Getting Started: From Import to Export

What is VideoBuff?

VideoBuff is a video editing tool that runs entirely in your browser. There is no software to install and no account to create — just open your browser and start editing immediately.

All processing happens on your device, so your video files are never uploaded to any server. You get professional editing features for free while keeping your data completely private.

Simply access VideoBuff with the latest version of Chrome or Edge to edit videos up to 4K resolution.

Step 1: Import Your Media

To import video, audio, and image files into VideoBuff, drag and drop them onto the browser window or use the import button to open the file picker. Supported formats include video files such as MP4, MOV, and WebM; audio files like MP3, WAV, and AAC; and image files including JPG, PNG, WebP, and GIF.

The maximum file size per asset is 2GB. Imported files are stored in the browser's Origin Private File System (OPFS), so they persist even if you reload the page. You can drop multiple files at once for batch import.

Step 2: Arrange on the Timeline

Drag your imported assets from the media panel onto the timeline to place them. The timeline supports multiple tracks — you can freely add video tracks, audio tracks, text tracks, and image tracks.

When you drag a clip, it snaps to adjacent clips for precise placement. You can reorder tracks to control the layering order, with upper tracks appearing in front. This multi-track approach gives you full control over how your content is layered and sequenced.

Step 3: Preview and Edit

Press Space to play and pause, and use J/K/L keys for reverse playback, stop, and forward playback respectively. The left and right arrow keys let you step frame by frame, which is useful for precise timing adjustments.

Effects and color grading are previewed in real time during playback. The inspector panel allows you to adjust various parameters of the selected clip, including speed, color, and transitions.

Your edits are auto-saved approximately every second, so you never have to worry about losing your work.

Step 4: Export

When your edit is complete, open the export panel to select your resolution, codec, and bitrate. Resolutions range from 480p up to 4K, with aspect ratio options of 16:9, 9:16, 1:1, and 4:3.

You can choose between H.264 (broad compatibility) or H.265/HEVC (better compression). Bitrate presets include High, Standard, and Light to balance quality and file size.

Press the export button to start encoding in the browser, and download the finished file once it completes.

Technical Note: How Browser-Only Video Editing Works

All processing in VideoBuff uses the WebCodecs API within the browser. The WebCodecs API provides hardware-accelerated video decoding and encoding, achieving performance comparable to traditional server-side processing.

Files are stored in the Origin Private File System (OPFS), and project state is auto-saved to IndexedDB. This ensures your files never leave your device, guaranteeing complete privacy.

Once a project is loaded, you can continue editing even without a network connection.