How to Brighten Dark Videos | Top 3 Ways

Captured important moments only to discover your video was too dark? It’s a common problem - videos are often recorded this way due to different reasons: poor lighting, incorrect exposure settings, and so on. But believe us - it is not a big deal. There are lots of ways to make a video brighter.

In this article, you’ll learn the best ways to get it done - both whiles shooting and while post-processing using iMovie, an app for iOS devices, and Clipify, a powerful computer program for Windows. For more options, open the link to read about how to brighten videos with other tools. So let’s see which way works best for you.

Make Your Footage Brighter While Recording

You can avoid further video editing while shooting your videos. This way will save you a great deal of time. So how do you do that?

1. Consider lighting conditions

Light is a key element for shooting a good video. If you’re recording yourself, make sure the light source is not behind you. Otherwise, all you’ll have will be a dark spot instead of you. In low-light situations, you can use additional light sources like flashlights.

2. Adjust the aperture

This camera setting is especially useful for shooting in the evening, at night, or in any low-light situations. Basically, the aperture defines how much light goes through your lens - the wider it is set, the lighter your footage will be.

3. Change the shutter speed

To help your camera receive more light, you will need to adjust the shutter speed. If it’s short, your footage will turn out dark, but with a longer shutter speed, you’ll record a brighter video.

Use iOS devices to Edit Your Clips with iMovie

In case your clips are already recorded, use a video editor to fix the brightness in them. If you are an Apple user, consider downloading iMovie. This app is pre-installed on iOS devices, but you can download it from the App Store if you’ve deleted iMovie earlier. Let’s see how to brighten a video on Mac.

First, open the video editor and import your clips from the camera roll. When the file shows up in the timeline, click on the color palette icon and drag the slider to the right to make the footage brighter. Satisfied with the result? Then save it by pressing the export icon. You can also type the name of the new file, set the resolution, and select the video format.

Brighten a Dark Video on Your PC - Try Clipify

For a more professional look, use Clipify. It’s a free beginner-friendly video editor packed with the most commonly used tools like trimming, adding music, stabilizing a video, zooming in, and more. Here’s how to brighten a dark video with Clipify.

For starters, install Clipify on your computer and launch the program. Now import the video you would like to make brighter. Once the file is added to the timeline, the footage is ready to be edited - select the clip and press the Edit button. Then open the Image tab to adjust the settings like Contrast and Saturation. To brighten your dark videos, drag the Brightness slider to the right.

If you are done editing, save the new file on your computer - hit Create Video and choose the format you need. In Clipify, you can export files as DVD, AVI, MP4, MOV, or even a video for smartphones, YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, and more.

Key Takeaway

There’s nothing easier than fixing a video that turned out too dark. You can either adjust the camera settings while recording the footage or edit it afterward. We showed you how to do it both ways. To sum up, change the camera settings to help the lens receive more light. Alternatively, use video editors like Clipify for Windows and iMovie for Mac.

Now you’re ready to edit your videos, so go ahead and make them brighter today!