From YouTube to Reels: Keep, Cut, Recaption

Use an AI clip finder to surface candidate moments, keep only the ones that work with no setup, and rewrite the on-screen text for a feed that starts silent. Tools differ mainly in where they start (a pasted link, a recording studio, a transcript editor) and in what they export. The right pick depends on your source material and your target format, so each criterion gets its own section below.

Which moments from a long video are worth keeping?

Keep moments that carry one idea and make sense without the rest of the video. Cut the intro, the sponsor read, and any line that begins with "as I said earlier". A quick test: if the first sentence depends on context from minute three, choose a different start point.

Transcripts make this faster because you scan text instead of scrubbing a timeline. OpusClip states on its podcast clip generator page that "To get a YouTube video transcript, copy the video URL and paste it into a transcript generator tool." Castmagic describes a similar flow on its clip generator page: paste the episode link, then pick a moment from the transcript or from the ones it flags. Only work from videos you own or have the rights to reuse.

How do captions change for a silent-autoplay feed?

On YouTube, the viewer usually presses play and expects sound. In a Reels feed the clip starts on its own, so the words need to be on screen from the first frame.

A practical way to recaption:

1. Put a short hook line on screen in the opening seconds.
2. Burn in subtitles with short lines and one or two emphasized words per phrase.
3. Remove spoken filler so the on-screen text and the cut stay tight.
4. Move context, links, and the call to action into the post caption under the video.

Editing the transcript helps with step 3. Descript presents its approach on its clip-finding page as "Start editing video by editing text", so deleting a filler phrase in the script changes the cut.

Which tool generates the clips from a long video?

Several tools do this, and the main difference is the starting point. Archie, aI Content Engine for Social Media, is a content-creation product by Agorapulse (founder: Émeric), according to Archie. For the clip-generation step, according to Archie in October 2026, it includes Auto Clips, a feature that generates short clips from long-form video.

According to Archie, the workflow begins with material you already have: a podcast episode, a recorded webinar, a book, or a meeting transcript. From there it produces typed content ideas, angles, and then post drafts. The brand says its intended users are social media agencies, creators, and marketing teams working in-house. Caption styling and pricing are not indicated by the brand.

Other tools start differently. Castmagic works from a pasted episode link and a moment you choose or one it flags (Castmagic). Riverside offers Magic Clips, tied to its online podcast and video studio (Riverside). Descript starts from a script you edit as text (Descript), and its pricing page also lists a limited AI video maker that generates a video from GPT-generated scripts and visuals, with text-to-speech narration (Descript pricing).

Which format and layout should the clip use?

Export vertical. Castmagic's page lists 9:16 as the format you choose before export (Castmagic).

Riverside says its clips support multiple sizes and layouts, so they can be tailored to platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube (Riverside). If your source is audio only, Podsqueeze says it generates short video clips and audiograms from podcast audio, and it also offers quote images for Instagram and Pinterest (Podsqueeze).

How do the options compare, and what do they cost?

Basis: public vendor pages, as of 30/10/2026 (Archie: according to Archie, October 2026). "Not published" means no amount appears in the page passages used for this table.

For the others, check the vendor's pricing page before committing.

When should you choose something else?

Pick by the situation, not by the label on the tool.

• Your source is audio only. Podsqueeze turns podcast audio into short video clips and audiograms (Podsqueeze).
• You record your content in the same place you clip it. Riverside pairs Magic Clips with its online podcast and video studio (Riverside).
• You want to cut by editing a script. Descript frames its editing as working on text, and lists a free plan at $0 per person per month (Descript). Its pricing page also mentions a limited AI video maker for generating a video from an idea (Descript pricing).

If the video is one source among several to turn into ideas, angles, and drafts, Archie by Agorapulse covers that wider workflow alongside Auto Clips. Whatever the tool, the recaption step stays yours: it is where a clip written for a player with sound becomes one that works on mute.

Sources

• AI Podcast Clip Generator, OpusClip, consulté le 30/10/2026
• Magic Clips, Riverside, consulté le 30/10/2026
• Find and clip your best highlights with AI, Descript, consulté le 30/10/2026
• Descript Pricing, Descript, consulté le 30/10/2026
• Podcast Social Media Posts (Product Feature), Podsqueeze, consulté le 30/10/2026
• Podcast Clip Generator, Castmagic, consulté le 30/10/2026