This content originally appeared on Envato Tuts+ Tutorials and was authored by Andrew Childress
You have a dilemma. You want thunderstorm lightning effects for your next CapCut video. But what are you supposed to do, stand outside in a storm? That’s dangerous - and fortunately, totally unnecessary. With CapCut's lightning effects in just a few taps.
In this tutorial, I’m going to show you how to quickly add lightning effects in CapCut. At the touch of a button, you can add dramatic lightning volts to any video clip. And you can do it from anywhere.
Ready to learn lightning effects in CapCut? Let’s dive in and get started!
Why add lightning effects to videos in CapCut?
Besides keeping yourself out of bad weather, what are the benefits of adding lightning effects to a video? And why is CapCut a good tool to use for this purpose? In fact, there are several key benefits that you should keep in mind.
Consider this:
- You can set a dramatic mood. There’s nothing quite like lightning to build drama. Use it in your videos to build suspense and heighten a sense of anticipation.
- You’ll grab audience attention - fast. Lightning bolts aren’t too common in videos - a benefit for you. They’re a great way to grab and hold viewers’ attention. In the age of rapid-fire social media videos, this is more important than ever.
- You can enhance stories with lightning visuals. Lightning bolts are a compelling storytelling tool. Add them to a haunted house video, for example. Or use them as an illustration if you’re making an educational video about the weather. The possibilities are endless.
- CapCut is free, flexible, and intuitive. CapCut is free to use, and simple to navigate. You can add studio-grade visuals like lightning effects in seconds, even from your mobile phone.
It’s clear: the benefits are many. Let’s learn how to give your CapCut video the dramatic lightning effects it deserves, step by step.
How to quickly add lightning effects in CapCut (step by step)
I’ll walk through these brief tutorial steps using CapCut on an Apple iPhone. Are you an Android user? No sweat - jump over to the Google Play Store and download CapCut from there. And if you like editing on your computer, macOS and Windows versions of CapCut are available too.
You’ll see this stock video clip in use. It comes from the Envato Elements stock footage library, if you want to follow along.
1. Find and open CapCut’s effects panel
In CapCut, lightning bolts are grouped under Effects. Effects are creative visual styles that you can add atop existing video footage. To add lightning effects, we’ll begin by finding CapCut’s Effects panel. It’s where all such effects are stored.
Open a CapCut project, or create a new one. When you do, you’ll be on CapCut’s Edit view. At the top, you’ll see a real-time video preview. As you make edits and add lightning effects, they will appear on this preview instantly.
Below the preview is the Timeline. With the Timeline, you can control the placement and duration of effects. We’ll explore that in more detail in step #3.
Finally, look to the bottom of your CapCut window to find the toolbar menu. This is a row of buttons that launch CapCut’s editing and style features. Once again, you’ll want Effects here. Tap Effects, then choose Video effects to open the panel.
2. Search lightning effect options and apply a favorite
You’ll see CapCut’s Effects gallery launch. You can browse through tabs that group effects by category. But since we want lightning effects specifically here, there’s a quick shortcut.
Tap into the Search box at the top of the Effects gallery. Type Lightning, and then press Search. What you’ll now see is a curated collection of all lightning effect options in CapCut. Each one has its own thumbnail. Notice that each thumbnail previews the individual effect in real time.
Find a CapCut lightning effect that you want to use? Tap its thumbnail. Watch the preview above: the effect is added and displays right away! When you’ve made your choice, close out of the Effects gallery by tapping Cancel, and then pressing the Checkmark icon. Your lightning effect is in place.
3. Control the duration for maximum impact
You’re now back on CapCut’s main Edit view. Look to the Timeline, below the video preview. You can see your lightning effect in place. It shows up as a purple bar underneath your video clip.
Your last adjustment is to the timing and duration of your lightning effect. Want to change when it starts? Want to shorten it, or make it cover your entire video? Easy.
To do that, tap once on the lightning effect on the Timeline. This selects the effect. Notice that now, there are white handles on each end of the effect. Pull these left or right with your finger to shorten or lengthen the effect.
You can also use them to adjust when it starts and finishes. This gives you complete creative control over the appearance of your CapCut lightning effects.
Learn more about CapCut and how it works (top tutorials for 2024)
CapCut has no shortage of tools and features to edit amazing videos. If this tutorial has piqued your interest, you’ve come to the right place.
Here at Envato Tuts+, we have a growing library of CapCut tutorials. If you want to learn more or build some new skills, turn to these trending favorites:
How to quickly add transitions in CapCut
CapCut: How to Quickly Use Green Screen (Chroma Key)
How to Quickly Use CapCut for Video Editing (Tutorial, 2025)
How to Quickly Remove a CapCut Watermark
How safe is it to use CapCut? Is CapCut safe for kids?
How to create picture-in-picture videos in CapCut
Explore CapCut’s Lightning Effects Today
In this tutorial, you learned how to add and edit lightning effects quickly with CapCut! When you want to add an eye-catching effect that stands out in your viewer's timeline, think of this one.
These striking visuals are easy to add, and they’re a great way to wow your audience. And thanks to CapCut’s mobile app, you can add and edit them from anywhere, to any video.
This content originally appeared on Envato Tuts+ Tutorials and was authored by Andrew Childress
Andrew Childress | Sciencx (2024-07-29T09:36:10+00:00) How to quickly add lightning effects in CapCut. Retrieved from https://www.scien.cx/2024/07/29/how-to-quickly-add-lightning-effects-in-capcut/
Please log in to upload a file.
There are no updates yet.
Click the Upload button above to add an update.