Timeline overview

The timeline gives you fine-tuned control over how your composition plays out—when visuals appear, how audio syncs with your script, and how your project is structured overall. While most editing happens in the script, the timeline helps you finesse timing and layout.

Keep learning with videos

Explore more educational videos and workflows in Learn Learn Descript.

This article covers:

Missing the scene rail?

We’ve updated Descript’s layout to make editing more visual and intuitive. What was previously known as the Scene Rail is now part of Storyboard View.

Reveal and expand the timeline

When you open a project, the timeline is fully collapsed—no wordbar, visuals, or layer previews are visible.

To reveal the timeline, click the resize handle above the transport. This opens the focused editing view.

Click the resize handle above the transport to reveal the timeline
Click the resize handle to open the focused editing view.

Or use the shortcut:
Control + Option + T (Mac)
Ctrl + Alt + T (Windows)

Understand timeline views

Fully collapsed

The timeline is hidden by default when you open a project.

Focused editing view

Clicking the handle once reveals a simplified view:

  • Wordbar, scene preview, and active script/layers
  • Make trims, replace clips, or adjust visuals

For most projects, this view is all you need. You can edit your script, add visuals, and fine-tune timing—without needing to expand the full timeline.

Fully expanded timeline

For more advanced editing, click and drag the resize handle upward to expand the timeline fully. This reveals all media and visual layers.

Fully expanded Descript timeline with multiple layers visible
Expanded timeline view with full layer visibility.

Navigating the timeline

Use the controls in the top-right corner of the timeline to change your view.

Zoom and fit controls in Descript timeline
Zoom controls and advanced tools are located at the top right.
  • Zoom & Fit:
    • Fit scene – focuses on the active scene
    • Fit composition – zooms out to show your entire project
  • Timeline tools: Blade, Slip, Hand, and Range tools. Learn more about timeline tools →
  • Storyboard view: A visual grid of all your scenes
  • Timeline view: Horizontal script-and-layer layout

What's in the timeline

Diagram showing timeline elements including script track, wordbar, and layer lanes.
A visual guide to the Descript timeline
  • Transport: Playback controls for your composition
  • Split Button: Split scenes, clips, or layers for easier editing and organization.
  • Time ruler: Displays timecode, markers, comments, and audio levels
  • Layer lane: Additional visual layers (b-roll, effects, etc.)
  • Wordbar: Shows alignment between script and audio
  • Script track: Where your script-based content lives