How to make a time lapse from regular video
- Step 1Drop the source footage in — Accepts MP4, MOV, MKV, WebM, AVI, M4V, TS. The file is read locally; nothing uploads. Time-lapse (speed change) needs a Pro subscription (£7/month). The file card shows the source duration so you can plan the target length.
- Step 2Decide the total speed-up you want — Output length ≈ source ÷ total speed. Want a 60-minute walk as a 2-minute hyperlapse? That's 30× — beyond one run. Want a 4-minute clip as 1 minute? That's 4× — one run. Work out the multiplier first.
- Step 3Run the first 4× pass — Type
4in the Speed (× · 0.25 to 4) field and click Run Speed. FFmpeg builds[0:v]setpts=0.2500*PTS[v];[0:a]atempo=2.0,atempo=2.0[a]and re-encodes to H.264 CRF 20 + AAC 192k. The clip is now a quarter of its length. - Step 4Chain another pass for higher speeds — Need more than 4×? Download the result, drop it back in, and run
4again — now 16× total. A third pass gets you 64×. Each pass re-encodes, so stop as soon as you hit your target length to limit quality loss. - Step 5Download the time-lapse MP4 — The final result is a standard
.mp4(this tool doesn't stream to disk). Resolution matches the source; only the timing changed. - Step 6Trim to the interesting window first — Speeding up the whole file still includes the boring start and end. Trim to the section worth lapsing with the lossless trimmer before the speed pass — fewer frames to re-encode, faster result, tighter time-lapse.
Reaching higher speeds by chaining runs
The per-run ceiling is 4×. Multiple passes multiply. Each pass is a full H.264 re-encode, so use the fewest that reach your target.
| Target speed | Passes | Per-pass speed | 60:00 source becomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4× | 1 | 4 | 15:00 |
| 8× | 2 | 4, then 2 | 7:30 |
| 16× | 2 | 4, then 4 | 3:45 |
| 32× | 3 | 4, 4, then 2 | 1:52 |
| 64× | 3 | 4, 4, then 4 | 0:56 |
Single-run speed value vs. filter chain
What the tool builds for time-lapse speeds. At 4× the audio chain has two stages because atempo maxes at 2.0 per instance.
| Speed | setpts (video) | atempo (audio) | 4:00 clip becomes |
|---|---|---|---|
2 | 0.5000*PTS | atempo=2.0000 | 2:00 |
2.5 | 0.4000*PTS | atempo=2.0,atempo=1.25 | 1:36 |
3 | 0.3333*PTS | atempo=2.0,atempo=1.5 | 1:20 |
4 | 0.2500*PTS | atempo=2.0,atempo=2.0 | 1:00 (max single run) |
Cookbook
Recipes for building time-lapses and hyperlapses from ordinary footage, including the multi-pass route to high speeds.
4-minute walk-through to a 1-minute time-lapse
The simplest case and exactly what 4× is for. One pass turns a slow building tour into a quick fly-through.
Speed field: 4 [0:v]setpts=0.2500*PTS[v];[0:a]atempo=2.0,atempo=2.0[a] 4:00 input -> 1:00 output (H.264 MP4) Resolution unchanged, snappy time-lapse motion
60-minute footage to ~4 minutes (16×, two passes)
One run can't do 16×. Run 4×, then feed the result back at 4× again — the factors multiply.
Pass 1: Speed 4 60:00 -> 15:00
Pass 2: drop the 15:00 output back, Speed 4
15:00 -> 3:45
Effective 16x. Two re-encodes total.Gentle hyperlapse at 2.5×
For a handheld 'hyperlapse' feel that's fast but still readable, 2.5× is less frantic than 4×.
Speed field: 2.5 [0:v]setpts=0.4000*PTS[v];[0:a]atempo=2.0,atempo=1.25[a] 5:00 input -> 2:00 output, motion stays followable
Trim first so you only lapse the good part
Cut out the boring setup before speeding up — fewer frames to re-encode and a tighter final time-lapse.
Step 1: lossless-trimmer -> keep the 8-min active window
20:00 source -> 8:00
Step 2: speed-controller, Speed 4
8:00 -> 2:00 time-lapseReverse time-lapse for a creative edit
Build the time-lapse here, then reverse it for a 'rewind' effect (clouds rolling back, a build undoing itself).
Step 1: speed-controller, Speed 4 -> time-lapse Step 2: video-reverser -> plays backwards This tool changes speed only; reversing is the reverser tool.
Edge cases and what actually happens
Want more than 4× in a single run
Two passes4× is the hard per-run ceiling; typing 8 errors out. To reach 8×, 16×, or 64×, run the tool, download, and run the output again — speeds multiply (4 then 4 = 16). Each pass re-encodes at CRF 20, so chain only as many as you need to hit your target length.
Time-lapse looks 'steppy' rather than blurred
By designsetpts conforms frames in time — it drops/spaces them rather than blending them, so fast motion has a crisp, slightly steppy time-lapse look with no motion blur. That's the expected character of a sped-up clip; this tool doesn't add motion blur or blend frames.
Source has no audio track
FailsEven for a silent time-lapse, the filter graph always maps an audio stream through atempo. A track-less file fails with a mapping error. Keep an audio track (many people discard the sound after, but it must exist during processing), or add a silent one first.
Audio at 4× sounds compressed
ExpectedAt 4× the audio runs through a chained atempo=2.0,atempo=2.0. Speech becomes very fast and music compresses heavily — usually you'll discard or replace the audio on a time-lapse anyway. Pitch is preserved; the rapid pace is inherent to a 4× speed-up.
Quality softens after several passes
ExpectedEach chained pass is a fresh H.264 CRF 20 re-encode, so a 64× (three-pass) time-lapse is slightly softer than the source. To minimise loss, trim to the needed window first and use the fewest passes that reach your target speed.
Variable-frame-rate source footage
SupportedVFR phone/screen footage is re-timed by timestamp with setpts and exported as re-encoded H.264, so it conforms cleanly into a time-lapse. The output is constant-character H.264, which behaves predictably in any editor.
Output is MP4 even from MOV/MKV source
By designThe export is always H.264 MP4 + AAC. That's ideal for sharing a time-lapse. If you need a different container, run the MP4 through the transcoder.
Free tier — speed-up gated
Pro requiredBuilding a time-lapse via speed-up needs Pro (£7/month). File-size limits: Free 1 GB / 1 file, Pro 10 GB / 5 files, Pro + Media 100 GB / 50 files. There's no duration cap — long source footage is fine as long as it's under the size limit.
Long high-resolution source is slow to process
May be slowAn hour of 4K re-encoded in the browser is heavy, and multi-pass time-lapses re-encode each pass. Within your tier's file-size limit it works, but trimming to the interesting window first dramatically cuts processing time.
Batch of clips into time-lapses
Supported (batch)Drop several source clips together to queue a batch (5 on Pro, 50 on Pro + Media). The same Speed applies to all — handy for turning a set of identical-length captures into matching time-lapses at, say, 4× each.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make a time-lapse from a video I already shot normally?
Yes — that's exactly what this does. Speeding the footage up compresses it into a fast time-lapse. The single-run ceiling is 4× (a 4-minute clip becomes 1 minute). For a stronger time-lapse from a long source, run the output through again so the factors multiply.
How do I get a really fast time-lapse, like 16× or more?
Chain passes. Run at 4×, download, drop the result back in, and run 4× again for 16× total; a third pass gives 64×. Each pass re-encodes at CRF 20, so use the fewest passes that reach your target length to keep quality high.
Why does my time-lapse look steppy instead of smooth and blurred?
Because it conforms (spaces out) existing frames rather than blending them — there's no motion blur added. That crisp, slightly steppy look is normal for a sped-up clip. This tool doesn't synthesise motion blur or blend frames between them.
What happens to the audio in a time-lapse?
It's time-stretched with atempo and kept at the original pitch, but at 4× speech becomes very fast and music compresses heavily. Most people discard or replace the audio on a time-lapse. Note the source must have an audio track during processing or the job fails.
Will the resolution change?
No. The speed filter (setpts) only changes timing, not pixels, so the time-lapse keeps the source resolution. The output is re-encoded H.264 at CRF 20, which is visually high quality.
Is my long source file uploaded anywhere?
No. Processing runs in your browser via WebAssembly FFmpeg, so even a whole afternoon of footage stays on your machine and never uploads. Only an anonymous 'file processed' counter is recorded for dashboard stats.
What format is the time-lapse?
A standard H.264 MP4 (CRF 20) with AAC audio, whatever the input was. That uploads and edits cleanly everywhere. If you need a different container, run it through the transcoder.
Should I trim before making the time-lapse?
Yes. Speeding up the whole file includes the dull start and end. Trim to the interesting window with the lossless trimmer first — fewer frames to re-encode means a faster job and a tighter result.
Can I make a reverse time-lapse?
Build the time-lapse here, then reverse it with the video reverser for a 'rewind' effect. This tool only changes speed; reversing playback is a separate step.
How large a source file can I use?
Free allows up to 1 GB / one file, Pro up to 10 GB / five files per batch, Pro + Media up to 100 GB / fifty files. There's no minutes cap — long footage is fine as long as it fits the file-size limit. Speed-up requires the Pro tier (£7/month).
Can I time-lapse several clips at once?
Yes. Dropping multiple files queues a batch — up to 5 on Pro or 50 on Pro + Media — and the same speed applies to each. That's useful for turning a set of similar captures into matching time-lapses at the same factor.
Why did typing 8 give an error?
8× exceeds the per-run ceiling of 4×, so the tool rejects it with Speed must be between 0.25× and 4×. Reach 8× by running 4× and then 2× on the output, or 4× twice for 16×. The factors multiply across passes.
Privacy first
Every JAD Video tool runs entirely in your browser via WebCodecs and FFmpeg (WebAssembly). Your video files never leave your device — verified by zero outbound network requests during processing.