What Are Templates in VSDC?

In VSDC, the word "templates" covers much more than a small set of presets. The Templates window combines several groups of reusable editing elements:

• Transition collection: transitions ranging from simple fades to more dynamic scene changes.
• Templates: ready-made collections for social media, presentations, vlogs, slideshows, and other projects.
• Video effects: color correction, stylization, distortion, and other visual effects.
• Audio effects: equalizers, reverb, filters, and other sound-processing tools.
• Text effects: animated titles, subtitles, intro screens, and other text-based designs.
• Styles: reusable visual settings for different object types, including color palettes, gradient fills, and more.

Free vs. PRO vs. Premium Templates

Templates are divided into three categories based on access and export requirements:

Besides ready-made templates, you can create your own reusable presets by combining effects, transitions, text objects, color settings, shapes, and animations. This is useful for recurring editing tasks or for keeping a consistent visual style across multiple projects.

How to Use the Templates Window

The Templates window is the main library for browsing and managing VSDC templates. In the classic workspace layout, it is usually available on the left side of the editor. If the window is hidden, open the View tab and enable Templates, or press Ctrl+9.

The window contains several tools that make it easier to work with a large template library:

1. Search: the search bar at the top of the Templates window helps you quickly find a template by name.
2. Preview: click the arrow on the right edge of the Templates window to open the template preview area. This lets you inspect a template before applying it.
3. Quick Access: the vertical toolbar on the left side of the preview area lets you filter what is shown. The available buttons display all templates, thematic templates, video-effect templates, audio-effect templates, text-effect templates, transitions, or My Templates.

Customize the Quick Access Toolbar

The Quick Access toolbar can be customized. Right-click the toolbar and choose the option you need:

• Quick access tools: hides the toolbar. To show it again, open the View tab and enable Quick Access.
• Large icons: switches between large and small toolbar icons.
• Customize: opens the Commands and Options settings window. In the Commands tab, you can drag available commands directly onto the Quick Access toolbar. The Options tab controls how tooltips are displayed.

Each template shown in the preview area has its own icon. To replace the icon, right-click it and select Change the icon. You can choose one of the built-in symbols or load your own image using the file option.

To remove an unwanted button from the Quick Access toolbar, right-click it and select Remove from Quick access toolbar. The shortcut can be restored later from the main Templates window.

Template Library Controls

The toolbar at the bottom of the Templates window contains several library-management controls:

• Filter icon: filters the current search results and helps you keep only the required template type.
• Plus icon: saves or adds a new template to the Templates window. This is the same control you can use when saving your own template.
• Trash icon: removes selected templates from the Templates window.
• Sync icon: synchronizes the local template library with the VSDC server. The library is updated over time with new Free, PRO, and Premium templates as well as updated versions of existing templates, so periodic synchronization keeps the local collection current.

Any downloaded or user-created template occupies disk space on your PC, so large libraries may also need occasional cleanup.

How to Organize, Preview, and Manage VSDC Templates

To see the actions available for a template or template group, right-click it in the Templates window. The context menu contains the commands used to purchase, activate, save, organize, preview, and configure templates.

Purchase, Activate, and Download Premium Templates

Purchase template is available for Premium templates and opens the corresponding purchase page. To make a purchased Premium template available for use, choose Activate template and enter the license key you received for it. Restart VSDC after activation to complete the process.

If a Premium template or template group has already been purchased but is not installed locally, use Download templates to download it into VSDC.

Add Templates and Build a Folder Hierarchy

Add template saves a user-created effect or group of objects in the Templates window. Select the object or effect on the timeline, choose the destination folder in the Templates window, right-click the folder, and select Add template.

Add child template saves the new template inside another template, creating a hierarchy for editing. Add folder creates a folder at the same level as the selected item, while Add child folder creates a folder inside the selected item.

Favorites and Quick Access

Favorite template adds a template to Favorites. To display favorite templates later, click the star icon next to the search bar or use the filter at the bottom of the Templates window and select Show Favorites.

Show on Quick access toolbar adds a selected template or template group to the Quick Access toolbar. The same command can restore a Quick Access icon that was removed earlier. For example, if you remove the Video effects shortcut, find the Video effects group in the Templates window, right-click it, and select Show on Quick access toolbar.

Move, Remove, Expand, and Collapse Items

Move inside moves the selected item one level down into another item located above it at the same hierarchy level. Move outside performs the reverse operation and moves the selected item one level up.

Remove items deletes the selected item from the Templates window. Expand/Collapse all child templates expands or collapses all nested items in the tree at once, which is faster than opening each node manually.

Preview a Template Before Applying It

Preview template opens the preview area so you can evaluate the contents of a template before applying it to the project.

Mark a Template as Telemetry

Mark as telemetry adds the selected template to the telemetry template collection. The technical workflow can be demonstrated with any suitable template; for example, if you mark Wedding title #8 as telemetry, it will then appear in the telemetry template browser.

To open that browser, go to the Objects toolbar on the left side of the main preview area, click Add telemetry, and choose Telemetry templates. In the Telemetry templates window, click the vertical Templates label on the left to expand the complete list. A template previously marked as telemetry can then be found in this collection. Use Unmark as telemetry to remove it from the telemetry selection.

For the complete GPS workflow, see How to add GPS and telemetry overlays to video in VSDC.

Template Settings Explained

Select Template Settings from the context menu to configure the template. The most important options are described below.

Included in effect presets

This option controls whether a template variation is available in the Presets list of the corresponding effect. The Crop video effect is a useful example. Expand it in the Templates window and you can see several variants, including Crop, Crop and resize, and Crop only. If Included in effect presets is enabled for these variants, they appear in the Presets parameter of the Crop effect in the Properties window.

To verify this, place one of the Crop variants on the timeline, select it, open its Properties window, and expand Presets. The available Crop variants will be listed there. If you disable Included in effect presets for a specific variant such as Crop and resize, that variant will no longer appear in the Crop effect's Presets list, although the template itself remains in the Templates window.

Use as a transition

If a template should work as a transition, for example in a slideshow, enable Use as a transition. When that template is used, VSDC automatically places it at the end of the parent object so it can create a transition to the next object.

Use Template Duration

If Use Template Duration is disabled, the template stretches to cover the full duration of the parent object. When the option is enabled, VSDC uses the duration stored inside the template itself.

You can see the difference with the Fairy light template. Open its Template Settings and disable Use Template Duration, then place the template inside an object on the timeline: the template will stretch to the full duration of the parent. Next, enable Use Template Duration and place the same template inside the same parent object again. The two instances of the same template will have different durations because the second one keeps the duration defined in the template.

Thumbnails path / Path to template preview video

These parameters configure the template preview. You can assign an image and/or a video that demonstrates how the template works before it is used in a project.

About Template

About Template is intended for Premium templates. It opens the web page for the selected template so the user can proceed to its purchase page.

How Template Timing Works in the Properties Window

Once a template is on the timeline, its behavior is controlled through the Properties window. We will not repeat every property here because a template can contain different VSDC object types such as video, audio, text, or effects. The timing parameter that matters most when configuring or creating a template is Lock to parent object duration, which appears in both the Object creation time and Object drawing duration sections.

The two occurrences of the parameter affect different boundaries of the child object. Their behavior is as follows:

Because these two settings can be combined, the same template can react differently when the start or end of its parent object is changed. Let's look at all four combinations.

1. Object creation time: NO / Object drawing duration: NO

With both values set to NO, the beginning of the child object (the template) moves together with changes to the beginning of the parent, while the end of the child object does not depend on changes to the parent's end.

If you move the end of the parent object, the child object does not react. If you move the beginning of the parent, the beginning of the template moves in the same direction by the same time offset. The duration of the child object does not change, so its end also moves by the same amount. In other words, the entire child object moves as a single unit.

2. Object creation time: NO / Object drawing duration: YES

In this combination, the beginning of the child object moves together with the beginning of the parent, while the end of the child object is linked to the end of the parent.

If you move the end of the parent to the right or left, the end of the template moves in the same direction by the same time offset. The beginning of the template remains in place, so the template's duration changes.

If you move the beginning of the parent, the beginning of the template moves in the same direction by the same amount. The end of the child object remains in place, so the template's duration changes again.

3. Object creation time: YES / Object drawing duration: NO

Here, the beginning of the child object stays in place when the beginning of the parent moves, and the end of the child object stays in place when the end of the parent moves. With this combination, VSDC moves the child boundary that is opposite to the parent boundary being changed.

• If the beginning of the parent moves, the end of the child moves in the same direction, because the child's beginning must remain fixed.
• If the end of the parent moves, the beginning of the child moves in the same direction, because the child's end must remain fixed.

The child object's duration changes in both cases.

4. Object creation time: YES / Object drawing duration: YES

With both values set to YES, the beginning of the child object stays in place when the beginning of the parent changes, while the end of the child object follows the end of the parent.

Changing the beginning of the parent has no effect on the child object. If you move the end of the parent, the end of the child moves in the same direction by the same time offset. The child object's duration remains unchanged, so its beginning also moves together with its end by the same amount. As a result, the whole child object shifts while keeping its original duration.

Summary of the Four Combinations

These combinations let you define exactly how a template should respond when the timing of its parent object changes in a new project.

How to Create Your Own VSDC Template

When working with templates, it is useful to think of a template as a ready-made project or object setup that you want to reuse. Creating your own template therefore comes down to building the required composition on the timeline and saving it inside VSDC.

Step 1: Build the Future Template

Create the effect or composition you want to save. It can be a transition, a combination of video and audio effects, an image with configured properties, a group of shapes, text objects, animation, or another reusable combination. Configure every element in the Properties window before saving the template.

Step 2: Select All Template Elements

When the setup is complete, select all timeline objects that should be included in the future template.

Step 3: Save the Template in the Templates Window

Open the Templates window. You can save the template in either of two ways:

• Create your own folder first: right-click in the Templates window, choose Add folder or Add child folder, and enter a name. Then right-click the new folder, choose Add child template, and name the template.
• Save directly: right-click in the Templates window and choose Add template, or click the plus icon at the bottom of the Templates window, then enter a name for the new template.

Step 4: Open Template Settings

Right-click the saved template in the Templates window and select Template Settings.

Step 5: Configure the Saved Template

Set the required options in the Template Settings window. These can include Included in effect presets, Use as a transition, Use Template Duration, telemetry-related options, and preview-media paths, depending on how the template is intended to be used.

Conclusion

The Templates window can save a significant amount of time when you reuse the same effects, transitions, titles, color settings, or animated elements across projects. You can start with built-in Free, PRO, or Premium templates, organize the library around your workflow, and save your own editing setups as reusable custom templates.

For questions about VSDC or template activation, use our support form.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I save my own template in VSDC?

Select the objects you want to reuse on the timeline, open the Templates window, and either click the plus icon or right-click and choose Add template. Then enter a name for the template.

Are VSDC templates free?

VSDC includes Free, PRO, and Premium templates. Free templates are available without template-related restrictions. PRO templates can be used in a project, but exporting the final video requires VSDC Pro. Premium template packs are purchased separately; after purchase and activation, both Free and Pro users can export projects that use them.

Why can't I export a project that uses some templates?

If a template has a PRO badge, exporting requires VSDC Pro. If it has a Premium crown, you need to purchase and activate the template pack that contains it.

How do I activate a purchased Premium template?

Open the Templates window, right-click the purchased template, choose Activate template, and enter the license key you received for it. Restart VSDC after entering the key so the activation is finalized.

How do I mark a template as a favorite?

Right-click the template and select Favorite template. To show only favorites, enable Show Favorites or click the star icon next to the search bar.

How do I add a template to the Quick Access toolbar?

Right-click the template or folder and select Show in Quick access toolbar. To remove an icon, right-click it on the toolbar and choose Remove from Quick access toolbar.

What does "Lock to parent object duration" do?

The parameter controls how a child object reacts when the start or end of its parent changes. Under Object creation time, YES keeps the child's start in place while NO makes it move with the parent's start. Under Object drawing duration, YES makes the child's end move with the parent's end while NO keeps the child's end in place.

How do I preview a template before applying it?

Select Preview template from the context menu, or open the preview area using the arrow on the right side of the Templates window.

Automatic search for lost files when opening a project

When you open a project that contains lost files, VSDC will immediately warn you and offer to recover them. Simply click OK and a window will open showing a list of all missing items. Each of them will be marked as "Offline".

If you skip file search and close the warning window without recovering, then all elements that have been marked as "Offline" will appear in the scene as follows:

Two ways to search for lost files

In the missing files list window, there are two recovery options available.

The first is the Search option. When you click this button, you select a folder to scan, after which VSDC automatically analyzes the specified directory and all its subfolders, finds and relinks all project files that are detected there. This method is ideal if you remember where you moved the source files but don't know the exact location of each individual file. The algorithm restores all lost files from the selected folder in a single operation.

If some files are still not found, they will remain in the "Offline" status, and then you simply need to run the search again, specifying a different path.

Working with multiple memory cards or external drives? If your project uses footage stored across several devices, reconnect the appropriate card or drive and run Search for the folder containing your missing files. If some files remain "Offline", connect the next device and repeat the search using its location. This allows you to restore media from different storage devices without locating every file individually.

The second method is the Locate option. If you know exactly where a specific file is located, select it in the list and click Locate. After that the standard Windows Explorer window will open, where you can manually point to the path of that file. It is important to pay attention to the "Relink others automatically" option, which is located in the tool window.

If this option is enabled, the program will scan the folder where the selected file is located and automatically relink all other lost files from the same directory.

If you leave the option disabled, only the file you manually specified will be restored.

For convenience, an error protection feature is provided: if you accidentally select a file that does not match the original, VSDC will warn you about a significant discrepancy in parameters and ask for confirmation, so you will never replace one file with another due to carelessness.

If you want to postpone the search for some files for later, simply close the window. It will reappear the next time you open the project.

Recovering files via the Resources window

When you have already closed the missing files window and are inside the project, you can also restore a file without using the separate search window.

To do this, right‑click on an offline object on the timeline and select "Find object in…", then "Resources window". The Resources window will open automatically, and the required file will be highlighted. Right‑click on it again, choose "Settings" and at the bottom of the window that opens, click the "Import" button. Specify the new location of the file on your computer. After confirmation, the file instantly switches to the "online" status and updates on the timeline. All effects, trimming and positioning settings applied to it will be preserved.

Removing lost files from the project

If some files are no longer needed, you can remove them from the project and the most convenient way to do this is also through the Resources window. Why is this necessary? If you leave lost files in the project, the program will show a warning about missing items every time you open it and prompt you to find them via the file search window.

To avoid this unnecessary pop‑up, simply locate the unwanted file in the Resources window (using the same method as described in the "Recovering files via the Resources window" section), right‑click on it and select "Delete" or press the Delete key.

Conclusion

We have tried to gather in this article all the main ways of working with lost files, so that you can quickly bring them back into the project or get rid of unnecessary ones. We hope that this article was useful to you and will help you avoid unnecessary complications in your work.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

More helpful resources for you

We have prepared a selection of articles about various features of VSDC free video editor for you. Here you will find answers to questions that arise for everyone involved in video editing: how to achieve smooth slow motion, how to remove camera shake, how to adjust colors to make your video look cinematic, and much more!

Please remember that you can switch the language on any page to your preferred language.

• How reframing works: a guide to creating the perfect slow motion
• How to stabilize video with VSDC: about the built‑in automatic video stabilization tool
• How to edit 4K video in VSDC: about working with 4K video even on computers with limited memory
• Color correction in the free VSDC video editor: how to work with color using RGB curves
• VSDC free 360° video editor: recommendations for working with spherical video: an overview of features for panoramic video editing
• How to use VSDC for quick background removal in video
• How to work with blending modes in VSDC
• How to quickly create text effects in VSDC: about text transformation and animation

You can find even more articles on our website.

Follow us on social media Facebook, X, Reddit or Discord and visit our channel, you will find plenty of useful and interesting videos there!

We will be happy to hear your questions and suggestions at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Automatic search for lost files when opening a project

When you open a project that contains lost files, VSDC will immediately warn you and offer to recover them. Simply click OK and a window will open showing a list of all missing items. Each of them will be marked as "Offline".

If you skip file search and close the warning window without recovering, then all elements that have been marked as "Offline" will appear in the scene as follows:

Two ways to search for lost files

In the missing files list window, there are two recovery options available.

The first is the Search option. When you click this button, you select a folder to scan, after which VSDC automatically analyzes the specified directory and all its subfolders, finds and relinks all project files that are detected there. This method is ideal if you remember where you moved the source files but don't know the exact location of each individual file. The algorithm restores all lost files from the selected folder in a single operation.

If some files are still not found, they will remain in the "Offline" status, and then you simply need to run the search again, specifying a different path.

The second method is the Locate option. If you know exactly where a specific file is located, select it in the list and click Locate. After that the standard Windows Explorer window will open, where you can manually point to the path of that file. It is important to pay attention to the "Relink others automatically" option, which is located in the tool window.

If this option is enabled, the program will scan the folder where the selected file is located and automatically relink all other lost files from the same directory.

If you leave the option disabled, only the file you manually specified will be restored.

For convenience, an error protection feature is provided: if you accidentally select a file that does not match the original, VSDC will warn you about a significant discrepancy in parameters and ask for confirmation, so you will never replace one file with another due to carelessness.

If you want to postpone the search for some files for later, simply close the window. It will reappear the next time you open the project.

Recovering files via the Resources window

When you have already closed the missing files window and are inside the project, you can also restore a file without using the separate search window.

To do this, right‑click on an offline object on the timeline and select "Find object in…", then "Resources window". The Resources window will open automatically, and the required file will be highlighted. Right‑click on it again, choose "Settings" and at the bottom of the window that opens, click the "Import" button. Specify the new location of the file on your computer. After confirmation, the file instantly switches to the "online" status and updates on the timeline. All effects, trimming and positioning settings applied to it will be preserved.

Removing lost files from the project

If some files are no longer needed, you can remove them from the project and the most convenient way to do this is also through the Resources window. Why is this necessary? If you leave lost files in the project, the program will show a warning about missing items every time you open it and prompt you to find them via the file search window.

To avoid this unnecessary pop‑up, simply locate the unwanted file in the Resources window (using the same method as described in the "Recovering files via the Resources window" section), right‑click on it and select "Delete" or press the Delete key.

Conclusion

We have tried to gather in this article all the main ways of working with lost files, so that you can quickly bring them back into the project or get rid of unnecessary ones. We hope that this article was useful to you and will help you avoid unnecessary complications in your work.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

More helpful resources for you

We have prepared a selection of articles about various features of VSDC free video editor for you. Here you will find answers to questions that arise for everyone involved in video editing: how to achieve smooth slow motion, how to remove camera shake, how to adjust colors to make your video look cinematic, and much more!

Please remember that you can switch the language on any page to your preferred language.

• How reframing works: a guide to creating the perfect slow motion
• How to stabilize video with VSDC: about the built‑in automatic video stabilization tool
• How to edit 4K video in VSDC: about working with 4K video even on computers with limited memory
• Color correction in the free VSDC video editor: how to work with color using RGB curves
• VSDC free 360° video editor: recommendations for working with spherical video: an overview of features for panoramic video editing
• How to use VSDC for quick background removal in video
• How to work with blending modes in VSDC
• How to quickly create text effects in VSDC: about text transformation and animation

You can find even more articles on our website.

Follow us on social media Facebook, X, Reddit or Discord and visit our channel, you will find plenty of useful and interesting videos there!

We will be happy to hear your questions and suggestions at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.