Answers
How long does it take to edit a video? Times for 1, 5, 10, and 30 minutes
A simple edit takes 30 to 60 minutes per finished minute. A produced one with b-roll and graphics takes 1 to 2 hours. A 5-minute video is 2.5 to 10 hours of work.
By Sulan Zhang, co-founder of Vyra · Updated 2026-10-28
Real examples from @sulansart
More on InstagramManual editing takes about 30 to 60 minutes per finished minute for a simple video, like a talking head with captions. It takes 1 to 2 hours per finished minute for a produced video with b-roll, music, and graphics. So a 1-minute Reel is 30 minutes to 2 hours, a 5-minute video is 2.5 to 10 hours, and a 10-minute YouTube video is 5 to 20 hours. An AI rough cut takes minutes, so the human time moves to reviewing and polishing.
Editing time by video length
| Finished length | Simple edit | Produced edit | AI rough cut + polish |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 minute (a Reel or TikTok) | 30 to 60 minutes | 1 to 2 hours | 5 to 20 minutes |
| 2 minutes | 1 to 2 hours | 2 to 4 hours | 10 to 30 minutes |
| 3 minutes | 1.5 to 3 hours | 3 to 6 hours | 15 to 40 minutes |
| 5 minutes | 2.5 to 5 hours | 5 to 10 hours | 30 to 60 minutes |
| 10 minutes | 5 to 10 hours | 10 to 20 hours | 1 to 2 hours |
| 20 minutes | 10 to 20 hours | 20 to 40 hours | 2 to 4 hours |
| 30 minutes | 15 to 30 hours | 30 hours or more | 3 to 6 hours |
Simple means one camera, cuts, captions, and music. Produced means b-roll, several locations, sound design, titles, or motion graphics. These are typical ranges for solo creators, not studio work.
By type of video
| Video | Raw footage | Manual edit | AI rough cut + polish |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30-second talking head Reel | 3 to 6 minutes | 30 to 60 minutes | 5 to 15 minutes |
| 60-second UGC hook and demo | 10 to 20 minutes | 1 to 2 hours | 15 to 30 minutes |
| 5-minute travel montage | 1 to 2 hours | 4 to 8 hours | 30 to 60 minutes |
| 10-minute YouTube talking head with b-roll | 30 to 60 minutes | 5 to 10 hours | 1 to 2 hours |
| 20-minute vlog | 2 to 4 hours | 10 to 20 hours | 2 to 4 hours |
Why it takes that long
- Raw footage sets the time more than finished length. Two hours of clips for a 5-minute video takes longer than 20 minutes of clips for a 10-minute video, because someone has to watch all of it.
- Format sets the floor. A talking head with captions is fast. A multi-location vlog with b-roll, music, and graphics is slow.
- An editor who knows the shortcuts and works in passes is two to three times faster than someone learning on the project.
- Revision rounds add 20 to 50 percent on top of the first cut.
How to estimate your own
- Count your raw minutes. Multiply by 3 to 5 for a manual estimate in minutes.
- Add time for each extra. Plan on 15 to 30 minutes each for captions, music, and a title card, and more for b-roll and graphics.
- Add a revision round. Another 20 to 50 percent.
How to cut the time
- Cut the review pass. The first hour of any edit is watching footage. An editor that indexes footage on upload removes it.
- Work in passes. Story, then sound, then text, then music, then look.
- Batch similar videos. Five talking heads in one session go faster than five sessions.
- Stop at good. Set a deadline per video and export when it hits.
Do it in Vyra
Turn this 8-minute raw talking head into a 60-second vertical clip for Reels. Best take of each point, cut pauses and filler, keep my order. No captions or music yet.
Add phrase captions, bold white, lower third. Then add the track I uploaded and duck it under my voice. Export at 1080x1920.
FAQ
How long does it take to edit a 1-minute video? 30 to 60 minutes for a simple cut with captions, up to 2 hours with b-roll and graphics. With an AI rough cut, 5 to 20 minutes including review.
How long does it take to edit a reel? Most Reels are 15 to 60 seconds, so 20 to 60 minutes for a simple edit and up to 2 hours with b-roll and effects.
How long does it take to edit a 2-minute video? 1 to 2 hours for a simple edit, 2 to 4 hours for a produced one.
How long does it take to edit a 5-minute video? 2.5 to 5 hours for a simple edit, 5 to 10 hours for a produced one with b-roll and graphics.
How long does it take to edit a 10-minute YouTube video? 5 to 10 hours for a talking head with some b-roll. Heavily produced channels report 20 hours or more.
How long does it take to edit a 30-minute video? 15 to 30 hours for a simple edit. Long talk formats like podcasts and lectures go faster per minute because there are fewer cuts.
Does AI editing save time or just move it? It removes the review and the trimming, which is most of a typical edit. The creative decisions stay with you, and they take minutes.
Related
- /answers/how-much-does-a-professional-video-editor-cost
- /answers/why-does-vlog-editing-take-so-long
- /how-to/cut-a-talking-head
- /features/rough-cut