YouTube Video Editor

There's a reason Descript is the YouTube video editor of choice for beginner and pro YouTubers alike. The unique text-based editor has changed the way YouTube videos are made, replacing several tools with one—to script and storyboard, record and transcribe, edit and collaborate, and publish videos directly to YouTube.

A collaborative YouTube video editor

Making YouTube videos with a team can be extra laborious — but with Descript's online video editor, you can collaborate in real time, with live commenting and editing, just like in a Google Doc. If everyone’s taking turns being the YouTube editor, tasks that should take hours can take days. When everybody’s happy, you can upload your video to YouTube in just a few clicks.

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How to create YouTube videos in less time

Step 1

Set up a new video project

In a new Descript project, you can start writing your video script using the AI-powered script editor. Alternatively, you can upload any required project files with a simple drag-and-drop. Click Record to record yourself directly into your project or use the Media icon to access royalty-free music and other assets from our rich stock media library.‍

Step 2

Edit your YouTube video

Descript will generate a transcript as you go. Cut, trim, and reorganize the text in your transcript to do the same in your video. Create new scenes with '/' to easily snap layers and transitions to specific moments. Press the Actions button to effortlessly add sound effects, images, captions, and animations exactly where you want them. There's also the canvas and timeline for more precise edits.

Step 3

Publish directly to YouTube

After perfecting your video, click Publish to upload your labor of love directly to YouTube. Fill in the title, description, categories, and tags, then hit the publish button in Descript to go live on YouTube. You can even use AI Actions to write your description and create automatic chapters for you.

A collaborative YouTube video editor

Making YouTube videos with a team can be extra laborious — but with Descript's online video editor, you can collaborate in real time, with live commenting and editing, just like in a Google Doc. If everyone’s taking turns being the YouTube editor, tasks that should take hours can take days. When everybody’s happy, you can upload your video to YouTube in just a few clicks.

Download the app →

Create and edit outstanding videos with Descript

User friendly

With Descript’s intuitive script editing interface, anyone can make professional-quality videos. Trim the parts you don’t want, add effects and animations, cut out filler words in a couple single clicks, and be ready to publish with minimal fussing in the timeline.

Keyframe animation

The signature effect of any YouTube vlog is keyframe animation. For DIY movie makers, your face, bedroom, and pets are the mise-en-scene that capture your audience’s imagination. With a few clicks and drags in the timeline, you can easily emphasize and punctuate your stories with zooms and pans.

Titles and captions

With Descript’s Fancy Captions feature you can create captions (subtitles) in a few clicks — by pulling directly from the transcript. Not only do captions make your videos more accessible, they can make it more visually appealing, with custom colors, animations, and backgrounds. You can also upload your own fonts to integrate your brand’s aesthetic into your videos.

Frequently Asked Questions

What video editor do YouTubers use?

Descript is an excellent all-in-one video editing app for YouTube creators, but it also works well across multiple popular YouTube editing apps. You can export your timeline to Adobe Premiere Pro or Apple Final Cut Pro if you want to finesse your video with color correction or even incorporate green screen effects.

How do you edit YouTube videos?

If the step-by-step instructions above leave you with questions, you can find a wealth of tutorials available on our own YouTube channel that will help familiarize you with everything you can accomplish on Descript, from capturing video to removing background noise.

Is Descript’s YouTube video editor free?

With Descript’s free video editing software for YouTube, you can do a lot of basic editing with three hours of transcription, full video, audio, and unlimited screen recordings.

With the $12/month Creator package, you get 10 hours of transcription per month and watermark-free exports. And the $24/month Pro package includes 30 hours of transcription per month and additional features like custom drive and page branding. You can contact us for a negotiable Enterprise package with your own dedicated account representative, onboarding, and training.

Download the app for free

Create a podcast, a video, and all your social assets using Descript. It’s as easy as editing a doc.
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YouTube Video Editor

YouTube Video Editor

There's a reason Descript is the YouTube video editor of choice for beginner and pro YouTubers alike. The unique text-based editor has changed the way YouTube videos are made, replacing several tools with one—to script and storyboard, record and transcribe, edit and collaborate, and publish videos directly to YouTube.

Get started →
How to create YouTube videos in less time
  • 3
    Create a new project
    Drag your file into the box above, or click Select file and import it from your computer or wherever it lives.
Step 1
Set up a new video project

In a new Descript project, you can start writing your video script using the AI-powered script editor. Alternatively, you can upload any required project files with a simple drag-and-drop. Click Record to record yourself directly into your project or use the Media icon to access royalty-free music and other assets from our rich stock media library.‍

Step 2
Edit your YouTube video

Descript will generate a transcript as you go. Cut, trim, and reorganize the text in your transcript to do the same in your video. Create new scenes with '/' to easily snap layers and transitions to specific moments. Press the Actions button to effortlessly add sound effects, images, captions, and animations exactly where you want them. There's also the canvas and timeline for more precise edits.

Step 3
Publish directly to YouTube

After perfecting your video, click Publish to upload your labor of love directly to YouTube. Fill in the title, description, categories, and tags, then hit the publish button in Descript to go live on YouTube. You can even use AI Actions to write your description and create automatic chapters for you.

AI-powered YouTube video editor available on Mac, Windows, and web
Save hours with text-based editing

Editing your video timeline is as easy as working with a doc with Descript's unique text-based interface. You can easily trim, cut, rearrange, and add elements without ever touching the timeline—though it's there if you need it.

Collaborative editing made for YouTubers

Invite editors, writers, guests, and other collaborators to your Descript project to create with you, leave comments, review your video, or grab your project files.

Built-in AI assistant so you never work alone

Ask AI for help at any point in your workflow, from writing scripts to YouTube descriptions, automatically creating chapters, and even finding the best clips to turn into YouTube shorts. AI Actions enable magical edits in one click, from removing all filler words to eliminating background noise with Studio Sound.

Questions? We have answers
Which video editor do YouTubers use?

Many YouTubers use Descript for some or all aspects of their video production workflow because you can export your timeline to popular YouTube editing tools like Adobe Premiere Pro or Apple Final Cut Pro.

Can I edit YouTube videos for free with Descript?

You can do a lot on Descript's free plan with 1 hour of recording and transcription, and 1 watermark-free export per month. Upgrade to a paid plan starting at $12 per month for unlimited watermark-free exports.

What types of YouTube videos can I make with Descript?

You can use Descript's broad feature set to record, edit, and create all kinds of YouTube videos, including tutorials, video essays, talking head videos, faceless YouTube channels, travel vlogs, "let's play" gaming videos, webinars, demo videos, podcasts, branded YouTube channels, and more.

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Descript is the only tool you need to write, record, transcribe, edit, collaborate, and share your videos and podcasts.
What is the point of this tool?
Descript is the only tool you need to write, record, transcribe, edit, collaborate, and share your videos and podcasts.
More than a YouTube video editor
Descript is an AI-powered video editor that makes editing videos as easy as a doc.
  • Chapter generator
    Identify, label, and create automatic YouTube chapters for your video.
  • Eye Contact
    Read your script as you record, then use AI to direct your eyes towards the camera.
  • Studio Sound
    Eliminate background noise and enhance voice quality in one click with AI.
  • Remote recording
    Record remote interviews with up to 10 guests, then transcribe, edit, and publish directly to YouTube.