Editing guides
How to Remove Filler Words From a Video
A practical guide to cutting um, uh and like from your videos, by hand on a timeline or by deleting words in a transcript, without making the edit look choppy.
PopScript Team7 min read
Filler word remover
Remove filler words from your videos automatically
PopScript listens for um, uh, ah, like and you know, cuts them out of your footage, and shows each one crossed out in the transcript. Keep the ones that sound natural. Tap once to bring them back.
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So um, the one habit that, I think, I think that changed my mornings. 1.4s Like, I stopped checking my phone for the uh, first thirty minutes.
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What PopScript's filler word remover does
When you record or import a video, PopScript transcribes the audio and marks the filler words it hears: um, uh, ah, like, you know and similar verbal tics. It cuts them from the video right away, before you even start reviewing.
Nothing is hidden. Every removed filler word stays in the transcript, crossed out, in the exact spot you said it. You read your script the way a viewer will hear it, and you can see what was taken out.
- Cuts are applied automatically, not just highlighted
- Cut words stay visible and crossed out, so you can review them
- Tap a crossed-out word to restore it and the footage comes back
- Your original video is never changed
Who needs a filler word remover
Anyone who talks to the camera without a teleprompter. That's most UGC creators, TikTok Shop affiliates doing product demos, coaches explaining a concept, and small business owners filming their own ads.
It matters most when you film unscripted. Speaking off the cuff sounds more real, but it also produces the most ums. PopScript lets you keep the natural delivery and drop the filler. If you edit client videos, see how it fits UGC creator workflows.
Why cutting filler words matters on short-form
On TikTok and Reels you have seconds to hold attention. An "um" in your opening line is a stall, and viewers scroll past stalls. Filler words also make a product pitch sound less sure than you are.
Cutting them by hand is slow. You scrub a timeline, listen for each one, split, delete, and repeat across a whole video. When the filler words are already found and cut, your job becomes a quick read-through instead.
How PopScript handles filler words
- Transcribes your audio. Only a compressed audio track is uploaded, never the video, and it's deleted after transcription.
- Detects filler words on your phone and groups them under Filler words, separate from Silences and Repetitions.
- Cuts them automatically and crosses them out in the transcript.
- Lets you restore any cut with a tap, and undo or redo any change.
PopScript also cuts long silences and flags restarted sentences as repetitions. See remove silences for the dead-air side of cleanup.
When to keep an "um"
Not every filler word is a mistake. Some make you sound human. A good rule: restore the filler when removing it makes the sentence feel rushed or robotic.
- Keep a "like" that is part of the meaning, as in "it feels like silk"
- Keep a thinking pause before a punchline if it builds the moment
- Keep a "you know" in a casual storytime if it matches your tone
- Cut every filler in the first three seconds, where the hook lives
Example workflow
Removing filler words from a product review
Here's what it looks like on a 60-second unscripted TikTok Shop review.
- 1
Import the take
Pick the video from your Camera Roll, or record it in PopScript. It starts transcribing right away.
- 2
Let PopScript cut the filler
Filler words are detected and cut automatically. In the transcript, each one shows up crossed out.
- 3
Read and restore
Read through the transcript. If a sentence sounds too clipped, tap the crossed-out "um" to put it back.
- 4
Export
Export to Photos and share straight to TikTok from the share row.
Read the guide
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Frequently asked questions
Does removing filler words make the video sound choppy?
It can create small jump cuts where the word was, which is normal on short-form. If one cut sounds abrupt, tap the crossed-out word to restore it.
Which filler words does PopScript remove?
It looks for common verbal fillers such as um, uh, ah, like and you know. Everything it cuts is shown crossed out, so you can check each one.
Will it cut the word "like" when I actually mean it?
It may flag a "like" that you meant. That's why cuts stay visible: tap it and the word and its footage come back.
Can I remove filler words from a video I already filmed?
Yes. Import any video from your Camera Roll and PopScript transcribes it and cuts the filler words the same way as a video recorded in the app.
Does it work in languages other than English?
PopScript transcribes multiple spoken languages, and you can let it auto-detect the language or choose it yourself.
Explore more
FeatureRemove silencesPopScript cuts dead air from your video automatically: the wait before you start, the gap after you finish, and the pauses while you check your notes.FeatureTranscript video editorEdit video by editing text: delete a word to delete that footage, split a clip at any word, and restore anything you cut.Use caseUGC creatorsTurn one take into clean brand deliverables, hook variations and quick revisions from your iPhone.Use caseTikTokClean up talking-head TikToks and TikTok Shop videos on your iPhone, then share straight to TikTok.ComparisonPopScript vs DescriptDescript is a desktop and web text-based editor built for podcasts and long-form. PopScript is an iPhone app for short talking-head clips.