In CapCut, "keeping the original sound" means preserving the audio from a user's own video when they replace a clip in your template. This is especially useful for templates designed for duets, reactions, voiceovers, or any scenario where the user's natural audio should remain intact.
As of December 2025, this setting is only available when publishing a template on Mobile App and Web—it cannot be configured on Desktop, as the Desktop app does not support template publishing with editable clips.
Below are the step-by-step instructions for each supported platform:
CapCut Online
- Step 1: Complete your project in the web editor, ensuring the timeline includes media you intend to make replaceable.
- Step 2: Click the "Share" button in the top-right corner, then choose "Share as Template."
- Step 3: On the template setup screen, under the "Media" tab, select the video clips you want users to be able to replace.
- Step 4: Scroll down to find the "Template Settings" section (or click "Advanced options" if collapsed).
- Step 5: Check the box next to "Keep original audio from user's video" (label may vary slightly by region, e.g., "Preserve user's sound").
- Step 6: Add a title and description, then click "Publish Template." When others use it and upload their own video, their original sound will be preserved in the final output.
📍 Note: The "Keep original sound" setting only takes effect when a user replaces a video clip in your template.
❌ CapCut Desktop (Windows / macOS)
The Desktop version does not support publishing templates with editable clips, and therefore has no option to set "keep original sound." While you can edit audio tracks manually (e.g., mute, detach, or mix), you cannot define template-level behavior that preserves a future user's audio during clip replacement—because clip replacement itself isn't supported in template creation on Desktop.
📍 Workaround: Create your base edit on Desktop, export the video, then re-import it into the Mobile App or Web Editor to publish as a template with the "Keep original sound" setting enabled.
CapCut Mobile App (iOS / Android)
- Step 1: Finish editing your project and prepare it as a template (e.g., include placeholder clips you want others to replace).
- Step 2: On the export screen, tap "Post as Template" instead of "Export."
- Step 3: Enter a title and select a cover image, then tap "Next."
- Step 4: On the "Confirm editable clips" page, select which video clips can be replaced.
- Step 5: Click the "Advanced" button at the bottom (usually labeled "Advanced settings" or represented by a gear icon), then toggle on "Keep original audio from user's video".
- Step 6: Tap "Post" to publish your template. Now, when users replace a marked clip with their own video, the original audio from their video will be retained, and any background music or voiceover in your template will automatically adjust (e.g., ducking or muting) to avoid conflict.
📍 Note: If you don't enable this option, CapCut will strip the audio from the user's replacement video and only play your template's original soundtrack.
🔑 Reminder
- Background music in your template may be automatically lowered (audio ducking) or muted when user audio is present, depending on CapCut's current audio policy.
- By enabling this option, you ensure your templates respect the creator's voice—making them more authentic, engaging, and widely adopted.
Thank you for creating with CapCut—and happy posting!