This tutorial is an original manually prepared language version. It does not use the article live-translation service.
Quick answer
Upload a source video, define the usable start and end range, choose either normal Clip Duration or Exact Duration Mode, decide whether clip count is manual or automatic, review the live clip plan, then set crop, subtitles, audio and export options before processing.
Use the relevant BestAI tool with one short test file or paragraph first. Confirm the result, then process a larger batch. This prevents a small setting mistake from being repeated across many clips or a long narration.
Why this tutorial matters
A Shorts Cutter can produce technically valid clips that are still poor editorial choices if the usable range, duration mode or clip-count logic is misunderstood. A step-by-step pass makes every active setting visible before processing and reduces wasted exports.
The BestAI workflow is designed around a simple rule: one active control should own one decision. When a mode overrides another setting, the conflicting control is disabled in the interface and ignored by the backend. This makes the plan shown on screen match the actual result.
Recommended starting settings
| Setting | Practical starting point |
|---|---|
| Source range | Start at the first useful moment and end before credits or unrelated footage. |
| Duration mode | Use normal Clip Duration for flexible cuts; use Exact Duration only when every output must match. |
| Clip count | Start with Automatic for full sequential coverage or Manual for a controlled campaign. |
| Frame | Use 9:16 for Shorts and inspect the crop around faces and text. |
| Test batch | Process two or three clips before a long batch. |
These values are starting points, not universal rules. Source quality, speaking style, platform, audience and the purpose of the video can require a different choice.
Step-by-step tutorial
Step 1: Upload and inspect the source
Choose a clean source file and let the browser read its duration. Watch the beginning, middle and end so you know where useful content starts and stops. If the video contains an intro, countdown or long silence, exclude it with Start Time rather than trimming every result later.
Step 2: Set the usable range
Enter Start Time and End Time only after checking the source. The live plan should use this range, not the full file. Keep a little context before the first spoken word when the opening feels abrupt, but remove empty lead-in.
Step 3: Choose the duration rule
Leave Exact Duration Mode off when each clip may end naturally inside a practical range. Turn it on only when a campaign, template or platform package requires the same length. When Exact Duration is on, the normal Clip Duration and min/max controls are intentionally inactive.
Step 4: Choose clip-count behavior
Enable manual clip count when you know exactly how many outputs you need. Turn it off when you want the usable range divided into full sequential clips. Read the live estimate; it tells you how many complete clips fit before processing.
Step 5: Set framing, subtitles and audio
Select the vertical layout that protects the main subject. Smart Crop is helpful for clear faces, but inspect multi-person and screen-recording footage. Choose subtitle and audio options that match the source rather than enabling every feature.
Step 6: Run a small test and export
Create a limited batch first. Check the first frame, last word, crop stability, subtitle readability and loudness. If the result is correct, repeat with the full count or source range and keep the chosen settings as a documented preset.
Quality-control checklist
- The live clip plan matches the number and duration you expect.
- Only one duration mode is active.
- Faces, products and on-screen text stay inside the vertical safe area.
- Subtitles do not cover important visual details.
- Each clip starts and ends on a complete idea.
- The exported file opens and plays correctly on a phone.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Using Exact Duration and expecting normal Clip Duration to control the result.
- Requesting more manual clips than the selected range can contain.
- Applying full-frame crop to wide screen recordings without checking text loss.
- Processing a long batch before testing one representative clip.
- Keeping greetings, dead air or repeated material inside the usable range.
Frequently asked questions
Why is Clip Duration disabled?
Exact Duration Mode is on. Turn Exact Duration off when you want the normal Clip Duration and min/max length controls to become active.
How do I know how many clips will be created?
Use the live Clip Plan. Manual mode shows the requested count adjusted to available duration; automatic mode estimates the number of complete sequential clips.
Should I always use Smart Crop?
No. It is most useful when one clear face or subject must remain centered. Use a contain or manually checked crop for wide layouts, multiple speakers and screen recordings.
Practical example
A 24-minute interview contains a 40-second greeting, several long answers and a closing promotion. Set the usable range after the greeting and before the promotion. Use normal Clip Duration first, leave manual count off for a sequential sample, and export two clips. After checking crop and subtitles, switch to a controlled manual count for the strongest six answers. This staged approach separates technical validation from editorial selection.
When to change the workflow
Use Exact Duration only when a client or template requires identical lengths. Process screen recordings and multi-person scenes separately when one crop mode cannot preserve the important subject. ## Final takeaway
Start with the source range, choose one duration rule, choose one clip-count rule and trust the live plan only after checking it. A two-clip test is faster than correcting twenty unsuitable exports.