Snapchat’s new Quick Cut feature: How to Turn Your Photos into Viral Videos

Convert up to 10 photos or videos into a beat-synced clip instantly using Quick Cut.

Image: Snapchat

If you just open the camera roll and found some picture Memories and random video clips from your vacations, you might have felt overwhelmed by the thought of editing them into something shareable. But now you don’t need to switch the app, as Snapchat just introduced a new Quick Cut feature to turn favorite Memories into beat-synced videos in seconds.

Today, the parent company Snap just rolled out a new feature which will “helps Snapchatters turn their favorite Memories into beat-synced, ready-to-share videos in seconds.” Snapchat allows you to easily access this feature either directly from your camera roll or even from Spotlight. This feature will be very beneficial for those like me who want to automate their video generation from just captures within seconds.

The Quick Cut is basically a Lens-powered video creation tool, which will single-handedly manage the heavy editing task by itself. This new tool effectively uses new advanced beat technology which will automatically stitch your Memories—either photos or videos—into one, and also timing the transitions perfectly to the rhythm of a background track.

This is not like a video generation tool which is directed by you as a manual director timing the transitions perfectly to the rhythm of a background track; this is like an AI video editor. This new tool seems to be a direct competitor to TikTok AutoCut or Instagram templates. Snapchat’s Quick Cut is like an AI video editor directly in your pocket. Now the question in every Snapchatter's mind is how to use Quick Cut to convert your Memories into videos.

Turn photos into viral clips instantly using Snapchat’s Quick Cut beat-sync and Retro Film lens. Gif: Snapchat

The beauty of Quick Cut is its simplicity. You don't need to be a professional videographer to get a polished result. Here are the simple steps you just need to follow:

1. Swipe up from the main camera screen to access your Memories. You can also access Quick Cut from your device's Camera Roll within the Snapchat app.
2. Tap and hold to select the photos and video clips you want to include. You can only add up to 10 photos or videos.
3. Now pick the template and an appropriate song for your videos. And just click next. Your video is now ready to share.
4. Once you are happy with the preview, you can post it directly to Spotlight (Snapchat’s public entertainment feed) or your Story.

But one thing you need to consider is that the video generation from the new Quick Cut does not guarantee or automatically make your videos viral. You just need to follow the viral trends so that the users do not scroll past your Spotlight.

• Ensure your very first clip is your strongest. If you are making a travel recap, don't start with a photo of your plane ticket, start with the cliff diving video.
• Choose Your Audio Wisely. Quick Cut will suggest music, but it often defaults to what is generally popular.
• Don't Ignore the Caption. Even with a great video, context is king. Use the text overlay tool after the Quick Cut generation is done to add context.

This new feature is now available for iOS users only, but Snapchat is promising to expand to more surfaces and Android devices soon.