Jiaying Tool (剪映工具)

Overview

Jiaying (CapCut) is Xiaohongshu's preferred video editing tool - a free, feature-rich app that enables creators to produce professional-quality short videos with effects, transitions, subtitles, and music optimization for mobile viewing.

When to Use

Use when:

• Creating short videos for Xiaohongshu (under 5 minutes)

• Adding effects and transitions to video clips

• Adding subtitles or text overlays

• Adding background music or sound effects

• Adjusting video speed or applying filters

• Creating before-and-after comparison videos

Do NOT use when:

• Need advanced color grading (use DaVinci Resolve)

• Editing long-form video over 10 minutes (use Premiere/Final Cut)

• Need complex 3D effects (use After Effects)

Core Pattern

Before (raw, unedited footage):

❌ Single long take, boring ❌ No subtitles, hard to understand ❌ Poor audio, inconsistent volume ❌ No effects or transitions

After (professionally edited):

✅ 15-60 seconds, tightly edited ✅ Clear subtitles and text overlays ✅ Balanced audio with music ✅ Smooth transitions and engaging effects

8 Core Editing Features:

• Trim & Cut - Remove unwanted footage

• Text & Subtitles - Add captions and titles

• Music & Audio - Add background music and sound effects

• Effects & Filters - Color grading and visual effects

• Transitions - Smooth cuts between clips

• Speed Control - Slow motion or time-lapse

• Stickers & Overlays - Add decorative elements

• Auto-Captions - AI-powered subtitle generation

Quick Reference

Feature Shortcut Use Case

Split Tap clip → Split Cut out mistakes or pauses

Delete Tap clip → Delete Remove unwanted footage

Text Text button Add titles, subtitles

Music Audio → Music Add background music

Effects Effects button Add visual effects

Transitions Between clips Smooth cuts

Speed Speed button Slow mo or timelapse

Export Export button Save final video

Implementation

Step 1: Import and Organize Footage

Open Jiaying:

• Download Jiaying app (App Store or Google Play)

• Tap "Start Creating" (开始创作)

• Select video clips from camera roll

• Tap "Add" (添加) to import

Organize clips:

• Drag to reorder clips

• Preview full sequence

• Trim unwanted parts (see Step 2)

Step 2: Trim and Cut Clips

Basic editing:

• Trim start/end: Tap clip, drag yellow handles

• Split clip: Tap clip → tap "Split" (分割) at playhead position

• Delete section: Tap unwanted section → tap "Delete" (删除)

Pro tip: Trim to 15-60 seconds for optimal Xiaohongshu performance (attention spans are short).

Step 3: Add Text and Subtitles

Add title:

• Tap "Text" (文字) button

• Choose text style (recommended: bold, white with black outline)

• Type title text

• Adjust size and position (center top or bottom)

• Set duration (when text appears/disappears)

Add subtitles:

• Tap "Text" → "Auto Captions" (自动识别字幕)

• Let AI transcribe audio (free feature)

• Edit mistakes if needed

• Choose subtitle style (white text, black outline recommended)

• Position at bottom (don't cover important content)

Text overlays:

• Use sparingly (3-5 text overlays max per video)

• Key info only (product names, prices, key tips)

• Keep on screen 2-3 seconds minimum (readable)

Step 4: Add Music and Audio

Add background music:

• Tap "Audio" (音频) → "Music" (音乐)

• Browse or search for music

• Tap "+" to add to project

• Adjust volume (10-20% of voice volume)

• Trim music to match video length

Volume balancing:

• Tap "Volume" (音量) icon

• Set original audio to 100%

• Set music to 10-20% (background, not distraction)

• Preview to ensure voice is clear

Sound effects (optional):

• Tap "Audio" → "Effects" (音效)

• Add transitions sounds (whoosh, pop, etc.)

• Use sparingly (1-2 per video)

Step 5: Apply Effects and Filters

Color correction:

• Tap "Filters" (滤镜)

• Choose filter (recommended: "Natural" or "Bright")

• Adjust intensity (50-70% for subtle enhancement)

Effects (optional):

• Tap "Effects" (特效)

• Browse categories (beauty, blur, artistic, etc.)

• Tap effect to preview

• Adjust intensity if available

Pro tip: Less is more. Subtle effects look more professional than heavy filters.

Step 6: Add Transitions

Between clips:

• Tap transition icon between two clips

• Choose transition type:

• "Fade" (淡入淡出) - subtle, professional

• "Dissolve" (叠化) - smooth, elegant

• "Wipe" (擦除) - dynamic, engaging

• Adjust duration (0.3-0.5 seconds recommended)

Pro tip: Use consistent transitions throughout video (don't mix many types).

Step 7: Adjust Speed (Optional)

Slow motion:

• Tap clip → tap "Speed" (变速)

• Choose speed below 1x (0.5x = half speed, 0.25x = quarter speed)

• Use for: dramatic moments, detailed demonstrations

Speed up:

• Tap clip → tap "Speed"

• Choose speed above 1x (2x = double speed)

• Use for: boring parts, processes, time-lapses

Pro tip: Use speed changes sparingly. Most content should be normal speed (1x).

Step 8: Export Video

Final preview:

• Watch full video from start to finish

• Check for: smooth cuts, clear audio, readable text, appropriate length

• Make adjustments if needed

Export settings:

• Tap "Export" (导出) button

• Resolution: 1080p (recommended) or 4K if footage supports

• Frame rate: 30fps (standard) or 60fps (smooth motion)

• Codec: H.264 (standard, compatible)

• Tap "Export" to save

Upload to Xiaohongshu:

• Open Xiaohongshu app

• Tap "+" → select video from camera roll

• Add title, description, hashtags

• Post!

Common Mistakes

Mistake Why Happens Fix

Video too long Want to show everything Cut to 15-60 seconds

Too many effects Trying to be creative Use 1-2 effects max

Music too loud Sounds better in editing Reduce to 10-20% volume

Subtitles too small Aesthetic choice Use large, readable text

Inconsistent transitions Didn't plan ahead Choose 1 style, use throughout

Real-World Impact

Well-edited videos (real examples):

• 15-second tutorial → 50K views (clear, fast, valuable)

• 30-second before-and-after → 100K views (dramatic, engaging)

• 60-second product review → 30K views (informative, well-structured)

Poorly edited videos:

• 3-minute unedited take → 200 views (boring, slow)

• No subtitles → 500 views (hard to understand, many mute)

• Music too loud → 300 views (annoying, closed quickly)

Key metric: Well-edited videos get 5-10x more views than raw footage.

Related Skills:

• REQUIRED: short-video-production (complete video creation workflow)

• REQUIRED: script-writing (plan video content before editing)

• graphic-content-creation (create image content)

• cover-design (create video thumbnail)

• audio-processing (advanced audio editing)