How to Use Auto Edit in PowerDirector

Q: Can I keep editing the cut Auto Edit makes?

You can keep editing. Export saves the cut as it stands. Add to Timeline drops the whole thing into PowerDirector's main timeline as ordinary clips, with the full toolset available. Even without leaving Auto Edit, you can swap the opening template. You can also fix any clip in the strip with the tools above the preview: Replace Media , Select Range , Crop / Rotate , Text , and Volume .

Hand PowerDirector a folder of raw clips and get back a trimmed, timed cut that's ready to post.

Updated Oct. 16, 2026 · 4 min read

In a hurry? Use the Auto Edit quick guide instead.

PowerDirector's Auto Edit turns a folder of clips and photos into a short video you can share. AI picks the highlights, trims them to fit the length you set, and adds background music matched to your footage. You get a finished draft you can export as is or keep editing.

⚡ Quick Answer: How to Use Auto Edit in 8 Steps

Open Auto Edit from the GenAI menu in PowerDirector.
Click Import Media to add your clips and photos.
Drag the clips into the order you want, then click Next.
Choose 16:9 or 9:16 under Aspect Ratio.
Set a Target video length, or choose Auto.
Pick a Video theme, then click Create.
Check the cut, then restyle it with a template or fix a clip if you need to.
Click Export. Or click Add to Timeline to keep editing in the full editor.

Steps to Use Auto Edit

Prefer to watch? CyberLink's video walkthrough covers Auto Edit as part of the wider editing workflow. Or follow the written steps below.

Step 1: Open Auto Edit

Open Auto Edit from the GenAI menu at the top of the window. Or click it on the launcher PowerDirector shows at startup. Auto Edit is currently only in the Windows version of PowerDirector 365.

The GenAI menu open in PowerDirector, with Auto Edit highlighted in the Video section. — GenAI, then Video, then Auto Edit.

Step 2: Import Your Clips and Photos

Auto Edit opens on an empty panel. Click Import Media at the top left to add your clips and photos. Or drag the files straight onto the dashed area in the middle.

Auto Edit takes up to 100 clips, or 3 hours and 20 minutes of footage in total.

Empty Auto Edit window with the Import Media button and the drag and drop area highlighted — Use the Import Media button, or drop files onto the panel.

Step 3: Arrange the Clips, Then Click Next

Once the files land, each one becomes a numbered card with its own running time, and the footer keeps a live tally.

Use the Sort by Date menu in the top right to set the starting order. Drag any card to a new spot if you want a particular shot to open the video. When the order looks right, click Next.

Auto Edit with 10 imported clips, the Sort by Date menu, the media count in the footer, and the Next button all highlighted — The clips in the order Auto Edit will read them.

Step 4: Choose an Aspect Ratio

You make three choices on the next screen before anything is built, starting with Aspect Ratio at the top. Choose 16:9 for a widescreen video or 9:16 for a phone-first cut.

Auto Edit settings screen with the Aspect Ratio options highlighted, 9:16 selected — Aspect Ratio: 16:9 or 9:16.

Step 5: Set the Target Video Length

Under Target video length, pick 15, 30, 45, 60, or 90 seconds when you're cutting for a platform with a time limit. Or choose Auto to let PowerDirector set the length based on how much footage you imported.

Auto Edit settings screen with the Target video length row highlighted, Auto selected — Target video length, with Auto selected.

Step 6: Pick a Video Theme, Then Click Create

Under Video theme, select General to keep the edit plain. Or pick one of the 12 moods beside it, from Travel through Gaming, each with its own look and titles.

When all three settings look right, click Create at the bottom right, and Auto Edit builds the cut.

Auto Edit settings screen with the General theme card, the 12 video themes, and the Create button highlighted — Pick General or a theme, then click Create.

Step 7: Review the Cut and Adjust It

The result is a draft you can still change. Click an opening template in the list on the left to restyle the video without rebuilding it from scratch.

To change a shot, select that clip in the strip below the preview. Then fix it with the tools above the preview: Replace Media, Select Range, Crop / Rotate, Text, and Volume.

Auto Edit result screen with the template list and the clip tool row highlighted — Templates on the left, clip tools above the preview.

Step 8: Export the Video or Add It to the Timeline

When the cut looks right, click Export at the bottom right to save it as a video file. Or click Add to Timeline to drop the whole cut into PowerDirector's full editor and keep editing there.

Auto Edit result screen with the Add to Timeline and Export buttons highlighted — Export saves the cut as a video. Add to Timeline sends it to the full editor.

The Result

Here's what 10 unedited clips became: a vertical 34-second cut that opens on the template's own title card and runs the trip straight through.

We tested these steps in PowerDirector 365 version 25.0.7 on Windows.

Don't have PowerDirector yet? Auto Edit needs a folder of clips and about a minute. A trip you never got around to cutting is a good place to start.

Download PowerDirector Free →

FAQ About Auto Edit

1. How much footage can I hand Auto Edit at once?

Up to 100 clips, or 3 hours and 20 minutes in total, whichever you reach first. As you add clips, the footer counts them and their total duration, so you can always see how much room is left.

2. What does Auto actually do under Target video length?

It leaves the running time to PowerDirector, which works it out from how much footage you imported. Choose one of the fixed lengths instead when you're cutting for a platform with a hard limit.

3. Can I keep editing the cut Auto Edit makes?

You can keep editing. Export saves the cut as it stands. Add to Timeline drops the whole thing into PowerDirector's main timeline as ordinary clips, with the full toolset available. Even without leaving Auto Edit, you can swap the opening template. You can also fix any clip in the strip with the tools above the preview: Replace Media, Select Range, Crop / Rotate, Text, and Volume.