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How to add an AI voice over to iMovie

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Creating engaging content has never been easier, thanks to user-friendly video editing tools like Apple's iMovie. Whether you're crafting a YouTube video,...

Creating engaging content has never been easier, thanks to user-friendly video editing tools like Apple's iMovie. Whether you're crafting a YouTube video, a TikTok snippet, or a social media post, iMovie's intuitive features make the process seamless for both beginners and experts. However, one element that often gets overlooked, despite its potential to significantly enhance your video's impact, is the voiceover. This tutorial will guide you step-by-step on how to add an AI voiceover to iMovie on your Mac, iPhone, or iPad.

What is AI Voiceover?

An AI voiceover is a text-to-speech (TTS) technology that converts written text into spoken words using artificial intelligence. This technology offers a simple way to generate high-quality audio files for your video content, providing an alternative to traditional voiceover recording.

How to Make an AI Voice Over Video

Creating an AI voiceover video requires a few simple steps:

  1. Start by creating a new project: Open iMovie on your computer or iOS device and create a new project.
  2. Import your video clips: Click the "Import Media" button and select the video clips you want to use.
  3. Add your video to the timeline: Drag the video clips onto the timeline.
  4. Choose an AI Voiceover app: Create your AI voiceover using one of the top AI voiceover apps (listed below).
  5. Export your voiceover as an audio file: Once you've created your voiceover, save it as an audio file.
  6. Add the voiceover to iMovie: In iMovie, select "Audio," then "iTunes," and choose your AI voiceover audio file.
  7. Adjust the voiceover position: Drag the audio clip onto the timeline and adjust it to match your video.

How to Add Voice Over to a Video in iMovie

  1. Select the video clip: Click on the video clip in your timeline where you want to add the voiceover.
  2. Click on the microphone button: Located in the iMovie app toolbar, click on the microphone button to start recording your own voice.
  3. Choose input source: Ensure your microphone is selected as the input source.
  4. Hit the red record button: Click the red button to start recording. You'll see a countdown before the recording starts.
  5. Record your voiceover: As you record, the video will play in the background. Click the "Stop Recording" button when you're done.
  6. Adjust the voiceover clip: Move the audio clip to adjust its timing or use the retake option if needed.
  7. Save your project: Once you're happy with your voiceover, save your project.

Remember to add transitions, subtitles, and background music to enhance your video.

Why Can't I Add Voiceover in iMovie?

If you are having trouble adding a voiceover in iMovie, the problem might be related to your audio input source. Always ensure that your selected microphone is working properly and that iMovie has permission to access it.

How to Add Automatic Voice to a Video

To add automatic voice to a video, you would typically use a Text-to-Speech (TTS) or AI voiceover software. Here's a general process:

  1. Choose a TTS software or AI Voiceover service: Select a high-quality service from the list provided above or one you're comfortable with.
  2. Enter or Upload Your Script: After you've written your script, input the text into the software. Some services allow you to upload a document with the script.
  3. Choose a Voice and Language: Most TTS and AI voiceover services provide several voice options and support multiple languages. Choose the one that best suits your video content.
  4. Generate the Voiceover: Click on the "Generate," "Convert," or similar button to create the voiceover. The software will then convert your text into speech.
  5. Download the Voiceover File: Save the generated voiceover as an audio file, which you can then add to your video using a video editing software like iMovie.

How to Use Voiceover AI

Voiceover AI tools help create spoken content from written scripts. Here's how you generally use such a tool:

  1. Select Your Tool: Choose an AI voiceover tool from the options available.
  2. Input Your Text: Type or paste your script into the tool.
  3. Choose Your Preferences: Select the desired language, voice type, and speed.
  4. Create Your Voiceover: Click the button to generate the voiceover, usually labeled "Create," "Generate," or similar.
  5. Review and Download: Listen to the generated voiceover, make any necessary adjustments, and download the final audio file.

What are Voiceover AI?

Voiceover AI, also known as Text-to-Speech (TTS) technology, uses artificial intelligence to convert written text into spoken words. This technology can mimic different types of voices, accents, and languages, making it a useful tool for creating diverse and engaging audio content.

How to Use an AI Voice

Using an AI voice typically involves the following steps:

  1. Select a TTS Service: Choose an AI voiceover service that suits your needs.
  2. Input Your Text: Add your written script to the service.
  3. Select a Voice: Choose the type of AI voice you want to use, including the accent, gender, and language.
  4. Generate the Speech: Use the service to convert your text into speech.
  5. Review and Adjust: Listen to the AI-generated speech and adjust the speed, tone, and other parameters as needed.
  6. Export: Finally, export the speech as an audio file, ready to be added to your video.

How to Add Voice Over to a Video in iMovie

Adding a voiceover to your iMovie video involves several steps:

  1. Choose your clip: Open iMovie, select your project, and choose the clip where you want to add the voiceover.
  2. Open the voiceover tool: Click on the microphone icon below the viewer.
  3. Select your input: Choose your microphone and adjust the input level.
  4. Start the voiceover: Position the playhead where you want the voiceover to start, then click the red record button.
  5. Record your voiceover: Speak clearly into the microphone. iMovie will add your voiceover to the timeline as you speak.
  6. Finish up: Click the stop button when you're finished, then close the voiceover controls.

Remember, if you're using an AI voice instead of your own voice, you can skip the recording steps and simply import the AI-generated audio file into iMovie. Drag and drop the file onto the timeline at the desired position, and adjust as necessary.

Top 9 AI Voiceover Software Alternatives to iMovie

  1. Speechify Voice Over: Speechify Voice Over is a powerful voice over app that runs in your browser. with the power of AI, it brings surprising features made simple for anyone to use. Try it free, today!
  2. Notevibes: Convert your text to speech with this high-quality tool that offers over 177 natural-sounding voices across 31 languages.
  3. iSpeech: This TTS app supports multiple languages and voice types, perfect for diverse content creation.
  4. Amazon Polly: A service from Amazon that uses advanced deep learning technologies to synthesize speech sounding like a human voice.
  5. Google Text-to-Speech: Available on Android and iOS, Google's TTS supports multiple languages and voices.
  6. Microsoft Azure Text to Speech: Offers neural voice fonts for a more natural-sounding TTS experience.
  7. IBM Watson Text to Speech: A cloud-based AI service that offers a variety of voices across multiple languages.
  8. Voicery: Synthesizes lifelike speech using deep learning models. Available in various languages.
  9. Natural Reader: An online TTS service with various voice options. It also offers a downloadable version for offline use.

The world of video editing software is at your fingertips, and with these simple steps and editing tools, you're ready to master the addition of AI voiceovers in iMovie. So go ahead and start your video creation journey now, and don't forget to share your creations on platforms like YouTube and TikTok.

Cliff Weitzman

Cliff Weitzman

Cliff Weitzman is a dyslexia advocate and the CEO and founder of Speechify, the #1 text-to-speech app in the world, totaling over 100,000 5-star reviews and ranking first place in the App Store for the News & Magazines category. In 2017, Weitzman was named to the Forbes 30 under 30 list for his work making the internet more accessible to people with learning disabilities. Cliff Weitzman has been featured in EdSurge, Inc., PC Mag, Entrepreneur, Mashable, among other leading outlets.