How to Turn a Long Video into Shorts with Munch

One long video can feed your social channels for a week. Munch uses AI to watch your YouTube video, podcast or webinar, find the most engaging moments, and turn them into vertical clips with captions for YouTube Shorts, TikTok and Instagram Reels.

This guide shows you how to create your first batch of clips, edit captions and cropping, and export them, plus how to choose the clips most likely to perform.

Last updated: October 14, 2026. Menus and button names can change, so if something looks different, look for the closest matching option.

Time needed15–20 min + processing
DifficultyBeginner
CostFree trial (card required)
ResultSeveral short vertical clips

Best for: Repurposing long videos into Shorts, Reels and TikToks

Starting price: Free trial (card required); Munch Pro

Before you start

  • A Munch account (the free trial requires a credit card and renews monthly until you cancel)
  • A long video of 10 minutes or more: YouTube upload, podcast, webinar or interview
  • A public link to the video, or the file on your computer
  • The social accounts you want to publish to

The process at a glance

  1. New project
  2. Platforms
  3. Upload
  4. Captions
  5. Details
  6. Review
  7. Edit
  8. Export

Step-by-step: create Shorts with Munch

Step 1: Create a new project

On the projects page, click the + button in the middle or Create New at the top right.

Step 2: Choose your platforms

Select up to two platforms (for example YouTube Shorts and TikTok) and click Next. Munch formats the clips for them.

Step 3: Add your video

Paste a link or upload the file from your computer, then click Next.

If you paste a link, the video must be public. Only use videos you own or have rights to.

Step 4: Pick a subtitle style

Choose a subtitle template and click Next. Bold, high-contrast captions work best because most short-form viewers watch with the sound off.

Step 5: Describe the video and start

Name the project, choose the option that best describes your source video under “Describe your source video”, and either set a clip length or let Munch choose lengths for your platforms. Click Munch It!.

Processing runs in the background. Munch emails you when the clips are ready.

Step 6: Review and pick the best clips

Open the project and scroll to the generated clips. Hover over a thumbnail and click the eye icon to preview. Use the aspect-ratio control next to play/pause to check how the clip looks in different formats.

Pick clips that make sense without context and hook the viewer in the first 2 seconds: a bold claim, a question or a surprising number.

Step 7: Edit captions and cropping

Click the pen icon or Edit. Use the timeline to trim the clip, click any word to correct it, and drag subtitles to reposition them. Turn on manual cropping in the top menu if auto-cropping cuts off the speaker. The Magic Posts section drafts post captions for each platform, which you can edit.

Step 8: Export or publish

Click Export in the top right to download the clip or publish it to your connected social accounts.

Posting plan for one long video

DayPostTip
Day 1Full video on YouTubeAdd chapters and a strong thumbnail
Day 2Clip 1: the strongest hookLink to the full video in comments or description
Day 3Clip 2: a quick tipAsk a question to drive comments
Day 4Clip 3: a surprising factUse a bold first caption line
Day 5Clip 4: a story or resultPin a comment pointing to the full video

Watch which clips get the most views and replays, then make more long videos on those topics.

More step-by-step guides

Frequently asked questions

Is Munch free?

Munch offers a free trial that requires a credit card and renews monthly until cancelled. Munch Pro removes watermarks and adds more clips; check the pricing page for current prices.

How long should my source video be?

Munch works best with longer content such as 10–60 minute videos, podcasts and webinars, where there are many moments to choose from.

Can Munch post directly to TikTok and YouTube?

Yes. After editing, use Export to download the clip or publish it to your connected social media accounts.

Can I edit the captions?

Yes. Click Edit, then click any word in the subtitles to correct it and drag subtitles to reposition them.

How many clips should I post per video?

Three to five strong clips per long video is a good starting point. Quality beats quantity.

Wrap-up

With Munch, repurposing is simple: create a project, choose platforms, add your video, pick a caption style, let Munch find the moments, then edit and export. Post the best clips over several days and point viewers back to the full video. Read our Munch review or see other options in the best AI video editors for YouTube.

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This guide is independent and is not sponsored by Munch. Some links may be affiliate links, which never change our recommendations. See our Affiliate Disclosure.

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