CapCut Layer-Based Editing — Complete Guide

The main video layer is the foundation of your project. It sits at the bottom of the layer stack and runs the full length of your video. This is where your primary footage goes — the background video, a screen recording, or a series of clips edited together in sequence. Every other layer you add — text, overlays, stickers — appears on top of this base layer.

In CapCut, the main video layer appears as the primary clip bar in the timeline. You trim, split, and arrange your main footage here before adding any additional layers on top. Getting the main layer right before adding overlays saves significant time because repositioning the base footage after you have placed overlays requires adjusting everything else too.

Overlay layers sit on top of your main video and display additional video clips, images, or graphics simultaneously. This is how you create picture-in-picture effects, split screens, product close-ups over a background video, or any composition where two visual elements appear on screen at the same time.

To add an overlay in CapCut, tap the Overlay button in the bottom toolbar and select Add Overlay. Import your clip or image. It appears as a separate layer above the main timeline. You can resize it by pinching, reposition it by dragging, and control exactly when it appears and disappears by adjusting its position in the timeline. Multiple overlay layers can be stacked — for example, a background video, a product overlay, and a logo overlay all in the same frame. For real-world examples of overlay use, the stock market video guide shows how chart overlays work in practice.

Text layers add written content on top of your video — titles, captions, callouts, lower thirds, and annotations. Each text element you add creates its own independent layer that you can position anywhere on the frame and time to appear and disappear at specific moments in the video.

In CapCut, tap the Text button and select Add Text to create a new text layer. You can customize the font, size, color, alignment, and animation for each text layer independently. Multiple text layers can be active at the same time — for example, a title at the top and a lower third name tag at the bottom appearing simultaneously. For a detailed breakdown of all text options and caption styling, the CapCut subtitles and text guide covers everything in depth.

Audio layers let you stack multiple sound sources in the same video — background music, a voiceover, sound effects, and the original audio from your video clips all running simultaneously at independently controlled volumes. This is what separates a basic video from one that feels produced and intentional.

In CapCut, tap the Audio button to add music, voiceover, or sound effects. Each audio element appears as its own layer in the timeline beneath the video. You can adjust the volume of each layer independently, fade audio in and out, and control exactly when each sound starts and stops. A common setup for social media videos is background music at low volume with a voiceover layer on top at full volume. The CapCut sound editing guide covers audio layer management in detail.

Sticker layers add animated graphics, emojis, GIFs, and visual effects on top of your video. Each sticker is its own independent layer that you can size, position, and time precisely. Stickers are particularly popular in social media content — reaction stickers, progress bars, countdown timers, and decorative animations all add personality and engagement to short videos.

In CapCut, tap the Sticker button and browse the library of available options. Once added, a sticker appears as a layer in the timeline. You can chain multiple stickers and effects together to create complex animated compositions. Like all other layers, stickers can be precisely timed to appear and disappear at specific moments in the video.