How to Use Text-Based Editing in Premiere Pro for 10x Faster Edits

Text-based video editing lets you skip the timeline scrubbing and jump straight to the point, literally. Instead of hunting through audio waveforms to cut filler, you just read the transcription and make edits like you’re working in a doc.

With Cutback, you can do this directly inside Adobe Premiere Pro. Our AI transcription engine lets you generate subtitles, edit video through text, and instantly remove awkward pauses, filler words, or retakes, without ever touching the timeline.

Let’s break down how it works and how you can speed up your post-production flow.

What Is Text-Based Editing?

Text-based editing is exactly what it sounds like: editing your video through the transcript. Once your footage is transcribed, you can delete words, sentences, or even whole chapters by simply selecting the text.

Instead of jumping around your timeline and scrubbing through takes, you get a clean, readable script where every word is synced to its corresponding clip.

How To Use Text-Based Editing in Cutback

1. Transcribe Your Video

Start by launching Cutback in Premiere Pro via Window > Extensions > Cutback. Then select Auto Rough Cut.

Choose the appropriate settings:

• Range: Whole sequence, selected clips, or in/out points

• Language: Select the spoken language

• Speakers: Indicate if it's one person, multiple, or audio-separated tracks

• Names/Keywords: Add key terms or script references to improve accuracy

Then click [Transcribe video for auto rough cut].

2. Edit by Text, Not Timeline

Once transcribed, your video appears as readable text. You can:

• Delete a chapter with one click

• Remove a sentence using the scissors icon or shortcut l

• Delete a word by selecting it and hitting k or using the right-click menu

All edits are shown in gray. They don’t affect your timeline until applied, giving you room to review and revise.

3. Use Timeline View for Fine Control

Want to be more precise? Click the Timeline button to switch views. Here, you can fine-tune clips just like a standard editor while still leveraging the transcript.

4. Apply Your Changes

When you’re ready, hit Apply to sequence to lock in the changes. You can choose to overwrite your current sequence or create a new one.

Bonus: Smart AI Features That Save Time

Text-based editing is just the start. Here are a few productivity boosts you’ll unlock inside Cutback:

• Zoom Effects: Highlight key moments by selecting text and applying animated zoom

• B-Roll Overlay: Add video, images, or GIFs to match lines of dialogue

• Find + Replace: Quickly swap words or phrases across the transcript

• Time Machine: Instantly roll back if you don’t like the result

• Export Options: Get .srt, .txt, or timestamped summaries for YouTube chapters

FAQs About Text-Based Editing With Cutback

• Subtitle track blocking cuts? Delete all “Captions” tracks from the sequence

• Can’t apply changes? You need to make at least one cut for the Apply button to activate

• Out-of-sync subtitles? Avoid editing your timeline after applying rough cuts unless you're completely done

• Slow processing? Remove unused tracks, effects, and work in shorter sequences

Final Thoughts

Text-based editing isn’t just a cool feature; it’s a smarter workflow. You read your edits, cut what you don’t need, and move faster. Whether you're editing interviews, educational videos, or social media content, Cutback’s transcription-powered editing helps you move at 10x speed, without compromising quality.

For more in-depth knowledge about the ins and outs of video editing, check out our latest posts on the Cutback blog or our YouTube channel. You can also join Cutback’s Discord community of like-minded video editors.