How to Use Alight Motion in Dec 2025 (Ultimate Beginner’s Guide)

In 2025, mobile and desktop editing tools are more powerful than ever. Alight Motion stands out by offering keyframe animations, blend modes, and vector support all on your phone or PC. Knowing how to use Alight Motion helps content creators, social media influencers, and hobbyists produce polished videos without needing expensive software.

1. Open Alight Motion and tap “＋” for Create Project.
2. Enter project name like, “1stClip2025”.
3. Choose an Aspect Ratio (e.g., 16:9 for YouTube, 9:16 for reels).
4. Set Resolution (1080×1920 for vertical or 1920×1080 for horizontal).
   Select Frame Rate (30 fps is standard; 60 fps for smooth slow-motion).
5. Pick a Background Color or leave it transparent for overlays.

Tip: Now editing in 4K (3840×2160) is possible on high-end devices, choose 4K only if you have enough RAM and want future-proof exports.

• Canvas (Center): Real-time preview. Pinch to zoom and drag with two fingers to pan
• Timeline (Bottom): Shows layers vertically. Playhead indicates current frame.
• Properties Panel (Right): Adjust Position, Scale, Rotation, Opacity, and Blend Mode. Tap the small diamond icon to add keyframes.
• Effects & Fill Panel (Right): Contains filters (color, blur), layer effects (shadow, glow), and color correction tools.
• Graph Editor (Above Timeline): Fine-tune easing curves for smoother animations.

Quick Hint: Tap Play above the timeline to preview your project instantly.

• Media Layers: Video and images you import.
• Text Layers: Editable text choose any font you’ve installed.
• Shape Layers: Rectangles, circles, polygons great for masks and overlays.
• Vector Layers: Scalable graphics that remain crisp at any size.
• Audio Layers: Music, voiceovers, and sound effects.

Why It Helps: Different layer types exist for a reason. Use vector layers for logos; text layers for titles; shape layers for masks.

1. Rename Layers: Double-tap a layer name and type something clear (e.g., “Title_Text”).
2. Reorder: Press and drag layers up or down top layers appear in front on the Canvas.
3. Folders (Groups):
   • Tap the ＋ in the Layers panel.
   • Choose New Folder, then drag related layers (like all text) into it.
4. Color-Coding: Tap the colored square beside a layer to pick a hue red for text, blue for video.

Best Practice: Grouping and color-coding keeps your workspace tidy and speeds up editing when you have more than five layers.

A keyframe marks a point where a property (e.g., position, scale, opacity) changes. Alight Motion automatically interpolates values between keyframes to create smooth motion.

• Keyframe Icon: Small diamond beside each property in the Properties panel.
• Interpolation: Alight Motion fills in the frames between two keyframes.

Remember: Without keyframes, your layers stay static. Keyframes bring life to your edits.

1. Select a layer (e.g., a video clip or text).
2. In the Properties Panel, set Position: Tap the diamond icon at the playhead’s start position.
3. Move the playhead to a new time (e.g., 1 s), then drag the layer on the Canvas to a new spot Alight Motion adds a second keyframe.
4. To adjust easing, tap the Graph Editor (graph icon above the timeline).
   • Drag Bezier handles for ease-in (slow start) or ease-out (slow end).

Quick Exercise: Animate a logo sliding in from the left:

• At 0 s, position X = –200 (off-screen), set keyframe
• At 1 s, position X = 0 (onscreen), set keyframe.
• Use easing curve to add a subtle bounce as it settles.

• After tapping ＋ → Text, type your message (e.g., “Summer 2025”).
• In Properties, choose a font. Import custom fonts by placing .ttf or .otf files in your device’s AlightMotion/Font folder.
• Adjust Font Size, Letter Spacing, and Color to match your style.

Design Tip: Use sans-serif fonts like Helvetica or Roboto for readability on small screens.

1. Fade In/Out:
   • At 0 s, set Opacity = 0%, add keyframe.
   • At 0.5 s, set Opacity = 100%, add keyframe.
   • In the Graph Editor, choose a gentle ease-out.

2. Scale Animation:
   • At 0 s, set Scale = 0.5×, keyframe.
   • At 0.7 s, set Scale = 1.0×, keyframe.
   • Use ease-in to make the text “pop.”

3. Slide In:
   • At 0 s, set Position Y = –100 (above canvas), keyframe.
   • At 1 s, set Position Y = 0, keyframe.
   • Adjust easing for a smooth drop.

Pro Trick: Combine Opacity and Scale keyframes for text that both fades and grows in simultaneously, creating a dynamic reveal.

• Blur (Gaussian Blur): Softens backgrounds good for focusing on text.
• Shadow & Glow: Add depth to text and shapes adjust Distance and Blur in Layer Effects.
• Color Correction: Under Effects & Fill → Color, tweak Brightness, Contrast, Saturation, and Tint.
• Motion Blur: Found in Effects & Fill, adds realistic blur to fast-moving layers use sparingly to avoid sluggish look.

Note: In 2025, Alight Motion supports GPU-accelerated effects, so heavy blurs and color grades render faster on devices with dedicated GPUs.

• Less Is More: Applying too many effects can overwhelm viewers.
• Consistency: Use similar color corrections across all clips to maintain a unified look.
• Subtlety: For text, a slight shadow is often enough avoid strong glow unless it fits your style.

Reminder: Good editing shines when effects support your story, not distract from it.

• Pre-built Transitions: Found under ＋ → Transition when two layers overlap. Options include Crossfade, Swipe, Split, and Wipe.
• Manual Transitions: Animate Position, Scale, or Opacity keyframes directly.
  • Example: Animate a shape layer that expands to cover the screen, then shrinks to reveal the next clip.

When to Use Which: Pre-built transitions save time, but manual transitions let you customize pacing and style.

1. Import your audio track and expand the audio layer in the timeline.
2. Listen for beats or tempo changes tap the marker icon at each beat.
3. Align transition keyframes or presets to these markers so cuts and animations hit on the beat.

Pro Tip: Beat-synced transitions feel more engaging—viewers notice when visuals match audio rhythm.

1. Tap ＋ → Media to import music, voiceover, or sound effects.
2. In the Timeline, expand the audio layer to see its waveform.
3. Drag the edges to trim or tap the Scissors icon to split.
4. In the Properties Panel, adjust Volume and add Fade In/Fade Out keyframes.

Quick Fix: If your audio is too quiet, set a keyframe at the clip’s start with Volume = 50%, then at mid-point set Volume = 80%.

• Keyframe Volume: Tap the diamond icon beside Volume to create quiet or loud sections.
• Sound Effects: Place short SFX precisely at impact points (e.g., a whoosh at a transition).
• Beat Markers: Use markers to line up visual keyframes (text pops, shape moves) with strong audio beats.

Best Practice: Keep music volume lower under voiceovers set background music to around 30 to 40% volume when narration plays.

1. Download .almpt preset files from trusted creators (e.g., community forums or official Alight Motion channels).
2. In Alight Motion, tap ＋ → Import Project Data → From Files, and select the preset.
3. Presets appear under My Presets in the Effects & Fill panel.
4. Drag a preset onto a layer to apply its settings instantly.

Tip: Many presets include keyframe animations experiment but always tweak values to match your footage.

• After applying, select the layer and adjust properties (e.g., Blend Mode, Opacity, or color values) to fit your style.
• Save your modified preset: In My Presets, tap the three-dot menu next to a preset and choose Save As.

Note: Community-driven preset markets have grown look for trending packs tailored for vertical social media edits.

1. Select a clip, go to Effects & Fill → Color.
2. Use Brightness, Contrast, and Saturation sliders to match your vision.
3. To achieve a cinematic look, apply a LUT: Tap Import LUT and choose a .CUBE file.
4. Adjust Exposure and Highlights for dramatic effect.

Reminder: Keep color grading consistent across all clips to maintain mood and style.

• Blending Modes: Found in the Properties Panel for any layer (e.g., Multiply, Screen, Overlay). Use them to combine layers creatively place a texture image above a clip, set blending mode to Overlay, and reduce Opacity for a subtle film grain.
• Custom LUTs: In 2025, Alight Motion supports importing third-party LUTs. Save your favorite LUTs in AlightMotion/LUTs, then apply them from Effects & Fill → LUT.

Pro Tip: Use Multiply blending on a black-and-white texture layer to add cinematic grain over color footage without washing out hues.

1. Project Setup: New project at 9:16, 1080×1920, 30 fps.
2. Import Clips: Bring in 3–4 short video snippets (2–3 seconds each).
3. Trim & Arrange: Use Trim and Split to isolate highlights; reorder layers so clips flow logically.
4. Transitions: Add Swipe or Crossfade between clips (0.3–0.5 s each).
5. Text Overlay: Create a text layer (“Summer Vibes 2025”), animate with Scale keyframes.
6. Color Grade: Apply a light LUT to unify look adjust Saturation +10%, Contrast +15%.
7. Audio Sync: Import a trending track, tap markers on beats, and sync clip cuts to markers.
8. Export: 1080×1920, 30 fps, Medium quality (10 Mbps), H.264.

Result: A snappy 15-second reel with clean cuts, beat-synced transitions, and animated text.

1. Import Action Clip: Select a fast-paced clip (e.g., skateboard trick).
2. Enable Velocity Graph: Tap the Speedometer icon above the timeline.
3. Keyframe Speed: At 0 s, set speed to 100%. At 1 s, set to 50% for slow motion. At 1.5 s, set to 150% for quick exit.
4. Add Motion Blur: In Effects & Fill, add Motion Blur to smooth fast sections.
5. Apply Glitch (Optional): Tap Add Effect → Distort → Glitch. Tweak Amount and Frequency.
6. Sync to Beat: Place a marker where the beat drops and add a brief Flash (white solid shape) at that marker using Opacity keyframes (0% → 100% → 0%).

Tip: Use small glitch bursts (0.2 s) to accent key moments without overloading viewers.

1. Tap the Share icon, then Export Video.
2. Choose Resolution and Frame Rate based on your platform.
3. Pick Bitrate & Quality:
   • High for large-screen playback.
   • Medium for social media (smaller file, faster upload).
4. Select Codec: Use HEVC if you need smaller file sizes at 4K; otherwise, H.264 is safest.

Reminder: The free version adds a small watermark. Consider a Pro subscription if you need watermark-free exports.

• Lagging Export:
  • Close background apps to free RAM.
  • Lower resolution or bitrate if device struggles.
• Export Failure:
  • Check available storage (at least 500 MB free).
  • Restart Alight Motion and your device; try exporting again.
• Audio Out of Sync:
  • Reopen project, ensure audio keyframes are aligned to markers.
  • Render with a lower bitrate to reduce processing load.

Pro Advice: Always preview your final export fully before sharing. Look out for dropped frames, audio glitches, or unintentional black screens.

• Duplicate Edits: Right-tap a project thumbnail and choose Duplicate to create variations without losing the original.
• Copy-Paste Keyframes: Long-press any effect or property → Copy, then select another layer → Paste to replicate animations.
• Use Templates: In 2025, Alight Motion offers official templates access them in the Home Screen under Templates for quick starts.
• Auto-Save and XML Backups: Go to Settings → Project and enable Auto-Save. Periodically export an XML backup (three-dot menu → Project Data → Export XML).

Quick Win: Keep frequently used custom fonts and LUTs in the AlightMotion/Font and AlightMotion/LUT folders for instant access

• Consistent Names:
  • Prefix text layers with TXT_, video layers with VID_, audio with AUD_.
  • Example: TXT_IntroTitle, VID_BRoll1, AUD_BackgroundMusic.

     

• Folder Structure:
  • Create “Folders” such as Text, Video, Audio, and Effects.
  • Collapse folders you’re not editing to reduce clutter.

Why It Works: Organized projects take half the time to navigate. When you return to a project weeks later, clear names and folders prevent confusion.

Now you know how to use Alight Motion effectively in 2025. You can:

• Create polished social media reels with synced transitions.
• Animate text and graphics using keyframes and easing curves.
• Apply color grading and blending modes for a cinematic look.
• Export high-quality, watermark-free videos suited for any platform.