The preview player in the Video Editor shows exactly what your edit looks like at the current point on the timeline. Use it to watch your work back, jump between clips and check the details before you export.
[VIDEO PLACEHOLDER: Video_Editor_03_The_Preview_Player_v1.1.mp4]
Before you start
Open the Video Editor with a project you want to review. For example, a highlight from Harbour City (HCF) v Ridgeview (RVR) in the LIGR Demo League.
Make sure you have at least one clip on the timeline. The preview only has something to show once media has been added.
What the preview shows
The preview always displays your edit at the playhead. The playhead is the marker on the timeline that shows your current position. When you move the playhead, the preview updates to that exact frame.
Everything you have applied to the timeline appears in the preview. That includes trims, size and position changes, layers, animations and transitions. It is the best way to check how the finished video will look before you export it.
Play your edit
Place the playhead where you want to start watching. To watch the whole edit, move it to the start of the timeline.
Press the play button under the preview. Your edit plays from the playhead, and the playhead moves along the timeline as it goes.
Press the button again to pause. The playhead stays where you stopped, so you can make a change and carry on from the same spot.
Watching your edit all the way through is a good habit. It helps you spot awkward cuts, gaps between clips or audio that does not line up.
Skip between clips
Use the skip back and skip forward buttons to jump between clips on the timeline. This moves the playhead to the previous or next clip, so you do not have to drag it by hand.
Skipping is useful when you want to check a particular join between two clips, such as the moment a goal replay cuts to a celebration. Skip to the clip, then press play to watch the transition.
Change the playback speed
You can change how fast the preview plays. Open the playback speed control and choose the speed you want.
Slow the preview down to check fine details, like whether a cut lands on the right frame.
Speed it up to review a long edit quickly.
Playback speed only affects how you watch the preview. It does not change the speed of your exported video.
Set the volume
Use the volume control to make the preview louder or quieter. This lets you listen to your edit comfortably while you work.
The preview volume only changes what you hear while editing. To change the actual audio in your video, adjust the clip audio settings on the timeline instead.
Zoom and fit the preview
You can change how large the preview appears in the editor:
Zoom in to look closely at part of the frame. This is handy for checking that a logo or graphic is positioned exactly where you want it.
Zoom out to see the whole frame with space around it.
Fit resizes the preview so the full frame fits neatly in the window. Use this to get back to a normal view after zooming.
Zooming only changes your view in the editor. It does not crop or resize your video.
Go full screen
Select the full screen option to fill your screen with the preview. This gives you the clearest view of your edit and is close to how viewers will see it.
Exit full screen to return to the editor and carry on working on the timeline.
Tips and common mistakes
If the preview looks blank, check where the playhead is. It may be sitting on an empty part of the timeline.
Remember to reset the playback speed to normal before your final review, so you watch the edit at its real pace.
If you cannot hear anything, check both the preview volume and the clip audio settings.
Use Fit after zooming so you do not mistake a zoomed view for a cropped video.
Watch the full edit in full screen once before you export. It is the easiest way to catch small mistakes.