How do I prevent iMovie picture-in-picture from zooming out after zooming in and adjust the viewing area?

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Level 1

4 points

How do I prevent iMovie picture-in-picture from zooming out after zooming in and adjust the viewing area?

I'm trying to do a simple zoom in on a series of photos to music using PiP and zoom. I cannot figure out how to stop the photos from zooming back out. I tried, for example, changing the timing but it will only accept half the time of the photo, so if it comes in at the default of 4 sec., if I enter 4 sec., it makes it 2 sec. It's not the Ken Burns effect as I changed my default to fit when I add photos to the timeline.

It also doesn't help that I can't figure out how to adjust the viewer so the clip/image isn't filling the whole space and I can see outside of the viewing area. I used to use Final Cut Express and could make the view small so I could, for example, pan a photo from offscreen across and offscreen on the other side.

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Posted on May 20, 2025 7:14 PM

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Answer 1

Rich839

Level 8

48,156 points

May 21, 2025 9:50 AM in response to KeithAMoore

Hi,

The "zoom" feature in the PIP controls only zooms in and then zooms out. Can't adjust it as far as I can see.

If you apply the Ken Burns effect to the photo (from the crop tool controls in the tool bar at the top of your screen) and then overlay it with PIP, that will impart a zoom within overlaid picture, but will not affect the size of the picture. So the zoom will be within the picture but he picture size will not zoom.

To make the picture size zoom and stay zoomed, you can use the keyframe function of the Picture in Picture feature. For instructions, click on the online help link below:

https://help.apple.com/imovie/mac/10.1/#/mova1aaa682b

So, overlay your photo. Add a keyframe at position 1. Then make the picture a little bigger by using the drag handles at the corners of the picture, and move the playhead to position 2, and add another key frame. Then again make the picture a little bigger and move the playhead to position 3 and add another key frame. Repeat as many times as you wish. Set your changes. On playback the picture will zoom in and stay zoomed. Takes a little practice.

To adjust the size of the overlaid picture use the drag handles at the corners of the picture when overlaying the picture with PIP.

-- Rich

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