correctly on the timeline.

The video containing your reaction should be below the video you are commenting on so that the second video can be treated as an overlay. Click on the Event Pan/Crop button and readjust the size and the on-screen location of the video you’re reacting to. When done, you can proceed to sync both videos so that your reactions correspond with the events in the other video. Don’t forget to preview the reaction video you’ve created before exporting it.

Pros

  • Offers professional video editing tools
  • Grants users full control over the footage
  • Intuitive and modernly designed interface
  • Supports a broad range of output file formats

Cons

  • Aimed only at professional video editors
  • Capturing a computer screen with Sony Vegas Pro is not possible

Conclusion

In order to gather thousands of views, comments, and likes, every detail in your reaction videos needs to be perfect. Video reaction makers we featured in this article enable you to have complete creative control over the process of making a reaction video.

Among all these above, if you want to go for a free one, I’ll say you should go for OBS.

If you want to go for a paid one but don’t want to pay too much for it, I’ll suggest you go for Filmora, which provides you several ways to create a reaction video easily on Windows and Mac.

Download Filmora9 Win Version Download Filmora9 Mac Version

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Top Motion Tracking Tools for Text Animation

Best Text Motion Tracking Software

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Have you ever been mesmerized by a video with text or emoji’s moving together with objects? That effect is produced using motion tracking and isn’t very complicated. Today, we will introduce some text motion tracking software (free & paid) tools that allow you to pin text to video with minimum effort. There will also be detailed tutorials on how to utilize each tool. Let’s get started.

Best Text Motion Tracking Software [+Howtos]

Note: The list below is in no particular order.

1. Filmora

Pricing: Free (watermark) /starts at $49.99/year

Operating System: Windows & Mac

The newly released Wondershare Filmora X version has added the motion tracking features, which allows you to track moving objects in a video clip, and attach images, texts, elements and videos to follow the movement path.

Download Filmora  Win Version Download Filmora Mac Version

How to Use Filmora Video Editor To Do Text Motion Tracking?

  • Import the video footage to the timeline and then click the Motion Track icon in the tool bar to enable the Motion Tracking option.

 Filmora Motion Tracking  icon

  • In the preview window, drag and adjust the tracking box to select a moving object as the target.

 Filmora Motion Tracking  Box

  • Click the Start Tracking menu to start the moton tracking render, and Filmora video editor will compute the moving path automatically
  • Now, go to the Titles tab and drag a subtitle, titles, lower 3rd, or callout to the track just above the motion-tracked video. Customize your texts, adjust its size, position, etc. in the preview window.

 Filmora Motion Tracking  - Text

  • Next, double click the video footage to enter the Motion Track option. Select the title as a follower. Playback the video, and you will see the text will move accordingly.

Below is a step by step video tutorial about how to use the motion tracking feature in Filmora. Keep watching.

Download Filmora  Win Version Download Filmora Mac Version

2. Premiere Pro CC

Pricing: 14-day trial, minimum $20.99/month

Operating System: Windows, Mac

Adobe Premiere Pro is an industry-leading video editor. Premiere Pro CC has all the editing tools a pro video editor needs.

There is no automatic tracking feature in Premiere Pro to pin text to video. Therefore, you need to manually position your text and add keyframes frame by frame. But the overall effort required and the final result isn’t much different from traditional editors.

How To Do Text Motion Tracking In Premiere Pro CC? [Main Steps]

  • Import your video to the timeline
  • Add text by Pressing ‘T’ on your keyboard and clicking on the preview window (your footage)
  • Change the position & duration of the text layer on the timeline according to the position & duration of motion tracking
  • Make sure you’re on the frame you want to start tracking from
  • Click on your text layer → then go to effects controls
  • Change the position of the text to the point you want to track → click on the stopwatch icon to add a keyframe
  • Move a few frames forward → adjust the position again → add another keyframe
  • Don’t put the keyframes too close or too farther apart
  • Play through to check it out → adjust the position and number of keyframes if any issues arise

The whole process is relatively easy, although tedious. But the process becomes very complicated when you have more dynamic motion in your clip

3. After Effects

Pricing: 7-day trial, $20.99/month (individual)

Operating System: Windows & Mac

Adobe After Effects is an editor that focuses on animation & creative composition. This app has been developed as a companion to Premiere Pro for creating short & flashy motion graphics and visual effects for projects.

Motion tracking in After Effects can be done using the Point Tracker, which has one-point and up to four-point tracking. Other tracking options include the built-in 3D Camera Tracker that lets you reverse engineer a scene and the spline tracker that enables you to track masks on an object. There is also Mocha AE, a planar tracker from BorisFX. The Point Tracker is the most flexible and versatile in After Effects. We’ll use it to pin text to video.

How To Do Text Motion Tracking In After Effects? [Main Steps]

  • Create a new composition/open an old one and make sure your clip is imported
  • Create a null object by right-clicking on the window (screenshot below)
  • Select your clip → click on tracker → click on track motion
  • Two square boxes will appear
  • Move the squares to the point you want to track (make sure to select an object with relatively high contrast for easier tracking)
  • Position the smaller square on the object you want to track
  • Make the second box is big enough (not too big) so that the tracked object stays within this square in the next frame
  • Click on the analyze forward button (screenshot above)
  • If the square box fails to track the object at any frame, reposition it and move on
  • Make sure motion target is set to null object (e.g., Null 1)
  • Now add the text
  • While clicking on the pick whip tool of the text layer, drag it to the null object
  • Play through to check the result
  • You can manually change the position of the text in any frame by adjusting its position and adding a keyframe

We’re done. As we stated above, other types of trackers are also available for you to experiment with. The overall tracking functionality is much better than Premiere Pro.

4. Sony Vegas Pro

Pricing: 30-day trial, minimum $19.99/month

Operating System: Windows

Sony Vegas Pro is a non-linear video editor with the so-called “power of Artificial Intelligence.” It is one of the few editors out there that has acquired popularity among professionals and amateurs alike.

Text motion tracking in Vegas Pro is done using Bézier Masking FX (new update introduces a separate tab for motion tracking). The tracking process is automatic. Keyframes are created automatically frame by frame. It isn’t perfect, but it gets the job done in most cases. When it fails to track objects correctly, you can manually edit the keyframes.

How To Do Text Motion Tracking In Sony Vegas Pro? [Main Steps]

  • Import your video
  • Click on your video → go to the starting point of text motion tracking
  • Click on Bézier Masking → drag the default one to your video
  • A new options tab will appear & a square box with a circle (tracking box) will appear in the preview window
  • Go to General options → set blend to 1,000
  • Go to Mask 1 → Tracking → options → set the precision to high → set keyframe interval between 1 & 5
  • Position the black dot of the tracking box to the point you want to track
  • Click on start below the keyframe interval option
  • After processing is complete → go to tools → extensions → add text to motion track → click on ok in the text position tab
  • Enter your text, edit it if you want
  • Play through to check the result

Conclusion:

As we’ve seen above, all the editors have some kind of automatic tracking feature, Premiere Pro being the only manual exception. All of them do a reasonably good job when it comes to pinning text to video. Professionals would be more satisfied with the added versatility and control in After Effects. Filmora, Filmora, Vegas Pro and Premiere Pro, on the other hand, are better suited for amateurs.

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Have you ever been mesmerized by a video with text or emoji’s moving together with objects? That effect is produced using motion tracking and isn’t very complicated. Today, we will introduce some text motion tracking software (free & paid) tools that allow you to pin text to video with minimum effort. There will also be detailed tutorials on how to utilize each tool. Let’s get started.

Best Text Motion Tracking Software [+Howtos]

Note: The list below is in no particular order.

1. Filmora

Pricing: Free (watermark) /starts at $49.99/year

Operating System: Windows & Mac

The newly released Wondershare Filmora X version has added the motion tracking features, which allows you to track moving objects in a video clip, and attach images, texts, elements and videos to follow the movement path.

Download Filmora  Win Version Download Filmora Mac Version

How to Use Filmora Video Editor To Do Text Motion Tracking?

  • Import the video footage to the timeline and then click the Motion Track icon in the tool bar to enable the Motion Tracking option.

 Filmora Motion Tracking  icon

  • In the preview window, drag and adjust the tracking box to select a moving object as the target.

 Filmora Motion Tracking  Box

  • Click the Start Tracking menu to start the moton tracking render, and Filmora video editor will compute the moving path automatically
  • Now, go to the Titles tab and drag a subtitle, titles, lower 3rd, or callout to the track just above the motion-tracked video. Customize your texts, adjust its size, position, etc. in the preview window.

 Filmora Motion Tracking  - Text

  • Next, double click the video footage to enter the Motion Track option. Select the title as a follower. Playback the video, and you will see the text will move accordingly.

Below is a step by step video tutorial about how to use the motion tracking feature in Filmora. Keep watching.

Download Filmora  Win Version Download Filmora Mac Version

2. Premiere Pro CC

Pricing: 14-day trial, minimum $20.99/month

Operating System: Windows, Mac

Adobe Premiere Pro is an industry-leading video editor. Premiere Pro CC has all the editing tools a pro video editor needs.

There is no automatic tracking feature in Premiere Pro to pin text to video. Therefore, you need to manually position your text and add keyframes frame by frame. But the overall effort required and the final result isn’t much different from traditional editors.

How To Do Text Motion Tracking In Premiere Pro CC? [Main Steps]

  • Import your video to the timeline
  • Add text by Pressing ‘T’ on your keyboard and clicking on the preview window (your footage)
  • Change the position & duration of the text layer on the timeline according to the position & duration of motion tracking
  • Make sure you’re on the frame you want to start tracking from
  • Click on your text layer → then go to effects controls
  • Change the position of the text to the point you want to track → click on the stopwatch icon to add a keyframe
  • Move a few frames forward → adjust the position again → add another keyframe
  • Don’t put the keyframes too close or too farther apart
  • Play through to check it out → adjust the position and number of keyframes if any issues arise

The whole process is relatively easy, although tedious. But the process becomes very complicated when you have more dynamic motion in your clip

3. After Effects

Pricing: 7-day trial, $20.99/month (individual)

Operating System: Windows & Mac

Adobe After Effects is an editor that focuses on animation & creative composition. This app has been developed as a companion to Premiere Pro for creating short & flashy motion graphics and visual effects for projects.

Motion tracking in After Effects can be done using the Point Tracker, which has one-point and up to four-point tracking. Other tracking options include the built-in 3D Camera Tracker that lets you reverse engineer a scene and the spline tracker that enables you to track masks on an object. There is also Mocha AE, a planar tracker from BorisFX. The Point Tracker is the most flexible and versatile in After Effects. We’ll use it to pin text to video.

How To Do Text Motion Tracking In After Effects? [Main Steps]

  • Create a new composition/open an old one and make sure your clip is imported
  • Create a null object by right-clicking on the window (screenshot below)
  • Select your clip → click on tracker → click on track motion
  • Two square boxes will appear
  • Move the squares to the point you want to track (make sure to select an object with relatively high contrast for easier tracking)
  • Position the smaller square on the object you want to track
  • Make the second box is big enough (not too big) so that the tracked object stays within this square in the next frame
  • Click on the analyze forward button (screenshot above)
  • If the square box fails to track the object at any frame, reposition it and move on
  • Make sure motion target is set to null object (e.g., Null 1)
  • Now add the text
  • While clicking on the pick whip tool of the text layer, drag it to the null object
  • Play through to check the result
  • You can manually change the position of the text in any frame by adjusting its position and adding a keyframe

We’re done. As we stated above, other types of trackers are also available for you to experiment with. The overall tracking functionality is much better than Premiere Pro.

4. Sony Vegas Pro

Pricing: 30-day trial, minimum $19.99/month

Operating System: Windows

Sony Vegas Pro is a non-linear video editor with the so-called “power of Artificial Intelligence.” It is one of the few editors out there that has acquired popularity among professionals and amateurs alike.

Text motion tracking in Vegas Pro is done using Bézier Masking FX (new update introduces a separate tab for motion tracking). The tracking process is automatic. Keyframes are created automatically frame by frame. It isn’t perfect, but it gets the job done in most cases. When it fails to track objects correctly, you can manually edit the keyframes.

How To Do Text Motion Tracking In Sony Vegas Pro? [Main Steps]

  • Import your video
  • Click on your video → go to the starting point of text motion tracking
  • Click on Bézier Masking → drag the default one to your video
  • A new options tab will appear & a square box with a circle (tracking box) will appear in the preview window
  • Go to General options → set blend to 1,000
  • Go to Mask 1 → Tracking → options → set the precision to high → set keyframe interval between 1 & 5
  • Position the black dot of the tracking box to the point you want to track
  • Click on start below the keyframe interval option
  • After processing is complete → go to tools → extensions → add text to motion track → click on ok in the text position tab
  • Enter your text, edit it if you want
  • Play through to check the result

Conclusion:

As we’ve seen above, all the editors have some kind of automatic tracking feature, Premiere Pro being the only manual exception. All of them do a reasonably good job when it comes to pinning text to video. Professionals would be more satisfied with the added versatility and control in After Effects. Filmora, Filmora, Vegas Pro and Premiere Pro, on the other hand, are better suited for amateurs.

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Have you ever been mesmerized by a video with text or emoji’s moving together with objects? That effect is produced using motion tracking and isn’t very complicated. Today, we will introduce some text motion tracking software (free & paid) tools that allow you to pin text to video with minimum effort. There will also be detailed tutorials on how to utilize each tool. Let’s get started.

Best Text Motion Tracking Software [+Howtos]

Note: The list below is in no particular order.

1. Filmora

Pricing: Free (watermark) /starts at $49.99/year

Operating System: Windows & Mac

The newly released Wondershare Filmora X version has added the motion tracking features, which allows you to track moving objects in a video clip, and attach images, texts, elements and videos to follow the movement path.

Download Filmora  Win Version Download Filmora Mac Version

How to Use Filmora Video Editor To Do Text Motion Tracking?

  • Import the video footage to the timeline and then click the Motion Track icon in the tool bar to enable the Motion Tracking option.

 Filmora Motion Tracking  icon

  • In the preview window, drag and adjust the tracking box to select a moving object as the target.

 Filmora Motion Tracking  Box

  • Click the Start Tracking menu to start the moton tracking render, and Filmora video editor will compute the moving path automatically
  • Now, go to the Titles tab and drag a subtitle, titles, lower 3rd, or callout to the track just above the motion-tracked video. Customize your texts, adjust its size, position, etc. in the preview window.

 Filmora Motion Tracking  - Text

  • Next, double click the video footage to enter the Motion Track option. Select the title as a follower. Playback the video, and you will see the text will move accordingly.

Below is a step by step video tutorial about how to use the motion tracking feature in Filmora. Keep watching.

Download Filmora  Win Version Download Filmora Mac Version

2. Premiere Pro CC

Pricing: 14-day trial, minimum $20.99/month

Operating System: Windows, Mac

Adobe Premiere Pro is an industry-leading video editor. Premiere Pro CC has all the editing tools a pro video editor needs.

There is no automatic tracking feature in Premiere Pro to pin text to video. Therefore, you need to manually position your text and add keyframes frame by frame. But the overall effort required and the final result isn’t much different from traditional editors.

How To Do Text Motion Tracking In Premiere Pro CC? [Main Steps]

  • Import your video to the timeline
  • Add text by Pressing ‘T’ on your keyboard and clicking on the preview window (your footage)
  • Change the position & duration of the text layer on the timeline according to the position & duration of motion tracking
  • Make sure you’re on the frame you want to start tracking from
  • Click on your text layer → then go to effects controls
  • Change the position of the text to the point you want to track → click on the stopwatch icon to add a keyframe
  • Move a few frames forward → adjust the position again → add another keyframe
  • Don’t put the keyframes too close or too farther apart
  • Play through to check it out → adjust the position and number of keyframes if any issues arise

The whole process is relatively easy, although tedious. But the process becomes very complicated when you have more dynamic motion in your clip

3. After Effects

Pricing: 7-day trial, $20.99/month (individual)

Operating System: Windows & Mac

Adobe After Effects is an editor that focuses on animation & creative composition. This app has been developed as a companion to Premiere Pro for creating short & flashy motion graphics and visual effects for projects.

Motion tracking in After Effects can be done using the Point Tracker, which has one-point and up to four-point tracking. Other tracking options include the built-in 3D Camera Tracker that lets you reverse engineer a scene and the spline tracker that enables you to track masks on an object. There is also Mocha AE, a planar tracker from BorisFX. The Point Tracker is the most flexible and versatile in After Effects. We’ll use it to pin text to video.

How To Do Text Motion Tracking In After Effects? [Main Steps]

  • Create a new composition/open an old one and make sure your clip is imported
  • Create a null object by right-clicking on the window (screenshot below)
  • Select your clip → click on tracker → click on track motion
  • Two square boxes will appear
  • Move the squares to the point you want to track (make sure to select an object with relatively high contrast for easier tracking)
  • Position the smaller square on the object you want to track
  • Make the second box is big enough (not too big) so that the tracked object stays within this square in the next frame
  • Click on the analyze forward button (screenshot above)
  • If the square box fails to track the object at any frame, reposition it and move on
  • Make sure motion target is set to null object (e.g., Null 1)
  • Now add the text
  • While clicking on the pick whip tool of the text layer, drag it to the null object
  • Play through to check the result
  • You can manually change the position of the text in any frame by adjusting its position and adding a keyframe

We’re done. As we stated above, other types of trackers are also available for you to experiment with. The overall tracking functionality is much better than Premiere Pro.

4. Sony Vegas Pro

Pricing: 30-day trial, minimum $19.99/month

Operating System: Windows

Sony Vegas Pro is a non-linear video editor with the so-called “power of Artificial Intelligence.” It is one of the few editors out there that has acquired popularity among professionals and amateurs alike.

Text motion tracking in Vegas Pro is done using Bézier Masking FX (new update introduces a separate tab for motion tracking). The tracking process is automatic. Keyframes are created automatically frame by frame. It isn’t perfect, but it gets the job done in most cases. When it fails to track objects correctly, you can manually edit the keyframes.

How To Do Text Motion Tracking In Sony Vegas Pro? [Main Steps]

  • Import your video
  • Click on your video → go to the starting point of text motion tracking
  • Click on Bézier Masking → drag the default one to your video
  • A new options tab will appear & a square box with a circle (tracking box) will appear in the preview window
  • Go to General options → set blend to 1,000
  • Go to Mask 1 → Tracking → options → set the precision to high → set keyframe interval between 1 & 5
  • Position the black dot of the tracking box to the point you want to track
  • Click on start below the keyframe interval option
  • After processing is complete → go to tools → extensions → add text to motion track → click on ok in the text position tab
  • Enter your text, edit it if you want
  • Play through to check the result

Conclusion:

As we’ve seen above, all the editors have some kind of automatic tracking feature, Premiere Pro being the only manual exception. All of them do a reasonably good job when it comes to pinning text to video. Professionals would be more satisfied with the added versatility and control in After Effects. Filmora, Filmora, Vegas Pro and Premiere Pro, on the other hand, are better suited for amateurs.

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Have you ever been mesmerized by a video with text or emoji’s moving together with objects? That effect is produced using motion tracking and isn’t very complicated. Today, we will introduce some text motion tracking software (free & paid) tools that allow you to pin text to video with minimum effort. There will also be detailed tutorials on how to utilize each tool. Let’s get started.

Best Text Motion Tracking Software [+Howtos]

Note: The list below is in no particular order.

1. Filmora

Pricing: Free (watermark) /starts at $49.99/year

Operating System: Windows & Mac

The newly released Wondershare Filmora X version has added the motion tracking features, which allows you to track moving objects in a video clip, and attach images, texts, elements and videos to follow the movement path.

Download Filmora  Win Version Download Filmora Mac Version

How to Use Filmora Video Editor To Do Text Motion Tracking?

  • Import the video footage to the timeline and then click the Motion Track icon in the tool bar to enable the Motion Tracking option.

 Filmora Motion Tracking  icon

  • In the preview window, drag and adjust the tracking box to select a moving object as the target.

 Filmora Motion Tracking  Box

  • Click the Start Tracking menu to start the moton tracking render, and Filmora video editor will compute the moving path automatically
  • Now, go to the Titles tab and drag a subtitle, titles, lower 3rd, or callout to the track just above the motion-tracked video. Customize your texts, adjust its size, position, etc. in the preview window.

 Filmora Motion Tracking  - Text

  • Next, double click the video footage to enter the Motion Track option. Select the title as a follower. Playback the video, and you will see the text will move accordingly.

Below is a step by step video tutorial about how to use the motion tracking feature in Filmora. Keep watching.

Download Filmora  Win Version Download Filmora Mac Version

2. Premiere Pro CC

Pricing: 14-day trial, minimum $20.99/month

Operating System: Windows, Mac

Adobe Premiere Pro is an industry-leading video editor. Premiere Pro CC has all the editing tools a pro video editor needs.

There is no automatic tracking feature in Premiere Pro to pin text to video. Therefore, you need to manually position your text and add keyframes frame by frame. But the overall effort required and the final result isn’t much different from traditional editors.

How To Do Text Motion Tracking In Premiere Pro CC? [Main Steps]

  • Import your video to the timeline
  • Add text by Pressing ‘T’ on your keyboard and clicking on the preview window (your footage)
  • Change the position & duration of the text layer on the timeline according to the position & duration of motion tracking
  • Make sure you’re on the frame you want to start tracking from
  • Click on your text layer → then go to effects controls
  • Change the position of the text to the point you want to track → click on the stopwatch icon to add a keyframe
  • Move a few frames forward → adjust the position again → add another keyframe
  • Don’t put the keyframes too close or too farther apart
  • Play through to check it out → adjust the position and number of keyframes if any issues arise

The whole process is relatively easy, although tedious. But the process becomes very complicated when you have more dynamic motion in your clip

3. After Effects

Pricing: 7-day trial, $20.99/month (individual)

Operating System: Windows & Mac

Adobe After Effects is an editor that focuses on animation & creative composition. This app has been developed as a companion to Premiere Pro for creating short & flashy motion graphics and visual effects for projects.

Motion tracking in After Effects can be done using the Point Tracker, which has one-point and up to four-point tracking. Other tracking options include the built-in 3D Camera Tracker that lets you reverse engineer a scene and the spline tracker that enables you to track masks on an object. There is also Mocha AE, a planar tracker from BorisFX. The Point Tracker is the most flexible and versatile in After Effects. We’ll use it to pin text to video.

How To Do Text Motion Tracking In After Effects? [Main Steps]

  • Create a new composition/open an old one and make sure your clip is imported
  • Create a null object by right-clicking on the window (screenshot below)
  • Select your clip → click on tracker → click on track motion
  • Two square boxes will appear
  • Move the squares to the point you want to track (make sure to select an object with relatively high contrast for easier tracking)
  • Position the smaller square on the object you want to track
  • Make the second box is big enough (not too big) so that the tracked object stays within this square in the next frame
  • Click on the analyze forward button (screenshot above)
  • If the square box fails to track the object at any frame, reposition it and move on
  • Make sure motion target is set to null object (e.g., Null 1)
  • Now add the text
  • While clicking on the pick whip tool of the text layer, drag it to the null object
  • Play through to check the result
  • You can manually change the position of the text in any frame by adjusting its position and adding a keyframe

We’re done. As we stated above, other types of trackers are also available for you to experiment with. The overall tracking functionality is much better than Premiere Pro.

4. Sony Vegas Pro

Pricing: 30-day trial, minimum $19.99/month

Operating System: Windows

Sony Vegas Pro is a non-linear video editor with the so-called “power of Artificial Intelligence.” It is one of the few editors out there that has acquired popularity among professionals and amateurs alike.

Text motion tracking in Vegas Pro is done using Bézier Masking FX (new update introduces a separate tab for motion tracking). The tracking process is automatic. Keyframes are created automatically frame by frame. It isn’t perfect, but it gets the job done in most cases. When it fails to track objects correctly, you can manually edit the keyframes.

How To Do Text Motion Tracking In Sony Vegas Pro? [Main Steps]

  • Import your video
  • Click on your video → go to the starting point of text motion tracking
  • Click on Bézier Masking → drag the default one to your video
  • A new options tab will appear & a square box with a circle (tracking box) will appear in the preview window
  • Go to General options → set blend to 1,000
  • Go to Mask 1 → Tracking → options → set the precision to high → set keyframe interval between 1 & 5
  • Position the black dot of the tracking box to the point you want to track
  • Click on start below the keyframe interval option
  • After processing is complete → go to tools → extensions → add text to motion track → click on ok in the text position tab
  • Enter your text, edit it if you want
  • Play through to check the result

Conclusion:

As we’ve seen above, all the editors have some kind of automatic tracking feature, Premiere Pro being the only manual exception. All of them do a reasonably good job when it comes to pinning text to video. Professionals would be more satisfied with the added versatility and control in After Effects. Filmora, Filmora, Vegas Pro and Premiere Pro, on the other hand, are better suited for amateurs.

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Dual Approaches to Audio Fades in Final Cut Pro : A Step-by-Step Guide

Two Ways to Fade In/Out Audio in Final Cut Pro

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Creating a fade in or out effect in Final Cut Pro will make your audio amazing. However, as Final Cut Pro is for pros, not every user knows how to make fade in/out audio. In fact, it is very easy to fade audio in Final Cut Pro. This tutorial will show you how to apply effects like fade-in, fade-out, and crossfade to your audio clips using Final Cut Pro in two ways.

Part 1: Use the Modify Menu to Fade In/Out Audio

Part 2: Use Fade Handles to Fade In/Out Audio


This tutorial offers only the basics of the audio fading techniques in Apple Final Cut Pro X, which is a specialized video editing software used by professionals worldwide. If you are an amateur who is new to video editing, we suggest you begin with Wondershare Filmora for Mac (originally Wondershare Video Editor for Mac). It is a powerful yet easy-to-use software that is ideal for beginners. You can download the free trial version of Wondershare Filmora below.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

With this modern and extremely user-friendly tool, you’ll find that applying effects like fade-in, fade-out, or crossfade to your audio clips is very easy.


Before we get started, you can firstly detach the audio from video to better edit it. Locate your audio clip in the timeline, highlight the desired audio/video clip, right click on it, and choose Detach audio to unlink your audio from your video to edit them as separate elements.

Check more articles here, if you are also interested in other audio editing tips in Final Cut Pro or want to know how to record a voice over with FCP.

Part 1: How to Fade Audio by using the Modify Menu

You can go to the Modify menu and easily apply fade-in or fade-outs to the audio clip you are editing. The Final Cut Pro preferences also allow you to adjust the fade duration.

Step 1 : First, you have to select the audio or the video clips with audio in the timeline.

 Select the audio or the video clips

Step 2 : Select Modify> Adjust Volume> Apply Fades.

Apply fades

You should remember that the fades appear at the beginning and the end of each clip. The default duration of the fade is one half-second. If you want to modify that duration, you just have to drag the fade handle up to the point where your fade is supposed to begin or end.

Modify duration of fades

Step 3: If you want to remove the fades, choose Modify > Adjust Volume > Remove Fades.

See more details on how to fade audio in Final Cut Pro from the following video.

Part 2: How to Fade Music by using Fade Handles

You have already learned how to find the fade handles on the screen. Now, you just have to manually drag the handle to the exact point from which you want the fade to begin or end. Just keep in mid this simple rule: fade handles at the beginning of a clip produce fade-in effects, whereas fade handles at the end give fade-out effects.

You can manually fade-in or out a portion of the audio clip on your timeline by using the fade handles. Place the pointer over the clip and you can see the fade handles appearing in the top left and right corners of the waveform. To change the sound of the fade, you’ll have to modify the shape of the fade by selecting one of the several preconfigured choices.

Using the fade handles to create crossfades:

Step 1 : To create a crossfade, first you have to select two adjacent clips in the timeline. After that choose Clip> Expand Audio (or press Control-S). You can see the waveforms on your screen expanding.

Step 2 : To overlap the audio parts of the two clips on your timeline, just drag the end point of the first clip and the start point of the second clip.

Step 3 : Now, you’ll have to drag the fade handles of each clip to the exact points where you want the fade to start and finish.

 Using the fade handles to create crossfades

Tips: How to change fade shapes while using the fade handle

You can easily change the sound of your fades by modifying the default fade shape. For this, you’ll have to control-click a fade handle and select one of the fade preferences from the list.

Fade preferences

  • Linear: The rate of change is constant over the length of the fade.
  • S-curve: Eases in and out of the fade with the midpoint at 0 dB.
  • +3dB: Picks up quickly and then gradually peters out toward the end. This is the considered to be the most useful mode while choosing a quick fade.
  • –3dB: Begins slowly and then toward the end picks up fast. This setting allows you to maintain a perfectly natural volume while crossfading two clips.
  • Linear: Maintains a constant rate of change over the length of the fade.
  • S-curve: Eases in and out of the fade with the midpoint at 0 dB.
  • +3dB: Starts quickly and then slowly tapers off toward the end. This is the most useful setting for quick fades.
  • –3dB: Starts slowly and then moves quickly toward the end. This is the default setting and is best for maintaining a natural volume when crossfading between two adjacent clips.

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Creating a fade in or out effect in Final Cut Pro will make your audio amazing. However, as Final Cut Pro is for pros, not every user knows how to make fade in/out audio. In fact, it is very easy to fade audio in Final Cut Pro. This tutorial will show you how to apply effects like fade-in, fade-out, and crossfade to your audio clips using Final Cut Pro in two ways.

Part 1: Use the Modify Menu to Fade In/Out Audio

Part 2: Use Fade Handles to Fade In/Out Audio


This tutorial offers only the basics of the audio fading techniques in Apple Final Cut Pro X, which is a specialized video editing software used by professionals worldwide. If you are an amateur who is new to video editing, we suggest you begin with Wondershare Filmora for Mac (originally Wondershare Video Editor for Mac). It is a powerful yet easy-to-use software that is ideal for beginners. You can download the free trial version of Wondershare Filmora below.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

With this modern and extremely user-friendly tool, you’ll find that applying effects like fade-in, fade-out, or crossfade to your audio clips is very easy.


Before we get started, you can firstly detach the audio from video to better edit it. Locate your audio clip in the timeline, highlight the desired audio/video clip, right click on it, and choose Detach audio to unlink your audio from your video to edit them as separate elements.

Check more articles here, if you are also interested in other audio editing tips in Final Cut Pro or want to know how to record a voice over with FCP.

Part 1: How to Fade Audio by using the Modify Menu

You can go to the Modify menu and easily apply fade-in or fade-outs to the audio clip you are editing. The Final Cut Pro preferences also allow you to adjust the fade duration.

Step 1 : First, you have to select the audio or the video clips with audio in the timeline.

 Select the audio or the video clips

Step 2 : Select Modify> Adjust Volume> Apply Fades.

Apply fades

You should remember that the fades appear at the beginning and the end of each clip. The default duration of the fade is one half-second. If you want to modify that duration, you just have to drag the fade handle up to the point where your fade is supposed to begin or end.

Modify duration of fades

Step 3: If you want to remove the fades, choose Modify > Adjust Volume > Remove Fades.

See more details on how to fade audio in Final Cut Pro from the following video.

Part 2: How to Fade Music by using Fade Handles

You have already learned how to find the fade handles on the screen. Now, you just have to manually drag the handle to the exact point from which you want the fade to begin or end. Just keep in mid this simple rule: fade handles at the beginning of a clip produce fade-in effects, whereas fade handles at the end give fade-out effects.

You can manually fade-in or out a portion of the audio clip on your timeline by using the fade handles. Place the pointer over the clip and you can see the fade handles appearing in the top left and right corners of the waveform. To change the sound of the fade, you’ll have to modify the shape of the fade by selecting one of the several preconfigured choices.

Using the fade handles to create crossfades:

Step 1 : To create a crossfade, first you have to select two adjacent clips in the timeline. After that choose Clip> Expand Audio (or press Control-S). You can see the waveforms on your screen expanding.

Step 2 : To overlap the audio parts of the two clips on your timeline, just drag the end point of the first clip and the start point of the second clip.

Step 3 : Now, you’ll have to drag the fade handles of each clip to the exact points where you want the fade to start and finish.

 Using the fade handles to create crossfades

Tips: How to change fade shapes while using the fade handle

You can easily change the sound of your fades by modifying the default fade shape. For this, you’ll have to control-click a fade handle and select one of the fade preferences from the list.

Fade preferences

  • Linear: The rate of change is constant over the length of the fade.
  • S-curve: Eases in and out of the fade with the midpoint at 0 dB.
  • +3dB: Picks up quickly and then gradually peters out toward the end. This is the considered to be the most useful mode while choosing a quick fade.
  • –3dB: Begins slowly and then toward the end picks up fast. This setting allows you to maintain a perfectly natural volume while crossfading two clips.
  • Linear: Maintains a constant rate of change over the length of the fade.
  • S-curve: Eases in and out of the fade with the midpoint at 0 dB.
  • +3dB: Starts quickly and then slowly tapers off toward the end. This is the most useful setting for quick fades.
  • –3dB: Starts slowly and then moves quickly toward the end. This is the default setting and is best for maintaining a natural volume when crossfading between two adjacent clips.

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Creating a fade in or out effect in Final Cut Pro will make your audio amazing. However, as Final Cut Pro is for pros, not every user knows how to make fade in/out audio. In fact, it is very easy to fade audio in Final Cut Pro. This tutorial will show you how to apply effects like fade-in, fade-out, and crossfade to your audio clips using Final Cut Pro in two ways.

Part 1: Use the Modify Menu to Fade In/Out Audio

Part 2: Use Fade Handles to Fade In/Out Audio


This tutorial offers only the basics of the audio fading techniques in Apple Final Cut Pro X, which is a specialized video editing software used by professionals worldwide. If you are an amateur who is new to video editing, we suggest you begin with Wondershare Filmora for Mac (originally Wondershare Video Editor for Mac). It is a powerful yet easy-to-use software that is ideal for beginners. You can download the free trial version of Wondershare Filmora below.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

With this modern and extremely user-friendly tool, you’ll find that applying effects like fade-in, fade-out, or crossfade to your audio clips is very easy.


Before we get started, you can firstly detach the audio from video to better edit it. Locate your audio clip in the timeline, highlight the desired audio/video clip, right click on it, and choose Detach audio to unlink your audio from your video to edit them as separate elements.

Check more articles here, if you are also interested in other audio editing tips in Final Cut Pro or want to know how to record a voice over with FCP.

Part 1: How to Fade Audio by using the Modify Menu

You can go to the Modify menu and easily apply fade-in or fade-outs to the audio clip you are editing. The Final Cut Pro preferences also allow you to adjust the fade duration.

Step 1 : First, you have to select the audio or the video clips with audio in the timeline.

 Select the audio or the video clips

Step 2 : Select Modify> Adjust Volume> Apply Fades.

Apply fades

You should remember that the fades appear at the beginning and the end of each clip. The default duration of the fade is one half-second. If you want to modify that duration, you just have to drag the fade handle up to the point where your fade is supposed to begin or end.

Modify duration of fades

Step 3: If you want to remove the fades, choose Modify > Adjust Volume > Remove Fades.

See more details on how to fade audio in Final Cut Pro from the following video.

Part 2: How to Fade Music by using Fade Handles

You have already learned how to find the fade handles on the screen. Now, you just have to manually drag the handle to the exact point from which you want the fade to begin or end. Just keep in mid this simple rule: fade handles at the beginning of a clip produce fade-in effects, whereas fade handles at the end give fade-out effects.

You can manually fade-in or out a portion of the audio clip on your timeline by using the fade handles. Place the pointer over the clip and you can see the fade handles appearing in the top left and right corners of the waveform. To change the sound of the fade, you’ll have to modify the shape of the fade by selecting one of the several preconfigured choices.

Using the fade handles to create crossfades:

Step 1 : To create a crossfade, first you have to select two adjacent clips in the timeline. After that choose Clip> Expand Audio (or press Control-S). You can see the waveforms on your screen expanding.

Step 2 : To overlap the audio parts of the two clips on your timeline, just drag the end point of the first clip and the start point of the second clip.

Step 3 : Now, you’ll have to drag the fade handles of each clip to the exact points where you want the fade to start and finish.

 Using the fade handles to create crossfades

Tips: How to change fade shapes while using the fade handle

You can easily change the sound of your fades by modifying the default fade shape. For this, you’ll have to control-click a fade handle and select one of the fade preferences from the list.

Fade preferences

  • Linear: The rate of change is constant over the length of the fade.
  • S-curve: Eases in and out of the fade with the midpoint at 0 dB.
  • +3dB: Picks up quickly and then gradually peters out toward the end. This is the considered to be the most useful mode while choosing a quick fade.
  • –3dB: Begins slowly and then toward the end picks up fast. This setting allows you to maintain a perfectly natural volume while crossfading two clips.
  • Linear: Maintains a constant rate of change over the length of the fade.
  • S-curve: Eases in and out of the fade with the midpoint at 0 dB.
  • +3dB: Starts quickly and then slowly tapers off toward the end. This is the most useful setting for quick fades.
  • –3dB: Starts slowly and then moves quickly toward the end. This is the default setting and is best for maintaining a natural volume when crossfading between two adjacent clips.

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Creating a fade in or out effect in Final Cut Pro will make your audio amazing. However, as Final Cut Pro is for pros, not every user knows how to make fade in/out audio. In fact, it is very easy to fade audio in Final Cut Pro. This tutorial will show you how to apply effects like fade-in, fade-out, and crossfade to your audio clips using Final Cut Pro in two ways.

Part 1: Use the Modify Menu to Fade In/Out Audio

Part 2: Use Fade Handles to Fade In/Out Audio


This tutorial offers only the basics of the audio fading techniques in Apple Final Cut Pro X, which is a specialized video editing software used by professionals worldwide. If you are an amateur who is new to video editing, we suggest you begin with Wondershare Filmora for Mac (originally Wondershare Video Editor for Mac). It is a powerful yet easy-to-use software that is ideal for beginners. You can download the free trial version of Wondershare Filmora below.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

With this modern and extremely user-friendly tool, you’ll find that applying effects like fade-in, fade-out, or crossfade to your audio clips is very easy.


Before we get started, you can firstly detach the audio from video to better edit it. Locate your audio clip in the timeline, highlight the desired audio/video clip, right click on it, and choose Detach audio to unlink your audio from your video to edit them as separate elements.

Check more articles here, if you are also interested in other audio editing tips in Final Cut Pro or want to know how to record a voice over with FCP.

Part 1: How to Fade Audio by using the Modify Menu

You can go to the Modify menu and easily apply fade-in or fade-outs to the audio clip you are editing. The Final Cut Pro preferences also allow you to adjust the fade duration.

Step 1 : First, you have to select the audio or the video clips with audio in the timeline.

 Select the audio or the video clips

Step 2 : Select Modify> Adjust Volume> Apply Fades.

Apply fades

You should remember that the fades appear at the beginning and the end of each clip. The default duration of the fade is one half-second. If you want to modify that duration, you just have to drag the fade handle up to the point where your fade is supposed to begin or end.

Modify duration of fades

Step 3: If you want to remove the fades, choose Modify > Adjust Volume > Remove Fades.

See more details on how to fade audio in Final Cut Pro from the following video.

Part 2: How to Fade Music by using Fade Handles

You have already learned how to find the fade handles on the screen. Now, you just have to manually drag the handle to the exact point from which you want the fade to begin or end. Just keep in mid this simple rule: fade handles at the beginning of a clip produce fade-in effects, whereas fade handles at the end give fade-out effects.

You can manually fade-in or out a portion of the audio clip on your timeline by using the fade handles. Place the pointer over the clip and you can see the fade handles appearing in the top left and right corners of the waveform. To change the sound of the fade, you’ll have to modify the shape of the fade by selecting one of the several preconfigured choices.

Using the fade handles to create crossfades:

Step 1 : To create a crossfade, first you have to select two adjacent clips in the timeline. After that choose Clip> Expand Audio (or press Control-S). You can see the waveforms on your screen expanding.

Step 2 : To overlap the audio parts of the two clips on your timeline, just drag the end point of the first clip and the start point of the second clip.

Step 3 : Now, you’ll have to drag the fade handles of each clip to the exact points where you want the fade to start and finish.

 Using the fade handles to create crossfades

Tips: How to change fade shapes while using the fade handle

You can easily change the sound of your fades by modifying the default fade shape. For this, you’ll have to control-click a fade handle and select one of the fade preferences from the list.

Fade preferences

  • Linear: The rate of change is constant over the length of the fade.
  • S-curve: Eases in and out of the fade with the midpoint at 0 dB.
  • +3dB: Picks up quickly and then gradually peters out toward the end. This is the considered to be the most useful mode while choosing a quick fade.
  • –3dB: Begins slowly and then toward the end picks up fast. This setting allows you to maintain a perfectly natural volume while crossfading two clips.
  • Linear: Maintains a constant rate of change over the length of the fade.
  • S-curve: Eases in and out of the fade with the midpoint at 0 dB.
  • +3dB: Starts quickly and then slowly tapers off toward the end. This is the most useful setting for quick fades.
  • –3dB: Starts slowly and then moves quickly toward the end. This is the default setting and is best for maintaining a natural volume when crossfading between two adjacent clips.

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Also read:

  • Title: In 2024, Revolutionize Your Workflow Top-Rated Mac Speech to Text Tools You Might Be Missing Free & Instant Access
  • Author: Isabella
  • Created at : 2024-05-19 13:03:12
  • Updated at : 2024-05-20 13:03:12
  • Link: https://video-creation-software.techidaily.com/in-2024-revolutionize-your-workflow-top-rated-mac-speech-to-text-tools-you-might-be-missing-free-and-instant-access/
  • License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
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In 2024, Revolutionize Your Workflow Top-Rated Mac Speech to Text Tools You Might Be Missing Free & Instant Access