50 Video Editing Transitions Cheat Sheet — free resource from DollarWise

1. Hard cut — an instant switch between shots; the default for most editing and the most invisible transition.
2. Cross dissolve — one shot fades out as the next fades in; best for time passing or gentle mood changes.
3. Fade to black — the picture fades to black; use it to end scenes, chapters, or the whole video.
4. Fade from black — the picture emerges from black; best for openings and new sections.
5. Fade to white — fades to white for dreamy, bright, or hopeful scene changes.
6. Dip to white — a quick fade through white; adds a soft flash between upbeat clips.
7. Dip to black — a brief dip to black; marks a beat change without a full scene break.
8. Wipe left — the new shot slides in from the right, pushing the old shot out; good for energetic sequences.
9. Wipe right — the new shot slides in from the left; pairs with movement in the same direction.
10. Wipe up — the new shot rises from below; suits reveals and upward camera movement.
11. Wipe down — the new shot drops from above; works with falling action or top-down shots.
12. Cross wipe — a diagonal wipe; adds energy to montages and travel sequences.
13. Iris in — the new shot opens from a circle; a classic, playful reveal for lighthearted videos.
14. Iris out — the old shot closes into a circle; a classic ending for a scene or joke.
15. Zoom in — the shot scales up into the next; creates momentum and focus on a detail.
16. Zoom out — the shot scales back to reveal the next; good for establishing a wider scene.
17. Spin — the shot rotates into the next; playful energy for vlogs and social clips.
18. Flip — the shot flips like a page or card; suits before-and-after reveals.
19. Slide — one shot slides over the other; clean and modern for tutorials and presentations.
20. Push — the new shot pushes the old one off-screen; feels like turning a page forward.
21. Pull — the old shot is pulled away to reveal the next; a softer version of push.
22. Morph cut — blends two similar shots seamlessly; hides jump cuts in talking-head videos.
23. Jump cut — an abrupt cut within the same shot; creates pace and honesty in vlogs.
24. Match cut — cuts between two shots with similar shapes or actions; a storytelling favorite.
25. Cutaway — cuts briefly to a related detail, then back; hides edits and adds context.
26. J-cut — the next scene's audio starts before its picture; pulls viewers into the next scene.
27. L-cut — the current scene's audio continues over the next picture; smooths dialogue scenes.
28. Audio crossfade — sound overlaps between scenes; the audio equivalent of a dissolve.
29. Speed ramp — the footage speeds up or slows down through the cut; dynamic for action and sports.
30. Slow motion transition — slows into the cut for drama, then resumes normal speed.
31. Freeze frame — the picture freezes, then cuts; emphasizes a moment or a punchline.
32. Flash frame — a single white frame at the cut; a punchy beat for music videos.
33. Glitch — the picture breaks into digital artifacts; suits tech, gaming, and edgy content.
34. Light leak — warm light washes across the cut; nostalgic and dreamy for travel and weddings.
35. Film burn — a burnt-film effect at the cut; vintage warmth for retro-styled videos.
36. Blur dissolve — the shot blurs out and the next blurs in; soft and dreamy for memories.
37. Pixelate — the picture dissolves into pixels; playful for gaming and tech explainers.
38. Mosaic — tiles rearrange into the next shot; stylized and modern for intros.
39. Shape wipe — the new shot appears through a shape like a star or heart; fun for kids' content.
40. Clock wipe — the new shot sweeps around like a clock hand; signals time passing.
41. Split screen — two shots share the frame; perfect for comparisons and reactions.
42. Picture-in-picture — a small shot overlays the main one; great for commentary and reactions.
43. Mask reveal — the next shot is revealed through a moving mask; creative for product showcases.
44. Object wipe — an object crossing the frame hides the cut; a whip pan or passing car works naturally.
45. Whip pan — a fast camera pan blurs into the next shot; energetic and cinematic for action.
46. Lens distortion — the image warps through the cut; surreal for music videos and dreams.
47. Ripple — the picture ripples like water into the next; gentle for nature and calm content.
48. Page peel — the shot peels away like a page corner; nostalgic for photo slideshows.
49. Cube rotate — the shot rotates like a cube face; modern and bold for tech intros.
50. 3D flip — the shot flips in three dimensions; dramatic for title sequences.