How to Easily Speed up Video on Mac: 3 Ways Guide for You

Speed up video on Mac to enhance your viewing experience, reduce file sizes, and add a dynamic touch to your content. Whether you're editing personal projects or professional work, this guide covers three simple methods using CapCut, iMovie, and QuickTime, with step-by-step instructions for maintaining high resolution and sound synchronization. Let’s get started!

Things to consider before speeding up a video

Before you change video speed in Mac, it’s important to consider a few key factors that can affect the final outcome of your video. These elements ensure your video remains high-quality and well-synced.

• Video resolution: Ensure the resolution is maintained when speeding up the video to avoid quality loss.
• Playback quality: Faster playback might cause the video to appear choppy if not adjusted correctly.
• Sound synchronization: Speed changes can affect audio sync, so make sure to adjust or mute the audio accordingly.
• Export settings: Choose the right export settings to maintain the desired quality and format after the speed change.

Now, let's explore the three methods to speed up videos with step-by-step guides!

Method 1: Increase video speed on Mac using CapCut

CapCut is a powerful and user-friendly video editing tool, ideal for quickly adjusting and changing video speed on Mac. Known for its intuitive interface, CapCut allows users to speed up videos with just a few clicks, offering both standard speed adjustments and more dynamic control with curve speed.

Ready to learn how to speed up mp4 on Mac with ease? Download CapCut for free today and enjoy powerful video editing features, including simple speed adjustments and high-quality, watermark-free exports. Start creating dynamic content on your Mac effortlessly!

Step
1. Import the video file
2. To start speeding up your video, open CapCut and click on the “Import” button located at the top left of the interface. This will open your file explorer, allowing you to select the video file you want to edit. Once the video is imported, drag and drop it into the timeline at the bottom of the screen for easier editing access. You can also directly drag your video file from your desktop into the timeline for a faster workflow.
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Step
4. Increase the video speed
5. With your video in the timeline, select the clip and click "Speed." You can choose between two options: Standard (uniform speed increase) or Curve (varying speed at different points). Adjust the slider to set your desired speed (e.g., 2x for double speed). You can directly enter the video duration you want, and then CapCut will adjust the video speed automatically according to the duration.
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Step
7. Export the video
8. Click the “Export” button in the upper-right corner of the screen. A pop-up window will appear, allowing you to select your export settings. Here, you can choose the resolution (e.g., 1080p, 720p), frame rate, and file format (e.g., MP4, MOV). Additionally, CapCut offers the option to share your video directly on popular platforms like TikTok and YouTube.
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Key features

• Standard speed: CapCut’s "Standard speed" lets you uniformly adjust video speed across the entire clip using multipliers like 1.5x, 2x, or 4x, ideal for timelapse effects or shortening videos.
• Curve speed: The "Curve speed" feature allows for varying speeds at different points in the video, perfect for creating dynamic effects like speeding up or slowing down specific sections seamlessly.

Method 2: How to speed up video on Mac using iMovie

iMovie is a free, built-in video editing tool for Mac users, known for its simple interface and robust set of features. It allows you to speed up your videos efficiently while maintaining high-quality output. Whether you're working on a personal project or professional content, iMovie is a reliable tool to adjust video speed with ease. Let us explore further how to speed up the video in iMovie on Mac.

Step
1. Import the video file
2. Start by opening iMovie on your Mac. Click on “Create New” and choose “Movie” from the drop-down menu. Next, click the “Import Media” button to upload the video file you want to edit. You can either browse your computer for the file or drag and drop it into iMovie’s workspace.
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Step
4. Adjust the video speed
5. Once your video is in the timeline, click on the video clip to select it. A toolbar will appear above the video preview. Find the speedometer icon (which represents the speed adjustment tool) and click on it. A drop-down menu with speed adjustment options will appear. You can choose from preset multipliers such as 2x or 4x or even customize the speed by entering a specific percentage.
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Step
7. Export the video
8. After adjusting the video speed to your satisfaction, click on the “Share” button located in the upper-right corner of the iMovie interface. From the dropdown, select “Export File” to export your video. Choose your desired resolution, format, and quality settings before finalizing the export. iMovie gives you options to save the video to your Mac or upload it directly to platforms like YouTube or Vimeo.
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Key features

• Preset speed multipliers: iMovie offers easy-to-use speed options like 2x or 4x, making it simple to speed up your video with predefined settings.
• Custom speed control: If you need more control, iMovie allows you to input custom speed percentages for precise adjustments to match your project’s needs.

Method 3: How to edit video speed on Mac using QuickTime

QuickTime is a built-in media player on Mac that provides basic video editing features, including the ability to adjust video playback speed. While it is primarily used for viewing media, QuickTime can be a handy tool for quickly previewing videos at different speeds. However, unlike CapCut and iMovie, QuickTime doesn’t offer advanced video editing features but is ideal for simple speed adjustments during playback.

Step
1. Open the video in QuickTime
2. To start, open QuickTime Player on your Mac. From the menu bar, select “File” and then click “Open File” to choose the video you want to edit. Alternatively, you can drag and drop the video file directly into the QuickTime window to open it.
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Step
4. Adjust playback speed
5. Once the video is loaded, you can adjust its playback speed by pressing and holding the "Option" key on your keyboard. While holding it, click the fast-forward button (>>) at the bottom of the QuickTime window. Each click increases the speed incrementally, usually by 1.5x or 2x.
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Step
7. Save the adjusted video
8. Since QuickTime only adjusts the playback speed, you won’t be able to export the video with the new speed setting directly. However, if you're satisfied with how the video plays, you can use screen recording to save the sped-up version. To do this, open the “File” menu and select “New Screen Recording.” Start the recording while playing the video at the desired speed. Once done, save the recording in your preferred format by choosing “Export As” from the File menu and selecting the desired resolution.
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Key features

• Instant speed preview: QuickTime allows you to quickly preview videos at different speeds without permanently altering the file, making it useful for reviewing content.
• Incremental speed changes: You can increase playback speed in steps (e.g., 1.5x, 2x) by using the fast-forward button, providing you with control over how fast you want to view the video.

Conclusion

In this guide, we explored three easy ways to speed up videos on Mac: CapCut, iMovie, and QuickTime. iMovie offers simplicity and built-in access but lacks advanced speed control features. QuickTime is excellent for quick edits but has limited functionality for more complex projects. CapCut, on the other hand, provides versatile speed adjustment tools like Standard and Curve Speed, along with an intuitive interface, making it suitable for both beginners and professionals. For those seeking dynamic speed controls and ease of use, CapCut is the best choice. Download CapCut today and start enhancing your videos effortlessly!

FAQs

1. Can I slow down audio along with video on Mac?
2. Yes, most video editing tools allow you to slow down both audio and video simultaneously. However, adjusting speed can affect the pitch of the audio. Some video editors provide features to correct this, ensuring that the audio pitch remains natural even when slowed down. For precise control over both video and audio, CapCut is a great option. It allows you to synchronize audio with your video, keeping the audio pitch stable even when you speed up or slow down your video. This feature ensures high-quality playback without distortion.
3. Does speeding up a video on a Mac reduce file size?
4. In certain cases, yes. When you increase the speed of a video, its total duration is shortened, which can lead to a reduction in file size. However, the impact on file size may also depend on the resolution and export settings used. If you're looking for an easy way to speed up videos while maintaining control over file size, CapCut simplifies the process. By speeding up your video and choosing the right export settings, you can reduce file size without compromising on quality, making it ideal for quick uploads to platforms like YouTube or TikTok.
5. Can parts of the original audio track be preserved after speeding up the video?
6. Yes. In CapCut, you can extract the audio from the video so the original audio can be preserved. You just need to right-click on the video on the timeline and select "Extract audio"; the original audio will remain on the track.