Mastering InShot: An Advanced Video Editing Tutorial for iOS and Android

We all know InShot as the friendly little app that helps you stitch together clips or throw some music on your stories. But beneath its simple interface is a surprisingly powerful toolkit—if you know where to look.

This tutorial is your complete guide to using InShot like a pro. Whether you’re on an iPhone or an Android, we’re going far beyond trimming and filters. You’ll learn how to:

• Build storytelling layers with overlays and cutaways

• Use keyframes for movement and precision edits

• Blend music, voiceover, and ambient sounds seamlessly

• Create engaging reels or YouTube-ready edits—all from your phone

Why InShot, Though?

InShot hits the sweet spot between casual and capable. Unlike CapCut, it doesn’t force templates down your throat. Unlike LumaFusion or VN, it doesn’t overwhelm beginners. And it works beautifully on both iOS and Android—offline too.

But if you’ve only used it for basic trimming, you’re missing out.

Section 1: Advanced Editing in InShot on iOS

Let’s start with iPhone. The interface is clean, smooth, and intuitive—but hidden in plain sight are features that take your video from “meh” to “wow.”

🎞️ 1. Start with a Solid Base: Timeline Setup

• Import your clips in the order you want. You can reorder anytime.

• Set your aspect ratio early (16:9 for YouTube, 9:16 for Reels).

• Tap Canvas → Background to add colored borders or a blurred effect if your clips don’t fill the frame.

Pro Tip: Use blank white canvas clips at the start or end to build intros and outros from scratch.

🎛️ 2. Use Keyframes to Animate Like a Pro

This is where the magic begins.

• Tap on any clip or element (text, sticker, video).

• Choose Keyframe (the diamond icon).

• Place a keyframe at the beginning and another later in the timeline.

• Now move the clip, scale it, or change position—InShot will animate the transition.

What can you do with this?

• Create zoom-ins and zoom-outs

• Add panning camera movement

• Animate text or images sliding across the screen

🎙️ 3. Layer Sound Like a Podcast Studio

Most users just throw in a track and call it a day. Don’t.

• Tap Music, then:

  • Tracks: Add background music.

  • Effects: Add sounds like swooshes, claps, birdsong.

  • Record: Add voiceovers directly in the app.

You can:

• Lower music volume to let voice shine

• Fade in/out for smooth transitions

• Sync beat drops to cuts using the waveform

Pro Tip: Record voiceovers in a closet or under a blanket for richer sound. Yes, really.

🖼️ 4. Picture-in-Picture (PIP) for Story Layers

• Tap PIP, then add another video or image on top of your base footage.

• Resize and move this layer anywhere.

• You can blend, mask, or keyframe it too.

Great for:

• Reaction videos

• Before/after transitions

• Instructional content with camera + screen

✂️ 5. Masking & Cutaways for Professional Polish

Want to transition from one clip to another with flair?

• Add a transition mask between clips using the “Transition” tab.

• Use Shape masks inside the PIP section to make creative reveals—think heart-shaped crop-ins or circular cutaways.

📋 6. Add Cinematic Text (That Doesn’t Scream ‘InShot’)

• Choose Text → Set the font → Use minimal animation (fade, slide).

• Keep it tight: no more than 4–6 words on screen.

• Use keyframes to animate appearance/disappearance.

Pro Tip: Avoid bubbly fonts or rainbow gradients if you want a polished, clean edit. Stick to simple white or beige over darkened backgrounds.

🧪 7. Color Grading & Filters (Like a Filmmaker)

InShot’s filters are subtle and elegant.

• Use Filter → Adjust instead of pre-sets.

• Tweak contrast, warmth, shadows, and saturation manually.

• Save your look as a preset to apply across all clips.

Combine this with cinematic music and steady pacing for a dramatic effect.

Section 2: Advanced Editing in InShot on Android

Android version is slightly different—but just as capable. Let’s walk through how to maximize it.

📂 1. Organize Like a Studio

• Use InShot’s Drafts feature to save progress.

• Label projects clearly (e.g., “ClientReel_July”).

• Keep raw footage in a separate folder to avoid confusion.

Pro Tip: Turn on Do Not Disturb while editing to prevent lag and distractions.

🔑 2. Master Android Keyframes (Same Logic, Slight Differences)

• Tap clip → Hit the diamond keyframe icon

• Pin keyframes at beginning and end

• Add subtle pans, zoom-ins, or tilt effects

Android sometimes handles this smoother than iOS, especially on high-refresh displays.

🔊 3. Clean Sound Mixing on Android

• Tap Music → My Music to add tracks

• Use Extract Audio to pull sound from imported videos (useful for voice)

• Long press a clip to split, then mute parts where necessary

Pro users often use this to:

• Silence background noise

• Layer narration

• Create crisp reels with minimal dialogue

📹 4. PIP & Video Layers for More Control

PIP is equally powerful here:

• Add an image overlay (logo, watermark, subtitle block)

• Add another video inside your primary video (reaction format)

• Add a zoomed-in version of the same video on top and mask it for effect

This opens up possibilities for reels, tutorials, explainer videos, and beyond.

🔧 5. Smoothing, Speed Ramping, and Transitions

Android version gives you buttery smooth speed ramping:

• Tap Speed → Curve and draw your own slow/fast arcs

• Use this for dance reels, product shots, nature clips

Also:

• Tap Transition between clips for smoother storytelling

• Try white flash, swipe, or glitch effects

Avoid overusing transitions unless you’re going for a TikTok-y vibe.

🎞️ 6. Export Like a Pro

Settings that matter:

• Resolution: Always export in 1080p unless it’s a square reel.

• FPS: Set to 30 fps for natural motion; 60 fps for buttery sports shots.

• Bitrate: Keep medium to high if file size isn’t a concern.

Pro Tip: Watch your final cut twice before exporting—once with sound on, once muted. You’ll catch more mistakes this way.

Advanced Use Cases to Try (iOS + Android)

Wrap It All Up: What Makes InShot Powerful?

It’s not just about trimming or filters. The real power comes when you layer features:

• Combine keyframes with text

• Sync transitions with beat drops

• Use PIP + masking for story depth

Each video becomes a reflection of how you see the world—not what the algorithm expects.

You Don’t Need a MacBook to Make Great Videos

InShot proves something powerful: the best video editor is the one you already have in your hand.

Whether you’re editing a dance reel, a product promo, or a short documentary—you now have the tools to make it polished, engaging, and uniquely yours.

Try one new trick today. Then two tomorrow. Soon, you won’t just be “editing on your phone.” You’ll be crafting stories on the go—with cinematic polish and professional intent.