A VEG file is a non-destructive project file for VEGAS Pro that stores the entire editing setup without holding real media, since the software simply references the original footage and records metadata like duration and resolution while saving all edit decisions such as cuts, effects, and timing, keeping the file tiny and relying on the original media during playback, which VEGAS Pro rebuilds when opened, though missing or moved files trigger errors because the VEG file contains instructions, not the media itself, and no actual video exists until the user renders it.

Rendering is the exclusive process that creates an actual video, because VEGAS Pro reads the referenced media, applies every stored edit, and outputs a file such as MP4 or MOV, while deleting the VEG file removes only the project instructions and not the source clips, which is why the VEG file works like an editable blueprint that differs entirely from rendering, since it cannot behave as a real video and is used only for previewing edits until VEGAS Pro finalizes everything during export.

Rendering is the step that transforms project settings into an actual video file, with VEGAS Pro processing each frame of the source clips, applying all timeline edits, effects, transitions, and audio work before encoding to MP4, MOV, or AVI, creating a standalone file that plays independently, unlike the VEG file which stays editable but cannot act as a deliverable, and if deleted, erases the ability to modify the project, while a deleted render can always be recreated as long as the VEG and media are present, showing that the VEG file is the master document and rendering produces the final, fixed output.

When a VEG file is opened, VEGAS Pro begins by reading the encoded timeline plan that reflect the last saved editing state, without importing any footage, using the VEG file to identify tracks, timing, effects, transitions, and global settings, then checking file paths to locate the original media so it can reconstruct the timeline, prompting you only if something has been moved or renamed because the VEG file contains directions, not the media itself.

To see more information regarding VEG file extraction visit the web site. After the media is located, VEGAS Pro forms a live preview by applying instructions instantly, merging source footage with effects, transitions, color fixes, and audio tweaks as you play the project, depending on system power and never generating a finished video, keeping the project fully editable and restoring the workspace rather than creating a deliverable until you perform a final render.