SaneVideo for macOS

The Professional Video Recording & Editing App for macOS

SaneVideo is a native macOS video recording and editing app. No subscriptions. Local recording, editing, and export run on your Mac.

Last updated: 2026-07-04 Current direct release: 1.0.2

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Why SaneVideo?

Video editing shouldn't require a subscription, a PhD, or surrendering your privacy.

Most tools fall into two traps: bloated professionals that overwhelm everyday creators, or subscription services that rent you tools while harvesting your data. SaneVideo takes a different path.

	The Problem	The Sane Way
Power	Cloud-dependent, vendor-controlled	Your video, your Mac, your rules
Love	Built to extract (subscriptions, upsells)	Built to serve. No dark patterns.
Sound Mind	Feature bloat, cluttered interfaces	One thing done well. Calm UI.

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." — 2 Timothy 1:7

Local-First Video Workflow

SaneVideo is free and open source. Setup stays. Every recording and edit tool stays unlocked. Donate only if you want to support it.

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Download

Download SaneVideo or clone the source. Current release: 1.0.5. The app is signed, notarized, and built for local screen, camera, and microphone recording without uploading your footage to SaneApps servers.

Support: GitHub Sponsors · Contribute: https://github.com/sane-apps/SaneVideo

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For Developers & AI Agents: DEVELOPMENT.md is the SOP (Single Source of Truth).

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✨ Features

Recording

• Full Screen Recording: Capture your entire screen in high resolution
• Window Recording: Select specific windows to record
• Camera Overlay: Front camera support for picture-in-picture style recordings
• Microphone Capture: Record narration or meetings locally on your Mac
• Keyboard Controls: Start a new recording with ⌘N; direct builds may also expose ⌥⌘R global recording where macOS permissions allow it

Editing

• Professional Timeline: Industry-standard timeline with:

  • Drag & drop video import from Finder
  • Scrubbing and precise frame navigation
  • Keyboard shortcuts (J-K-L for playback, Space for play/pause)
  • Split clips (⌘B), ripple delete, trim handles
  • Visual playhead with grid overlay

• Real-Time Filters (120fps Metal-accelerated):

  • Natural: Subtle color correction and sharpening
  • Cinematic: Desaturated look with vignette and blue tones
  • Vintage: Warm sepia with film grain and strong vignette

• Magic Fix (AI-Powered):

  • Silence Removal: Automatically cuts silent pauses
  • Filler Word Detection: Identifies "um", "uh", "like"
  • Smart Cleanup: Non-destructive edits you can refine

Export

• HEVC 4K Export: Smart bitrate encoding for optimal file size
• Progress Tracking: Real-time export progress
• Desktop Save: Quick access to exported videos
• No Cloud Handoff: Export locally when the edit is ready

UI/UX Polish

• Native macOS Design:

  • SF Symbols throughout
  • Vibrancy and transparency effects
  • Proper dark mode support
  • Rounded corners and modern aesthetics

• Smooth Animations:

  • SwiftUI transitions
  • Pulsing recording indicator
  • Responsive hover states

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🎯 System Requirements

Minimum Requirements:

• macOS 15.0 (Sequoia) or later
• Apple Silicon (arm64) only - Intel Macs not supported
• 8GB RAM minimum (16GB recommended for 4K editing)
• AI features require macOS 26.0+ (FoundationModels/Translation); core recording/editing works on 15.0+

Note: SaneVideo is optimized for newer macOS features when available, but the core app runs on macOS 15.0+.

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🚀 Quick Start

First Run

1. Launch SaneVideo.app
2. Grant permissions when prompted:
   • Camera: For webcam recording
   • Microphone: For audio capture
   • Screen Recording: For screen capture

Recording

• Keyboard: Press ⌘N
• Window: Click the Record button in the toolbar

Importing Videos

• Drag any video file onto the main window
• Or: Click Import button (⌘I)
• Or: File → Import Video

Editing

• Select clips in the Media Library (left sidebar)
• View in the player (center)
• Arrange on timeline (bottom)
• Apply filters with the segmented control
• Split clips at playhead position (⌘B)

Exporting

• Click Export button
• Choose destination
• Wait for progress to complete

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⌨️ Keyboard Shortcuts

Shortcut	Action
⌥⌘R	Toggle Recording in direct builds where global hotkey support is available
⌘N	New Recording
⌘I	Import Video
Space	Play/Pause
←	Previous Frame
→	Next Frame
J	Rewind (hint)
K	Pause (hint)
L	Fast Forward (hint)
⌘B	Split Clip at Playhead
Delete	Delete Selected Clip

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🏗️ Architecture

See DEVELOPMENT.md for full architecture details.

Key Technologies: SwiftUI, AVFoundation, ScreenCaptureKit, Metal, Core Image, Vision, Core ML

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🔒 Privacy & Security

SaneVideo is designed with privacy first:

• App Sandbox enabled with minimal permissions
• Hardened Runtime for security
• Local Processing: All video processing happens on your Mac
• Local processing: Recording, editing, and local export happen on your Mac
• No project upload by default: Video files stay local unless you explicitly choose an external workflow
• Network is optional and scoped: Updates, licensing, privacy-safe aggregate app counts, and optional integrations may use the network

Permissions Explained

• Camera: Only used when you explicitly start camera recording
• Microphone: Only active during recording sessions
• Screen Recording: Required for screen capture. macOS controls this in System Settings and may require restarting SaneVideo after approval.

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📁 File Storage

• Projects: ~/Movies/SaneVideo/Projects/
• Recordings: ~/Movies/SaneVideo/Recordings/
• Exports: ~/Desktop/ by default, with an app-storage fallback if Desktop is unavailable

All files remain on your local machine. No cloud storage required.

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⚠️ Refer to DEVELOPMENT.md for the authoritative build workflow.

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🛠️ Developer Notes (Build/Test)

• Build environment: Requires macOS + Xcode (the test runner uses xcodebuild). Linux environments can’t run the full verification workflow.
• One command workflow: Use ./scripts/SaneMaster.rb verify (don’t run raw xcodebuild).
• Test assets:
  • Generate lightweight media fixtures with ./scripts/SaneMaster.rb gen_assets (requires ffmpeg).
  • Assets live in Tests/Assets/ (e.g., test_video.mp4, test_silence.mp4).

🎨 Design Philosophy

Built on the three pillars of Power, Love, and Sound Mind:

• Power (Agency): Native macOS, on-device processing, no lock-in. You control your tools.
• Love (Service): Solves real problems for real creators. No dark patterns, no extraction.
• Sound Mind (Clarity): Clean interface, 120fps Metal filters, calm experience. Reduces noise.

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Current Scope

• ✅ Screen + Camera Recording
• ✅ Timeline Editing
• ✅ Real-time Filters
• ✅ HEVC Export
• Magic Fix (Silence & Filler Removal)

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📄 License

PolyForm Shield 1.0.0 — free for any use except building a competing product. See LICENSE

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🙏 Credits

Built with passion for the macOS creator community.

Technologies:

• SwiftUI (Apple)
• AVFoundation (Apple)
• Metal (Apple)
• Core Image (Apple)
• ScreenCaptureKit (Apple)

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📞 Support

For issues or questions:

• Check the built-in Help menu
• Use Settings → About → Report a Bug to copy diagnostics for support
• Review keyboard shortcuts (above)
• Ensure all permissions are granted in System Settings → Privacy & Security
• Email hi@saneapps.com for private reports

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Keep your head. Stay Sane.

Built for a Sound Mind | Local-First Video Workflow | 0% Fear

Third-Party Notices

Third-party open-source attributions are documented in THIRD_PARTY_NOTICES.md.