Hop StudioOne Stop Video Editorby vibha in progress See Hop Studio ↗

Free guide · 7 steps

How to edit Instagram Reels with Claude.

The exact setup that made Claude my video editor. Free tools, one setup prompt, and you approve every cut. Works for Reels, TikToks and YouTube Shorts.

What you need

Claude installs all the free tools for you in step 3.

  1. STEP 1 OF 7

    Open the Code tab, set it to Local

    Download the Claude desktop app, click the Code tab and set it to Local. Local means Claude can work with the videos on your laptop. Cloud can't see them.

    No Code tab? It needs a paid plan. Pro is enough, it's what I use.

  2. STEP 2 OF 7

    One folder, three inside

    Make a folder on your Desktop called AI Video Editor with three folders inside: raw for your takes, references for 5 reels you love, exports for finished reels. Pick it in the Code tab.

    Credit tip: one chat per reel keeps things fast and cheap.

  3. STEP 3 OF 7

    Paste one setup prompt

    Paste this and let Claude run. It asks before it installs anything.

    THE SETUP PROMPTSet up this folder as my AI video editor for vertical reels. Install anything missing: FFmpeg, Whisper (mlx-whisper on Apple Silicon, faster-whisper on anything else) and HyperFrames. Then install the free effects skill from github.com/Vibha-Ramprakash/claude-video-effects. Ask me before anything needs my approval. Finish with a short checklist of what works. Don't edit anything yet.

    HyperFrames won't install? It needs Node 22+ and Chrome. Ask Claude to add them.

  4. STEP 4 OF 7

    Switch off connectors you don't need

    Open your connectors and turn off everything you don't need for editing. Mine were loading 34,000 tokens before I typed a word.

    Need one back? Switch it on again when you're done editing.

  5. STEP 5 OF 7

    Teach it your style

    Save 5 reels you love into references. Ask Claude to study the pacing, cuts, zooms, captions, colours and the first 3 seconds, show you the breakdown, then save it as a skill called my-editing-style.

    Do this once. It's the priciest step, and every edit after uses it.

  6. STEP 6 OF 7

    Film, drop, ask for a storyboard

    Film in one take and drop it into raw. Ask Claude to transcribe it word by word, work from the transcript (not the video), use your style and the effects, and show you a storyboard first.

    Why the transcript? One full-size frame costs about 2,700 tokens. Your whole reel as text is about 3,000.

  7. STEP 7 OF 7

    Fix it by talking, then render

    Read the storyboard and send all your notes in one message: "punch in when I say Claude, move the captions off my face, cut the first 2 seconds." Check the update, then say render.

    Love the edit? Say "save this as a skill" and next time Claude already knows it.

Want all 4 prompts word for word, plus the fixes for every error?

Open the full guide ↗

The shortcut

Skip the setup. Get the whole editor.

Hop Studio is the AI video editor that lives inside Claude. Everything in this guide is already set up, plus my full edit style.

See Hop Studio ↗Or join the free masterclass

Where your credits really go

WhatCostThe fix
Connectors left on34,000 tokensSwitch them off
One full-size frame2,700 tokensKeep frames small
Ten separate notesten roundsOne message
Coding an effect from scratcha wall of codeUse the effects pack

Quick answers

Can Claude edit videos?

Yes. In the Code tab, Claude runs free editing tools on your laptop. It cuts, captions and adds effects, and you approve every change.

Which Claude plan do I need?

A paid plan. Pro is enough. The editing tools are free.

Does it work on Windows?

Yes, setup is just slower. Let Claude finish; it uses faster-whisper instead.

Does Claude watch my whole video?

No, and it shouldn't. It works from the transcript and checks a few small frames, which keeps your credits low.

Will it look like your reels on day one?

Not quite. This is the starter setup. Your style gets sharper with every edit, or you can start from mine with Hop Studio.