This issue—where your edits (e.g., text, effects, transitions, or layer positions) appear differently in the preview, timeline, or final export compared to what you see while editing—can occur due to rendering glitches, cache errors, software bugs, or device-specific limitations. CapCut supports full editing on Mobile, Desktop, and Web, so the problem may manifest across all three platforms. Below are platform-specific troubleshooting steps.
CapCut Online
Refresh the Browser Tab
Press Ctrl+R (Windows) or Cmd+R (Mac). Browser-based editors rely heavily on JavaScript state, which can desync.
Use a Supported Browser
Only Chrome, Edge, or Safari (macOS) fully support CapCut Web's rendering engine. Avoid Firefox, Opera, or mobile browsers.
Check Internet Stability During Editing
Web version streams asset previews from the cloud. A slow connection may load low-quality placeholders that don’t reflect your actual edits.
Avoid Complex Effects in Web Editor
Heavy filters, nested overlays, or long text animations may render inconsistently in-browser due to limited WebGL resources.
Export And Compare
Click "Export" and download the video. If the final output matches your intention, the preview was just lagging. If not, simplify the project or switch to Desktop/Mobile for precision work.
📍 Note: CapCut Web uses cloud-assisted rendering—what you see is a best-effort approximation, not pixel-perfect WYSIWYG.
CapCut Desktop (Windows / macOS)
Reset the Render Cache
Go to Settings > Draft > Clear Cache (The small trash bin icon next to the Cache Size). Corrupted cache files often cause mismatched visuals.
Update Graphics Drivers
Outdated GPU drivers can cause OpenGL/Vulkan rendering errors.
- Windows: Update via NVIDIA/AMD/Intel official tools
- macOS: Install latest OS updates via System Settings > Software Update
Check Layer Alignment and Keyframe Timing
Zoom in on the timeline. Ensure clips, text boxes, and effects are precisely placed. Sometimes dragging too quickly causes "ghost" placements that don't register correctly.
Disable "Proxy Editing" (If Enabled)
Proxy mode uses low-res media for smoother playback but may misrepresent scaling or blur effects. Turn it off in Project Settings for accurate WYSIWYG.
Re-Import Problematic Media
If only specific clips/images display incorrectly, re-import them. File corruption or unsupported codecs can cause rendering mismatches.
📍 Tip: Desktop offers the most accurate real-time preview. If it still doesn't match, the issue is likely project-specific, not system-wide.
CapCut Mobile App (iOS / Android)
Force-refresh the preview
Tap outside the editor or switch to another tab (e.g., "Audio") and return. This often triggers a visual refresh.
Check for input method interference (especially for text)
Some third-party keyboards (e.g., SwiftKey, Gboard with predictive text) may insert invisible characters or delay rendering.
📍 Tip: Try switching to the system default keyboard or disable "smart suggestions" temporarily.
Clear App Cache
Android: Settings > Apps > CapCut >Clear Cache
iOS: Offload CapCut (Settings > General > iPhone Storage > CapCut > Offload App), then reopen (projects remain if synced to cloud)
Restart the App and Device
Fully close CapCut from recent apps, then restart your phone to clear GPU memory and system cache.
Export a Short Test Clip
Render 5–10 seconds of your project. If the exported video matches your intent, the preview was just glitching. If not, the edit logic itself may be misapplied (e.g., keyframes out of sync).
📍 Note: Mobile previews use lower-resolution proxies for performance. Final export quality may differ slightly—but layout and timing should match exactly.
If the discrepancy persists across platforms with the same project file (via cloud sync), the issue may stem from unsupported media formats or template corruption—try rebuilding the project from scratch.
Thank you for using CapCut!