What do I need to make a video collage?
Your clips and photos, and a browser. Nothing to install, no account, and the files stay on your device.
Guide · with a free collage maker
How to make a video collage
A practical walkthrough: the right shape for where it will be posted, a layout that suits your clips, timing, music and the export settings that keep it sharp.
To make a video collage, decide where it will be watched (that sets the shape), pick a layout with one cell per clip or photo, trim each clip to its best seconds, add music if you want it, and export one MP4. The editor at the top of this page does each of those steps in your browser.
The rest of this guide covers the decisions that make a collage look deliberate rather than crowded. For phone-specific routes, see the iPhone and Android guides.
Make a video collage in five steps
Choose the shape first
Story 9:16 for Stories, Reels, TikTok and Shorts; Post 4:5 or Tall post 3:4 for feeds; Landscape 16:9 for YouTube and TVs.
Add everything at once
Select Add photos and videos and pick all your clips and photos together; a template that suits the count is chosen.
Settle the layout
Browse the Layout tab. Drag cells onto each other to swap, and tap a cell then drag inside it to reframe.
Set the timing and sound
Trim clips in the Media tab, choose Loop or Freeze and the length in Timing, and add a song in Music.
Export
Select Export, choose 30 or 60 fps and High quality, then Export video and download or share the MP4.
Pick a layout that suits the clips
The number of items decides most of it. Two clips want a split screen; one main clip and a reaction want picture in picture; four to nine want a grid or a mosaic. Beyond that:
- One standout clip? Use a mosaic with a big cell and put it there.
- Mostly photos with one or two clips? Polaroids or a magazine page make the clips feel like moving photographs.
- Same subject from different angles? An even grid keeps it fair.
- A sequence of events? A film strip reads top to bottom like a story.
Timing: how long, and what happens at the end
Collages fail when clips of very different lengths jerk to a stop. Trim long clips to the moment that matters, then choose whether short ones Loop (good for repetitive motion such as waves or a spinning record) or Freeze on their last frame (good for a punchline or a final pose). Set an exact length when the platform rewards it, such as a 15-second story.
For a story-like build, Show one by one in the Timing tab reveals the cells in order.
Sound: one voice at a time
Several clips talking at once is the most common collage mistake. Pick one clip to be heard and switch the rest off, or put a song underneath and set Clip sound to Lower. If you plan to add a trending sound inside Instagram or TikTok, export with the clip sound off.
Export settings that keep it sharp
- Resolution: 1080 pixels on the short side, which is what the apps display.
- Frame rate: 30 fps for most footage; 60 fps if your clips were filmed at 60 and have fast motion.
- Quality: High. The file is bigger but survives the app’s own re-compression better.
(enlarge image) Choose the frame rate and High quality, then Export video.
Making a video collage: questions
How many clips should a video collage have?
Two to six is the sweet spot on a phone screen. Up to nine works with short, simple clips.
Can I put photos and videos in the same collage?
Yes. Mixing them is the point: photos hold still with a slow zoom while the clips play around them.
What is the best length for a video collage?
Fifteen to thirty seconds for stories and reels. Longer collages (up to 3 minutes here) suit gifts, parties and YouTube.
Do I need to edit the clips first?
No. Trim, rotate, flip, zoom and reframe each clip inside its cell in the Media tab.