How to Put a Video in the Corner of Another Video (Using Free Software)

If you want to put a video in the corner of another video, you’ll need to use non-linear video editing software.

What is non-linear software and how is it different from linear video editors?

Non-linear means that you can place media files on multiple tracks and layer them one over another. Compared to linear video editors, such as Movie Maker, where you have just one track for videos and images, non-linear video editors offer a lot of flexibility for you as a video creator!

In this post, we’ll show you how to put a video in the corner of another video within a few minutes (no experience needed!)

Whether you’re working with images or videos, the principle will be absolutely the same. For short, it is called, a picture-in-picture effect or a video-in-video effect.

If you’re using a Windows PC, one of the best free non-linear video editors is VSDC.
For Mac users, we recommend the free iMovie video editor.

For this instructable, we used VSDC Free Video Editor for Windows.

Need a guide for iMovie? Check their official tutorial.

VSDC is a free non-linear video editor great for creating the picture-in-picture effect and beautiful video overlays. It is easy to use and allows you to open and edit files in any format without having to convert them first. The program interface is quite intuitive as you can simply move objects around the scene by dragging and dropping them.

Here is how to put a video in the corner of another video using VSDC.

When you launch VSDC on your PC, use the Import content button on the start screen to import your main (background) video. This option will automatically set up the project parameters based on the parameters of your video. If you choose to create a blank project instead, you’ll have to set the parameters video manually which is less convenient.

Once the main video is placed on the timeline, place the cursor at the exact moment when the second video should appear, open the Add object menu and select Video. Then pick a video file from your computer.

In the pop-up window called Object’s position settings, select Layer’s position --> Insert new layer. This option means that the newly added video will be placed over the main video and added to a new layer above the original.

Notice that the second video has a frame and handlers in every corner. Use them to resize it and then grab the video in the middle to move it to the desired spot.

Technically, your project is ready!

After you’ve put a video in, you might want to take it to the next level by adding a few effects. Below, we’ll include the most common ideas used particularly for this type of projects:

• Move the second video on the timeline to adjust the moment it appears in the scene. If it’s an image, you can stretch it to increase its duration.
• Add a transition at the beginning or the end of the second video appearance. For instance, you can add a fade or a wipe effect for a smoother transition.
• Control the opacity and the color tone of the video.
• Add a shadow to the video in the corner.
• If you’re doing a news-style video, adding a news ticker might be a good idea.
• Finally, if your second video is shot in front of a green background, you can remove it using Chroma key.

Now that you know how to put a video in the corner of another video, go ahead and try it for yourself!

You can add more than two videos to the scene, tweak the settings to make them appear one after another, apply various effects, titles, and of course, add audio.

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