We’ve talked about the advantages of using non-linear video editors a lot in our guides. One of their biggest benefits for creators is the ability to place several pieces of footage in the same scene and edit them simultaneously. The video grid effect is an excellent example of that.

Since VSDC’s timeline provides an unlimited number of video tracks, you can easily make a video grid that consists of 4, 9, 16 – or any other number of sections. In this tutorial, we’ll show you exactly how to make a video grid for your project, step by step. This effect is also commonly known as a video wall or a video collage. Feel free to watch the video tutorial first and then jump to the text version.

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Step 1. Create a project of the required size

Launch VSDC Video Editor on your PC and use the Blank project option to create a new project. For a 2x2 or a 3x3 video grid, we recommend using the following project settings: Full HD 1080p or UHD 4K resolution and 16:9 aspect ratio.

The footage you’ll import at the following step will automatically stretch to the aspect ratio you’ve just set up, although, ideally, you want to have videos recorded with the same settings. If most of your footage is of different aspect ratios – for example, if you have vertical videos – and you want to maintain it, feel free to use different settings for the project. Just keep in mind that your grid size calculations will differ from our example.

Step 2. Place all your footage on the timeline

The next step is to import all the footage – ideally, 4 or 9 files – to the editor. You can add it to the Resources window first or just drag everything directly to the timeline. Once ready, place video files on different tracks, one after another, and align them to the left side.

Step 3. Adjust video duration (optional)

To set the same duration for all videos in the grid, select them all on the timeline and either manually type the desired duration in the Properties window, or place the playhead at the right moment, make a cut using the razor tool at the top, and delete the unwanted parts.

Quick tip: Another bulk adjustment you can make use of is color filters. For example, if you want all the videos in the grid to be black-and-white, select them on the timeline, make a right mouse-click, and select Quick styles >> Grayscale.

Step 4. Apply the required size to videos

It’s time to start forming the grid.

Select all the videos on the timeline and head to the Properties window. Find Coordinates → Width. For a 2x2 video grid, type 960; for a 3x3 video grid, type 640. Then make a right mouse-click on the video stack right on the timeline and select Set Size → Set height in accordance with the image’s aspect ratio. Finally, drag each video to its position on the scene using mouse or arrow keyboard keys.

You might be wondering how we calculated the width of the videos for the grid. It’s simple! All you need to do is divide the scene width into the number of videos you’ll have lined up horizontally. For example, if you have 4 videos, that’ll be 2; if you have 9 videos, that’ll be 3; if you have 16 videos, that’ll be 4, and so on.

Our scene width is 1920 pixels, so 1920/2 = 960 pixels. If you have a different scene width, you’ll need to recalculate accordingly.

Quick tip. Even if some of your videos have a different resolution or aspect ratio originally, they’ll stretch to the default size of the scene when you add them to the timeline. However, if you notice that some videos have black lines on the sides, make a right mouse-click on those files and select Crop tools → Auto cropping to fix that.

Step 5. Add the outline effect (optional)

To make videos within the grid pop, consider adding a contrasting border outline. To create borders, click on any video, then open the Video effects menu, and proceed to Transparency → Borders. Next, go to the Properties window and select the following settings:

• Mode → Solid
• Position →All rect
• Border size → 3px (you can choose a smaller or a higher value, depending on how thick you want the outline to be)
• Color → White

If you’re happy with how the outline looks, copy the Border effect’s layer, double-click on the next video in the grid, and paste the effect. Repeat these steps for all the videos in the grid.

Step 6. Export your project

When you’re done editing, go to the Export project tab. If the video is intended to be watched on PCs, select PC and the desired format; if you’re planning to publish it online, select Web and the social media platform.

If you need to change the codec, resolution, framerate, or any other parameters, use the Edit profile menu under the preview window. Otherwise, leave the settings unchanged and hit Export project.

Wrapping up

Video grid is a popular effect used in music videos, TV shows, commercials, and vlogs. With a bit of imagination, you can make it look even more interesting by applying color filters, distortion effects, or by delaying the appearance or disappearance of some of the videos.

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If you’re a fan of the Matrix trilogy, like us, you’ll be thrilled to hear that the falling code effect is now available in the premium version of VSDC Video Editor. Unlike ready-made overlays, the effect is easily customizable, so you can adjust the look to your needs. For example, you can switch from letters to runes, change the color of the code, the size and speed of falling symbols, and even the depth at which they’re falling.

In this tutorial, we’ll show you how to add the Matrix effect to your video within minutes — no need for video editing or coding experience. Feel free to check the video tutorial first and jump to the text version below for a more detailed settings description.

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Step 1. Import your footage to the scene

If you’re new to VSDC, the best way to import your footage to the scene is by using the Import content button on the start screen and following the pop-up helping prompts.

This way, the editor will create a project with the same size, aspect ratio, and fps rate as in your video. Once you import the file, the video will automatically appear on the timeline, so you can start editing right away.

Step 2. Add the falling code effect to your video

To add the Matrix effect to your video, go to the Template window and type “Matrix”. Although the effect comes with several presets, for the purpose of this tutorial, we’ll use the default configuration and show you how to switch between presets later.

Drag the Matrix effect to the scene and preview the result. This is the default version of the falling code effect, and if it works for you, feel free to leave it as-is and proceed to export. Note that you can apply the same effect to a video, an image, a shape, or a piece of text.

In the following sections, we’ll show you the falling code presets and customization options.

Step 3. Customize the effect

To open the effect settings menu, double-click the footage on the timeline; then select the layer with the effect (it’s called “Matrix”) and proceed to the Properties window on the right side.

If you can’t find the Properties window, make a right-mouse-click on the effect layer and select Properties from the context menu. From there, you’ll have plenty of tools to experiment with. Some of the parameters allow you to change the overall look of the effect; others allow you to customize the look of the symbols. We’ll start with the former group of settings.

Try different presets

Effect presets come in handy if you want to quickly try different styles. For example, you may want the falling code to be black-and-white or paint it rainbow colors. Presets are available under a dropdown menu in the Properties window. Feel free to just switch between them to see how they look.

Regardless of the preset you decide to go with, you’ll be able to customize the size of the symbols, their falling and changing speed, color and brightness. We’ll have a look at each parameter in a few moments.

Adjust effect opacity

Apart from the preset menu, Adjustment settings include an important parameter called Transparency. This parameter helps you change the visibility of the effect. By default, it is set to 100% which is the maximum visibility. When you decrease the value, the lines of falling code become less opaque – as simple as that.

The cool thing about VSDC is that you can set a constant Transparency value or make it gradually change over time by using the Initial value and Final value options. For example, if we set the Initial value at 0% and leave the Final value at 100%, the effect will gradually go from being completely transparent to visible:

Keep in mind that many other effect parameters in VSDC allow you to set the initial and final values. The way they work will be the same every time: the former defines the parameter value at the beginning of the effect, and the latter defines the parameter value at the end of the effect.

Switch between Mix modes

The last parameter that changes the overall look of the effect is called Mix mode, and it’s located directly in the Matrix effect group of settings. Mix modes define how the falling code will be blended with the video or image. For example, by default, the falling code effect works as an overlay. However, if you switch to Source in, the symbols will work as a mask shaping the original image as they fall.

To preview all modes, open the dropdown menu and select them one by one:

Now, before we start talking about ways to modify symbols directly, let’s talk about the way they are layered in this effect.

Understanding layers

You may not have noticed it yet, but some lines of code are falling in the foreground (layer 1), middle ground (layer 2), and background (layer 3) of the scene. You can dissect these layers and customize the falling symbols on the layer of your choice – or even remove them from any of the layers entirely.

For example, this is what the effect looks like if we gradually remove the falling code from the background and middle ground:

Layers can help you achieve depth – especially if you’re willing to go the extra mile and adjust symbols differently on each layer.

For the purpose of this tutorial, we’ll only be working with layer 1, but keep in mind that the parameters for all three layers are identical.

Cell height and width

When you expand the Use layer 1 menu, the first two parameters are called Cell width and Cell height. Essentially, the values of these parameters define the number of symbol cells placed horizontally (width) and vertically (height). The higher the value is, the more cells there will be – and the smaller the symbols will appear.

Here is an example of what the effect looks like when you increase or decrease cell width and height values.

The smallest value you can put for these parameters is 1; the biggest value is 1024.

Symbol type

The following parameter is called symbol type, and it allows you to switch between alphabet letters and runes. In the illustrations above, we’ve used both options, so you probably got the idea by now.

Delay the effect

This option is set to True by default, and that means that the falling code effect will start appearing gradually from the top – as in the original movie intro. If you switch this option to False, code lines will be visible right away.

Max. symbol highlighting

This parameter defines how many pieces of falling code are simultaneously highlighted. The minimum value here is 0, and the maximum value is 1024. Obviously, when you choose the value for this parameter, you should keep the number of symbols(defined by cell width and height), in mind.

Here is what the effect looks like if we gradually increase the number of highlighted symbols, starting from zero:

Notice that without highlighting (if you put 0 as the value), the symbols are invisible. You can also gradually increase or decrease highlighting over time by using the initial and final values.

Falling speed

If you want to slow down or speed up the lines of code, simply tweak this parameter, as it’s pretty self-explanatory. The default value here is 100%, but you can put any value from 10% to 10000%.

Symbol change rate

Symbol change rate defines how fast symbols change within a cell. This parameter defaults to 100%, and you can use the initial and final values to make the effect more dynamic.

Brightness

Use the Brightness parameter to make code symbols brighter or darker. Values for this parameter range from -1000 to 1000, and you can make them change dynamically during the playback.

Color and opacity

Finally, it’s possible to change the color of the falling code for the selected layer and adjust the opacity of symbols as well. Just choose the desired color from the palette or use the eyedropper tool to select a color from the video.

If you’re happy with the result, head over to the Export tab and proceed to Export project. From there, you can select the social media platform your video is intended for, and adjust the quality settings if needed.

Get creative with the Matrix effect in your videos

If you’re using VSDC version 7.1 or later, the Matrix effect is already available in your video effects menu. Go ahead and try it for yourself. Remember that you can apply the falling code to the entire scene or a separate object, such as an image, a title, or even a mask. Use it for creating unique cinemagraphs, spectacular transitions, and creative overlays.

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Subtitles and captions are essential for making videos accessible, engaging, and easy to follow. They help deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers, people who watch social media videos without sound, and international audiences understand your message. VSDC Video Editor gives you a complete professional workflow for importing SRT files, creating subtitles manually, fine-tuning timing, styling the text, and exporting a polished video.

In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to add subtitles to a video in VSDC, edit subtitle text and timing, generate timeline markers from subtitle cues, customize marker settings, format the subtitle design, and export the finished video with burned-in subtitles that display consistently on any device.

Watch the video tutorial first, then use the detailed instructions below to complete the entire subtitle workflow in VSDC.

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Step 1. Add or create subtitles

VSDC lets you begin with either a ready-made SRT file or a new subtitle object created directly in the editor. First, import your video using the Import content button on the start screen. Then choose the method below that best fits your project.

If you have an SRT subtitle file

Importing an existing subtitle file is the fastest way to add professionally timed subtitles in VSDC. Use a file with the .srt extension and the standard SubRip structure.

You can create an SRT file in Notepad or use a dedicated subtitle editor, such as Open Subtitle Editor or Jubler. If you download subtitles from YouTube or another platform, check the file extension first. If the file is in VTT, SBV, or another format, convert it to SRT before importing it into VSDC.

When saving an SRT file in Notepad, select UTF-8 encoding. This helps preserve accented characters and non-Latin alphabets correctly.

Once the file is ready, click the CC button on the left-hand toolbar and select the SRT file.

In the pop-up Object position settings window, click OK. Then draw or position the subtitle area on the scene. The subtitle object will appear on the timeline, and the subtitle text will be displayed in the preview window.

If you don’t have an SRT subtitle file

VSDC also lets you create subtitles from scratch without leaving the editor. Click the CC button on the left, select Cancel when the file selection window opens, and click OK in the Object position settings window. Draw the subtitle area on the scene, then open Edit subtitles in the Properties window.

Enter the subtitles phrase by phrase using the standard SRT structure:

The first line is the subtitle sequence number. The second line contains the exact time when the subtitle appears and disappears. The third line contains the subtitle text. Leave an empty line between subtitle blocks.

Always use the standard SRT timestamp format: HH:MM:SS,mmm --> HH:MM:SS,mmm. Use two hyphens followed by the greater-than sign between the timestamps, and use a comma before milliseconds.

If a subtitle contains two lines of text, enter both lines below the timestamp before adding the empty line that separates it from the next subtitle block.

Step 2. Generate subtitle markers and adjust the timing

VSDC can automatically generate timeline markers from subtitle cues. Each marker identifies the beginning of a subtitle phrase, giving you precise visual reference points for synchronizing video clips, audio, animations, transitions, and effects with the narration.

To generate the markers, select the subtitle object on the timeline and open the Properties window on the right. Then click Add markers. The result will look like this:

Edit subtitle text or timing and regenerate the markers

If a subtitle appears too early or too late, or if the text is incorrect, select the subtitle object and open Edit subtitles in the Properties window.

To correct the text, select the required subtitle phrase and type the new text. To change the timing, find the moments when the subtitle should appear and disappear, then update the timestamps in the subtitle editor. You can use the time indicator in the upper-left corner of the timeline to identify the required position.

Keep the standard SRT format when editing timestamps: HH:MM:SS,mmm --> HH:MM:SS,mmm. Otherwise, the subtitle cue may not be displayed correctly.

When you have finished editing, click OK. If markers have already been generated, click Add markers again so that the timeline markup reflects the updated subtitle timing.

Customize individual subtitle markers

In addition to changing marker positions through subtitle timestamps, you can change marker colors, assign names, add comments, select marker types, and configure marker visibility. Double-click the subtitle layer, then double-click the marker you want to edit.

Using the Marker settings window, you can:

• Name the marker
• Add a comment to the marker
• Change the marker color
• Change the marker type
• Change the marker visibility

The first three options make markers easier to identify. The marker name and comment appear when you hover over the marker on the timeline. To keep the name visible, enable Show name in timeline. A custom marker color makes the marker easier to recognize across the timeline levels where it is visible.

The Marker type option allows you to use selected markers for splitting the exported project into separate files. Change a marker from Comment marker to Segmentation marker. During export, enable Split by markers, and VSDC will create multiple video files according to the segmentation markers.

The marker editing menu also includes the Visibility area setting. It determines the timeline levels where the marker, its name, and its comments are visible.

There are three visibility levels:

• Visible on all scopes — the marker is visible on all timeline levels
• Visible in self scope and child object — the marker is visible on the current level and all levels below it
• Visible only in self scope — the marker is visible only on the current level

For example, if you choose Visible on all scopes, you can return to the main timeline tab and still see the marker above the timeline.

With the other two options, the markup remains limited to the subtitle layer or its related child levels.

Step 3. Format the subtitles

VSDC provides flexible professional controls for designing subtitles that remain clear and consistent throughout the video. Select the subtitle object on the timeline and use the Editor tab and the Properties window to adjust the subtitle area and configure the following parameters:

• Font family, style, and size
• Text color and opacity
• Outline color and thickness
• Horizontal and vertical alignment
• Text position within the subtitle area
• Line spacing and other paragraph settings
• Subtitle background and background color

Keep the subtitle area inside the visible frame and preview several cues before export. The text should remain readable over both bright and dark parts of the video. A contrasting outline or background can improve readability when the footage changes frequently.

For more advanced styling and animation, right-click the subtitle object on the timeline and select Convert to text. VSDC will turn every subtitle cue into an editable text object, allowing you to apply professional text effects, animate individual phrases, and fine-tune each object separately.

Step 4. Export a polished MP4 video with subtitles

When the subtitle text, timing, and formatting are ready, preview the project from beginning to end. VSDC renders the subtitle object directly into the video image during export, creating burned-in or hardcoded subtitles. This approach ensures that your subtitles display consistently on any device or media player without requiring a separate subtitle file or player-specific settings.

To export the project, open the Export Project tab on the ribbon. Select PC or Web as the target device and choose MP4 as the output format. Then select a suitable profile for the required resolution and quality.

Check the Input file and Output file parameters at the bottom of the window. Use Change name if you need to select another output folder or filename. For more detailed control over the codec, resolution, frame rate, bitrate, and audio settings, click Edit profile.

When the settings are ready, click Export Project on the ribbon to start rendering. After the process is complete, open the MP4 file and check several subtitle cues to make sure the text is readable and synchronized correctly. For more information about export profiles, see the VSDC project export guide.

Create professional subtitles with VSDC

VSDC brings the complete subtitle workflow into one powerful video editor: import SRT files, create subtitles manually, adjust timing with precision, generate timeline markers, customize text design, apply effects, and export a finished MP4 with burned-in subtitles. Whether you are producing social media videos, tutorials, presentations, interviews, or international content, VSDC gives you the tools to create accessible, polished, and professional-looking results for free.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do I change the font, size, and color of subtitles in VSDC?

Select the subtitle object on the timeline, open the Properties window, and find the Subtitle object settings section. VSDC gives you full control over the font, size, text and outline colors, alignment, text position, and subtitle background.

2. How do I match SRT timestamps with the VSDC timeline?

Open the editor settings using the gear icon in the upper-right corner, go to Editor options, and set Timeline time format to hh:mm:ss:ms. This makes it easier to match timeline positions with subtitle timing, while the SRT file continues to use the standard HH:MM:SS,mmm --> HH:MM:SS,mmm format.

3. How do I add a shadow to subtitles in VSDC?

Duplicate the subtitle object, place the copy on a layer below the original, choose the desired shadow color, and offset its position slightly. For more precise control, apply Video effects > Transforms > Skew to adjust the shadow angle and displacement.

4. How do I animate subtitle characters one by one in VSDC?

Right-click the subtitle object on the timeline and select Convert to text. VSDC will convert every subtitle cue into an editable text object, giving you access to text effects and character animation controls. More information is available in the VSDC text effects tutorial.

5. How does VSDC include subtitles in an exported MP4?

VSDC renders the subtitle object directly into the video image during export. This creates burned-in subtitles that display consistently in the finished MP4 on any device or media player without requiring a separate subtitle file.

Ready to improve your videos with professional subtitles? Download VSDC Free Video Editor and start creating. For product questions, email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or send us a message on Facebook.

Even if you shoot your videos on a smartphone, sometimes you may need to edit them on your PC before publishing. That is especially relevant if you want to add advanced-level effects or use the same footage for different Instagram video types.

To help you out, we’ve created a guide to adapting any footage to a perfect Instagram video size using VSDC, free video editor for Windows PC. VSDC is great for minor video alterations as well as professional video production, color correction, and special FX – and most importantly, it leaves no watermark on your videos after export.

The editor provides convenient, pre-configured profiles for Instagram, so there’s no need to manually adjust the width and height of the video.

Let’s go ahead and see how to quickly resize a video for Instagram feed, Instagram stories, Reels, and IGTV.

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How to apply correct Instagram video size

The easiest way to resize video for Instagram on PC is by creating a blank project for Instagram. This way, your footage will automatically adjust to the Instagram aspect ratio requirements. Here is how it works.

Step 1. Create a blank project

Launch VSDC on your computer and hit Blank project to create a new, custom-sized project. In the pop-up settings window, select Instagram and open the Resolution menu to see your options.

Depending on the type of publication you’re creating, you should consider the following dimensions:

• Video for Instagram feed – 4:5 or 1:1 (max. 1080x1080 or 1080x1350)
• Video for Instagram stories, Reels, and IGTV – 9:16 (max. 1080x1920)

Notice that for all three resolutions – vertical, square, and landscape – different options are available. As a rule of thumb, you want to choose the highest quality to keep the best look of the video.

When you’re done, hit Finish.

Step 2. Import your video

Once you’ve opened the scene, import your video using the Add object menu or the toolset on the left-hand side. Notice that the video will be placed within the resolution you selected previously. This means that the gaps between the scene size and the video size will be filled with the background color.

By default, the background color is black, but you can change it in the pop-up settings window at the first step.

Step 3. Resize the video

At this point, you have two options. You can either export the video “as is" (with gaps) or resize it to fit the size of the scene. In the former case, proceed to the Export tab and save your movie. In the latter case, hit the Crop button and select Custom region.

In the pop-up cropping window, proceed to Set size in accordance with the scene’s aspect ratio ➝ Set the maximum size. Notice that the resizing frame is interactive, and you can shift it to make sure the framing is right.

Once you’re happy with framing, hit OK.

Step 4. Export your video

If you’re ready to export the video, go to the Export project tab and hit Export project to start conversion. Notice that your project parameters are already selected: it’s the profile configuration you’ve set at the beginning. However, you can still adjust the profile using the options in the dropdown menu.

And that’s it! This way, you’ll be able to quickly resize your video for Instagram feed, stories, IGTV, and Reels.

What are the recommended Instagram video settings?

The general requirements for all Instagram videos are:

• MP4 format (also known as MPEG-4)
• H.264 codec
• 30 fps (frames per second)
• 1080px maximum width

A lower 600px width resolution is acceptable, but of course, it would worsen the viewing experience for your audience. Remember that Instagram is the most visual social media platform, and striving for quality pays off, especially if you’re using it to promote your brand or blog.

For the best Instagram video dimensions and aspect ratio, you have a couple of options.

For a regular feed post, you can use any aspect ratio between 1.91:1 (Landscape mode) and 4:5 (Portrait mode) . Obviously, the latter is more efficient if you want to grab the attention of your followers because it takes more space on a smartphone screen. The best Instagram video dimensions here will be 1080 x 1350 and 864 x 1080 pixels. If you didn’t use the vertical mode to shoot the video though, it might be better to choose the good old square aspect ratio (1:1). In that case, the 1080 x 1080 is the way to go.

For Stories and Reels, the ideal aspect ratio is 9:16 or 1080 x 1920 pixels. This is a vertical-only space and, ideally, you’ll need to shoot in a portrait mode to make the video look authentic.

Finally, for IGTV, you can either upload a vertical video with a 9:16 aspect ratio, or a horizontal video with an aspect ratio of 16:9. But keep in mind that when an IGTV video is watched in the feed, it’s loaded in a portrait mode, so vertical orientation wins again.

Bonus. How to quickly cut a video into parts for Instagram

If your video is longer than the allowed maximum, you can quickly split the video file into parts with the desired duration. This is especially relevant if you’re planning to publish a sequence of videos for Instagram Stories or a carousel.

The easiest way to split the file before export is by using markers. While in the Editor tab, place the playhead where you want to split the file and select the marker tool. In the pop-up window, switch to Segmentation marker and hit OK.

Following the same steps, create as many markers, as you need. Once ready, switch to the Export project tab and open Additional settings. Check the box “By markers" and uncheck the box “Join scenes to single".

Proceed to export the project. The video will be saved into multiple files based on the markers you’ve created. And since you can now upload videos to Instagram from a desktop, all you need to do is open your account in the browser and upload files.

Final tips on posting Instagram videos

Applying the right Instagram video size isn’t that tricky, as long as you understand the dimensions and framing. Here are the final recommendations before you jump to working with your content:

• make sure your video is in MP4 format. If it’s in a different format, use a video converter.
• keep in mind that Instagram may compress the quality of your video. To maintain the highest quality, pay attention to your camera settings and use lossless file transfer solutions.
• use subtitles where applicable. Remember that most people scroll through the feed with sound off, so create text insertions if your message loses its clarity when muted.

Finally, consider using social media management software for scheduling Instagram publications. Not only does it save time, but it also allows you to conveniently post right from your desktop. If you’ve never heard of social media management tools, Buffer and Hootsuite are great tools to start.

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