The Fastest Way To Clean Up Filler Words in Your Videos With AI

Abstract illustration showing a speech bubble with ellipsis representing how to remove filler words from a video edit, in soft teal and beige colors.

If you've ever spent hours scrubbing through an interview or on a podcast editing session just to cut out endless "uhs" and "ums," you're not alone. These filler words are small, but editing them out manually adds up, especially in long-form content. That's where Cutback's AI Assistant comes in.

Cutback is a smart AI plugin for Adobe Premiere Pro that gives editors powerful automation tools to save time on rough cuts. One of its most underrated features? The ability to remove filler words from video instantly with just a few clicks.

Whether you're editing educational videos for presentations, marketing videos, a company webinar, or YouTube content with professional narration, cleaning up verbal tics improves your video’s polish and keeps viewers engaged. Here's how to use AI to make it happen.

Why Are Filler Words Bad? Is It Necessary To Remove Filler Words From Video?

Filler words like “uh,” “um,” “like,” or “you know” may seem harmless, but they can seriously disrupt your video’s flow and hurt viewer retention. In video editing, especially for podcasts, interviews, or marketing content, these verbal tics make speech sound unpolished, audio quality sound bad, and reduce the credibility of the speaker. Cutting filler words helps maintain a clear, confident tone and keeps your audience engaged. Whether you're editing in Premiere Pro or using an AI editing tool like Cutback, removing filler words is one of the simplest ways to upgrade your content quality without rewriting your entire script.

How To Eliminate Filler Words in Adobe Premiere With AI

No more wasting time on manual editing. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to remove filler words from speech in your videos with automated tools.

Step 1: Open Your Project in Premiere

Start by launching Adobe Premiere Pro and opening the project you’d like to clean up. Make sure all your audio and video files are placed into the timeline.

Step 2: Launch Cutback

Go to the top menu and click Window > Extensions > Cutback. This will open the plugin’s panel inside Premiere.

Step 3: Choose Auto Rough Cut

Select the Auto Rough Cut option from the menu. This feature unlocks transcription-based editing, including filler word removal.

Step 4: Configure Recognition Settings For Filler Remover

Before transcribing, adjust these settings:

Range: Choose whether to analyze the full sequence, in/out range, or selected clips.
Language: Pick your video’s spoken language.
Speakers: Assign per-track names or let the AI detect speakers on a single track.
Video Tracks: Assign video footage to speakers if applicable.

Then click [Transcribe Video for Auto Rough Cut] to begin.

Use the AI Assistant for Quick Filler Word Removal

Now, try a more radical approach to remove words from video with Cutback’s AI video editing assistant.

Step 1: Click the Assistant Button

After transcription, hit the [Assistant] button in the top right corner.

Step 2: Enter Your Request

Inside the chat window, either type "Remove filler words" or click the preset option.

Step 3: Review the Draft

The AI will instantly detect and remove filler words like “uh,” “um,” and “like.” Suggested cuts will appear in gray in the timeline.

If you’re not happy with the results, you can always:

Preview the version.
Undo changes.
Re-run with clearer instructions.

Step 4: Finalize Edits

Click Apply to Sequence and choose:

Apply to Current Sequence: To overwrite the original timeline.
Create New Sequence: To save a clean copy while keeping the original.

Why It’s Important To Remove Filler Words From Video

Higher Engagement: Viewers are less likely to bounce when speech flows smoothly.
Professional Sound: Cutting out tics instantly boosts production quality.
Faster Turnaround: Let the AI do the trimming, so you can focus on visuals, story, or pacing.

Bonus Tip: Stack with Other AI Editing Features

Cutback isn't just about filler words. Combine this with:

Remove Silence: Automatic removal of awkward pauses and silences.
Remove Retakes: Clean up repeated and bad takes automatically.
Script-Based Editing: Align your video directly with a script.
Automated Captions: Generate subtitles for added accessibility to your content.
Built-in B-roll: Add stickers and GIFs from the royalty-free stock library

FAQs

Q: Can I undo the filler word edits?

A: Yes. Use Time Machine in the top menu to revert or restore changes.

Q: Can I adjust the sensitivity of filler word detection?

A: Not directly, but you can manually edit the transcript or undo specific removals.

Q: Will this work with multi-speaker podcasts?

A: Yes. Cutback can detect speakers even if they're sharing a mic or using different tracks.

Q: Does this work offline?

A: No. Cutback uses cloud-based AI, so a stable internet connection is needed.

Final Thoughts

Using AI to remove filler words isn’t just about convenience; it’s about editing smarter. Cutback saves you hours of tedious scrubbing and gives you a clean, professional edit in minutes.

Ready to cut the “uhs” and “ums” for good? Try it inside Premiere and experience just how fast clean audio editing can be.

Want to see the feature in action? Check out our full demo [here].

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.