5 Ways to Speed Up/Slow Down Video in iMovie (All Devices)
Manipulating time is one of the most powerful tools in an editor's toolkit. For Apple users like you, iMovie lets you do exactly like that for free, but how? To speed up or slow down video in iMovie, whether on Mac, iPhone, or iPad, is incredibly simple. However, you might face that greyed-out button. Fortunately, offered here are not only 5 ways to speed up a movie on iMovie but also an alternative if the option doesn't work. Read the full guide below.
Guide List
How to Speed Up a Video in iMovie on Mac How to Slow Down a Video in iMovie on Mac How to Speed Up or Slow Down a Video in iMovie on iPhone and iPad How to Speed Up Only Part of a Video in iMovie How to Create a Time-Lapse Effect in iMovie How to Create Slow Motion in iMovie Speed Option Greyed Out in iMovie? Get This iMovie AlternativeHow to Speed Up a Video in iMovie on Mac
Whether you want to transform your long screen recording into a quick time-lapse or just want to add some fast pace, speeding up video in iMovie on Mac is very simple. The editor gives you precise control over exactly how fast you want your video to fly by.
- 1. Open your project and select the video clip in the timeline at the bottom of the iMovie screen. Look at the preview window in the corner, then click the "Speedometer" icon in the toolbar.
- 2. Choose your speed from the dropdown menu and select "Fast". Select your desired multiplier from 2x to 20x.
- 3. For custom speed, select "Custom" from the Speed menu and type your desired percentage.
How to Slow Down a Video in iMovie on Mac
Slowing things down adds drama and emphasis to your video. For your cinematic shot that deserves a closer look, slowing down video in iMovie on Mac allows your audience to enjoy the moment.
Look at how to slow down video in iMovie to create that smooth slo-mo effect:
- 1. In iMovie's timeline, click on the video clip you wish to slow down to highlight it with a yellow border.
- 2. Go to the toolbar above the preview player and click the "Speedometer" icon.
- 3. Next, open the "Speed" dropdown menu and switch the setting to "Slow".
- 4. Choose your speed reduction preset from the menu next to it.
Alternatively, pull the slider bar to visually get the exact pace you want.
How to Speed Up or Slow Down a Video in iMovie on iPhone and iPad
You don't always have the time to sit down to edit video in iMovie on Mac. So, luckily, Apple allows you to adjust the video speed in iMovie on iPhone and iPad. Grab your device now, open your project, and adjust your mobile video with this video speed controller in just a few taps:
- 1. Tap on the video clip in the project timeline. A yellow highlight will then appear around it; tap the "Speedometer" icon at the bottom.
- 2. To speed up your video, drag the slider to the "Rabbit" icon. Meanwhile, to slide down, drag the slider toward the "Turtle" icon.
- 3. Look at the multiplier number beside the slider to make sure you'd get the exact pacing you want. Tap anywhere outside the toolbar to save your edits.
How to Speed Up Only Part of a Video in iMovie
You do not always want your entire video to fly by or drag out in slow motion. Moving away from speeding up or slowing down video in iMovie, mastering the selective pacing needs a little editing trick: splitting.
Here's how to change the clip speed in iMovie, only for one specific moment:
- 1. Position the playhead at the exact frame where you want the speed change to start. Right-click on the clip (or tap on it, choose the "Scissors" icon, and tap "Split"), select "Split Clip".
- 2. Then, move the playhead further down to the place where you want the speed effect to stop. You have now isolated the moment into its own clip.
- 3. Simply click on it and use the "Speedometer" tool to speed it up without affecting the rest of your video.
How to Create a Time-Lapse Effect in iMovie
Have you ever captured a two-hour painting session that you wish to change video speed in iMovie, mainly creating a time-lapse effect? While you just looked at an isolated specific moment, creating a time-lapse now needs a full speed up to its maximum limit.
- 1. Bring in your video into the iMovie timeline. On Mac, click the "Speedometer" icon, set the dropdown to "Fast", and select 8x or 20x. On mobile, drag the slider to the right.
- 2. You have to mute the audio since it will sound high-pitched once the video is sped up.
- 3. Click the "Volume" icon above the preview, or tap the "Volume" icon at the bottom of your iPhone screen.
Otherwise, add a music overlay, such as an upbeat music track, into the timeline to set the vibe.
How to Create Slow Motion in iMovie
If the previous part is all about high-energy video compression, slow motion is all about giving your video a cinematic emotion. Slowing down a video in iMovie stretches out time, so your audience will notice details that pass too quickly in real life.
- 1. To get that smooth slow motion, your video is best recorded at higher frame rates.
- 2. Start by selecting your clip in the timeline, accessing the "Speedometer" icon, and reducing the speed to 50% or 25% (or drag the slider on mobile).
- 3. After that, for Mac users, check the "Smooth" box next to the speed settings if your video looks a bit choppy after slowing it down.
- 4. As for audio, to keep it sounding natural, ensure the "Preserve Pitch" checkbox is checked in the speed toolbar.
Speed Option Greyed Out in iMovie? Get This iMovie Alternative
iMovie is not always going to play nice. You may deal with the Speedometer icon being greyed out. Instead of wasting time fixing it to speed up/slow down video in iMovie, switching to the best alternative, AnyRec Video Converter, will get you to change your video speed in no time! This desktop tool bypasses the timeline bugs completely by adjusting video speeds in its dedicated speed changer, from 0.125x up to 8x. Even better, it uses advanced algorithms, keeping your video crisp and smooth without losing original quality. No stressful editing glitch in this alternative.
Dedicated speed controller, altering speed from super slow to lightning fast.
Watch exactly how your video speed changes before exporting.
Handles MP4, MOV, MKV, AVI, and other formats that may freeze up iMovie.
Export adjusted video in your desired quality, frame rate, resolution, etc.
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Step 1.Launch AnyRec Video Converter. Click on the "Toolbox" tab at the top, and choose "Video Speed Controller" among the toolkits available.
Step 2.Upload your video by clicking the "Add" button. Then, choose your desired speed multiplier from the listed options. Choose a lower multiplier like 0.5x or a higher one like 2x.
Step 3.Finally, review your footage in the preview player. If you're happy with the pacing, choose your output folder and click the "Export" button to save your perfectly timed video.
Conclusion
iMovie is a fantastic place for changing the video speed. Whether you want to make your video faster or slower in iMovie, mastering it will let your audience enjoy cinematic storytelling. Thanks to this, you've seen how it works for Mac, iPhone, and iPad, not until a greyed-out speed button stops you. If it happens, save yourself and let AnyRec Video Converter do the task for you. From 0.125x up to 8x, adjust the video speed the way you want it, smoothly and flawlessly, in a couple of clicks. Head over to the official website and download it today!
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