How to Make a Video Look Like VHS [A Beginner’s Guide]

In an era dominated by high-definition content, we still have to acknowledge the irresistible charm of VHS tapes, such as grainy texture, slight distortion, color shifts, and occasional glitches. In recent years, VHS has become a popular video effect used to emulate the visual characteristics of VHS tape recordings, creating a classic retro look and adding a unique artistic touch to videos. If you’ve ever wondered how to make a video look like VHS, you’re in the right place.

This post will give effective techniques to evoke a retro aesthetic or nostalgia for the 80s and 90s, and the easiest app that makes videos look like VHS on a Windows computer.

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Tips to Achieve a Nostalgic VHS Style

How to add a VHS effect to video? Discover the art of transforming your videos into a nostalgic VHS look with the following tips.

#1. Add Grain

Grainy texture is one of the most noticeable characteristics of VHS footage, so adding a grain filter or effect is an easy way to give your videos a VHS aesthetic. Most video editing applications should be packed with this effect. If possible, adjust the intensity of the grainy filter to create a subtle yet perfect VHS effect.

#2. Apply VHS Filters or Pre-Designed Overlays

A direct way to make your video look like VHS recordings is applying a VHS filter or effect built into video editing software, or adding pre-made VHS overlays (such as VHS static overlay, glitch overlay, and recording overlay) and other graphics.

#3. Adjust Color of the Video

Another distinctive feature of VHS tapes is that the video colors appear blurred. Of course, you can use a color distortion effect or manually edit the RGB channels in the editing software to achieve this effect, thus creating a VHS look for your content.

#4. Edit Audio of the Video

Don’t forget the audio! VHS tapes are often muffled and low-quality, with a slight hum or buzz. Therefore, you can add a similar audio effect or a subtle background noise to mimic the audio quality.

#5. Lower the Resolution and Frame Rate

Another typical characteristic of old VHS tape recordings is the lower image quality. To replicate this effect, reduce the video resolution to SD (640 x 480 pixels is the standard SD resolution, with an aspect ratio of 4:3) or lower. Additionally, you can lower the video frame rate to 24 FPS or lower to mimic a choppy playback of old VHS recordings.

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How to Make a Video Look Like VHS

MiniTool MovieMaker, an easy-to-use and feature-rich video editor, is a great app that makes videos look like VHS. Now, let’s learn how to make a video look like VHS with the application.

Step 1. Download and install MiniTool MovieMaker on your PC.

MiniTool MovieMakerClick to Download100%Clean & Safe

Step 2. Open the software and close the pop-up window. Click the Import Media Files button to open your video and drag it to the timeline.

Step 3. Do the following to add VHS effect to video:

#1. Add the grain effect: Go to Filters, search for “grain”, and click the + icon on the FilmGrain filter.

#2. Add a VHS effect or overlay: Go to Effects > Distortion, download a shake effect or the VCR distortion, and drag it to the timeline. Navigate to Effects > Overlay, add the Retro camera or Retro film overlay to your video.

You can then drag any edge of a filter or effect to adjust its duration to fit the length of your video.

Step 4. Open the ratio drop-down list under the video preview window and select 4:3. You can also add a buzzing background sound effect.

Step 5. Click the Export button to prepare for your output. Set Resolution to 640 x 480 and Frame rate to 24 fps. Select your save path and click the Export button.

Conclusion

After reading this post, you will no longer be confused about how to make a video look like VHS. By following the tips and steps above, you can effortlessly transform your HD footage into a retro masterpiece that looks like it was recorded on an old VCR.