flutter_video_editor_plugin

Timeline video editor for Flutter apps, backed by the native Infinive SDKs for iOS and Android. VideoEditor.present() opens the native editor and returns the rendered MP4.

A license key is required. Get a trial key for debug builds. Full documentation: infinive.dev/docs.

Features

Area	Included
Sources	Videos and photos from the gallery; photos become image clips
Timeline	Pinch zoom, scrubbing, trim, split, delete, per-clip volume
Overlays	Text (fonts, colors, styles); GIPHY stickers
Look	Color filters, video effects, clip transitions
Audio	Background music with waveform, section adjustment, volume; optional host audio picker
Editing	Undo and redo up to 50 steps; drafts saved on exit
Export	MP4 (H.264 or HEVC) in 9:16, 1:1, 4:5, 3:4 or 16:9; cover frame or photo
Analytics	Usage stats in the result, for your own analytics
Localization	English and Korean; strings overridable from native resources

Install

dependencies:
  flutter_video_editor_plugin: ^1.2.5

The native SDKs are resolved by name (VideoEditorCore pod, show.infini:videoeditor Maven artifact). The plugin adds the Maven repository to the Android build.

Android

• minSdk 24.
• Launch the editor from a FlutterActivity.
• No manifest changes.

iOS

• platform :ios, '16.0' in the Podfile.
• Info.plist:

<key>NSPhotoLibraryUsageDescription</key>
<string>Photo access is needed to pick videos to edit.</string>

The editor asks for full photo-library access right before it opens the picker. If the user denies or limits access, it shows a Settings button; with no clips, present() returns null. initialSource doesn't need the permission.

Present the editor

import 'package:flutter_video_editor_plugin/flutter_video_editor_plugin.dart';

final result = await VideoEditor.present(
  initialSource: pickedPath,   // optional; omit to open the gallery
  config: const VideoEditorConfig(licenseKey: 've_live_…', giphyApiKey: '…'),
  onFailure: (failure) => log('editor failed: $failure'),
);
if (result != null) {
  upload(result.videoPath);
}

null means the user closed the editor. The editor is a native screen over the current one, not a Flutter route.

initialSource is a local file path, or a content:// URI on Android. A photo becomes a one-second image clip; on Android, a photo path needs its file extension.

Result

Field	Value
videoPath	Rendered MP4 in the app cache. Move, upload or delete it.
coverPath	Cover JPEG in the app cache. Empty if no cover could be extracted (coverUnavailable arrives first).
durationSec	Duration in seconds.
audioPaths	Audio tracks used, in timeline order, as pickAudio or the system picker returned them.
draftId	Draft holding this edit; null if drafts are off or nothing was saved. See "Resume drafts".
usage	Usage stats. See "Read usage data".

VideoEditorScreen, the route wrapper, is deprecated and will be removed in the next major version.

Configure

VideoEditor.present(
  config: VideoEditorConfig(
    licenseKey: 've_live_…',
    giphyApiKey: myGiphyKey,
    textFonts: const [TextFontSpec(displayName: 'Brand', asset: 'fonts/Brand-Bold.ttf')],
    minDurationSeconds: 3,
    maxDurationSeconds: 60,
    locale: Localizations.localeOf(context).toLanguageTag(),
    draftsEnabled: true,
    coverPickerEnabled: true,
  ),
  output: const RenderOutputConfig(aspectRatio: RenderAspectRatio.ratio1x1, bitrate: 5000000),
);

VideoEditorConfig
licenseKey	Required.
giphyApiKey	Sticker tool is disabled without it.
textFonts	Replaces the bundled fonts. null keeps them. See "Add fonts".
minDurationSeconds, maxDurationSeconds	Exportable length. Checked on "Next"; editing isn't restricted. null for no limit.
allowAddClip	false hides the add button and keeps the last clip. Default true.
locale	BCP 47 tag. Only needed if your app has its own language setting.
draftsEnabled	See "Resume drafts". Default false.
coverPickerEnabled	See "Let the user pick a cover". Default false.
detachedRenderEnabled	See "Show render progress in your own UI". Default false.

Invalid values (empty licenseKey, minimum above maximum, unknown codec) are rejected with a bad_arguments PlatformException.

Output

RenderOutputConfig overrides only the fields you set. Defaults: 9:16, 7 Mbps cap, 30 fps cap, H.264.

RenderAspectRatio	Size
ratio9x16 (default)	1080×1920
ratio1x1	1080×1080
ratio4x5	1080×1350
ratio3x4	1080×1440
ratio16x9	1920×1080

Sources are fitted with black bars. Sources below the frame-rate cap keep their rate. Audio: AAC stereo, 48 kHz, 256 kbps.

Supply an audio picker

await VideoEditor.present(
  config: …,
  pickAudio: () async => await mySoundLibrary.pick(),
);

Return a local file path (or a content:// URI on Android), or null to cancel. Without pickAudio, the system file picker opens.

Note: the callback runs while the native editor is on screen, so it can't show Flutter widgets. Pick from files already on the device or download the track on demand.

Add fonts

flutter:
  fonts:
    - family: Brand
      fonts:
        - asset: fonts/Brand-Bold.ttf

TextFontSpec(displayName: 'Brand', asset: 'fonts/Brand-Bold.ttf')

• Give the bold face. Overlay text uses one semi-bold weight.
• The asset path identifies the font in drafts. Rename it and existing text falls back to the first font.
• Files that are missing or aren't fonts are dropped from the list.
• No UIAppFonts entry or native asset copy needed.

Resume drafts

With draftsEnabled: true, the editor saves when the user leaves: close, back, or the app going to the background. A render keeps the draft and returns its id in result.draftId.

final drafts = await VideoEditor.drafts();   // newest first

final result = await VideoEditor.present(
  draftId: drafts.first.id,
  config: const VideoEditorConfig(licenseKey: 've_live_…', draftsEnabled: true),
  onFailure: (failure) => log('$failure'),
);

await VideoEditor.deleteDraft(drafts.first.id);
await VideoEditor.deleteAllDrafts();

• A save returns null from present(), like a cancel. Call drafts() again to see it.
• Unchanged edits and empty timelines aren't saved. Undo history isn't saved.
• draftId requires draftsEnabled and can't be combined with initialSource.
• VideoEditorDraft: id, createdAt, updatedAt, durationSec, clipCount, coverPath (first-frame JPEG; empty until extracted).
• Videos are referenced, not copied. If a source is gone, or iOS photo access is revoked, opening fails with sourceUnreadable and the draft stays in the list.
• Drafts are deleted only through deleteDraft and deleteAllDrafts, which work with draftsEnabled off too.

Let the user pick a cover

With coverPickerEnabled: true, "Next" opens a cover screen: the paused preview on top, a thumbnail strip of the whole video below. The user slides the frame to a time or picks a gallery photo.

• A time gives that frame of the rendered video. A photo is center-cropped to the output aspect ratio. Either way: JPEG, 480 px on the short side.
• With no selection, the cover is the first frame.
• Back returns to editing. A cancelled or failed render returns to the cover screen.
• Duration limits are checked before the cover screen. The selection isn't saved in drafts.
• Strings: videoeditor_cover_title, videoeditor_cover_choose_from_gallery.

Show render progress in your own UI

Set detachedRenderEnabled: true to draw render progress in your own UI. The editor closes when the render starts, and the render continues as a VideoEditorRenderJob that reports progress, the result and failures.

await VideoEditor.present(
  config: const VideoEditorConfig(
    licenseKey: 've_live_…',
    draftsEnabled: true,
    detachedRenderEnabled: true,
  ),
  onRenderStarted: (job) {
    uploads.track(job);
    Navigator.of(context).pushReplacementNamed('/feed');
  },
);

void track(VideoEditorRenderJob job) {
  job.progress.listen((value) => banner.value = value);
  job.outcome.then((outcome) {
    switch (outcome) {
      case RenderCompleted(:final result):
        upload(result.videoPath, result.coverPath);
      case RenderFailed():
        showRetry(job.draftId);
      case RenderCancelled():
        break;
    }
  });
}

VideoEditorRenderJob
draftId	Draft holding the rendered state. null when draftsEnabled is off.
progress, latestProgress	0 to 1.
outcome	Completes once with RenderCompleted(result), RenderFailed(failure) or RenderCancelled(). An empty coverPath means no cover could be extracted.
cancel()	Stops the render.

• onRenderStarted is called before present() completes; present() then returns null.
• VideoEditor.currentRender is the running job, null once it ends.
• The only failure is renderFailed, delivered through outcome.
• One job runs at a time. Tapping "Next" in any editor meanwhile keeps the user on the editing screen and shows videoeditor_render_busy.
• To render again, open the editor with draftId.

Read usage data

result.usage counts what's in the rendered video. Items removed during editing aren't counted.

Field	Value
videoClipCount, imageClipCount	Clips on the timeline; each piece of a split counts
distinctSourceCount	Distinct source paths
sourceDurationSec	Total length of distinct video sources; images excluded
adjustedVolumeClipCount, mutedClipCount	Video clips with changed volume (muted included); muted video clips
audioCount, adjustedAudioCount	Audio tracks; tracks whose section within the song was moved
stickerCount	Stickers
texts	count, plus fonts, styles, colors maps (font displayName, style id, #AARRGGBB → count)
filters, effects, transitions	Preset id → count
cover	CoverUsage: source (CoverSource.frame or .photo), moved (a frame other than the first); null when the cover picker is off
editingSec	Time on the editing screen; excludes license check, cover screen, render, background
renderSec	Duration of the render that produced this result
renderAttemptCount	Renders started in this session, this one included; failed and cancelled count
fullscreenOpenCount	Fullscreen preview opens
undoCount, redoCount	Undo and redo actions that changed something

Handle failures

present() throws PlatformException only when the editor can't open:

Code	Cause
editor_already_open	Only one editor at a time
no_activity, no_view_controller	No screen to attach to
bad_arguments	Invalid configuration or output
launch_failed	Android: activity couldn't start

Once open, failures go to onFailure and the editor shows its own message:

reason	When	Then
sourceUnreadable	A source or draft couldn't be opened	With no clips left, the editor closes and present() returns null
renderFailed	Render failed	Back to editing; "Next" can be tapped again
coverUnavailable	Render succeeded, cover extraction failed	Result follows with an empty coverPath
licenseInvalid	No valid license	On open: closes, returns null. On render: stays on editing

nativeCode is platform-specific (iOS NSError.code, Android Media3 ExportException.errorCode). Store the platform with it.

Localize

Strings are native SDK resources in English and Korean. Other languages fall back to English.

Language

The editor follows the app language. If your app has its own language setting (MaterialApp(locale:)), pass it as VideoEditorConfig.locale. On iOS, declare CFBundleLocalizations in Info.plist so the device language is picked up. A change applies the next time the editor opens.

Override strings

Define the same key in your native resources. Your value wins.

<!-- android/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml (values-ko/, values-ja/, …) -->
<string name="videoeditor_next">Continue</string>

/* ios/Runner/en.lproj/Localizable.strings (ko.lproj, ja.lproj, …) */
"videoeditor_next" = "Continue";

• Keys start with videoeditor_ and match across platforms. Full lists: res/values/public.xml (Android SDK), Resources/en.lproj/Localizable.strings (iOS SDK).
• videoeditor_duration_too_short and videoeditor_duration_too_long are Android <plurals> and iOS .stringsdict entries.
• Transition, filter and bundled font names use videoeditor_transition_*, videoeditor_filter_*, videoeditor_font_*. Host font names are shown as given.

API

Name
VideoEditor.present()	Opens the editor; returns VideoEditorResult?
VideoEditor.drafts(), deleteDraft(), deleteAllDrafts()	Draft list and deletion
VideoEditor.currentRender	The running render job
VideoEditorRenderJob, VideoEditorRenderOutcome	Render progress and outcome for your own UI
VideoEditorResult	videoPath, coverPath, durationSec, audioPaths, usage, draftId
VideoEditorUsage, TextUsage, CoverUsage, CoverSource	Usage stats
VideoEditorDraft	Draft list entry
VideoEditorFailure, VideoEditorFailureReason	reason, nativeCode, detail
VideoEditorConfig	Editor configuration
RenderOutputConfig, RenderAspectRatio, RenderVideoCodec	Output encoding
TextFontSpec	Display name and pubspec asset path
VideoEditorScreen	Deprecated route wrapper

Dependencies

flutter only.

License

Commercial; requires a license key from Infinishow. See LICENSE and infinive.dev.