> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://cutaway-docs.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Quickstart

> Make your first video in about 5 minutes. Record, let Cutaway tidy it up, and save it.

You'll record a short video of your screen, let Cutaway clean it up, and save it as a video file.

> [!TIP]
>
> Prefer watching? The [Your first video](https://cutaway-docs.mintlify.site/tutorials/your-first-video.md) tutorial shows these same steps.

**1. Start a new recording**

Open Cutaway and press **New recording**.

![The Projects screen. The New recording button is in the top right.](https://mintcdn.com/cutaway-docs/XxDikROkCqqX_dyv/images/screens/library-empty.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=XxDikROkCqqX_dyv\&q=85\&s=7e25eee72676d31dacd09c69aa117228)

**2. Choose what to record**

In the bar at the bottom, pick **Display** to record your whole screen.

If you want your face in the video too, click **No camera** and choose your camera. Click **No microphone** and choose your microphone so your voice is recorded.

![The recorder. The bar at the bottom has Display, Window, Area, Tab, Device and Camera, and menus for camera and microphone.](https://mintcdn.com/cutaway-docs/XxDikROkCqqX_dyv/images/screens/record.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=XxDikROkCqqX_dyv\&q=85\&s=4f8da24b0fa67985fe92c5b6425c506c)

**3. Press Start recording**

Press the purple **Start recording** button. A short countdown appears, then Cutaway starts recording.

Now do the thing you want to show, and talk about it as you go. Don't worry about mistakes or pauses. Cutaway helps you remove them later.

**4. Stop the recording**

When you're done, press the **stop** button on the small floating control bar.

> [!TIP]
>
> You can also stop with the keyboard: hold **Control + Option + Command** and press **R**.

A **Recording saved** box appears. Your take is already in your project.

**5. Make the first cut**

In the **Recording saved** box, press **First cut**. The **First cut** screen opens. The choices already set are fine. Just press **Create first cut**.

Cutaway now removes long pauses and filler words like "um", and builds your video. This takes about as long as making a cup of tea.

![The first cut screen with choices for length, pacing and movement](https://mintcdn.com/cutaway-docs/XxDikROkCqqX_dyv/images/screens/first-cut-brief.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=XxDikROkCqqX_dyv\&q=85\&s=56fec197c504b35029ede7721d1a3275)

**6. Watch it**

You're now in the **editor**. Press the **play** button (or the **Space** bar) to watch your video.

Like it? Go to the next step. Want to change something? See [A tour of the editor](https://cutaway-docs.mintlify.site/edit/editor-tour.md).

![The editor. The video is in the middle, the play button is under it, and the timeline is along the bottom.](https://mintcdn.com/cutaway-docs/XxDikROkCqqX_dyv/images/screens/editor.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=XxDikROkCqqX_dyv\&q=85\&s=b3336cfcaa4de1969605186573189658)

**7. Export your video**

Press the purple **Export** button in the top-right corner. Then press **Export to file**, choose where to save it, and press **Save**.

Cutaway saves an **MP4** video file (the most common kind of video file). Unless you choose somewhere else, it goes in the **Cutaway Exports** folder inside your **Movies** folder.

![The export screen with format, frame rate and resolution choices, and an Export to file button](https://mintcdn.com/cutaway-docs/XxDikROkCqqX_dyv/images/screens/export.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=XxDikROkCqqX_dyv\&q=85\&s=20f6c6a9c580f0deb83efe5dcaab5831)

## You did it 🎉

You made a video. You can upload the MP4 file to YouTube, send it to a friend, or post it anywhere.

## What to try next

> [card] [Cut out mistakes](https://cutaway-docs.mintlify.site/tutorials/cut-out-mistakes.md)
>
> Remove words you didn't mean to say, just by selecting them.

> [card] [Zoom in on a detail](https://cutaway-docs.mintlify.site/tutorials/zoom-in-on-a-detail.md)
>
> Help viewers see the small stuff.

> [card] [Add captions and music](https://cutaway-docs.mintlify.site/tutorials/captions-and-music.md)
>
> Words on screen and a little background music.

> [card] [Words to know](https://cutaway-docs.mintlify.site/words-to-know.md)
>
> What "timeline", "clip" and "playhead" mean.


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