Add a movie to your project in GarageBand on Mac

You can view a movie file in your project while you create the soundtrack in GarageBand. Although you can’t edit the video directly, you can add to or replace the sound from the movie file with music, sound effects, and dialogue in your project.

A project can contain only one movie file. You can open the movie in a floating Movie window, and also display the movie frames in the Movie track. When you play the project, the movie also plays, following the playhead position.

Floating Movie window and track with audio from the movie.

You can resize the Movie window freely by dragging one of its corners.

Note: If the movie is in an unsupported format, an alert appears. You can convert the movie to another format, then try opening it again.

In GarageBand on Mac, do one of the following:
- Choose File > Open Movie.
- Show the Movie track in GarageBand on Mac, click the word “Movie” in the Movie track, then choose Open Movie.
Choose a movie file, then click Open.

The movie starts at the beginning of the project. The movie’s audio appears in an audio track below the Movie track (or, if the Movie track isn’t open, the topmost audio track). To maintain synchronization, neither the movie nor the movie’s audio can be moved.

You can drag the slider at the bottom of the Movie window or use the transport buttons to navigate to any position in the movie. The playhead also moves to the corresponding time position.

To change the movie file for the project, choose Open Movie again, then select a new movie file from the Open dialog. You can also drag a different movie into the project.

Helpful?

Add a movie to your project in GarageBand on Mac

Add a movie file

Resize the Movie window

Remove the movie from a project