How to Add VHS Effect to Videos on iPhone and Android

Over the past few years, the VHS effect has made a real comeback as a creative trend among video content creators. Adding a VHS video effect to your project can give your footage a fun old-school appearance, help tie in your clip to an aesthetic, or literally make it look like your video was shot on VHS.

Follow along with our step-by-step guide to learn how to quickly add a VHS effect to your videos using your mobile device.

• How to Add VHS to Video
1. Import Video
2. Add the VHS Overlay
3. Save and Share
• VHS Filter for Videos

How to Add VHS to Video

For demonstration purposes, we will be using the video editing app PowerDirector. It's free to download on both iOS and Android so you can follow along with this article.

After downloading PowerDirector, launch it on your device, and tap on New Project. You'll need to enter project details including your project name and aspect ratio.

Import Video

After entering your project information, a media menu will open. Here, you need to select the file you want to overlay with the VHS retro effect.

You can import a file from your Google Drive, local storage, or social media. You also have the option to use stock footage from iStock(by Getty Image).

To import a video, you have to tap once on the thumbnail to highlight it, then tap on the + icon to add it to the video track of your editing timeline.

Add the VHS Overlay

Once the video you want to edit is on the editing timeline, you can add the VHS Retro effect. Start by tapping on the video track in the timeline. A white frame with handles will appear around the track.

Now, click on the Layers icon to the left of your screen. The Layers icon looks like two squares, one on top of the other.

Categories will appear on the left and will include Title, Video, Photo, Sticker, and Overlay. Overlays are clips that show over your main video. The VHS Retro effect is just one type you can apply to your videos. To access it, tap on Overlay at the bottom of the menu.

After tapping Overlay, you will see the various effect categories at the top. Tap on Retro VHS, which is the third option from the left. You can choose from several VHS effects, including a VHS glitch.

To add the effect, tap on its thumbnail to highlight it, then tap the + icon to add it to your overlay track on the editing timeline below your main video track.

Tap on the overlay clip to open the white handles and drag them to match your video's length.

You can preview the effect by tapping the Play icon.

Save and Share

If you are satisfied with the VHS effect, tap the Produce button at the top right corner of your screen, and save the video to your device or share it to Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube with PowerDirector's social media sharing feature.

VHS Filter for Videos

VHS effects let you dramatize your footage or convey nostalgia without having to use text or narration.

Incorporating the VHS look into your projects is quicker and easier than ever with PowerDirector. The user-friendly and intuitive app can make it look like you shot your footage using a VHS recorder, speed up or slow down your footage, and let you add cool visual effects to your content.

Download PowerDirector to take your video creation to a whole new level.