The Camtasia video editor is a software program designed to both record your screen and edit the recording. This two in one approach makes it super easy to record and edit videos.
The Camtasia software is built with beginners in mind and it can be a game changer when you are wanting to start creating and editing videos for your business.
In this blog, I’m going to cover how to set up and record a video in Camtasia and then go over a few basics to start you on your video editing journey in Camtasia.
- Camtasia record screen and audio
- Recording in Camtasia
- Using the Camtasia features to edit video in the timeline
Camtasia record screen and audio
Camtasia can be used to record your screen, webcam, and your audio.
When you first open Camtasia, you are displayed with a Welcome to Camtasia screen with different options which you can select to create or edit a project.
To create a new recording, select New Recording.
Adjust the settings before recording in Camtasia
A recording tab will open with options to turn on your screen recording, webcam, microphone audio and system audio. Turn on the options you would like to be used.
Note: The option will be turned off if the toggle is grey.
To turn the option on, select the toggle so it turns green.
Tip: You can also adjust the volume of the sound for the microphone by moving the volume bar.
The drop-down arrows next to the options, screen recording, webcam, and microphone audio allow you to select which screen, webcam, and microphone you would like to use. You can use these to select the options you would like to be enabled.
When choosing the screen to be recorded, Camtasia shows the selected screen in a green box with dashed lines. You can adjust these lines to the size you would like for your recording by clicking and dragging the green boxes on the outside of the boarder.
You can also move the selected area by clicking and dragging the toggle in the middle of the selection.
Tip: You can enter a specific size in the height and width field next in the screen/region option.
Once you have adjusted all these options to the settings you want, you can then start recording. To do this, select the red recording button.
You can then pause the video by selecting the pause button and then start the recording again by selecting the circle button.
When you’re done with recording, you can select the square button to stop.
The recording should now open as a Camtasia project.
Using the Camtasia features to edit video in the timeline
Once you have finished your recording, you will be able to preview it in the Camtasia video editor. The videos on the timeline play from left to right. They are separated into layers called tracks.
Content is stacked on top of each other in layers with the content in Track 1 at the bottom and the other Tracks layered on top of that. This means any video you put into Track 2 will sit above Track 1 and so on. For example, the webcam recording is on Track 2 and the screen recording on Track 1. This means that the webcam recording sits above the screen recording in the video.
Here are several things you can do to edit your video in Camtasia…
1. Use Playheads to cut, delete or move around tracks.
Above the tracks and the timing, there is a blue Playhead which shows where the video preview is playing from. There is also a green tab to the left of the Playhead and a red tab to the right.
Clicking and dragging this Playhead will move you around the tracks.
Clicking and dragging the red and green tabs either side of the Playhead will select part of the track.
Tip: Double clicking the Playhead will remove the selection.
Once the area is selected, you can do things such as delete or cut the track where it is selected.
To delete the track, press your Delete key. This will leave a gap the size of the selection in between the track.
Alternatively, you can cut the track. Once the track is selected using the tabs on the Playhead, select the little scissors on the top left of the tracks.
This will then remove the selected track and it won’t leave a gap between the track. You will see where it’s been cut with a line.
This is a great way to remove mistakes or things you don’t want to be in your video.
2. Lock and hide tracks for editing
You can lock tracks for editing. Next to the Tracks there is a lock symbol.
Selecting this will lock the video which means it will lock from being edited even when editing other tracks. When selected, the lock will turn white, and the recording will be greyed out.
You can also disable Tracks. There is an eye symbol next to the Tracks.
Selecting the eye will not only disable the track but it will prevent it from being included in the preview or final version of the video. When selected the eye will be white. For example, if we selected the eye on Track 2 which hold the webcam recording, you will see that the webcam recording is greyed out in the Tracks and it is not shown in the preview of the video.
3. Use Undo buttons to remove the last edit you made
The undo buttons are a great way to be able to backtrack after editing something. The great thing about this is you can easily test things out. If you don’t like what you’ve just done, click the Undo button and resort back to what you originally had.
Alternatively, if you decide you did like/want what you edited, you can use the Redo button to restore the edits again.
The Undo and Redo buttons are located on the top left of the tracks.
4. Selecting and copy and pasting Tracks
You can select tracks and copy and paste them if you desire.
To select click on the track you want to select.
Tip: To select multiple tracks at the same time, hold your Ctrl key and click all the track you want to select. When they are selected in a group, you can move or delete them at the same time.
To copy the Track, select it and do a right-click and select Copy or press Ctrl + C on your keyboard.
To Paste the track, go to where you want to paste it and do a right-click and select Paste or press Ctrl + V on your keyboard.
To Sum up
Camtasia is a great software to record and edit your videos. These tips are great for when you’re just starting out in Camtasia, but they are only the start of what you can do!