# What is rendering in video editing?

> Rendering is when an editor calculates every frame of your finished video and saves it to a file. See a worked render-time example and where each editor exports.
- **Author**: Marxx
- **Published**: 2026-11-09
- **Category**: Video editing
- **URL**: https://marxx.ai/library-glossary/rendering

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Rendering is the step where your editor builds the finished video, frame by frame, and saves it as a file. Exporting is the final render.

## Preview or final render

A render applies every cut, effect and colour change. A preview shows you the edit while you work. It may be lower quality. The final render makes the file you upload, at the size and quality you pick.

## The formula

Render time (seconds) = frames / frames rendered per second

## A worked example

Say your ad runs 30 seconds at 30 frames per second. That is 30 x 30 = 900 frames.

- At 10 frames rendered per second: 900 / 10 = **90 seconds**, three times the ad's length.
- With heavy effects the editor slows to 5 frames per second: 900 / 5 = **180 seconds**.

The speeds are made up. Longer ads, bigger sizes and heavier effects all add time.

## Where each editor exports

| Tool | Where to render |
|---|---|
| Premiere Pro | File > Export > Media (Ctrl+M or Command+M), or Send to Media Encoder |
| Final Cut Pro | File > Share > Export File (Command-E). Progress shows in the Background Tasks window |
| DaVinci Resolve | The Deliver page, which has a render queue |
| Canva | Share, then Download, then MP4 Video |

Premiere Pro is now called Adobe Premiere. Paths are from each maker's help pages (checked 3 Nov 2026). Adobe notes that time-remapped clips can play back slowly, so use [proxy files](/glossary/proxy-files) while you edit.

Marxx's [AI video editor](/features/ai-video-editor) runs in the browser with no install, and its export does not use credits. It exports MP4 (H.264) or WebM at up to 1080p and 30 frames per second, and an export can run up to five minutes. We make Marxx.

Set the file's quality next: see [video bitrate](/glossary/video-bitrate).

## FAQ

### Is rendering the same as exporting?

Nearly. Exporting is the final render to a file. Rendering can also mean a preview render while you edit.

### Why does my export take so long?

Length, size, effects and your computer all add up. Lower the preview quality while you edit and export once at the end.

### Do I render before I upload an ad?

Yes. The platform needs a finished file, such as an MP4 with [H.264](/glossary/h264).

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- [More Video editing articles](https://marxx.ai/library-glossary/category/video-editing)
- [All articles](https://marxx.ai/library-glossary)