How to Collapse Video Tracks in Kdenlive

Managing a complex video project with multiple tracks can quickly clutter your timeline and slow down your editing workflow. This guide explains how to collapse multiple video tracks into a single viewable track in Kdenlive using the Sequence Nesting feature, as well as how to visually minimize track heights to clean up your workspace.

Method 1: Collapse Tracks Using Timeline Sequences (Nesting)

The most effective way to combine multiple video and audio tracks into a single, manageable track is by using Kdenlive’s Sequences feature. This allows you to treat an entire multi-track timeline as a single clip.

  1. Create a New Sequence:
    • Go to the top menu and select Project > Create Sequence. Alternatively, right-click in the Project Bin and select Create Sequence.
    • Give the sequence a recognizable name (e.g., “Scene 1 Nest”) and define the number of tracks you need.
  2. Edit Inside the New Sequence:
    • Double-click the new sequence in your Project Bin to open it as a new tab in your timeline.
    • Cut, layer, and arrange your multiple video and audio tracks inside this tab just as you normally would.
  3. Insert the Sequence into the Main Timeline:
    • Switch back to your main timeline tab.
    • Drag the nested sequence from the Project Bin onto your main timeline.
    • The multiple tracks will now appear as a single, consolidated video track. You can move, cut, and apply effects to this single clip, and any changes made inside the original sequence tab will automatically update here.

Method 2: Minimize Track Height to Save Space

If you do not want to merge your clips but simply need to clear up vertical screen space for easier navigation, you can collapse the height of your tracks.

  1. Collapse an Individual Track:
    • Locate the track header on the far left of the timeline.
    • Click the small arrow icon next to the track name to collapse the track. This hides the video thumbnails and audio waveforms, reducing the track to a slim bar.
  2. Minimize All Tracks Simultaneously:
    • Right-click on any empty space in a track header.
    • Select Minimize All Tracks from the context menu to instantly shrink every track in your project to its minimum height.
    • To revert, right-click the header again and select Restore All Tracks to Default Height.