This wikiHow teaches you how to use iMovie on a Mac. iMovie is a video editing program included with most Mac computers.
Step
Part 1 of 5: Creating a New Project
Step 1. Open iMovie
Click the iMovie program icon, which looks like a video camera and a white star on a purple background. This icon is usually displayed in the computer's Dock.
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If the iMovie icon doesn't appear in the Dock, you can click “ Spotlight ”
Macspotlight type imovie, and double-click the “ iMovie ” when displayed.
Step 2. Click the Projects tab
It's a tab at the top of the iMovie window.
Step 3. Click Create New
This option is on the left side of the page “ Projects Once clicked, a drop-down menu will appear.
Step 4. Click Movies
This option is in the drop-down menu. With this option, you can create a new, empty iMovie project. The default project name is " My Movie 1 ", unless you have other projects already saved. In this situation, the number in the project name may be different.
Step 5. Continue your project at any time
Ongoing iMovie projects can be accessed via the “ Projects ” so you can close the iMovie window at any time without fear of losing projects or files.
Whenever you open an iMovie window, you can view projects from the “ Projects ”.
Part 2 of 5: Importing Files
Step 1. Add files to your Mac if necessary
If you want to use files from an SD card or flash drive, connect your device to your Mac beforehand.
You may need to use a USB-C SD card adapter for Mac if you want to connect an SD card. You can use a USB-C flash drive on modern Mac computers, but you'll need a USB 3.0 to USB-C adapter if you're still using a standard/regular flash drive
Step 2. Click the Import Media button
It's a downward-pointing arrow in the upper-left corner of the iMovie project segment. After that, a new window will open.
Step 3. Select the location to save the file
On the left side of the window, click the folder containing the videos and/or photos that you want to import into the project.
- To browse the folders on the computer, click “ Macintosh HD ” on the left side of the window.
- If you're using a video from a portable storage space (eg a flash drive or camera), click the name of the storage space on the left side of the window.
Step 4. Select the photo or video you want to use in the movie project
Hold down Command while clicking each video clip and/or image you want to add to iMovie.
Step 5. Click Import Selected
It's in the lower-right corner of the window. After that, the selected video and photo files will be added to the panel in the upper left corner of the “ Media ”.
Part 3 of 5: Adding Content to Timeline
Step 1. Add videos and photos to the timeline (timeline)
Click and drag each photo and video you want to add to the timeline pane at the bottom of the iMovie window.
To add all media at once, click a file in the media pane, press the Command+A key combination to select all files, then click and drag the selected files onto the timeline
Step 2. Rearrange the files on the timeline
To move a video clip forward or backward on the timeline, click and drag the clip left or right on the timeline pane.
You can also apply the same process to photos
Step 3. Cut the video clip
If you want to shorten the video clip by removing the beginning or end, click and drag the left or right side of the video box towards the center.
For example, to shorten a video by deleting its initial section, click and drag the left side of the video box in the timeline pane to the right until the section you want to delete is gone
Step 4. Divide the video clip into several parts
To split two video clips, drag the vertical rotating head/bar to the segment you want to serve as the cut point, then press the Command+B key combination. The video will be divided into two segments. After that, you can rearrange the position of the segments separately.
This step is useful when you want to split long/large videos or place a transition in the middle of a clip
Step 5. Change the display duration of the photo
Drag the right edge of the photo grid to the left or right to shorten or lengthen the display time of the photo on the screen while the movie is playing.
Step 6. Remove content from timeline
Click the clip you want to delete, then press the Delete key to remove the clip from the timeline.
You can combine this feature with clip sharing to remove specific segments of the video
Step 7. Make a transition between the two clips
Click the tab Transitions ” at the top of the iMovie window, then click and drag the transition you want to use onto the timeline, between the two video clips.
Hover over a transition to preview it
Step 8. Create a movie title
Click the tab Title ” at the top of the iMovie window, then select a title template and replace the text in the template's default section with the desired text. A few seconds long title page will then be added to the beginning of the iMovie project.
Part 4 of 5: Adding Audio
Step 1. Click the Audio tab
This tab is at the top of the iMovie window, to the right of the “ Media After that, a list of available audio options will be displayed.
Step 2. Select iTunes
This tab is on the left side of the window. The iTunes playlist will be displayed on the panel.
Step 3. Select a folder
Click the folder iTunes ” above the track list, then click the folder you want to use to browse the music files.
If you're satisfied with using the songs stored in your iTunes library, skip this step
Step 4. Find the song you want to use
Browse the list of available songs in iTunes until you find the music you want to use.
Step 5. Add songs to timeline
Click and drag the song from the panel to the bottom of the timeline, then drop it. The song will be inserted into the timeline.
- You can adjust the position of the song on the timeline by clicking and dragging the song bar.
- To shorten or extend the length of a song, click and drag one end of the song bar.
Step 6. Browse the sound effect options
To see a selection of iMovie sound effects, click the “ Sound Effects ” in the upper-left corner of the window, then browse through the iMovie sound effects options.
As with other files in iMovie, sound effects can be added by clicking and dragging them to the timeline
Step 7. Adjust the audio volume
If you need to increase or decrease the volume of a track, click and drag the horizontal line through the green track bar up or down.
You can mute an audio track by selecting the track and clicking the volume icon on the timeline
Part 5 of 5: Publishing Projects
Step 1. View the movie preview
In the preview pane on the right side of the iMovie window, click the “ Play ”
. The movie will play so you can make sure what's shown is ready for publication.
If there is a problem with the preview playing, you can edit the movie file in the timeline before continuing
Step 2. Click the "Share" icon
It's in the upper-right corner of the window. After that, a drop-down menu will be displayed.
Step 3. Click File
This option is in the drop-down menu. After that, a pop-up window will be displayed.
If you want to publish your iMovie project directly to a video site like YouTube or Vimeo, click the site option (eg. YouTube ”) in the drop-down menu and follow the on-screen instructions.
Step 4. Edit file save options
You can change the following information, depending on your personal preferences:
- ” Description” (description) - Click the currently displayed description to add your own movie description.
- ” Tags” - Click on an existing (iMovie) bookmark to add more bookmarks.
- ” Format” - You can change the type of movie file. iMovie files are saved in " Video and Audio " format by default.
- ” Resolution” - You can change the video resolution. This change will affect the video quality.
- “Quality” - You can adjust the video quality. The higher the quality selected, the larger the video size.
Step 5. Click Next…
It's in the lower-right corner of the window.
Step 6. Enter a file name when prompted
In the pop-up window that appears, type whatever you want to use as the name of the iMovie file in the " Name " field.
Step 7. Select a save location
Click the " Where " drop - down box in the middle of the pop - up window, then click the folder where you want to set the iMovie file to be.
Step 8. Click Save
It's a blue button at the bottom of the window. After that, iMovie will export or save the movie project as a video file in the specified storage location.
