How to use Runway ml for video editing?
Runway combines AI editing tools with a timeline: upload footage, then use features like green-screen (background removal), inpainting (erase objects), and motion controls, or generate new clips with Gen-4 and stitch them together (as of July 2026). AI edits spend credits; basic editing and export happen in the same web app.
Why — the first-principles explanation
Traditional video editing is manual and frame-by-frame; Runway's twist is that many edits are done by AI that understands the footage. Instead of hand-tracing a person to cut them out, you click and a model segments them automatically. This works because the same kind of model that generates video can also 'see' what's in a clip—foreground vs. background, one object vs. another—and act on it.
That unlocks a toolkit that used to require expensive software and hours of rotoscoping. Green screen removes or replaces backgrounds with a few clicks. Inpainting erases unwanted objects and fills the gap plausibly. Motion and camera tools add movement, and generative features let you extend a shot or create entirely new footage with Gen-4. You assemble everything on a normal timeline and export.
The practical model to hold: Runway is part editor, part generator, all in the browser. Pure timeline actions—trimming, arranging, exporting—are ordinary editing. The AI actions—background removal, object erasing, new-clip generation—are where the magic (and the credit cost) live. So plan your edit around which steps genuinely need AI, and use the timeline for the rest.
An example that makes it click
Imagine a photo editor that already knows what's in your picture. You want the person moved off the messy background? Instead of cutting around them with tiny scissors for an hour, you tap them once and the editor snips them out perfectly—that's green screen. A trash can ruining the shot? Tap it and it vanishes, the wall behind filled in—that's inpainting. Need a brand-new scene that never existed? Describe it and the editor paints a moving clip—that's Gen-4. Then you line up all the pieces on a timeline like train cars and hit export. Runway is that smart, tap-and-it's-done video editor.
How to do it
- Log in to Runway in your browser and create a new project.
- Upload your video footage or generate clips with Gen-4 from prompts/images.
- Use green screen to remove or replace backgrounds automatically.
- Use inpainting to erase unwanted objects and fill the gap.
- Apply motion, camera, or other AI tools as needed (these spend credits).
- Arrange and trim clips on the timeline, adding audio or text-to-speech if desired.
- Preview the edit, then export and download the finished video.
- For longer pieces, chain generated clips and keep style consistent across shots.
Key facts
- Runway is a browser-based platform combining AI editing tools with a timeline (as of 2026-07).
- Key AI editing tools include green-screen background removal and inpainting (object removal).
- Gen-4 lets you generate new clips to extend or create footage within the edit.
- AI operations spend credits; basic timeline editing and export are part of the app.
- Longer projects are assembled by chaining clips rather than editing one long generation.
A pro video-generation and editing suite used in film production.
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How do you use Runway for video editing? Think of it as part editor, part generator, all in your browser. The twist versus normal editing software is that Runway's AI actually understands your footage, so edits that used to take hours happen in a few clicks. Start by creating a project and uploading your video—or generate fresh clips with Gen-4 from a prompt or image. Then reach for the AI tools. Green screen removes or replaces backgrounds automatically—no tracing by hand. Inpainting erases an unwanted object and fills the gap behind it. Add motion or camera moves, drop in audio or text-to-speech, and arrange your clips on the timeline just like any editor. When it's ready, preview and export. Keep in mind the AI steps spend credits, while trimming, arranging, and exporting don't. So plan your edit around which parts genuinely need the AI, and use the timeline for the rest.
What authoritative sources say
People also ask
Can Runway remove a video background?
Yes. Its green-screen tool removes or replaces backgrounds automatically without manual rotoscoping.
Can I erase objects from a clip?
Yes. Inpainting lets you remove unwanted objects and fills the gap behind them plausibly.
Do editing tools cost credits?
AI operations like generation and some effects spend credits; basic timeline trimming and export do not.
Is Runway a full replacement for a video editor?
It handles many AI edits and timeline work in-browser, but heavy multi-track projects may still pair with a traditional editor.