# Loop Video

> Repeat a short video a set number of times or until it reaches a target length, and cut it at its cleanest loop point first so that no repeat shows a jump.

Source: https://nodaro.ai/docs/nodes/video/loop-video

The **Loop Video** node makes a short clip longer by repeating it. You repeat the clip a fixed number of times, or loop it until it reaches a target duration. An optional smart cut first trims the clip at its cleanest loop point, so that no repeat shows a jump.

- Found in: Video › Cut & Assemble
- Output: video
- API type: `loop-video`

## When to use it
- Stretch a 5-second generated clip to 30 seconds for a social media post.
- Make a repeating background video for a presentation or a website.
- Loop ambient or atmospheric footage under a longer scene.
- Build a perfect loop from a VEO 3.1 clip made from a first and a last frame, with the smart cut on.

## Quick start
### Add the node

Press Tab on the canvas and choose **Video › Cut & Assemble › Loop Video**.

### Connect the video

Wire the clip into the **Video** input.

### Choose how to loop

Open the settings panel and choose a **Loop mode**: **Repeat N times**, or **Loop to duration** with a **Target Duration**. Turn on **Smart cut before looping** for a loop without a visible jump.

### Run it

Click **Run** on the node. The looped video appears on the node.

Workflow: An 8-second clip of waves is looped to 30 seconds without a visible jump, then a music track is added.

- Generate Video → Loop Video (video)
- Loop Video → Merge Video & Audio (media)
- Generate Music → Merge Video & Audio (media)

## Inputs
| Input | Accepts | What it does |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Video** | Video nodes, such as Generate Video, Trim Video and Upload Video | The clip to repeat. Required. |

The output, **Video**, is the looped clip.

## Settings
| Setting | What it does |
| --- | --- |
| **Loop mode** | **Repeat N times**, the default, repeats the whole clip a fixed number of times. **Loop to duration** repeats the clip until it reaches the target, then trims the result to the exact length. |
| **Repeat** | **Repeat N times** only. From 2x to 20x. The default is 2x. |
| **Target Duration** | **Loop to duration** only. From 1 to 300 seconds. The default is 10 seconds. |
| **Smart cut before looping** | Off by default. Trims the input clip at its cleanest loop point before repeating it. See [Smart cut](#smart-cut). |
| **Lookback window (frames)** | Shown when the smart cut is on. How many frames at the end of the clip to check, from 2 to 64. The default is 16. |

## Smart cut

With **Smart cut before looping** on, the node compares the last frames of the clip with its first frame, pixel by pixel. It cuts the clip at the trailing frame that looks most like frame 0, then repeats the trimmed clip. The seam disappears at every repeat inside the video, not only at the final wrap.

Use it for VEO 3.1 clips and for any clip whose tail varies from run to run, such as a dissolve that is not always the same length. The smart cut adds about 1 to 3 seconds of processing, depending on the lookback window. To cut a clip at its loop point without repeating it, use the **Smart loop cut** mode of [Trim Video](https://nodaro.ai/docs/nodes/video/trim-video).

## Credits
Loop Video is priced by the length of the output, in steps of 5 seconds, with a minimum of one step. With **Smart cut before looping** on, it adds a small amount for every 24 frames of lookback.

The **Run** button shows the exact estimate for your settings. When the upstream clip has not been generated yet, the estimate assumes an 8-second clip.

## Tips
- **Loop to a fixed length for social media.** **Loop to duration** gives exactly the length you need, for example 30 seconds.
- **Start from a loopable clip.** Clips that start and end on similar frames loop best. For a loop with no visible seam, generate the clip with matching first and last frames and turn on the smart cut.
- **Soften the start and the end.** Wire the result into [Fade In/Out](https://nodaro.ai/docs/nodes/video/fade-in-out) to fade the looped video in and out.
- **Lengthen a very fast clip.** After a large speed-up with [Adjust Speed](https://nodaro.ai/docs/nodes/video/adjust-speed), loop the short result to the length you need.

## Frequently asked questions

### How do I loop a clip to exactly 30 seconds?

Set Loop mode to Loop to duration and Target Duration to 30 seconds. The clip repeats until it passes 30 seconds, and the last repeat is trimmed to the exact length.

### How many times can Loop Video repeat a clip?

From 2 to 20 times in Repeat N times mode. In Loop to duration mode, the target can be from 1 to 300 seconds.

### How do I avoid a jump at every repeat?

Turn on Smart cut before looping. It trims the clip at the frame that best matches its first frame, before repeating it. For the cleanest loop, also generate the clip with matching first and last frames.

### How much does Loop Video cost?

The price follows the length of the output, in steps of 5 seconds, plus a small amount for the smart cut when it is on. The Run button shows the exact estimate before you run.