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YouTube Video Editor

YouTube Video Editor

Create YouTube videos that pop with animated captions, B-roll, and custom branding. Start from scratch or let AI do the heavy lifting.

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*No credit card needed. Free plan available.
4.8
On G2 with 881 reviews

How to make and edit YouTube videos with Riverside

1. Record or upload your video

Capture your YouTube video in 4K right inside Riverside or upload existing footage to the editor.

2. Trim your YouTube video

Cut your video using your transcript—just delete words, and the video updates instantly. Prefer a visual workflow? Use the intuitive timeline to splice, merge, and fine-tune your edits with ease.

3. Edit your video with AI

Enhance your audio, remove filler words and cut long silences all automatically. Use Smart Layouts to switch up the camera view without any editing effort.

4. Add the finishing touches

Drop in B-roll, text, images, music, or captions. Resize for YouTube, Shorts, or Reels, then export and publish—all from one timeline.

Why choose Riverside

Your all-in-one editor for YouTube videos

Create YouTube videos with AI.

Go from rough recording to a clean cut with AI. Generate an AI draft of your YouTube video with edited audio, trimmed-out filler content, branding, and more.

Trim by text or timeline.

Edit YouTube videos by editing a transcript—just highlight and delete words, and your editing timeline updates instantly. Want more control? Use the color-coded editing timeline, complete with automated chapters for easy navigation.

Automatic audio cleanup.

Remove background noise, cut filler words, trim silences, and balance speaker volume—all automatically. Then, apply our AI audio enhancer for that final, studio-quality finish. 

Brand your YouTube videos.

Bring your brand into every frame with logos, lower-thirds, text, music, and more. Drop in B-roll, add captions, and layer it all seamlessly on a multitrack timeline—no editing headaches, just on-brand videos that look ready to publish.

Captions and descriptions - all done for you.

Add captions directly to your video - with customizable fonts, color and animations. Or, download transcripts to upload alongside your video for better search visibility. You can even generate AI summaries with optimized titles, timestamped chapters, and keywords.

Create YouTube Shorts with no effort.

Our AI automatically finds your best moments—punchlines, soundbites, hot takes—and turns them into ready-to-share clips for Shorts.

Separate tracks. Full control.

Record and edit each speaker with their own video and audio track. This means cleaner edits and no awkward crosstalk. Mute or adjust one track without affecting others.

Scene layouts synced to your conversation.

Use our Smart layouts to automatically switch the camera view to focus on the main impact. Scenes will switch between group and speaker-focused views for a dynamic flow.

All-in-one YouTube video maker.

Go live, record, and edit YouTube videos all in one smooth workflow. With 4K video recording and a full suite of editing tools - create YouTube videos in less time with ease.

Save hours on creating YouTube videos. Record, edit, and elevate your content with Riverside.

Get started
*No credit card needed. Free plan available.

How to choose the best YouTube video editor

Here’s what to consider if you want to pick a video editor that’s built for creators like you (and yes, Riverside’s got all these features and more):

All-in-one workflow: 

Save time by handling everything from recording to editing content inside a single platform.

Compatibility:

Pick a tool that runs in-browser and across devices, so you can edit at home or on the fly.

Text-based editing: 

The fastest way to trim videos? Edit your recordings using text-based editing. Delete words in the transcript and the video syncs. 

AI tools: 

Choose a platform that pulls clips, smooths audio, and creates YouTube videos— without manual scrubbing.

Multitrack timeline: 

For creators who want full control: choose software that lets you edit tracks individually. This is a must for cutting out crosstalk.

Branding: 

Keep your videos on brand. Choose an editor with logos, text, B-roll, and music to add your personal touch to each video..

Layouts: 

Make one video, publish it everywhere. Choose a tool that can handle 16:9, 9:16, and square exports - specially set for YouTube content.

Export extras: 

Pick a platform that gives you high-res files, clean transcripts, and even chapters—so you’re set to hit publish.

Use a YouTube video editor to:

Create YouTube videos that get views

Hook viewers with animated captions, punchy clips, and on-brand visuals. Record in 4K, then customize your video with text, B-roll, and music—everything you need to hold attention from the first second.

Turn one YouTube video into many

Skip spending hours creating more content. Use our AI clip creator to automatically turn your longer videos’ scroll-stopping moments into bite-sized Shorts.

Bring your podcast to YouTube

Don’t stop at audio. Record video while you podcast, then edit, caption, and export for YouTube—all in one place. Create a YouTube-ready podcast without doubling your workload.

Create more content in less time

Free up your time and let AI automate the intensive editing for you. From audio fine-tuning to trimming videos and switching layouts, Riverside speeds up your workflow so you can create more.

When you have 19 million people listening in every month, anything less than perfect is out of the question.
Why Guy Raz chooses Riverside ->

Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ

What do most people use to edit YouTube videos?

There’s no one-size-fits-all, but most creators fall into one of three camps:

  1. Online creators who want fast, flexible tools—like Riverside. Ideal for repurposing content, moving fast, and getting polished results without the editing grind.
  2. Pro editors using software like Adobe Premiere Pro or Final Cut Pro. Powerful, but steep learning curve and time-heavy.
  3. Beginners and solo creators using mobile apps or YouTube’s built-in editor. Simple and quick—but limited for long-form or high-quality content.

IIf you’re serious about growing your channel, browser-based tools like Riverside strike the perfect balance: intuitive, AI-powered, and built to help you publish more without sacrificing quality.

Read more in our full list of the best YouTube video editing software.

Can I edit an existing YouTube video?

Yes—but it depends how you want to edit. If your video is already published on YouTube, you can trim or blur parts using YouTube Studio’s built-in editor. But it’s limited:

  • You can’t replace audio
  • You can’t cut out sections and insert new ones
  • You can’t add overlays, transitions, or B-roll
  • You can’t export for Shorts or other platforms

To make meaningful edits—especially for older or repurposed content—download the original, re-edit it in a platform like Riverside. Bonus: You can pull clips for Shorts, clean up audio, and add branding while you're at it.

Check out our full guide on how to edit YouTube videos for more.

Does YouTube have its own built-in editor?

It does—YouTube Studio includes a simple browser-based editor. It’s great for:

  • Trimming the start or end of a video
  • Blurring faces or screens
  • Adding music from their library

But it stops there. You can’t make deeper changes once your video is live. No overlays. No audio cleanup. No clip generation. No multitrack editing.

That’s why most creators still use dedicated editing tools to make their YouTube videos. With Riverside, you can clean your audio, edit by transcript, pull highlight clips, and then export upload-ready files — so when it hits YouTube, it’s already optimized.

How much does a YouTube video editor cost?

You’ve got a full spectrum — from $0 to hundreds per month. 

Here’s the quick breakdown:

  • Free options (like YouTube Studio or mobile apps) work for basic edits but lack pro features.
  • Pro software like Adobe Premiere or Final Cut offer advanced controls but can cost more and have a steeper learning curve.
  • Online browser-based editors like Riverside give you high-end results without the learning curve — and you can start for free.

Riverside’s free plan lets you test the full workflow, including Magic Clips, text-based editing, and separate audio/video tracks. If you want higher-res exports, more storage, or longer sessions, paid plans start at only $15 a month.

If you’re looking for budget-friendly options, we’ve got a full guide on free video editing software.

The YouTube editor that makes the cut. Record, edit, and publish standout videos—without switching tools.

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Magic Clips

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