---
title: Text-Based Editing
description: Edit your video by editing its transcript — delete a sentence and the video cuts itself.
url: https://www.screenkite.com/guide/text-based-editing
---

# Text-Based Editing

Text-based editing lets you cut your recording by deleting words from its transcript. When you delete words, ScreenKite cuts the matching video and audio from the timeline.

## Before You Start

The project needs a transcript. In the **Captions** tab of the inspector, click **Transcribe**. If transcription is not set up yet, ScreenKite opens the **Transcription** setup window. See [Word-Level Generated Captions](https://www.screenkite.com/guide/generated-captions).

[AI transcription (YouTube)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SV6qJ85QE4U)

## Cut Words in the Transcript Editor

1. Open the **Captions** tab, then the **Edit** tab.
2. In the **Transcript editor** section, click **Open transcript editor**. The editor opens as a card. You can also open it in its own window.
3. Make sure the card is in **Cut** mode.
4. Click the words you want to remove.
5. Click **Cut ⌫**. ScreenKite removes the selected words from the timeline.

Click **Play** to hear the selection. Click **Clear** to unselect all words.

> Deleting words cuts video time. To fix spelling, use the **Transcript** tab. Spelling fixes never change the video.

### Restore a cut

Cut words stay in the transcript with a mark. Click a cut word to restore it, or click **Restore all**.

## Remove Filler Words

1. Open the **Captions** tab, then the **Edit** tab.
2. Look at the **Filler words** section. It shows how many filler words ScreenKite found.
3. Review the proposed cuts, then click **Cut all**.

## Remove Silences and Dead Air

Dead air is a pause or a quiet gap in speech.

- In the **Edit** tab, the **Silences** section finds pauses. Set the minimum length with **Longer than**. Click **Remove all dead air** to cut them.
- In the transcript card, click **Remove Silences**. ScreenKite asks you to confirm.
- On the timeline, right-click a clip and choose **Remove Dead Air**.

ScreenKite protects words from silence cuts.

To see dead air on the timeline, turn on **Settings** → **Editor** → **Mark dead air**. It is on by default.

## Word Timing

Cut precision depends on the word timing from your transcription engine. If the timing is approximate, the editor tells you. ElevenLabs gives the most precise timing.

## Related Guides

- [Trimming & Splitting](https://www.screenkite.com/guide/trimming-splitting): timeline editing
- [Word-Level Generated Captions](https://www.screenkite.com/guide/generated-captions): transcription setup
- [AI Chat Assistant](https://www.screenkite.com/guide/ai-chat-assistant): ask the AI agent to make cuts for you