--- title: Knowledge Base - Starting Lightworks description: Learn how to start using Lightworks video editing software, from creating an account to activating licenses. Instructions and tips for a smooth experience. --- Menu Topics: [Introduction ](https://lwks.com/kb?hsLang=en) Download and Install - [System Requirements](https://lwks.com/kb/system-requirements?hsLang=en) - [Windows](https://lwks.com/kb/installwindows?hsLang=en) - [macOS](https://lwks.com/kb/installmac?hsLang=en) - [Linux](https://lwks.com/kb/installinux?hsLang=en) Getting Started - [Start The Application](https://lwks.com/kb/startinglightworks?hsLang=en#open) - [Registering an Account](https://lwks.com/kb/startinglightworks?hsLang=en#register) - [Signing Into Lightworks](https://lwks.com/kb/startinglightworks?hsLang=en#signingin) - [Signing Out of Lightworks](https://lwks.com/kb/startinglightworks?hsLang=en#signout) - [Activating a License](https://lwks.com/kb/startinglightworks?hsLang=en#activating) Projects - [Overview](https://lwks.com/kb/projects?hsLang=en) - [Creating a New Project](https://lwks.com/kb/projects?hsLang=en#newproject) - [Opening an Existing Project](https://lwks.com/kb/projects?hsLang=en#existingproject) - [Importing Local Files into a Project](https://lwks.com/kb/projects?hsLang=en#localfiles) - [Closing a Project](https://lwks.com/kb/projects?hsLang=en#closingproject) - [Deleting a Project](https://lwks.com/kb/projects?hsLang=en#deletingproject) Content Manager - [Overview](https://lwks.com/kb/contentmanager?hsLang=en) - [Adding Cloud Storage Libraries](https://lwks.com/kb/contentmanager?hsLang=en#addingcloud) - [Removing Cloud Storage Libraries](https://lwks.com/kb/contentmanager?hsLang=en#removingcloud) - [Browsing the Content Manager](https://lwks.com/kb/contentmanager?hsLang=en#browsingcontentmanager) - [Using the Filter Types](https://lwks.com/kb/contentmanager?hsLang=en#usingfiltertypes) - [Bins](https://lwks.com/kb/contentmanager?hsLang=en#bins) Importing - Importing Local Files Into a Project Clips - [Opening a Tile in a Viewer](https://lwks.com/kb/clips?hsLang=en#openingtileviewer) - [Playback in a Viewer](https://lwks.com/kb/clips?hsLang=en#playbackviewer) - [Displaying Full-Screen Video](https://lwks.com/kb/clips?hsLang=en#displayfullvideo) - [Loading a Clip in Full-Screen Mode](https://lwks.com/kb/clips?hsLang=en#loadingfullscreen) - [Finding Information about Clips](https://lwks.com/kb/clips?hsLang=en#findclipinfo) [Mark and Park ](https://lwks.com/kb/markandpark?hsLang=en) [Subclips ](https://lwks.com/kb/subclips?hsLang=en) Cue Markers - [Adding Cue Markers](https://lwks.com/kb/cue-markers?hsLang=en#addingcuemarkers) - [Adding Ranged Markers](https://lwks.com/kb/cue-markers?hsLang=en#addingranged) Sequences - [Overview](https://lwks.com/kb/sequences?hsLang=en) - [Creating a Sequence](https://lwks.com/kb/sequences?hsLang=en#createsequence) - [Opening an Existing Sequence](https://lwks.com/kb/sequences?hsLang=en#openingexistingsequence) Trimming Cuts - [Overview](https://lwks.com/kb/trimming-cuts?hsLang=en) - [Disable Track Sync](https://lwks.com/kb/trimming-cuts?hsLang=en#disablesync) - [Trimming an Outgoing Clip](https://lwks.com/kb/trimming-cuts?hsLang=en#trimmingoutgoing) - [Trimming an Incoming Clip](https://lwks.com/kb/trimming-cuts?hsLang=en#trimmingincoming) - [Moving a Cut](https://lwks.com/kb/trimming-cuts?hsLang=en#movecut) - [Slipping a Clip](https://lwks.com/kb/trimming-cuts?hsLang=en#slippingclip) - [Sliding a Clip](https://lwks.com/kb/trimming-cuts?hsLang=en#slidingclip) Transitions - [Overview](https://lwks.com/kb/transitions?hsLang=en) - [Adding a Video Transition](https://lwks.com/kb/transitions?hsLang=en#addingvideotransition) - [Adding an Audio Transition](https://lwks.com/kb/transitions?hsLang=en#addingaudiotransition) Audio - [Overview](https://lwks.com/kb/audio?hsLang=en) - [Using the Audio Mixer](https://lwks.com/kb/audio?hsLang=en#usingaudiomixer) - [Adding a Voice Over](https://lwks.com/kb/audio?hsLang=en#addingvoice) Exporting - [Exporting a Clip, Subclip, or Sequence](https://lwks.com/kb/exporting?hsLang=en#export) - [Uploading to Vimeo or YouTube](https://lwks.com/kb/exporting?hsLang=en#uploadingyoutube) - [Uploading Exports to Cloud Service Providers](https://lwks.com/kb/exporting?hsLang=en#uploadcloudstorage) - [Cloud Storage Library Limitations](https://lwks.com/kb/exporting?hsLang=en#cloudlimitations) [Flexible Layout ](https://lwks.com/kb/flexible-layout?hsLang=en) [Fixed Layout ](https://lwks.com/kb/fixed-layout?hsLang=en) # Starting Lightworks Applies to 2022.3 onwards Free Create Pro ## Start the Application **Windows: **Double-click the Lightworks desktop icon. **Linux and Mac: **Single left-click on the Lightworks desktop icon.   Once the application starts the Video/Audio plugins installed on the system will be scanned and any failures will be acknowledged. This is a one-time only operation and may take some minutes to complete depending on the amount of plugins installed on the system but subsequent starts will be much faster.      ## Registering an Account *Note: In order to use Lightworks you MUST have registered an account with us.* 1 Start Lightworks 2 The startup wizard will appear. ![A create an account window](https://lwks.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image4.png?width=400&height=282&name=image4.png) 3 Select ‘I’d like to make a new account’ Click Next ![A create an account window](https://lwks.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image5.png?width=400&height=275&name=image5.png) 4 Type in all the details required. Please make sure to read the tooltips for each field available 5 Click ‘Create’ 6 The application will connect to our activation server create the account and return a Free license automatically (Internet connection required) 7 An account can be registered on our website **Access our website here: [https://app.lwks.com/sign-up](https://app.lwks.com/sign-up)** ## Signing Into Lightworks If you have already registered an account with us then you just need to sign in with your registered credentials: 1 Start Lightworks 2 The startup wizard will appear 3 Select ‘I already have an account’ Click Next 4 Type your Lightworks Username/Email and account password into the relevant fields and then click Sign In. *If you experience an issue with “Invalid credentials” please click the ‘eye’ icon next to the Password field to reveal the text characters. Further help can be obtained by clicking the ‘Help!’ link.* 5 The application will connect to our activation server and return a Free license automatically (Internet connection required) *![image6](https://lwks.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image6.png?width=410&height=282&name=image6.png)* *If you have purchased a Lightworks Create, Pro or AVID DNxHD license these will appear ready for activation.* *Each available license will have an ‘Activate’ button, clicking this will activate the license on the system. **Click Next* 6 Choose the language you wish to use throughout the application (default is English) Click Next 7 Choose the keyboard layout that is most familiar to you. If you are not familiar with other editing applications, please select ‘Lightworks (Default)’ and click Next 8 Choose the project layout that best suits how you wish to work. We strongly recommend new users to Lightworks start with the ‘Fixed layout’ Click Next 9 Before clicking Start, we strongly recommend pressing the Play icon to watch the ‘Quick Start Guide’ video to help bring you up to speed with the basics of Lightworks 10 The Lightworks application opens in the Project Browser view. 11 The first time you start Lightworks, the Project Browser displays a grid of blank tiles ![Project Browser 2023](https://lwks.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Project%20Browser%202023.png?width=2000&name=Project%20Browser%202023.png) 12 Existing Lightworks projects display as tiles with a title in the tile header and a thumbnail of a media item from the project ## Signing Out of Lightworks By default, your credentials are saved within the system and the next time you run the Lightworks application the license details will be read, and the system licensed. You may need to sign out of the application for various reasons, this removes the license file from the system and clears any saved credentials ready for the next user.  1 Click the dropdown arrow next to the avatar image (top right-hand corner, next to System Settings) ![image9](https://lwks.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image9.png?width=478&height=226&name=image9.png) 2 Click ‘Sign out’ 3 The license file will be deleted, and any saved credentials cleared taking you back to the startup wizard Create and above ## Activating a License Once the system is active with a Free license it is possible to activate a purchased license (Create, Pro or AVID DNxHD). 1 Click the dropdown arrow next to the avatar image (top right-hand corner, next to System Settings) 2 Click ‘Activate license(s)’ ![image10](https://lwks.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image10.png?width=382&height=254&name=image10.png) 3 On the panel that opens click ‘Authenticate.’ The panel will be auto-filled with the saved credentials 4 All licenses available under your account will then appear, including showing what license is active on the system and what license is available for activation ![image11](https://lwks.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image11.png?width=382&height=252&name=image11.png) 5 Click the ‘Activate’ button for each license you wish to activate on the system 6 Once all licenses have been activated, the panel can be closed [Previous Download and Install Lightworks on Linux ](https://lwks.com/kb/installinux?hsLang=en) [Next Projects ](https://lwks.com/kb/projects?hsLang=en) In this Article: - [Start the Application](https://lwks.com/kb/startinglightworks#open) - [Registering an Account](https://lwks.com/kb/startinglightworks#register) - [Signing into Lightworks](https://lwks.com/kb/startinglightworks#signingin) - [Signing Out of Lightworks](https://lwks.com/kb/startinglightworks#signout) - [Activating a License](https://lwks.com/kb/startinglightworks#activating)