Time Lapse Video Maker

Upload your video to Kapwing, select the clip on the timeline, and increase its playback speed up to 4x. Preview the result, trim any unwanted sections, and export your finished time lapse video as an MP4. You can also split your footage to speed up individual sections while keeping other moments at their original speed.

Traditional time lapse videos are created by capturing photos at regular intervals and combining them into a video. Because the images are captured less frequently than they're played back, slow changes appear to happen much faster. You can also create a similar effect by speeding up regular video footage in an editor like Kapwing.

Time lapse videos are used to show change, document progress, and compress long processes into shorter recordings. Common examples include construction projects, busy city streets, blooming flowers, scientific observations, and creative projects. They're also useful in films, documentaries, commercials, and social media videos that need to show the passage of time.

Record from a stable position using a tripod or another secure surface to keep the camera steady while your subject moves. For traditional time lapse photography, capture images at regular intervals. If you're recording a regular video instead, film continuously and use Kapwing to increase the playback speed afterward.

Start with 2x or 4x playback speed and preview the result. A 4x speed increase turns a four-minute recording into a one-minute time lapse video. For longer recordings, you can trim or split footage to focus on the most important moments.

The recording time depends on your playback speed and recording method. At 4x speed, you'll need two minutes of regular footage to create a 30-second time lapse video. Traditional time lapse photography uses timed intervals between photos, so the total recording time depends on the interval and number of images captured.

Yes, you can create a time lapse video from a sequence of photos by arranging the images in chronological order and adjusting how long each appears. This is a common method for documenting changes over hours, days, or months. If you only have one image, Kapwing's AI Timelapse Generator offers an alternative way to generate time lapse-style footage. You can also explore our Slideshow Maker and Slideshow Video Templates for layouts, transitions, and additional ways to present your photos.

Yes, Kapwing works in a web browser, so you can upload and speed up video footage on a compatible iPhone or Android device without installing desktop editing software. Adjust the playback speed, make additional edits, and export your finished time lapse video.

Yes, Kapwing's AI Timelapse Generator lets you start with a still image and describe the motion or changes you want to generate. Unlike a traditional time lapse, which captures real changes over time, an AI-generated time lapse simulates those changes to create new video footage.

If you use Kapwing on a Free account, then all exports — including from the Time Lapse Video Maker — contain a watermark. Once you upgrade to a Pro account, the watermark is completely removed from your creations.