How to Edit Videos With Claude: Clips In, MP4 Out
You can edit videos with Claude by connecting a video editor to it through MCP. With Cut Express connected, you send your clips into the chat, say what you want (“a 30-second reel, hook first, bold captions, warm look”), and Claude watches the footage, writes every cut, caption and sound as a timeline, and Cut Express renders the MP4. There is no timeline for you to drag; you give notes, and each note becomes the next version.
What does Claude need to edit a video?
An editor needs three things: eyes on the footage, materials, and a way to render. Claude brings the judgment; Cut Express brings the rest through eight tools.
| Need | What Cut Express gives Claude |
|---|---|
| See the footage | Contact sheets of every clip (frames labelled with their time) and transcripts with word timings |
| Get the files | An upload panel inside the chat, or direct uploads from Claude Code |
| Add b-roll | Free stock video and photos from Pexels, with previews |
| Add sound | Voice-overs from a script and sound effects from a description |
| Style it | 73 looks, color sliders, caption styles, fonts, transitions |
| Render | 9:16 or 16:9, 1080p or 2K, versions kept |
The features section lists each in detail.
How does the workflow go, step by step?
- Connect once. Add Cut Express as a connector in Claude (setup guide).
- Send your clips. Ask “open the Cut Express upload panel” and drop your files. They are ready a few seconds later.
- Describe the edit. Say the length, the format, the feel, and anything that must stay in.
- Claude inspects. It reads the contact sheets and, when the cut depends on words, a transcript. It never guesses a timestamp.
- Claude writes the timeline and renders. A player in the chat follows the render.
- Give notes. “Shorter intro, captions yellow, music lower” renders version 2 from the same timeline.
The how it works section shows the same flow on one screen.
What should the first prompt say?
The best first prompts name the outcome, not the tools. Four things make version 1 land:
- Length and format: “30 seconds, 9:16” or “a 16:9 cut for YouTube”.
- The hook: “open on the moment the crowd cheers”.
- The look and sound: “warm, filmic, music low under my voice”.
- What to cut: “drop the pauses and the false starts”.
A full example: “Cut my three clips into a 30-second reel. Open on the jump, fast cuts, bold word-by-word captions in the pop style, a warm look, and upbeat music ducked under the talking.” Our post on captions for reels covers the caption part in depth.
What does Claude decide, and what do you decide?
Claude decides the cut points, the order, which stock clip fits a line, the caption wording and the timing. You decide the story, the length and anything non-negotiable. Because every decision sits in a timeline you can read and download, nothing is hidden in a template; any choice can be changed with one sentence.
How much does it cost?
Plans count render minutes (the length of the videos you render each month) and include credits for voices, sound effects and transcripts. Stock, looks and captions are included. See pricing for Pro and Ultra.
FAQ
Can Claude edit long YouTube videos? Yes. Ultra renders videos up to 30 minutes, and Claude uses the transcript to find the parts worth keeping.
Does it work in Claude Code? Yes. Claude uploads local files itself; the setup guide has the command.
Is my footage used to train AI? No. See the privacy policy.
More questions are answered in the FAQ and the rest of the blog.
Edit your next video with Cut Express
Cut Express is the video editor you drive from Claude: send your clips, describe the edit, get the MP4. See the plans.