Video gets dark after exporting using Ai ultra hd

Hi,

It is quite surprising when your videos get darker after exporting from CapCut, especially when your friends aren't having the same issue with "AI Ultra HD" on. This is a common problem, and it usually has to do with color space, HDR settings, or export settings. Here's what you can do to fix it, with immediate actions you can take:

Immediate Actions & Troubleshooting:

1. Check your phone's HDR settings:

   • Many newer phones (especially iPhones) record in HDR (High Dynamic Range) by default. While this looks great on HDR-compatible screens, many editing apps and platforms (like TikTok, Instagram, and even CapCut sometimes) don't process HDR footage correctly, leading to darker or washed-out results after export.

   • Action: Go into your phone's camera settings and turn off "Smart HDR," "HDR Video," or any similar HDR recording option.

   • Why: This is a very common cause of this issue. If your original footage is HDR, CapCut might not export it correctly for SDR (Standard Dynamic Range) displays, making it appear darker.

   • For existing dark videos: If your original footage was recorded in HDR, you might need to adjust the color space in CapCut (see point 2).

2. Adjust Color Space in CapCut (Desktop primarily, but check mobile too):

   • CapCut (especially the desktop version) allows you to choose your color space. If your video is HDR and CapCut is set to export in SDR (like Rec. 709), it can cause the darkening.

   • Action (for desktop CapCut):

     • Click off all clips in the timeline (click on the black/dark grey area).

     • Look for a "Modify" button or "Project Settings" on the right side of the screen.

     • Find "Color Space" and try changing it to SDR-Rec.709. Even if it's already on SDR-Rec.709, sometimes toggling it off and on, or selecting it explicitly, can help.

   • Action (for mobile CapCut): While less common to have this explicit setting on mobile, ensure your export settings (next point) are aligned with standard viewing.

3. Review CapCut Export Settings:

   • Even with "default settings," sometimes certain options can lead to unexpected results.

   • Action: When you go to export your video:

     • Resolution: Stick to 1080p. While 4K sounds better, many platforms compress 4K to 1080p anyway, and this compression can sometimes introduce quality issues like darkening.

     • Frame Rate: Use 30fps (or 24fps for a more cinematic look if your original footage is that, but 30fps is standard for social media).

     • Code Rate/Bitrate: Try the middle setting or "Recommended." Avoid setting it too low (which reduces quality) or too high (which can lead to over-compression by platforms).

     • Smart HDR (Export option): Turn this OFF during export. This is a big one. Even if your original footage wasn't HDR, enabling "Smart HDR" during export can mess with the brightness.

     • Check other "Enhance" or "AI" options: While "AI Ultra HD" might work for your friends, if you're experiencing issues, temporarily disable any other "AI enhancement" features during export to isolate the problem.

4. AI Ultra HD + HDR or Color Filter Conflicts
   • CapCut's AI Ultra HD and HDR modes can alter contrast/brightness when used multiple times or when stacking exports. If you're exporting a video that was already enhanced previously, brightness may get crushed (especially shadows).
   • Turn Off Auto Enhancements Before Export
     • Go to Project Settings.
     • Disable:
       • AI Ultra HD (for the final export only, not during editing)
       • HDR mode (if enabled)
       • Auto Enhance or Auto Filter

• • Re-export the original video again but only once. Avoid uploading a previously exported file back into CapCut if possible.
•  
• Manually Adjust Brightness/Contrast in CapCut:

• • • If the issue persists, you can compensate for the darkening before export.

    • Action:

      • Select your video clip in CapCut.

      • Go to the "Adjust" tab (or similar, depending on your CapCut version).

      • Increase the Brightness and Exposure slightly.

      • You can also experiment with Contrast (slightly increasing it can make colors pop more, but too much can crush shadows), Highlights (reduce slightly), and Shadows (increase slightly) to bring out details in darker areas.

Tip: Do this gradually and preview the video to avoid over-correcting and making it look unnatural.

• Test with a Short Clip:

  • Instead of exporting your entire video repeatedly, export a very short section (5-10 seconds) with different settings to see which combination works best. This saves a lot of time.

• Color Grading Layers Add Up
  • If you apply the same filters or LUTs multiple times (like on top of an already edited file), brightness will drop over time.
  • Export Only Once or Use Originals
    • Always keep your original, uncompressed footage to edit from.
    • Avoid re-editing or re-uploading exported files unless you’re using raw or lightly compressed versions.
• CapCut Export Codec Bug (Windows/PC mainly)
  • Sometimes CapCut exports with incorrect color space or gamma, especially on PCs with default settings.
  • Manually Adjust Export Settings
    • Go to Export Settings.
    • Select:
      • Resolution: 1080p or 4K
      • Frame rate: 30 or 60 FPS (match source)
      • Codec: H.264 (avoid H.265 if your device struggles)
      • Bitrate: Set to High
    • Toggle off any "HDR" or AI "Auto Enhance" in export settings.
    • Export directly in these settings, only once.
• Device or Display Color Profile Issues
  • If your video looks darker only after viewing on certain platforms (e.g., WhatsApp, Instagram, or YouTube), it may be due to display color profile compression.
    • Compensate Slightly Before Export
      • Add a slight brightness +10 to +15, and contrast +5.
      • Export and preview on your intended playback platform before finalizing.

Avoid Re-Exporting Already Compressed Videos

CapCut compresses your video once it's exported. Re-importing that same export to add changes causes cumulative degradation and color changes.

IMMEDIATE ACTION PLAN:

1. Open your project.

2. Disable AI Ultra HD, Auto Enhance, and HDR in export and project settings.

3. Re-import the original footage if available.

4. Slightly increase brightness manually if needed.

5. Export only once in high bitrate H.264 4K or 1080p, no HDR.

Why this might be happening to you and not your friends:

• Phone Model/Camera Settings: Even slight differences in phone models or how their cameras process images (especially HDR) can lead to varied results in editing apps.

• CapCut Version/Updates: While you both use Pro, there might be minor version differences or A/B testing of features.

• Original Footage: The inherent brightness and dynamic range of your original video might be different from your friends' footage, even if it looks fine before export.

• Specific Effects/Filters: While you use default settings, if you've applied any specific filters or effects, they might interact with the export process differently.

By systematically going through these steps, especially focusing on HDR settings on your phone and within CapCut's export options, you should be able to resolve the issue of your videos getting darker.