Open studio
Academy navigation
AI video

How to merge, trim and export video clips

Combine ready clips, reorder and trim them, control audio, and download an assembled video.

Intermediate 8 min read · 8 stepsTry Merge clips
0 of 8 steps completeSaved on this browser

Before you begin

  • Ready video or image assets in your Library.
  • Readable video durations and a signed-in account.

What you’ll achieve: A saved clip edit with deliberate sequence, format and sound, plus a downloadable export.

Model choices

You can assemble clips made with unrestricted AI image and video models in this editor. Merge and export work with ready media; they do not change a clip's generation model or submit its content for a new AI generation.

Open a clip edit and add media

Select ready media in Library and use the merge/edit action, or open Merge clips in Video Editor. Use Add media to choose saved videos or images. This flow assembles existing files rather than regenerating each source.

Step 1 · Add media
Tong Merge clips interface for “Open a clip edit and add media”, with the Add media control highlighted by arrow 1.

Step 1: Add media

100%Zoom, then scroll to inspect a control.
Next step

Select a clip in the sequence

Choose the clip you want to adjust in the timeline. Check its preview and source name before editing. You can include several occurrences of the same source when you deliberately want to repeat a moment.

Step 2 · Selected clip
Tong Merge clips interface for “Select a clip in the sequence”, with the Selected clip control highlighted by arrow 2.

Step 2: Selected clip

100%Zoom, then scroll to inspect a control.
Next step

Trim the selected clip

Use Clip start and Clip end, or the range handles, to keep the part of the source you want. Stay within its loaded duration and keep the end after the start. An image uses a display duration instead of a video source trim.

Step 3 · Clip start
Tong Merge clips interface for “Trim the selected clip”, with the Clip start control highlighted by arrow 3.

Step 3: Clip start

100%Zoom, then scroll to inspect a control.
Next step

Reorder, duplicate or remove clips

Use Move clip earlier or Move clip later to change the selected clip's position. Duplicate makes another occurrence in this sequence; Remove from sequence removes that occurrence while retaining the original media in Library.

Step 4 · Move clip later
Tong Merge clips interface for “Reorder, duplicate or remove clips”, with the Move clip later control highlighted by arrow 4.

Step 4: Move clip later

100%Zoom, then scroll to inspect a control.
Next step

Choose the export format

Open Export settings and choose the output ratio and fit. Preview how portrait, square and landscape sources appear together. Choose whether to contain or fill the frame according to the composition you intend.

Step 5 · Export settings
Tong Merge clips interface for “Choose the export format”, with the Export settings control highlighted by arrow 5.

Step 5: Export settings

100%Zoom, then scroll to inspect a control.
Next step

Review the audio

Use Keep original audio for each selected video to retain or mute its sound. Add optional soundtrack audio when needed and review its volume. Preview the assembled sequence to check that the intended sound is present without unwanted overlap.

Step 6 · Keep original audio
Tong Merge clips interface for “Review the audio”, with the Keep original audio control highlighted by arrow 6.

Step 6: Keep original audio

100%Zoom, then scroll to inspect a control.
Next step

Export the assembled edit

Wait for the edit to save, then select Export video. Review the export dialog and confirm the assembly when ready. You can return to the saved edit if you need to change the cut; creating new AI versions of ready clips is unnecessary for an export retry.

Step 7 · Export video
Tong Merge clips interface for “Export the assembled edit”, with the Export video control highlighted by arrow 7.

Step 7: Export video

100%Zoom, then scroll to inspect a control.
Next step

Download the finished video

Wait for the export to complete and inspect the final preview, then select Download MP4. The exported file is saved to Library while the original clips and the editable sequence remain available for later revisions.

Step 8 · Download MP4
Tong Merge clips interface for “Download the finished video”, with the Download MP4 control highlighted by arrow 8.

Step 8: Download MP4

100%Zoom, then scroll to inspect a control.
Try it in Tong

A useful tip

Give the edit a clear video name and assign its project before exporting. An unknown source duration must finish preparation before trimming can be accurate.

If something goes wrong

If export fails, keep the saved edit and read its recovery action before retrying. If a clip cannot be trimmed, wait for duration preparation; if audio is missing, check the clip's Keep original audio setting and soundtrack volume.

Read first, create when you’re ready

Reading this guide is free. The linked tool shows its own requirements and current credit price. Screenshots use demonstration data; review your own inputs and the quoted cost before submitting paid work.

Reviewed 2026-10-18 · Tong Academy