Watch the file outside the editor
Open the final export in an ordinary compatible player. Confirm the first frame, ending and duration, then watch the whole clip. The editor preview may hide an export issue or show a different state. Do not approve only a thumbnail or a short excerpt from the middle.
Use two distinct review passes
First check the message against the source: subject, conditions, speaker and conclusion. Then check presentation: caption spelling/timing, crop, overlapping text and sound. Separating these tasks makes it easier to notice a polished but misleading edit. This is our recommended review routine, not evidence that every error will be found.
Confirm the promised file set
Check the actual resolution, aspect and required accompanying files against the brief. Do not invent a codec or format guarantee from the product’s marketing page. If a client needs a subtitle sidecar, project source or alternate crop, list it separately and verify it exists. A finished MP4 is not automatically the whole handoff.
Record approval on that exact version
Save the filename, date and reviewer decision. If anything changes after approval, identify the changed version and inspect the affected parts again. Keep the rejected export out of the delivery folder. A short acceptance note is more reliable than assuming the latest file in a download directory is the approved one.
A revision deserves a targeted recheck
If the only change is a corrected name, inspect that caption and nearby timing in the new export, then confirm the filename and deliverable set. If the cut changed, revisit the complete point and its boundaries. Match the review to the actual change without assuming every revision is harmless or rebuilding all evidence unnecessarily. The final acceptance must still refer to the file that is delivered.
Sources used for this page
These records support the facts and comparisons above. Merchant-controlled records are labelled so you can separate product claims from independent evidence.
- Submagic documented editing workflow — Merchant documentation · care.submagic.co · Merchant-controlled · checked 2026-09-25
- W3C audio and video accessibility guidance — Standards and certification reference · w3.org · Publisher independence not verified · checked 2026-09-25