How to adjust highlights and shadows in CapCut

You’re editing your footage with CapCut, you’re almost ready to share with the world! And… there’s a problem. Parts of your video seem too dark, and others are too bright! And when you try to correct this with the Brightness slider, it just keeps getting worse. What can you do?

In this quick tutorial, I’m going to show you how to adjust the highlights and shadows in CapCut videos – quickly.

Adjusting the highlights and shadows gives you the control you need. In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to quickly adjust highlights and shadows using CapCut. With the free CapCut mobile app, you can make these edits in seconds. And you’re sure to get every video that you edit looking its absolute best. Let’s learn how.

Why adjust the highlights and shadows in CapCut videos?

Highlights and shadows are easy to edit with CapCut. But why should you make these edits? How can they help your videos look their best?

First, let’s define just what highlights and shadows are. Picture a given video or image – any one will do. Highlights are the brightest parts of the clip. Shadows are the dimmest parts. Changing highlights increases brightness; changing shadows alters the contrast.

Edits like this transform highlights and shadows in your video clips.

Consider these benefits:

You can correct defects from recording. Even the best cameras can struggle to perfectly capture scenes. This often results from imperfect lighting conditions at the time you record. By adjusting highlights and shadows in post-production, you can remove defects and ensure your videos look true to life.
You can create a unique, custom style effect. No one said that highlights and shadows must perfectly reflect reality. By changing these two key parameters, you can create one-of-a-kind custom visuals.
These edits can be made from anywhere. As a mobile app, CapCut fits in your pocket. If you have your phone with you, you can transform a video from anywhere.

With CapCut, it’s a breeze to adjust the highlights and shadows. While you can adjust them independently, they tend to work together. Think of these edits as a refinement to get every clip looking exactly as it should.

Now, let’s learn how to adjust the highlights and shadows in a CapCut clip – fast!

How to adjust highlights and shadows in CapCut (step by step)

With CapCut, adjusting highlights and shadows is easy. We’ll demonstrate using CapCut on an Apple iPhone. Prefer Android? No problem – CapCut is available for free from the Google Play Store. Plus, you can download desktop versions for Mac and Windows.

I’ll show you how to change highlights and shadows with a stock video clip. It came from Envato Elements, and you can download it by clicking here. Let’s practice using this footage.

1. Open the Adjust panel

On your phone or device, go ahead and launch CapCut. When you do, navigate to the Edit tab and open a project. Projects in CapCut are the files created for each individual production. They group together your multimedia files. And they let you add effects, style designs, and more.

With a CapCut project open, take a look at the screen. Front and center, you’ll see your video clip previewed. This is a dynamic view. In other words, every edit or effect that you add will preview in real time. You can see how your changes alter the video.

With a CapCut project open, scroll over to the Adjust button on the toolbar. Tap to launch the Adjust panel.

Down below the preview is the Timeline. It’s here that you can arrange, trim, and re-sequence video clips. And finally, at the bottom, is the toolbar menu. You can see buttons labeled Edit, Audio, Text, and so on.

With the toolbar, scroll over to the right. There will be a button there labeled Adjust. Here is where you’ll find Highlights and Shadows in CapCut. Tap on Adjust to launch the Adjust panel.

2. Change the highlights in CapCut

Look at the menu tabs on the Adjust panel. Scrolling to the right, you’ll reach the Highlights button. Tap Highlights to open it up.

When you select Highlights, you can see a slider menu launch at the bottom of your screen. Pull on it to watch the results! Moving to the right brightens the brightest portions of your video. Moving to the left dims those areas.

Move the slider left and right to try out new highlight settings in CapCut.

Spend a few moments trying out different settings. The trick is to find a new setting that is visually different, while still looking realistic. Go too far, and you’ll wash out areas of your video image. Finished? Tap the Checkmark icon in the lower right corner.

3. Edit the shadows in CapCut

You’ve changed the highlights in CapCut. But you’re only halfway done. Highlight adjustments are typically made alongside changes to shadows. Look back on the main Adjust panel. Beside Highlights, you will see Shadows. Tap Shadows.

The Shadows slider controls how the darkest parts of a video appear to your audience.

Once again, a slider appears. This time, moving to the right will lighten the darkest parts of a video. Moving left darkens these dimmer elements. Experiment with different settings, always keeping an eye on the preview section. Soon, you’ll dial in the right settings and your video will be transformed into a true work of art.

Learn more top tips and tricks for CapCut and more

Highlights and shadows are but two of many adjustments that CapCut allows. Want to elevate your skills? From the Envato Tuts+ library, here are more top tutorials. They cover more CapCut topics, along with other powerful tips for winning videos on social media!

In this tutorial, I showed you how to quickly adjust the highlights and shadows in a CapCut video. It’s fast and efficient. Simply launch the Adjust menu, and navigate to the Highlights and Shadows menus. Then, make edits using each of the two sliders.

With these edits, you can precisely dial in how each video clip appears to your audience. Don’t delay—adjust highlights and shadows in CapCut today.

Post date July 4, 2024

This content originally appeared on Envato Tuts+ Tutorials and was authored by Andrew Childress

You’re editing your footage with CapCut, you’re almost ready to share with the world! And... there’s a problem. Parts of your video seem too dark, and others are too bright! And when you try to correct this with the Brightness slider, it just keeps getting worse. What can you do?

Highlights shadows — In this quick tutorial, I’m going to show you how to adjust the highlights and shadows in CapCut videos - quickly.

Why adjust the highlights and shadows in CapCut videos?

Highlights and shadows are easy to edit with CapCut. But why should you make these edits? How can they help your videos look their best?

First, let’s define just what highlights and shadows are. Picture a given video or image - any one will do. Highlights are the brightest parts of the clip. Shadows are the dimmest parts. Changing highlights increases brightness; changing shadows alters the contrast.

Change highlights shadows — Edits like this transform highlights and shadows in your video clips.

Consider these benefits:

You can correct defects from recording. Even the best cameras can struggle to perfectly capture scenes. This often results from imperfect lighting conditions at the time you record. By adjusting highlights and shadows in post-production, you can remove defects and ensure your videos look true to life.
You can create a unique, custom style effect. No one said that highlights and shadows must perfectly reflect reality. By changing these two key parameters, you can create one-of-a-kind custom visuals.
These edits can be made from anywhere. As a mobile app, CapCut fits in your pocket. If you have your phone with you, you can transform a video from anywhere.

Now, let’s learn how to adjust the highlights and shadows in a CapCut clip - fast!

How to adjust highlights and shadows in CapCut (step by step)

With CapCut, adjusting highlights and shadows is easy. We’ll demonstrate using CapCut on an Apple iPhone. Prefer Android? No problem - CapCut is available for free from the Google Play Store. Plus, you can download desktop versions for Mac and Windows.

I’ll show you how to change highlights and shadows with a stock video clip. It came from Envato Elements, and you can download it by clicking here. Let's practice using this footage.