Create picture-in-picture videos and simple MP4 edits

Platform note

What Video Tools is for

Video Tools is designed for quick, practical edits rather than full professional video production. It gives you a timeline-style workflow for arranging clips, trimming them, adding audio, muting audio sections, and exporting an MP4.

• Import and arrange video clips on a timeline.
• Trim the beginning or end of clips.
• Reorder clips.
• Add external audio such as narration, music, or voiceover.
• Mute selected ranges of a video clip’s original audio.
• Create optional video-on-video overlays.
• Create rectangle picture-in-picture overlays.
• Create circle/bubble overlays where supported.
• Adjust overlay start time, trim, opacity, size, margin, shape, and position.
• Preview edits before export.
• Export MP4 video.
• Save and load project files.

How to make a simple video edit in Grafiq

1. Open Video Tools.
   In Grafiq, open More → Video Tools.
2. Import video clips.
   Use the import option to add one or more video files to the timeline.
3. Select a clip on the timeline.
   Click the clip bar in the timeline so the Inspector controls apply to the correct clip.
4. Trim the clip.
   Use Trim In and Trim Out, or drag the clip handles on the timeline.
5. Move or reorder clips.
   Drag clips along the timeline or reorder them as needed.
6. Add audio if needed.
   Import external audio for narration, music, or voiceover.
7. Mute original audio if needed.
   Use mute ranges when you want to silence part of a video clip under narration, music, or an overlay.
8. Preview the project.
   Use Quick Preview for a fast timing check, or Preview (HQ) for a higher-quality preview.
9. Export the MP4.
   Click Export and choose where to save the final video.

How to make a picture-in-picture video

Picture-in-picture places one video over another. This is useful for reaction videos, tutorials, demos, face-cam overlays, or showing a small supporting clip on top of a main video.

1. Add your main video.
   Import the main video clip into the timeline.
2. Choose an overlay video.
   In the Overlay video section, use Choose Overlay… to pick the second video.
3. Enable the overlay.
   Turn on Enable overlay.
4. Set the overlay timing.
   Use Overlay start, Trim in, and Trim out to control when the overlay appears and what part of the overlay video is used.
5. Choose the overlay shape.
   Use Rectangle for normal picture-in-picture. Use Circle for a bubble or face-cam style overlay where supported.
6. Set size and position.
   Adjust Size, Margin, and Position to place the overlay in a corner or center.
7. Set opacity if supported.
   Adjust Opacity if you want the overlay to be semi-transparent.
8. Click Apply.
   Apply the Inspector changes before previewing or exporting.
9. Preview and export.
   Use Quick Preview first, then export the final MP4 when the timing and placement look right.

Rectangle overlay vs. circle bubble

• Rectangle overlay: Best for screen-over-screen demos, tutorial clips, picture-in-picture, or showing another video in a corner.
• Circle bubble: Best for face-cam or speaker-bubble style overlays where supported.
• Opacity: Useful for semi-transparent overlays where supported.
• Margin: Controls how far the overlay sits from the edge.
• Size: Controls how large the overlay appears compared with the output video.

How to add narration or external audio

1. Record or prepare your audio.
   You can use a separate audio file such as a voice memo, narration track, music file, or exported recording.
2. Import the audio.
   In Video Tools, use Import Audio to add the audio file to the audio track.
3. Line up the audio.
   Drag the audio clip to align it with the video timing.
4. Adjust volume.
   Use volume controls to balance the video audio and external audio.
5. Mute video audio if needed.
   Add mute ranges to silence the original video audio where the narration or overlay should be heard clearly.
6. Preview before exporting.
   Use Quick Preview to check timing and audio balance.

Good uses for Video Tools

• Make a simple reaction-style video with picture-in-picture.
• Add a face-cam or speaker overlay where supported.
• Trim a video clip before sharing.
• Combine a few video clips into one MP4.
• Add narration or background audio.
• Mute part of a video under narration or music.
• Create quick tutorial clips.
• Rotate an output video if the source orientation is wrong.
• Preview and export a simple MP4 without opening a large video editor.

What to watch out for

• Video export re-encodes the file, so output quality, file size, and processing time can change.
• Large or long videos can take time to preview or export.
• Always click Apply after changing Inspector settings.
• If an overlay is not visible, confirm that Enable overlay is checked, a file is selected, and the overlay timing overlaps the main video.
• On Intel Macs, overlay support is opaque rectangle only. Do not rely on circle overlays or transparency there.
• Use Quick Preview before a long export to catch timing, audio, or overlay placement issues.