AI Video Tool Rundown: Opus Clip Problems and Solutions

Originally written by Austin Mock. Updated by Bob Ruffolo with support from the IMPACT editorial team.
Last updated: November 3, 2026

AI can make video production much faster, handling tedious editing tasks in minutes instead of hours.

These tools are evolving rapidly, with new players coming on the market as others fade away or get acquired.

Opus Clip (now styled OpusClip) is an AI tool for video creators that turns long-form videos into short-form social media clips. You upload your video, wait a few minutes, and it uses AI to select what it considers the most "viral" moments for you to share across your social channels.

The tool is popular with YouTube creators and podcasters, and we at IMPACT have used it for our own podcast clips. It's often praised as if it were flawless, but there are limitations you should know about before you make it part of your video production.

Below, we'll walk through those limitations and practical ways to work around them.

Opus Clip: Your AI video solution?

Before we get into the negatives, we want to be clear: we really like Opus Clip.

We've tried a number of AI tools to help us turn full-length videos into short-form content, and we liked Opus the best. There's a lot to like, especially since there's a free plan. Paid plans include Starter ($15/month, billed monthly) and Pro ($29/month, or $14.50/month billed annually), plus custom Business pricing. Several features mentioned below, including AI B-roll and exports to Adobe Premiere Pro, require the Pro plan. Current details are on the OpusClip pricing page.

It does have drawbacks, though. We've used it for hundreds of videos, so we have a good sense of what they are.

Drawback #1: Lack of context in clips

Remember what Opus Clip does: it takes a longer video and cuts it into shorter clips. Given that, it's no surprise that sometimes this goes awry.

One of the main issues is that Opus Clip sometimes generates clips that lack context. Clips can start in awkward places or end abruptly before delivering the full point.

Solution: Edit the clip manually. For instance, if the clip begins with, "When sales sees marketing doing that..." and viewers won't know what "that" is, go back in the transcript and include the preceding context.

Adding that context creates a coherent clip and a better experience for your audience.

Drawback #2: Clunky edits

Opus Clip's facial detection and cuts can be impressive, but they occasionally look clunky or unprofessional, leaving you with unusable videos.

Solution: The best way to smooth out rough cuts is to use dedicated video editing software like Adobe Premiere. Import the clip into Premiere and refine the edits for a more polished final product.

Opus Clip offers in-tool editing, but we've found it's often more efficient to handle detailed edits externally.

Drawback #3: Issues with XML exports

On the Pro plan, Opus Clip lets you export projects as XML files for further editing in software like Premiere or DaVinci Resolve. However, this feature sometimes malfunctions. An XML project involves a lot of files, and we have occasionally noticed a missing video, audio, or caption file.

Solution: If you run into issues with the XML export, download the video directly from Opus Clip and import it into your editing software. That way, you have a complete video to work with even if the XML file is incomplete.

Drawback #4: Handling graphics in vertical formats

Long-form videos are typically created in a horizontal (or "landscape") format, but Opus Clip converts them into vertical clips for social media and YouTube Shorts. This conversion can cut off graphics, making the video less effective.

Solution: Avoid using videos with essential graphics that only fit the horizontal orientation.

Or, edit the video in a vertical format after exporting from Opus Clip. For example, if a keynote speech includes slides that fill a horizontal screen, you'll need to reformat those slides for the vertical clip.

Drawback #5: AI-powered B-roll selection

Good B-roll can make any clip look more professional. Opus Clip's Pro plan offers an AI-powered B-roll feature that splices in footage related to the subject matter.

It's a useful addition, but it sometimes selects irrelevant footage based on isolated keywords from the transcript. The mismatched visuals can do more harm than good.

Solution: Instead of relying only on Opus Clip's AI for B-roll, use a stock footage site like Pexels to find more appropriate clips. Search for vertically formatted videos that match your narrative, then add them to your video manually.

Is Opus Clip right for your team?

Opus Clip is a powerful tool for creating social media content from long-form videos, but it has limitations.

If you understand these challenges and use the solutions above, you can get more out of the tool without getting so frustrated that you abandon it altogether.

AI is here to help us do our jobs more smoothly and efficiently, and in that regard, Opus Clip is very helpful. But don't hand over tasks that require human creativity and precision without reviewing the results.

To see where short clips fit in a bigger plan, read our guide to building a video marketing strategy. For more practical ideas, listen to the Endless Customers Podcast.