Common ClipFlow questions, answered.

ClipFlow is an iPhone and iPad media editor with 34 focused home capabilities for video, audio, frame extraction, sound filters, masks, adding or covering watermarks, chapter progress bars, captions, video elements, conversion, speech, and automatic face redaction, plus a local Media Info inspector. It avoids a heavyweight timeline for small jobs such as extracting still photos from a video, stacking two videos for a comparison, covering a fixed visible watermark, converting a video or audio format, joining audio with separate gaps and optional silence at the start and end, adding a reusable text watermark, creating a video mask, changing a recording with a sound filter, trimming a clip, extracting its audio, adding subtitles, creating a GIF, or changing the frame.

See the complete feature guide directory for every workflow and inspector.

Tap the star on a tool’s media-selection introduction to add or remove it from Favorites. Use the Favorites filter on Home to show only saved tools. If Favorites is empty, add tools from its empty state; you can also add or remove any tool in Settings > Manage Favorites. Text to Speech does not show the media-selection introduction, so add it from the empty state or Settings.

You can choose compatible media from Photos or Files, open a feature from inside ClipFlow, use an App Shortcut or deep link, or send selected content to ClipFlow from the iOS or iPadOS share sheet. After a shared import opens the app, ClipFlow shows the tools that accept that media.

Yes. Select a video with an audio track from Photos and ClipFlow adds its sound to the Join Audio sequence automatically. The audio track is read on your device, silent videos are rejected, video frames are not included, and the result is an audio-only M4A file.

To create a separate audio file from one video instead, watch the Extract Audio tutorial.

Yes. Select a video with an audio track, turn on Audio Only, choose a trim mode and range, and ClipFlow creates an audio file without the video picture. Pure audio files open in the same tool and produce audio automatically.

See the audio trimming guide for the complete one-step workflow.

Yes. Open Frame Extraction and move through a video one frame at a time. When replacing the video, keep the existing frames to combine several sources in one collection, or clear them and start over. You can keep up to 30 still photos, preview or delete them, save the whole set to Photos, or send at least two photos directly to Photo Slideshow.

The 30-photo cap is a ClipFlow v1 limit for one workspace, not a published iOS per-save maximum. Apple does not publish a fixed numeric limit for one PhotoKit save request. See the frame extraction guide for the full workflow.

No. ClipFlow creates a new result and leaves the source file unchanged. You decide whether to save that result to Photos, Files, iCloud Drive, external storage, or another app.

Usually, yes. The Continue Processing menu shows the tools that accept the generated result. A video result can continue into compatible video workflows, an audio result into audio workflows, and a subtitle result can continue into Burn In Subtitles. Frame Extraction can send a set of at least two saved photos directly to Photo Slideshow. Terminal outputs such as a Live Photo do not offer the usual media follow-up menu.

See how that terminal result is created in the Video to Live Photo tutorial.

Yes. Each tool has its own small set of controls for one outcome. You can trim, adjust a canvas by cropping or adding background space, convert a video or audio format, extract audio, pick still frames from a video, inspect media information, create a GIF, add a timer, or perform another focused task without first arranging a multi-track project.

Each page in the Feature guides directory explains the required input, important settings, output type, Pro status, processing behavior, and compatible follow-up actions.

When a video tutorial is available, it appears directly in the related feature guide.

Do not assume every generated media result is a lossless stream copy. When Audio / Video Trim creates a compatible video and only changes the time range, ClipFlow prioritizes passthrough, so Export Quality does not trigger re-encoding. Audio Only instead creates a new M4A / AAC audio result without encoding video frames. When pixels must be rendered again, Settings → Export Quality chooses Highest Quality, High Quality, or Balanced. Compress Video keeps its own independent levels. The preservation setting can prefer the same codec family and HDR where supported.

Media Info can copy the original file without re-encoding it, while Speech → Subtitles creates a text result instead of re-encoding the source media.

Tools that change the picture, timing, layout, or size render or encode a new result. These include Join Videos, Video Collage, Stacked Videos, Speed Control, Reverse Video, Fade In / Out, Adjust Canvas, Filter & Adjust, Video Mosaic, Automatic Face Redaction, Video Overlays, Video Mask, Device Frames, Rotate / Flip, Burn In Subtitles, Add Timer, Chapter Progress Bar, and Compress Video.

Adjust Canvas renders either the selected crop or the complete source over its chosen background into the new frame. Video → GIF, Video → Live Photo, and Media Format Conversion create a new output format, so they also perform conversion work. A compatible Audio / Video Trim video output can use passthrough when only its time range changes; otherwise ClipFlow uses the applicable high-quality export path.

Audio / Video Trim creates audio-only M4A / AAC when the input is pure audio or Audio Only is enabled for a video with sound. Extract Audio and Join Audio also create audio-only results. These paths do not encode video frames, but their audio output is still newly encoded. Join Audio likewise leaves video frames out when it receives a video from Photos. Remove Audio, Add Music, and Beep / Censor create a new video through ClipFlow’s high-quality export path. Even when the picture looks unchanged, those video results should not be described as passthrough copies.

Copy-only or text results can finish quickly, while generated video and audio results use Apple export or conversion paths. Audio-only extraction often has less data to process than a full video render, but it still creates a new M4A / AAC result. Actual time also depends on the source duration, resolution, frame rate, codec, HDR format, selected effect, device performance, device temperature, and available storage.

A ten-minute 4K or HDR video normally takes more work than a ten-second 1080p clip, even when both use the same tool. The progress indicator is the best guide for the current file and device.

Duration is only one factor. High resolution, high frame rate, HDR, a difficult codec, several source tracks, complex overlays, reverse processing, and thermal throttling can make a short clip computationally expensive. Cloud-hosted source files may also need to download before local processing begins.

A copy-only result does not add another generation of encoding. A rendered edit creates a new encoded result, so the exact quality depends on the source, selected workflow, and Apple media frameworks. In Settings, Highest Quality uses source-aware encoding and a source-like bitrate when supported; High Quality uses a smaller but still detail-focused target; Balanced uses the compatible system export choice. Higher settings can create larger files and take longer, and no re-encode can recreate detail already missing from the source. Compress Video intentionally keeps separate size-first controls, while GIF has the color and frame-rate limits of the GIF format.

File size depends on duration, dimensions, frame rate, codec, bitrate, audio, output format, and the Export Quality setting. Highest Quality can stay near or above a high-bitrate source when the workflow supports source-aware encoding; High Quality and Balanced generally produce smaller results. Joining videos or audio makes a longer file, and configured gaps or silence at either edge of joined audio add to its duration. Compress Video deliberately uses its own smaller-file controls. GIF can be unexpectedly large because it is not as efficient as modern video codecs.

Watch the video compression tutorial.

ClipFlow uses Apple media frameworks plus a bundled local encoder for MP3 output. Media Format Conversion exports compatible video as MP4, MOV, or M4V, and compatible audio as AAC, M4A, MP3, WAV, AIFF, or CAF. A video with an audio track can also create one of those audio outputs; audio-only input does not create video. Compatible AAC and MP3 can both be imported and exported. MP3 encoding runs entirely on the device. Sources Apple cannot decode—including unsupported MKV combinations—are not offered.

Other workflows also create individual still photos, GIF, SRT, ASS, TXT, and Live Photo results. Exact availability depends on the source file, device, operating system, codec, container, and selected workflow.

By default, “Preserve Encoding and HDR” is enabled in Settings. When the selected workflow, source, output container, device, and Apple media frameworks support the combination, ClipFlow prefers an export path that keeps the source codec family—such as H.264 or HEVC—and HDR characteristics.

This is a best-effort preference, not a passthrough guarantee: most edits still decode and encode a new video, and an unsupported combination may use another codec or SDR. Dolby Vision dynamic metadata, bit depth, color metadata, bitrate, and other advanced properties may also change, so the result is not guaranteed to match the original file. Trying to retain HEVC or HDR may make some exports take longer. Check the generated result before deleting or moving the source. Turning the preference off restores the standard automatic export choice, although workflows with dedicated HDR handling may still produce HDR.

Keep enough free storage for the source, temporary work, and final result; let a cloud-hosted source finish downloading; keep ClipFlow available while it processes; and avoid overheating the device. For a very large job, trimming unused time first can reduce the work required by later frame-rendering tools.

Monthly Pro renews each month and Yearly Pro renews each year until canceled. Lifetime Pro is a separate one-time purchase that permanently unlocks Pro for the purchasing account. All three unlock the same Pro feature set while the entitlement is active—or permanently for Lifetime Pro.

Eleven tools currently require Pro:

• Photo Slideshow
• Video Collage
• Stacked Videos
• Video Mosaic
• Automatic Face Redaction
• Video Overlays
• Video Mask
• Device Frames
• Video → Live Photo
• Burn In Subtitles, including AI subtitle translation
• Audio Effects

AI mode in Text to Speech also requires Pro, while System mode remains available without Pro. Speed Control is not Pro-only: Overall, Local, and audio Pause modes are free, while video Curve mode requires Pro. Video Watermark is not a Pro-only tool: fixed static watermarks are free, while its motion presets require Pro. Chapter Progress Bar is also not Pro-only: static styles and time layouts are free, while animated styles and chapters require Pro. Speech → Subtitles is also not entirely Pro-only: Apple on-device system recognition and Whisper Tiny are free. Downloading or using Whisper Base, X-ASR Chinese-English, and Whisper Small requires Pro. A previously installed Whisper Large V3 Turbo also remains Pro-only until it is deleted.

The other 23 home capabilities can be opened without a Pro unlock: Audio / Video Trim, Join Audio, Join Videos, Speed Control, Reverse Video, Fade In / Out, Adjust Canvas, Rotate / Flip, Compress Video, Filter & Adjust, Remove Video Watermark, Video Watermark, Add Timer, Chapter Progress Bar, Frame Extraction, Video → GIF, Media Format Conversion, Extract Audio, Remove Audio, Beep / Censor, Add Music, Speech → Subtitles, and Text to Speech in System mode. The auxiliary Media Info inspector is also included without Pro. Speed Control includes free Overall, Local, and audio Pause modes; video Curve mode requires Pro. Remove Video Watermark uses manually placed fixed regions with edge-extended blur. Video Watermark includes free static placement, while its motion presets require Pro. Chapter Progress Bar includes static styles and time layouts; animated styles and chapters require Pro. Within Speech → Subtitles, free access covers Apple on-device system recognition and Whisper Tiny; its other three downloadable models require Pro.

No. There is no feature tier between Monthly, Yearly, and Lifetime Pro. The difference is the billing period and whether access renews or is permanent.

Eligible first-time users may receive a three-day free trial with a Monthly or Yearly subscription. Apple determines eligibility and shows the exact trial end date and renewal terms before purchase. Lifetime Pro is a one-time purchase, not a subscription trial.

Yes. Monthly and Yearly Pro are part of the auto-renewable subscription choices, and you can manage a plan change through Apple’s subscription controls. Apple determines when the new billing period and price take effect and shows those details during the change.

Lifetime Pro takes effect permanently, but Apple does not automatically cancel the existing Monthly or Yearly subscription. The remaining subscription value is not credited toward the Lifetime price. After buying Lifetime Pro, open Apple’s subscription settings and turn off the existing subscription’s auto-renewal if you no longer want it to renew.

Subscriptions are billed and managed by Apple. Open iOS or iPadOS Settings, tap your Apple Account, choose Subscriptions, select ClipFlow, and use Apple’s available management options. Deleting ClipFlow does not by itself cancel an active subscription.

Use Restore Purchases inside ClipFlow while signed in with the Apple purchasing account. Eligible active subscriptions and the Lifetime Pro purchase can be restored through StoreKit. A pending, refunded, revoked, expired, or different-account purchase may not unlock Pro.

No. AI mode in Text to Speech is an online Pro service and remains subject to the character limit shown in its editor, daily service quota, entitlement verification, availability, and content-safety rules. Local Pro editing tools do not use that AI voice quota.

No. Each Apple purchasing account can make up to 20 subtitle translation requests per Beijing day across its devices. Switching to a completed translation cached in the current workspace does not make another API request or use the quota.

Prices and currencies vary by App Store region, so the in-app Apple purchase sheet is the source of truth. Apple handles billing, receipts, subscription management, and refund requests; ClipFlow does not receive your card number or Apple Account password.

Most media editing, inspection, and export happens on your device. Frame Extraction, Media Format Conversion, Speech to Subtitles, and Automatic Face Redaction analysis run on the device, and Audio Effects uploads neither the source recording nor the result. AI mode in Text to Speech sends the entered text and selected voice to ClipFlow's service and Xiaomi MiMo, with necessary pseudonymous entitlement and technical identifiers used for generation and verification. AI translation in Burn In Subtitles sends only subtitle text. Video, audio, subtitle timecodes, and subtitle styling are not included in either request. Files otherwise leave the app only when you choose an external destination or online service.

Personal dictionary entries and replacement settings are stored in ClipFlow’s local app preferences on your device. The dictionary is not uploaded as a separate dataset. You can view, add, edit, or delete entries in Settings > Personal Dictionary; uninstalling ClipFlow also normally removes them with the app sandbox. If you later request AI subtitle translation, the current subtitle text is handled under the separate AI translation rules.

After you start analysis, Automatic Face Redaction uses Apple Vision on your device to detect and track visual face regions. It does not identify people, attach names, or compare faces with an identity database.

Automated analysis can miss a region or drift. Uncovered intervals remain unchanged in the generated video, so inspect the selected range and tracks, then review the result before sharing it or deleting the source. When you choose the custom image effect, select one still photo; animated images are not supported.

On iOS 17 or later, Speech → Subtitles needs internet access when you choose to download one or more of its four OpenASR models. Individual downloads range from about 63 MB to 303 MB. ClipFlow checks OpenASR’s signed catalog and may download from OpenASR, Hugging Face, an HF mirror, or a Hugging Face CDN; the request contains no media or subtitle content, and recognition then runs fully on device with only the selected model loaded. AI mode in Text to Speech, AI subtitle translation, Pro purchase verification, and files stored in iCloud Drive or another cloud provider may also require internet access.

Whisper Tiny Q8 is the lightest choice at about 63 MB; Whisper Base Q8 is the recommended 108 MB default; X-ASR Chinese-English Q8 is a focused 176 MB option for Chinese and English; and Whisper Small Q8 raises the quality profile at about 303 MB. Their OpenASR upstream isolated-process peak-memory references are about 275 MB, 405 MB, 549 MB, and 1.01 GB respectively. Tiny, Base/X-ASR, and Small have relative speed ratings of 5, 4, and 3 out of 5 based on OpenASR’s M1 CPU benchmark; these are comparison figures, not guaranteed iPhone or iPad results.

Apple on-device system recognition and Whisper Tiny are free. Downloading or using Whisper Base, X-ASR, and Whisper Small requires Pro. You can install more than one, switch the active model, and delete models you no longer need. Users who installed Whisper Large V3 Turbo in an earlier version can continue using it with Pro or delete it; it is no longer offered for download and disappears after deletion. If Pro expires, downloaded Pro models cannot be selected or used but remain available to delete. ClipFlow loads only the active model for a recognition job. Every downloadable choice supports Chinese and English; the three Whisper downloads also support Japanese and other languages.

No. Text to Speech has System and AI modes in one workspace. System mode uses voices made available through Apple’s system speech capabilities and does not send its text to ClipFlow’s AI voice service. AI mode is the Pro online option.

ClipFlow does not request camera permission. It requests microphone permission only after you open Audio Effects and actively tap to start a recording. Selecting audio files or video soundtracks for Add Music, and generating subtitles from existing media, do not require microphone permission. If you deny microphone access, you can still use Audio Effects with imported media.

Photos selection lets you choose media, while Photos add permission lets you save generated photos, videos, GIFs, or Live Photos. Speech to Subtitles requests system speech-recognition permission only when you choose Apple on-device system recognition. OpenASR needs no such permission, and neither recognition method requests microphone access. The separate microphone permission is requested only when you actively start recording in Audio Effects.

ClipFlow may create local stabilized copies, export caches, share-import files, intermediate results, and an unfiltered M4A source when you record in Audio Effects. A recording you discard or replace is deleted locally; one you use remains in app-managed temporary storage only as needed for the current workspace and cache lifecycle. The app clears files it manages at appropriate points, such as after share import, when a workspace ends, or when expired caches are cleaned. Saved Video Watermark templates remain in local app preferences until you delete them from watermark history or uninstall ClipFlow. Downloaded speech-recognition models are stored separately on your device until you delete them individually from Speech to Subtitles settings or uninstall ClipFlow. Files you save to Photos, Files, iCloud Drive, or another app remain there until you delete them from that destination.

ClipFlow relies on media formats and codecs that Apple’s frameworks can read on the current device. Media Format Conversion adds a bundled local encoder only for MP3 output, not a general-purpose codec stack; unsupported MKV combinations remain unavailable. AAC and MP3 can both be imported when Apple can decode them, and both are available as audio output targets. MP3 encoding stays entirely on the device. If another source and output combination is not compatible, ClipFlow may omit the tool or output option, or report that the export cannot be created.

Read the complete English Privacy Policy. Simplified Chinese and Japanese versions are linked from that page.