How to Edit YouTube Videos in YouTube Studio (Trim, Blur, Audio)

Spotted a fumbled intro or a client's face that shouldn't be on screen after you've published? You don't have to delete the video and start again. YouTube Studio has a built-in editor that lets you trim, cut, blur and add music to a video that's already on your channel, and the link, views and comments stay put. Here's how each tool works, based on YouTube's help centre, plus the limits worth knowing before you start.

Open the YouTube Studio editor

Every tool below starts from the same place, and YouTube's help pages say you'll need a computer:

1. Sign in to YouTube Studio.
2. In the left menu, select Content.
3. Click the title or thumbnail of the video you want to change.
4. In the left menu, select Editor.

If you haven't published anything yet, start with my walkthrough on getting a video onto YouTube in the first place, then come back here.

Trim the start or end of a YouTube video

1. In the editor, select Trim & cut. A blue box appears on the timeline.
2. Drag the sides of the box over the part you want to keep. Everything outside the box is removed.
3. Select Preview to check it, then click Save.

You can type exact times into the boxes rather than dragging, which is much easier when you need to cut to the second.

Cut a section from the middle of a YouTube video

1. Select Trim & cut, then New cut. A red box appears.
2. Drag the sides of the red box over the section you want to remove.
3. Select the tick icon to confirm.
4. Click Save.

To remove a cut before saving, click the trash icon or Undo, or click Discard changes to start over. YouTube's help page says trimming works on videos shorter than six hours and doesn't need a re-upload, so the URL, view count and comments stay the same.

Blur faces or objects in a YouTube video

This is the tool I'd point every small business to, because it fixes the classic problem of a customer, a child or a screen full of private details appearing in the background.

Face blur

1. In the editor, select Blur, then Face blur.
2. Wait for processing to finish, then select the faces you want to blur and click Apply.
3. Drag the box to adjust the blur if needed.
4. Click Save.

Custom blur

1. Select Blur, then Custom blur.
2. Drag the box over the area you want to hide.
3. Choose Rectangle or Oval, resize it by dragging a corner, and drag the ends of the timeline to set when it appears.
4. Select Track object if the item moves, or Fix blur position if it stays still.
5. Click Save.

Add music to a YouTube video in the editor

1. In the editor, select Audio.
2. Use the search filters to find a track and press Play to preview it.
3. Click Add on the track you want.
4. Drag the track to set where it starts, and drag its edges to control how much plays. You can add more than one song.
5. Click Save.

YouTube's help page says the tracks come from its Audio Library of licensed songs, and that you can no longer change a video's audio track from the YouTube mobile app. If you need visuals to go with your audio for future videos, I've gathered places to find free B-roll footage for YouTube.

Add an end screen to a YouTube video

1. In the editor, select End screen.
2. Choose an element type, such as a video, a playlist, a subscribe button or your channel. You can also apply a template.
3. Position the elements and click Save.

According to YouTube's help page, the video needs to be at least 25 seconds long, end screens can sit in the last 5 to 20 seconds, and standard 16:9 videos can hold up to four elements. End screens aren't available on videos set as made for kids.

YouTube editor tools at a glance

Tool	What it does	Worth knowing
Trim & cut	Removes the start, end or a middle section	Videos shorter than six hours
Face blur	Finds faces and blurs the ones you select	Can be saved even on videos with lots of views
Custom blur	Blurs any area, still or moving	Use Track object for moving items
Audio	Adds songs from YouTube's Audio Library	Not available in the mobile app
End screen	Adds video, playlist and subscribe elements	Video must be at least 25 seconds long

Limits of the YouTube video editor

• Edits are made on a computer. YouTube's trimming help page describes the steps on a computer only.
• YouTube's help pages say unedited videos with more than 100,000 views may not be able to save changes, apart from blurring faces.
• Once you save, YouTube's help pages say you can't undo the change with Revert to original, so keep a copy of your original file.
• Custom blur is the tool for hiding a screen, a name badge or a number plate, while face blur handles people.

If your YouTube edits won't save

• Check the view count. Popular unedited videos may be locked except for face blur.
• Check the video length. The editor works on videos shorter than six hours.
• Use a computer browser rather than the app.
• Make sure you're signed in to the channel that owns the video, not another channel you manage.

Frequently asked questions

Can I edit a YouTube video after uploading it?

Yes. YouTube Studio's editor lets you trim, cut, blur, add audio and add end screens to a video that's already published, without changing its link.

Will editing a YouTube video reset its views?

No. YouTube's help page says trimming doesn't need a re-upload, so the URL, view count and comments stay the same.

Can I edit YouTube videos on my phone?

YouTube's help pages describe the editor steps on a computer, and say you can't change a video's audio track in the mobile app.

Can I undo an edit in YouTube Studio?

Before saving, yes, with Undo or Discard changes. After saving, YouTube's help pages say you can't undo it with Revert to original.

Why can't I save changes to my YouTube video?

YouTube's help page says unedited videos with more than 100,000 views may not be able to save changes, except to blur faces.