Here are common questions that come up when you get stuck in the video editor, along with what the on-screen messages mean and how to resolve them. If you can't find what you need, please reach out via Contact us.
General editing
Does editing or re-making an MP4 cost credits?
No. Credits are used only when the Shorts are first created (200 credits per video). Editing, saving and re-making MP4s are free, though there are hourly limits (limits table).
Which mode should I start with?
If you're new, Beginner. You can change text, voice, music and color with cards, and ask for edits in plain words. For cut editing — cutting and moving clips — use Intermediate; to fine-tune color and audio, Advanced; to edit the code directly, Developer. Switching modes keeps the edits you've made (mode comparison).
I can't see the Edit button.
The Edit button (✏️ Edit) appears only when you're logged in, and only on finished videos of Shorts you made. It doesn't appear on videos still being planned or produced, on failed videos, or on other people's public Shorts.
Can I edit on my phone?
Yes. All four modes adapt to phone screens. That said, timeline editing (Intermediate and up) and code editing are much easier on a wide screen.
Where are my edits saved?
While you edit, changes are saved automatically in this browser (● Saved on this device only), and clicking Save stores them on the server as a version. Be sure to save if you want to continue on another device. The video itself changes only when you Make MP4.
I want to go back to the original video.
Click ⋯ → Revert to published to start over from the currently published state. If you've already made an MP4 and the video has changed, load an earlier edit version from the version list under the title (Published ▾) and make the MP4 again.
Screen and preview
Is the red dotted box on the preview included in the video?
No. It's an overlay zone (safe area) guide that only shows where the buttons and descriptions of the Shorts and Reels apps cover the video. You can turn it off in ⚙ View settings, or under the overlay zones in Beginner.
I can't edit the captions burned into the video.
In footage-edit videos (YouTube or archival-film highlights), the captions are burned into the video. Lift them off with 💬 Separate into layers in Intermediate, then edit them (2–10 minutes). Details
I want to fix a typo in the captions.
In Intermediate, select the captions track and click Open list → click a sentence to edit it, or use Find / Replace with → Replace all. The script in Beginner is only for navigating and adding effects, so you can't edit text there.
The colors in the MP4 look slightly different from the preview.
If you see “Approximate color preview” on the preview, your browser is quickly approximating the color grading. The MP4 is redrawn using the exact method, so it may look slightly different from the preview. Setting the preview quality to Best in ⚙ brings it closer.
The preview is black, or I see “Couldn't prepare the preview.”
Try refreshing. If it still happens, try another browser (the latest Chrome or Edge). You can keep editing, and the MP4 is drawn separately on the server.
On-screen messages
“You don't have permission to edit this video”
This appears when you open Shorts made by someone else, or when the account you're logged in with isn't the one that made the Shorts. Check that you're logged in to your own account.
“Please reopen the editor”
The editor has been open for a long time (more than 12 hours), so Make MP4 and the editing assistant can't be used. Save, then refresh the page.
“Request verification failed (refresh and try again)”
This appears if you opened the same editor in another tab or your login changed. Just refresh (temporarily saved edits come back via “Continue”).
“You can make up to 30 per hour” · “A video is already being made”
Make MP4 is limited to 30 times per hour, one at a time. Check in the Jobs panel that the previous job has finished, and try again shortly.
“Lots of videos are being made right now. Please try again shortly.”
The MP4 queue is full. Try again in a few minutes.
“The video is too long (max 180 seconds)”
Slowing down the speed or extending clips has pushed the video past 180 seconds. Shorten it, then make the MP4.
“You've used up this hour's limit” · “You've used up today's limit”
You've reached the editing assistant limit (20 per hour · 60 per day) for Edit by asking, refined auto-edits, Thorough review and Style match. The remaining count is shown at the top of the ⋯ menu. Instant auto-edit plans don't count toward the limit.
“The editing assistant is busy right now” · “Please try again after your previous request finishes”
Assistant requests are piling up, or your previous request is still being processed. Check its progress in the Jobs panel and send again once it's done. If you cancel a queued request, the use is returned to you.
“Legal notice — can't be changed or hidden”
Legal notices such as source credits and ad disclosures on the end screen can't be changed, hidden or made smaller. They can only be moved within the safe area. Screen effects can't be added during the notice section either.
“The end screen with the legal notice is missing” · “The legal notice isn't visible enough in the video”
The end screen (legal notice) must be visible in the MP4 for at least 2 seconds, at a sufficient size and without being covered. Click Include the end screen in the Make MP4 dialog, or remove any stickers or photos covering the notice.
“File is too large” · “You've used up today's upload allowance (2GB)”
You can upload photos up to 30MB, videos up to 300MB and audio up to 100MB, up to 2GB per day in total. Trim videos shorter before uploading them.
“Production scripts (.py, .sh, .js, .html, etc.) can only be edited by admins”
The editing scripts of footage-edit videos run on the server, so only site administrators can edit them. You can change captions, scenes and music in the other modes.
After making the MP4
I made an MP4, but the video on my Shorts page hasn't changed.
If you made it with File only, the video stays the same and you just get the file via Download MP4 in the Jobs panel. If you made it with Replace gallery video, it changes within a few minutes, so refresh after a moment.
I want to download the video I made.
Use Download MP4 in the Jobs panel, or download it from the video on the Shorts result page. If you need a YouTube caption file, turn on Also get caption file (SRT) in the Make MP4 dialog.
I want to publish or unpublish a video.
Use Publish to gallery / Unpublish on the Shorts result page. New videos made in the editor keep the same publishing setting.
