How to Edit Videos: Beginner Tutorials for Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, and CapCut

2026-06-05·Advanced Guides

Key Takeaways

  • Start with a clear workflow: Import, cut, arrange, add effects, color grade, export—repeat this order every time.
  • Master 3 shortcuts per editor: They’ll save you 30%+ editing time on average.
  • CapCut is fastest for social videos (under 5 minutes); DaVinci Resolve is best for color grading; Premiere Pro is the industry standard for long-form.
  • Always export at the right settings: 1080p at 30fps for YouTube, 1080p at 60fps for gaming, 4K only if your audience has fast internet.

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Why These Three Editors?

I’ve been editing videos for over eight years—started with Windows Movie Maker, then Premiere Pro, then picked up DaVinci Resolve for color work, and recently CapCut for quick shorts. Each tool has a sweet spot.

  • Premiere Pro is what most YouTubers and production houses use. It’s powerful but has a steep learning curve.
  • DaVinci Resolve is free (the paid version is $295 one-time) and has the best color grading tools in the industry. The free version is enough for 90% of beginners.
  • CapCut is free, runs on phones and desktops, and is ridiculously fast for trimming and adding text. It’s what I use for TikTok and Instagram Reels.

Let’s walk through the exact steps for each.

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Step 1: Set Up Your Project

Premiere Pro

1. Open Premiere Pro and click New Project.

2. Name it (e.g., "Vlog_2024_01") and choose a location.

3. Under General, set Video Rendering and Playback to Mercury Playback Engine GPU Acceleration (if you have a decent graphics card).

4. Click OK. Then create a new sequence: File → New → Sequence → choose HD 1080p 30fps.

Pro tip: Premiere Pro’s default scratch disk location fills your C drive fast. Change it to an external drive in Project Settings.

DaVinci Resolve

1. Launch DaVinci Resolve and click New Project.

2. Give it a name, then go to File → Project Settings.

3. Set Timeline Format to 1080p 24fps (for cinematic) or 30fps (for web).

4. Under Video Monitoring, set Color Science to DaVinci YRGB Color Managed (saves headaches later).

5. Click Save.

Real example: I edited a 10-minute travel vlog in Resolve. The color grading took 2 hours, but the result looked like it was shot on a $10k camera.

CapCut (Desktop)

1. Open CapCut and click New Project.

2. Import your clips by dragging them into the media pool.

3. Arrange them in the timeline. CapCut auto-creates a sequence at the resolution of your first clip.

CapCut’s secret weapon: The Auto Cut feature. In the timeline, select a clip and click Auto Cut (scissors icon with a magic wand). It removes silences and pauses automatically—saves 10 minutes per 5-minute video.

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Step 2: Import and Organize Media

Before you start cutting, organize your files. I learned this the hard way after spending 20 minutes searching for a clip.

  • Create folders: Audio, Video, Graphics, Exports.

  • Name clips descriptively: `interview_01_take1.mp4` not `clip_001.mp4`.
  • In all three editors, you can create bins or folders inside the project panel.

Premiere Pro

  • Right-click in the Project panel → New Bin.
  • Drag clips into bins.

DaVinci Resolve

  • In the Media Pool, right-click → New Folder.
  • Drag clips into folders.

CapCut

  • CapCut doesn’t have native bins, but you can use the Favorites feature (star icon) to mark clips.

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Step 3: Cutting and Trimming

Basic Cut (Premiere Pro)

  • Press C to switch to the Razor tool, then click where you want to cut.
  • Or press Ctrl + K (Cmd + K on Mac) to cut at the playhead.
  • Delete unwanted sections with Delete key.

Basic Cut (DaVinci Resolve)

  • Press B for Blade tool, or Ctrl + B to cut at playhead.
  • Use Trim Edit mode (press T) to drag the edge of a clip to trim.

Basic Cut (CapCut)

  • Click the Split button (scissors icon) or press Ctrl + B.
  • Drag the clip edges to trim.

Comparison table:

FeaturePremiere ProDaVinci ResolveCapCut
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Cut shortcutCtrl + KCtrl + BCtrl + B
Trim modeSelection tool (V) + dragTrim Edit mode (T)Drag edges
Auto silence removalNo (requires plugin)NoYes (Auto Cut)
Free version limit7-day trialNo watermark, 4K exportNo watermark, 4K export
Learning curveSteepModerateVery easy

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Step 4: Add Transitions and Effects

Keep transitions simple. I use cross dissolve for most cuts and dip to black for scene changes. Avoid flashy wipes—they look amateur.

Premiere Pro

  • Drag a transition from the Effects panel (e.g., Video Transitions → Dissolve → Cross Dissolve) onto the cut.
  • Duration: default is 1 second. I shorten it to 0.5 seconds for fast cuts.

DaVinci Resolve

  • Go to Edit page, then Effects Library → Video Transitions.
  • Drag Cross Dissolve onto the cut.
  • Double-click the transition to adjust duration.

CapCut

  • Click on the cut, then click Transitions in the toolbar.
  • Choose Dissolve (free). CapCut also has trendy effects like Slide and Zoom.

Real number: Using too many effects can increase render time by 40%. I limit transitions to 2-3 per minute of video.

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Step 5: Color Grading Basics

Color grading isn’t just for pros. A simple correction makes your video look polished.

Premiere Pro

  • Open the Lumetri Color panel (Window → Lumetri Color).
  • Under Basic Correction, adjust Temperature to remove blue/yellow casts.
  • Increase Contrast to 20-30 for pop.
  • Use Curves for fine-tuning.

DaVinci Resolve (where it shines)

  • Go to Color page.
  • Use the Color Wheels to adjust shadows, midtones, highlights.
  • Try Color Space Transform (under OFX plugins) to convert Rec.709 to a cinematic look.

Pro tip: Apply a LUT (Look Up Table). Download free LUTs from websites like Ground Control. In Resolve, right-click on a node → Add LUT.

CapCut

  • Click Adjust in the toolbar.
  • Use Auto Color for a quick fix, or manually adjust Contrast (+15), Saturation (+10), and Sharpness (+20).

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Step 6: Export Settings

Premiere Pro

  • File → Export → Media.
  • Format: H.264.
  • Preset: YouTube 1080p Full HD.
  • Check Use Maximum Render Quality.
  • Click Export.

DaVinci Resolve

  • Go to Deliver page.
  • Format: Video.
  • Codec: H.264.
  • Resolution: 3840x2160 if exporting 4K, 1920x1080 for HD.
  • Quality: Automatic Best.
  • Add to Render Queue → Start Render.

CapCut

  • Click Export (top right).
  • Resolution: 1080p.
  • Bitrate: Higher for quality (10 Mbps for 1080p).
  • Frame Rate: 30.
  • Click Export.

Personal opinion: Exporting in 4K for a vlog that’s mostly talking head is a waste of bandwidth. Stick to 1080p unless your footage requires it.

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Final Workflow Checklist

  • [ ] Import and organize media into folders.
  • [ ] Rough cut: remove all bad takes and silences.
  • [ ] Fine cut: trim edges, add transitions.
  • [ ] Color grade: correct white balance, add contrast.
  • [ ] Add music and adjust audio levels (aim for -6 dB peak).
  • [ ] Export at correct settings.

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FAQ

1. Which video editor is best for absolute beginners?

CapCut. It’s free, runs on phones and low-end laptops, and has a simple drag-and-drop interface. You can edit a 3-minute video in 15 minutes. Premiere Pro is more powerful but requires at least 2-3 weeks to learn comfortably.

2. How long does it take to edit a 10-minute video?

For a beginner using Premiere Pro or DaVinci Resolve, expect 2-4 hours. With CapCut’s Auto Cut and templates, it can take 1 hour. As you learn shortcuts, you’ll cut that time by 40%.

3. Do I need a powerful computer for video editing?

For Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve, you need at least 16GB RAM, a dedicated GPU (NVIDIA GTX 1060 or better), and an SSD. CapCut runs on 8GB RAM and integrated graphics. I’ve edited on a 2019 MacBook Air with CapCut—it works fine for 1080p videos under 10 minutes.