Dark Footage? Learn How to Make a Video Brighter in 3 Easy Steps

Why make a video brighter

There is nothing more frustrating than capturing a perfect moment, a birthday surprise or a stunning sunset, only to realize the footage is too dark to see. Making a video brighter, using the best video brightness editors, isn't just about aesthetics; it's about saving those memories.

Brightening your clips helps recover lost details, revealing faces and scenery previously hidden by shadows. It also significantly improves visual appeal, ensuring your content looks professional and engaging for social media. Whether you were shooting against the sun or in a dimly lit room, learning to fix accidental underexposure ensures your camera's struggle doesn't ruin your final video.

That's why in the subsequent section we will be exploring one of the ideal tools to help you make your dark videos brighter, which is CapCut. Whether you are planning to use CapCut on the web or on your smartphone (iPhone or Android), our extensive guide should cover all your needs efficiently.

How to make a dark video brighter via CapCut's online AI video editor

If you are looking to use CapCut's online platform, featuring the AI automatic video editor, to make your videos brighter, then be sure to follow our suggested steps outlined below.

STEP 1
1. Upload your dark video

• Kickstart the process by first visiting the official website of CapCut and then sign-up for a free account using your credentials.
• Once signed-up, from the homepage, select the "New video" option.
• Proceed to upload your dark video, whose brightness you need to enhance, onto CapCut's online platform.

STEP 2
1. Finalize your video brightness profile

• After successfully uploading your video, select it and from the right-hand panel, choose the "Basic" option.
• Under "Basic", select the "Color adjustment" option. Under the "Lightness" section, you will find sliders to increase or decrease your video's brightness, contrast, shadow, highlight, etc.
• Tweak the sliders just the way you want for your video.

Pro tip: You can also use the "AI color correction" option to let CapCut's AI automatically tweak your video's contrast, balance exposure, and saturation, to provide the ideal visuals.

STEP 3
1. Export the well-lit video

• If you are happy with the results, you can click on "Export".
• CapCut will let you download your video in your desired format, frame rate, quality, and resolution.
• After downloading, you can share or use it in your endeavours/projects.

How to make a dark video brighter via CapCut Desktop

Conversely, if you want to make your dark video brighter using the CapCut Desktop software on your PC/computer, then remember to follow the suggested steps below for a smooth experience.

STEP 1
1. Import your video

• Start by first downloading the CapCut Desktop program on your PC/computer.
• Once downloaded, launch the software suite and proceed to create a new project.
• After that, click on the "Import" option to add your video file onto the CapCut Desktop's interface. Once imported, drag and drop it into the video editing timeline.

STEP 2
1. Enhance the brightness profile

• In the next step, access the right-hand panel of the CapCut Desktop interface, where you will find the "Adjustment" option.
• Under "Adjustment", you will need to select the "Color/Light" option. In this panel, you will find various video editing sliders, such as changing the brightness, exposure, contrast, shadows, etc.
• Proceed to increase the brightness/exposure slider, as much as you need, to enhance your dark video to a well-lit one.

Pro tip: If the image still looks muddy, slightly raise shadows and lower contrast a bit, so dark areas become more visible while keeping the picture natural.

STEP 3
1. Export your video

• Once you are happy with the results, click on "Export".
• CapCut Desktop will let you export your finalized video in your preferred format, frame rate, quality, and resolution.
• After exporting, you can share the video on your social media channels.

How to make a video brighter on iPhone & Android via CapCut App

On the contrary, if you want to make your videos brighter on-the-go, via the CapCut App available on iOS and Android platforms, then remember to follow our recommended steps outlined below.

STEP 1
1. Import your video

• Begin your journey by first downloading and installing the CapCut App, on either your iOS or Android smartphone.
• After installation, launch it and then proceed to tap on "New project" from the dashboard.
• Proceed to select the video from your device's storage/gallery, which you want to brighten, and add to the timeline.

STEP 2
1. Make your video brighter than before

• Proceed to tap on the video timeline and then click on "Adjust".
• Under "Adjust", you will find the option "Brightness/Exposure".
• Proceed to drag the brightness slider and make proper bight color combination adjustments, so that your video looks bright without being too washed out.

Pro tip: If required, you can also tweak the "Contrast" slider(s) to properly adjust the change in video's contrast that might happen when you change the brightness.

STEP 3
1. Export your video

• Finalize your video, so that it looks clear and natural.
• Once done, click on "Export".
• The CapCut App will let you save your video in your preferred format, quality, resolution, and frame rate, to your device's local storage.

Key features of CapCut's free & powerful AI video editor

• Auto captions: Automatically generate accurate subtitles in seconds, supporting multiple languages and styles. This boosts viewer engagement and accessibility, allowing audiences to watch content silently while saving you manual transcription time.
• Text-to-speech: Converts written text into natural-sounding speech using a vast library of AI voices and languages. CapCut's text-to-speech AI tool allows you to add professional narration to your videos without recording your own voice, resulting in better content creation.
• AI video upscaler: Enhances low-resolution footage to 4K quality by intelligently adding detail and reducing noise. CapCut's video upscaler free tool revitalizes old, blurry, or grainy videos, ensuring crisp and high-definition visuals for any platform.
• Background removal: CapCut's pic background removal feature isolates subjects by stripping away video backgrounds automatically without needing a green screen. You can easily replace the original background with custom images, colors, or videos for professional results.

Crucial tips on how to make a dark video brighter properly

Brightening a video isn't just about pushing a single slider up. To achieve professional results without ruining your footage quality, follow these essential guidelines for balancing light, color, and clarity.

• Don't overdo brightness: Avoid cranking the brightness slider to 100%, as this creates digital noise and grainy artifacts. It is far better to make subtle, incremental adjustments to lift the light without degrading quality.
• Prioritize shadows over brightness: Instead of lifting the overall exposure, use the "shadows" or "black point" tool. This targets only the darkest areas, recovering hidden details while preserving the quality of the well-lit sections.
• Contrast is key: Brightening footage often flattens the image, making it appear washed out and dull. To fix this, increase the contrast slightly to restore depth, making the shadows and colors stand out again.
• Adjust color temperature: Low-light videos frequently have an unnatural blue or cool tint. Increasing the "warmth" or "temperature" sliders helps correct this color balance, making the lighting appear more natural and visually pleasing.
• Use noise reduction: Brightening dark pixels almost always reveals unwanted graininess. You should apply an "AI video denoiser" or "noise reduction" tool, found in apps like CapCut, to smooth out the footage for a cleaner look.

Fixing dark footage is no longer a challenge, whether you use a web-based, desktop program, or a mobile app, such as CapCut. We have explored various methods to help you rescue those dim memories, from a simple online-based process to smartphone & PC-based ones, via CapCut's whole range of video editing suite.

With CapCut's AI video editor's intuitive interface and advanced features like smart exposure adjustments and noise reduction, you can ensure that your videos will look professional without the hassle.

FAQs

1
1. What is the simplest method for how to make a dark video brighter?

Generally, the simplest method of how to make a video brighter is to use the "exposure" or "brightness" sliders found in almost any video editing tool.

• Suggestion: Some of the most popular AI-powered video brightening tools on the market include CapCut, Canva, Fotor, and Veed IO.
• Solution: With the CapCut AI video editor, whether you are using the online/desktop/mobile version, you can effortlessly tweak the brightness and exposure settings of your video. Additionally, if you are using the online version, there will be an "AI color correction" option, to automatically enhance the color and brightness profiles of your video.

2
1. Can you explain how to make a dark video brighter on iPhone using free tools?

Yes, the most direct free tool is the native iOS Photos app.

• Process: Simply tap "Edit," select the dial icon, and adjust the "Shadows" and "Brightness" to lift the light.
• Recommendation: For users looking for more creative control, the CapCut App (available on iPhone/Android) is an excellent free alternative. It provides advanced video filters and smart adjustments specifically designed to correct underexposed footage on your iPhone without degrading quality.

3
1. Do I need a specific app for how to make a dark video brighter on Android?

You don't strictly need a specific app on how to make a video brighter, as most Android devices come pre-installed with native gallery apps, which handle basic brightness and contrast adjustments effectively.

• Additional options: Apart from native options, some of the most notable third-party options include CapCut, Luma Fusion, KineMaster video editor, Canva, and InShot video editor.
• Action: With that being said, if you want to elevate your footage, using a specialized tool like the CapCut App, is highly recommended. It offers professional-grade lighting curves and noise reduction tools that go far beyond what standard Android gallery apps can achieve.