The guide library
Find a guide for your problem
Choose the app and the behavior you see. Each guide explains what to check, which file or setting is affected, and how to confirm the result.
120 published guides, organized by app and task.
Premiere Pro
12 guidesTimeline, audio, source media, and exported video.
Timeline selection and frozen frames
Separate clip selection, source-track patching, and the frame or transition that stays on screen.
- Premiere Pro adds video to the timeline without its audioIf a clip has sound in the Source Monitor but arrives without an audio clip, inspect source patching before changing audio levels.
- Premiere Pro freezes a shot during a Cross DissolveFind the missing source frames behind a frozen dissolve, then choose a shorter overlap or a careful trim without losing important action.
- Premiere Pro holds the wrong frameChoose the exact source frame for a still hold, and understand why trimming the clip does not necessarily change the frozen image.
- Premiere Pro moves video without its audioFind whether Linked Selection is off, a modifier selects one part, the audio track is locked, or the Timeline pair needs a link.
Audio channels and sync
Use the channel guide for one-sided dialogue and the timing guide for drift that grows during a clip.
- Premiere Pro audio drifts out of sync during a long clipDistinguish growing sync drift from a fixed offset, check variable-frame-rate source settings, and compare a constant-frame-rate copy before replacing media.
- Premiere Pro dialogue plays in only one earFind whether one-sided dialogue starts in the recording, the source-channel mapping, or the track pan control.
Export range, captions, color, and framing
Choose the output symptom before changing export settings or the original sequence.
- Premiere Pro captions disappear from the exported videoCheck whether Premiere exported visible subtitles, a separate caption file, or an embedded stream that the player must enable.
- Premiere Pro exports only part of a sequence through Media EncoderCheck the queued sequence and Source Range when a completed Media Encoder export contains only part of your edit.
- Premiere Pro exports proxy-quality footageCheck whether the export explicitly uses proxies, then confirm that each clip is connected to its full-resolution original.
- Remove black bars from a Premiere Pro vertical exportTrace black bars through the source clip, sequence, and export, then choose between filling the frame and keeping the whole picture.
- Why Premiere Pro exports look washed out in QuickTimeCompare the same exported frame across players, then check Viewer Gamma and color management before changing the grade.
Missing project media
Match the offline item to its original file before reconnecting the project.
Canva
11 guidesDesign elements, shared projects, and image, PDF, or video downloads.
Photos, frames, and overlapping elements
Identify the selected element, then check the crop inside its frame.
- Canva cuts off part of a photo inside a frameAdjust the photo inside its frame, recognize an aspect-ratio mismatch, and keep important subjects visible without stretching the whole design.
- Canva keeps selecting the wrong elementUse Layers to reach covered text or artwork, then distinguish an overlap from a group or an editing restriction.
Image, PDF, and print downloads
Check image sharpness, transparency, working links, or the print edge according to the downloaded format.
- Canva prints with white edges: check bleed before exportingFind whether a white border comes from the design edge, PDF export, or the way the page is printed and trimmed.
- Get sharper Canva downloads without enlarging a blurry sourceFind whether blur starts in the export size, one source image, or the platform that resizes the download.
- Links stop working in a Canva PDF downloadCheck the downloaded format, flattening option, and destination permissions when a Canva PDF link does nothing or opens the wrong page.
- Why a transparent Canva PNG still looks whiteFind out whether the white rectangle comes from the page, an uploaded image, or the app displaying your PNG.
Video audio and animation
Check the design timeline first, then compare the downloaded moving file.
- Canva animation disappears from the downloaded fileChoose a motion format, confirm the right pages, and separate an export problem from a preview or destination that only shows a still image.
- Canva video has no sound: isolate the track before exportingFind whether silence begins in the source, the design timeline, the downloaded MP4, or the uploaded player before changing every clip.
Design access and custom fonts
Distinguish a missing project or read-only share from a font-upload restriction.
- A shared Canva design opens as read-onlyCheck the invited account, Canva team, and sharing permission when an entire design opens without editing controls.
- Canva design is missing from ProjectsFind a design hidden by search filters, another account or team, or the shared-design view, then use Trash only when the design was actually deleted.
- Canva will not upload a custom fontCheck Brand Kit access and the font file, then inspect exported text for missing characters or changed spacing.
Photoshop
19 guidesLayer behavior, text, image output, and document workflows.
Smart Objects, adjustment layers, and masks
Choose the layer behavior: shared Smart Object content, an adjustment reaching other layers, or painting on the wrong thumbnail.
- A Photoshop adjustment changes other layers tooLimit a color or tone adjustment to one underlying layer with a clipping mask, then distinguish a wrong target from a mask or selection problem.
- Editing one Photoshop Smart Object changes its copiesUse an independent embedded Smart Object copy for a different design variant, and check external links before saving changes to shared artwork.
- Open multiple images as layers in one Photoshop documentLoad several files into one Photoshop document, then align or combine them only if the project needs it.
- Photoshop paints on the image instead of its layer maskChoose the mask thumbnail before painting. If the mask changes but the picture does not, check whether the mask is disabled.
- Photoshop says a Smart Object is not directly editableEdit the Smart Object source, retouch on another layer, or use a mask without losing the reusable artwork.
Painting and retouching tools
Check the sampled layers or brush cursor before resetting the tool.
- Bring back the Photoshop brush outline instead of a crosshairUse Caps Lock and cursor preferences to restore the brush outline without resetting your brushes.
- Clone Stamp does nothing on an empty Photoshop layerChoose a sampling range that includes your photograph, set a source point, and retouch on a separate layer.
Canvas edges and cropped pixels
Separate empty transparent padding from pixels removed by a destructive crop.
- Can you restore cropped-out pixels in Photoshop?Find out whether a crop hid the original pixels or removed them, then keep an editable master for future reframing.
- Photoshop exports extra transparent space around artworkTrim an export copy to the visible artwork without changing the fixed canvas used by your working document.
JPEG output and color
Create the required output copy, then inspect its format and profile before sharing it.
- Keep Photoshop export colors consistent with an sRGB copyCompare the exported file inside Photoshop, then check conversion, profile embedding, and the viewer that shows the color shift.
- Save a JPEG when it is missing from Photoshop Save AsUse Save a Copy, check the visible format list, and keep the editable master when JPEG is missing from Photoshop’s save options.
Batch conversion and save locations
Check the conversion method and destination on a small sample before processing the full folder.
- Batch-convert images to JPEG with Photoshop Image ProcessorConvert a folder with Image Processor, choose resizing and color settings, and inspect a small sample before processing the rest.
- Make Photoshop Batch save to the folder you choseCheck the action’s recorded Save As path and Batch override settings before another run writes to the wrong destination.
Fonts and paragraph spacing
Distinguish unavailable fonts from justification or tracking that changes word spacing.
- Photoshop leaves large gaps between wordsSeparate forced paragraph justification from character tracking, then repair stretched text without changing the font or distorting the layer.
- Restore missing Photoshop fonts before replacing themLocate the exact missing family and style, restore access or choose a replacement, then check the text layout before exporting.
Document mode, camera files, and storage limits
Choose the exact opening, editing, or saving restriction before changing the original file.
- Free the right drive when Photoshop reports a full scratch diskCheck the selected scratch drive, free working space safely, and handle startup failures without resetting all preferences.
- Open a raw photo from a camera Photoshop does not recognizeMatch the exact camera and raw mode to Camera Raw support, then use an update or compatible DNG conversion if needed.
- Photoshop cannot save a document larger than 2 GBSave a large layered master as PSB without flattening the only editable copy, and separate format limits from storage errors.
- Photoshop editing tools are unavailable in Indexed Color modeConvert an Indexed Color image to an RGB working copy when its color mode prevents normal editing.
Google Drive
16 guidesFile access, desktop sync, originals, and file recovery.
Sharing, inherited access, and ownership
Check whether the issue is access to the file, a parent folder permission, or a pending ownership transfer.
- Google Drive ownership transfer is unavailable or pendingCheck the current owner, account types, and pending invitation before trying to hand over a file in My Drive.
- Google Drive says you need access to a shared fileCheck the invited Google account first, then distinguish missing access from editing, download, and organization restrictions.
- Google Drive will not remove inherited access from one subfolderCheck the parent folder before removing a person, then use a limited-access subfolder when only part of a shared project needs a smaller audience.
Desktop sync, offline use, and copies
Confirm where the file is stored and available before copying it or disconnecting from the internet.
- Copy Google Drive files out of Finder without moving the originalsFor ordinary files on Macs using File Provider, Option-drag leaves the original in Drive. Native Google editor documents need browser copy or export.
- Google Drive for desktop is not syncing the latest editPreserve any unsynced edit, compare the local and web copies, and follow Drive's specific error before trying a reset.
- Google Drive shortcuts and copies behave differentlyA shortcut opens the existing file. A copy creates a separate version. Check which one you made before reorganizing a shared folder.
- Prepare Google Drive files for offline usePrepare Google Docs through browser offline access and PDFs or media through Drive for desktop, then open them without a connection.
Preview, playback, conversion, and download
Compare the original file with the browser preview or converted copy to locate the problem.
- Google Drive PDF conversion scrambles text or layoutDrive can extract text from a PDF, but tables and columns may fall apart. Check recognition errors separately from lost formatting.
- Google Drive preview is blurry, incomplete, or unavailableCheck whether the problem is in Drive's preview or in the file itself, without overwriting the uploaded version.
- Google Drive video is stuck on “still processing”Find out whether Drive is still preparing playback, the uploaded format is unsupported, or the browser cannot play the preview.
- Google Drive will not download a fileUse the download symptom to separate a sharing restriction, a browser problem, and Google's temporary file-delivery limits.
- Keep Word and Excel uploads in their original format in Google DriveSeparate automatic upload conversion from Office editing, so a client delivery stays a Word document or Excel workbook.
Find files, manage versions, and free storage
Choose search or recovery for a missing file, and use versions or storage checks for an existing file.
- Find a missing file in Google Drive searchClear restrictive filters, check the signed-in account, and try the original link to find out why a file is missing from search.
- Google Drive storage stays full after you delete filesFind which Google service uses the space, check ownership and Trash, and allow time for the storage total to update.
- Recover a deleted file in Google DriveRestore files still in Trash, check for moved or unshared files, and use the appropriate recovery route for a permanent deletion.
- Replace a Google Drive PDF or image and keep the same linkUpload a new version to the existing Drive entry, preserve the old version you need, and check the link collaborators already use.
Google Docs
1 guideDocument text and version history.
Recover text from document history
Inspect an earlier document version while preserving later work in the current document.
Google Sheets
2 guidesShared spreadsheet filters and protected ranges.
Filters and protected cells
Check whether the restriction comes from a shared filter or from permissions on a range.
- Google Sheets filtering hides rows for your teammatesSeparate the shared filter from a named filter view so you can examine project rows without changing what teammates see.
- Google Sheets lets you edit the file but blocks certain cellsDistinguish file-level Editor access from a protected range, inspect the blocked cell address, and change only the permission that the task requires.
Word
4 guidesDocument sections, pictures, pages, and save locations.
Headers, pictures, and extra pages
Identify the section or layout rule causing the change before deleting breaks or moving objects.
- Changing one Word header changes another sectionSeparate section headers with Link to Previous, and check first-page and odd/even headers before editing the text.
- Keep Word pictures in place as you edit textKeep a screenshot with its instructions, wrap text around an illustration, or hold a picture at a fixed page position.
- Remove a blank page at the end of a Word documentShow formatting marks to find the extra paragraph, page break, or section break behind Word's blank final page.
Local file locations
Choose a local save location in Word or Excel and verify where the saved file actually resides.
Excel
9 guidesCalculation, values, filters, validation lists, and printing.
Formula calculation and spill ranges
Choose the guide for stale or text formulas, or for a dynamic array blocked from filling its output range.
- Excel formulas show old results or appear as textCheck calculation mode for stale results, Show Formulas for a whole sheet, and Text formatting for individual formula cells.
- Fix an Excel #SPILL! error without clearing useful cellsFind what blocks an array result, keep source tables intact, and choose an unmerged destination before deleting report content.
Identifiers, dates, and displayed values
Check the stored value and its display format before sorting, re-entering, or widening a column.
- Excel dates sort out of orderFind text dates among real Excel dates, convert them without losing timestamps, and sort complete rows together.
- Excel displays ##### instead of a number or dateHash marks usually mean the column is too narrow. If widening it does not help, check for a negative date or time result.
- Keep leading zeros in Excel IDs and account codesStore IDs as text before entry or import. Padding the display afterward cannot recover unknown zeros or digits Excel has already lost.
Filters and validation lists
Check the source range and current filters when expected rows or list choices disappear.
- Excel dropdown does not include new list itemsInspect the Data Validation source before adding the item again. A fixed range, named range, and table-backed list need different updates.
- Excel filters leave rows out of the resultSeparate a second active filter from an incomplete filter range before changing or deleting worksheet data.
Worksheet print scale
Fit the width without shrinking a long worksheet onto a single unreadable page.
Local file locations
Choose a local save location in Word or Excel and verify where the saved file actually resides.
PowerPoint
1 guidePresentation fonts when a deck moves between computers.
Fonts in a shared presentation
Check font availability and embedding before sending the deck to another computer.
OneDrive
1 guideOffline availability of cloud-stored files.
Files available offline
Confirm local availability before depending on a file away from an internet connection.
OBS Studio
15 guidesSources, scenes, captured audio, and recorded files.
Hidden sources and capture permissions
Choose the source type, then check its scene visibility, transform, and required access.
- Find a hidden or off-screen source in OBSA source can be working but hidden, covered, or outside the canvas. Check the scene layout before recreating it.
- OBS Browser Source is blank or stops updatingSeparate an OBS scene-placement problem from a Browser Source page-loading problem, then check its URL, viewport, CSS, and refresh behavior.
- OBS cannot find a Mac window to captureCheck screen-recording permission, the capture method, and the window filters before rebuilding your scene.
- OBS Game Capture is black on WindowsCompare saved gameplay with the preview, then check the selected game, source transform, GPU assignment, and capture conflicts.
Shared camera sources and meeting output
Distinguish a reused camera source from the scene selected for Virtual Camera.
- Choose the scene OBS Virtual Camera sends to a meetingOBS Virtual Camera can send Program, Preview, a fixed scene, or one source. Choose the feed you want before enabling your camera in a call.
- Why an OBS camera filter changes other scenesSeparate shared camera properties and filters from each scene’s crop and size, then give one layout its own filter treatment without duplicating the webcam.
Microphone level, channels, and filters
Use the symptom to choose input clipping, quiet-word filtering, mono routing, or automatic game-audio reduction.
- Center a one-sided microphone recording in OBSCheck the microphone meters and a saved recording, then downmix only if a single voice occupies one side of a stereo input.
- Keep quiet words from being cut off by OBS microphone filtersQuiet speech can fall below a gate or expander threshold. Isolate the filter that removes it before adding more processing.
- Lower game audio when you speak in OBSPut a sidechain compressor on the game or music source, then use your microphone to trigger the volume reduction.
- OBS microphone still distorts after lowering the faderCompare microphone input with OBS output, isolate filter damage, and reduce the right gain stage before adding a limiter.
Recorded tracks and duplicate capture
Identify the captured app and recorded audio track before changing the mixer or exporting the recording.
- Find a missing microphone track in an OBS recordingThe microphone may be on another audio track. Check the existing file, then trace source capture and recording-track assignments.
- Record one app in OBS without capturing the rest of WindowsCapture a chosen application, remove the broad desktop-audio path, and test that unwanted sounds stay out of the recording.
- Stop duplicate audio and echo in OBSLook for the same device or application captured twice, then check whether monitoring feeds back into Desktop Audio.
Recording performance and editor compatibility
Separate a recording that stutters from a container that the video editor cannot import.
- Find the cause of choppy OBS recordings and streamsOBS Stats separates rendering lag, encoding lag, and network drops. Use the increasing counter to decide which settings to change.
- Import an OBS MKV recording into a video editorRemuxing can help when an editor rejects the container. It will not make an unsupported codec compatible or guarantee recovery of a damaged recording.
After Effects
15 guidesAnimation, artwork, text, source files, and rendered output.
Keyframes, rotation, and motion blur
Choose the movement symptom and check the property or switch responsible for it.
- After Effects drifts between identical Position keyframesSeparate a curved motion path from easing, then repair an unwanted move during a planned pause without rebuilding the animation.
- An After Effects layer rotates around the wrong pointMove the layer anchor to the intended pivot without confusing it with centering the layer in the composition.
- Make motion blur visible in After EffectsCheck both motion-blur switches, then distinguish animated layer movement from motion already recorded inside a video clip.
Masks, vector sharpness, and transparency
Check how the layer is drawn and rendered before changing the final output format.
- After Effects draws a shape instead of masking footageCheck the selected layer and where the path was created before changing fills, redrawing footage, or adjusting export transparency.
- After Effects vector artwork looks soft when enlargedCheck whether the source is vector or raster, enable continuous rasterization on an imported vector layer, and inspect precomposition behavior before changing the design.
- Export a transparent background from After EffectsCheck the composition, output alpha channel, and receiving app separately. Black playback alone does not prove transparency was lost.
Font restoration and text-box overflow
Restore missing fonts, then check the paragraph box when lines of text are still hidden.
- After Effects hides the last lines of a text boxCheck paragraph-text overflow and enlarge the text box without scaling the lettering or discarding hidden characters.
- Restore missing fonts in an After Effects projectRestore the exact font family and style where possible. If a substitute is needed, check line breaks, spacing, and animation before rendering.
Footage, project transfer, and expressions
Use relinking for missing source files, Collect Files for transfer, and expression checks for broken layer references.
- Relink missing footage in After EffectsReconnect the original Project-panel source and preserve the existing edit. Check all uses of a shared item after relinking.
- Repair After Effects expressions after renaming or precomposingFind the broken property reference after a project change, and repair it without replacing the rest of the expression.
- Send an After Effects project with its footage intactAn AEP file references media rather than carrying it all inside. Collect the footage, keep the folder together, and check dependencies before delivery.
Image-sequence speed and render duration
Compare interpretation of source frames with the selected composition time span.
- Correct an image sequence that plays too fast in After EffectsAn image sequence can play too quickly when its imported frame rate is wrong. Check the footage interpretation before stretching the layer.
- Render the full composition when After Effects ends earlyA work-area or custom range can shorten a completed render. Check the queued item before changing the composition or its animation.
Preview and Media Encoder progress
Choose preview caching checks for editor playback or render checks for a stalled export.
- An After Effects export stalls in Media EncoderCompare the same short range in After Effects and Media Encoder to find whether the stall belongs to the composition or the export handoff.
- Why After Effects previews loop early or play slowlyCheck the preview shortcut’s range and cache behavior before reducing the composition size or clearing caches.
CapCut desktop
15 guidesTimeline operations, captions, sound, and export checks.
Clip operations, keyframes, and framing
Choose the operation that fails in the desktop timeline before trying a simpler test clip.
- Add a transition that will not fit between CapCut clipsCheck the gap between clips, the transition duration, and the available material before changing the rest of your edit.
- CapCut desktop cannot reverse a video clipCheck clip selection and completed processing, compare an untreated clip, and preserve the original edit before using a rendered copy to isolate a Reverse failure.
- CapCut desktop does not show the keyframe controlsSelect an editable timeline clip and inspect the parameter panel before replacing a template or rebuilding the project.
- CapCut green screen removes part of the subjectSeparate subject holes from green fringes and a missing replacement layer, then adjust the selected foreground clip without sacrificing its detail.
- Fit a vertical CapCut video into a landscape frame without cutting it offKeep the full portrait image inside a 16:9 project, fill the unused sides, and distinguish that layout from cropping to fill the screen.
- Why a CapCut PC template opens as one still frameA mobile template can appear in CapCut desktop without all its parts working. Check the original and a short export before replacing anything.
Missing sound and ending fades
Confirm that the audio exists in the source and timeline before adjusting the final fade.
- CapCut music will not fade out at the video endingCheck the selected audio clip, fade duration, other audible tracks, and export endpoint when CapCut music still ends abruptly.
- Restore missing sound in CapCut desktopFind where the audio disappears: in the original clip, the CapCut timeline, the exported file, or only after upload.
Imported and automatic captions
Use the SRT workflow for an existing subtitle file, or inspect automatic-caption timing and visibility.
- Fix missing, incorrect, or invisible CapCut auto captionsCheck whether captions were never generated, contain wrong words, or exist but cannot be seen. Each problem needs a different repair.
- Import SRT subtitles into CapCut and correct their timingCheck SRT encoding and timestamps, then distinguish a bad import from captions made for a different version of the video.
Preview playback, export quality, and failed exports
Compare a short exported file with editor playback before changing quality or troubleshooting the export process.
- CapCut playback is choppy in the editorCompare a short export with the same timeline passage before changing clip speed or lowering the delivery quality.
- Improve a blurry CapCut desktop exportCompare the original and exported clip at the same size, then check cropping, compression, and upload processing separately.
- What to do when CapCut desktop cannot finish an exportUse the error and failing section to separate missing media, a troublesome clip, and an export the computer cannot complete.
Local import and cloud project locations
Distinguish a local media file that cannot be imported from a project stored in another Space.
- CapCut desktop cannot see a file you want to importFind out whether CapCut cannot see the folder, is filtering out the file, or rejects a file that is already visible.
- Find missing CapCut projects in the right cloud SpaceCheck the login method and selected Space before assuming a cloud project was deleted. Keep any local copy you can still open.