Best Free Video Editing Software program: Top 10 for 2022

In a dream world, we’d all be hiring Sofia Coppola to shoot our video campaigns, however the actuality is, most entrepreneurs have to determine easy methods to make Oscar-quality content material on Oscar Meyer Weiner budgets. The excellent news is, the web is filled with free video modifying software program designed that can assist you make your video goals come true.
Whether or not you’re making YouTube videos, TikTok videos, Instagram videos, Facebook Reels, or Twitter movies, generally the in-app modifying options simply aren’t strong sufficient to get the job completed. That’s why we’ve compiled this super-list of the easiest third-party video modifying apps so as to add to your content material creator toolkit.
That is video modifying software program that can assist you flip your authentic content material or stock video footage right into a mini-masterpiece.
So learn on, budding administrators, for our checklist of the very best free video modifying software program and apps out there in 2022… plus the solutions to all of your burning social video questions.
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Best free video editing software for 2022
While all of the tools on our free video editing software list below are great for crafting content for social media, there are of course limitations to any free program — whether that’s limited features, watermarks, or in-app ads.
But we’ve done our best to put together a list of the most helpful, least-annoying options here, and honestly, these 10 winners make it tough to see why anyone would pay for a full-cost video editing program at all.
iMovie
That is the default video modifying software program for Mac customers because it comes pre-installed on all Apple units. Although there are solely two video tracks you should utilize, there’s a magnificence to its simplicity: it’s tremendous intuitive and straightforward to hit the bottom operating. Discover the app’s first rate choice of pre-set filters, transitions, and title choices to shortly get your video trying skilled.
The modifying toolset is primary, nevertheless it’s obtained all the things you want, actually: slicing and trimming, coloration correction, background noise elimination, and stabilization for shaky footage. Integration with iTunes means you’ll be able to import songs out of your music library, or layer in sounds from the royalty-free audio and SFX choice.
No time to craft the proper vid? Use the Magic Film function within the newest model to let AI make all these selections for you.
Top-of-the-line issues about iMovie is that it by no means bugs you to improve to a premium model. What you see is what you get: no upselling.
(Not a Mac person? Home windows has its personal home video editor that provides many of the identical options, a stable selection of free video modifying software program for PC customers.)
Lightworks
Lightworks has been round for 30-plus years, so anticipate loads of polish from this top-notch free video editor. The professional model is a Hollywood favourite: The King’s Speech was edited utilizing Lightworks, in case the Colin Firth issue is a choice maker for you.
It’s slightly extra complicated to get began than iMovie, however watch the orientation video and also you’ll be flying very quickly. Skilled editors love the keyboard controls and slicing instruments which can be particularly designed to wrangle massive volumes of footage. The colour correction choices and built-in video results are tremendous spectacular, and never restricted, even should you’re a free person.
A robust timeline, on the spot autosave, and background processing make it a hyper-efficient instrument for getting your video completed and out into the world as shortly as doable. The one draw back to utilizing the free model is that your export choices are extra restricted — export as much as 720p and in codecs preset for Youtube, Vimeo, or MP4.
DaVinci Resolve
Need some “Emmy award-winning picture expertise?” Who doesn’t?! Then DaVinci Resolve might be the free video modifying software program for you. DaVinci is especially helpful for distant collaborations, because of its cloud-based workflow methods.
Followers applaud DaVinci’s UX design, too: divided into ‘Pages,’ customers can deal with every particular person a part of the modifying course of in a targeted manner. Begin on the ‘Reduce’ web page to do your trimming, and make your manner over to the ‘Colour’ tab to tweak the hues and shadows. Over on the ‘Media and Supply’ web page, there’s a variety of codecs supported, so you’ll be able to even output proper to Twitter.
This can be a highly effective instrument that requires a strong pc, so be certain that your {hardware} can deal with it earlier than you hit ‘obtain.’
Clipchamp
Microsoft just lately acquired a web-based free video modifying platform Clipchamp, so that you’ve gotta assume they’re doing one thing proper. Particularly designed for content material creators, the templates and user-friendly interface make whipping up movies for social a breeze — plus, you don’t have to chew up all of your onerous drive area within the course of.
Free and paid inventory footage (video and audio!) will be accessed proper from Clipchamp, so should you’re lacking that excellent shot to finish your unimaginable TikTok saga, you’ll be able to shortly seize an appropriate substitute. Craft your video to the social media specs of your choosing.
HitFilm
HitFilm’s declare to fame is its pace. The intuitive interface invitations you to trim, copy, slice, and sync with zero lag — allegedly, it’s twice as quick as opponents at exporting, and eight occasions speedier on the subject of playback.
The instruments are primary however extremely efficient: use drag-and-drop transitions and ready-to-use presets to create pro-quality content material in a snap. Auto audio sync makes tweaking sound a breeze.
Lighting results are a pleasant contact, too, if you wish to go that deep along with your social video modifying: mild leaks and glows give footage a cinematic really feel.
Shotcut
Open-source and cross-platform, Shotcut is the free video modifying instrument of the individuals. That does imply it comes with the occasional bug, however general, it’s a extremely strong piece of software program that makes virtually each ‘Best Video Editing Software program’ checklist on the market.
Shotcut helps a whole lot of video and audio codecs, so it’s tremendous useful for bringing disparate recordsdata collectively. Drag-and-drop file administration makes it simple to tug in all the things you want for your social video grand opus.
VideoPad
The web site is weirdly retro-looking, however the performance of VideoPad can’t be denied. VideoPad was designed to be intuitive. In a dream world, you’ll be capable to hop in and create your video in just some minutes. (The builders declare it’s the quickest instrument in the marketplace.)
The software program options greater than 50 results and transitions and helps 60+ codecs of video: create title textual content animations utilizing templates, document narrations proper within the app, or use professional-grade templates to whip up one thing particular in a snap.
Accessible for desktop or on iOS, you’ll be able to export your film in the entire resolutions below the solar, or simply share it on-line or immediately add to Youtube.
(*10*)
OpenShot
The award-winning free video modifying software program works for Mac, Home windows, or Linux: all video creators are welcome right here. One other open-source choice, OpenShot presents limitless tracks, so you’ll be able to add as many layers as you can ever need — incorporate background movies, audio galore, and sick results.
A built-in animation framework makes this one a singular contender on this checklist: fade, bounce, slide, or animate just about something within the body to make your video venture pop.
Kdenlive
Extra open-source video modifying software program! It seems, the individuals of the web are type and beneficiant in spite of everything. Make the most of the collaborative programming data of the sort strangers who contribute to Kdenlive and obtain this hyper-effective free video modifying software program to make your social video goals a actuality.
Organize your interface the best way that works finest for your workflow, after which put it aside. Keyboard shortcuts will be configured to match your particular artistic course of, too. Use any audio or video format right here.
Avid Media Composer
Like the entire different video modifying instruments on this checklist, Avid Media Composer is free — however that doesn’t imply it skimps on the UX. A contemporary interface design is helpfully divided into workspaces so you’ll be able to deal with modifying, coloring, audio, and results with focus. Or, rearrange panels and widgets as you have to accommodate your personal customized artistic move.
Avid’s multi-cam modifying function syncs as much as 64 completely different angles robotically so you’ll be able to shortly begin modifying and aligning. Certain, you’re modifying an Instagram video and never an Emmy-contender sitcom… however why not reap the benefits of the instruments at hand? Constructed-in VFX and filters all add slightly aptitude to your footage, but when that’s not sufficient, obtain much more plugins and play with composite imaging, movement results and extra.
Free video modifying software program FAQs
What’s video modifying software program?
Video modifying software program is any pc program or app that helps you make changes to at least one or many video recordsdata.
Video modifying software program can be utilized to chop down video clips, compile or rearrange video clips, tweak audio or visible parts, or add particular results or sound results.
You should use video modifying software program to do one thing as complicated as modifying a full-length function movie (we see you, Zach Snyder), or do one thing so simple as adjust the specs of a video to make it fit a certain social media platform.
The create modes of TikTok and Instagram Reels are video modifying instruments, although very primary ones. Extra strong free or paid video modifying software program can be utilized to make extra intricate changes to video content material earlier than you add them to social media. Most videos you see on social media have been edited utilizing video modifying software program in some capability. The creator could have trimmed the size of their video, stitched collectively a number of scenes, or added filters or results.
Is free video modifying software program adequate?
It is determined by what you need to do! For 90% of instances on social media, free video modifying software program is completely adequate.
All of the free video modifying software program we’ve advisable above will mean you can mix video clips, make changes to visible and audio components, and crop to the right platform dimensions.
Likelihood is, that’s going to be all that you have to create a social media video that engages and delights your viewers.
After all, should you’re knowledgeable filmmaker, you would possibly want the extra particular modifying instruments {that a} paid video modifying program presents — however for most individuals and types, free video modifying software program presents greater than sufficient performance. And actually, what do it’s important to lose by making an attempt out a free program? Should you don’t prefer it, then go proper forward and deal with your self to Ultimate Reduce Professional: our emotions won’t be harm.
What do most YouTubers use to edit their movies?
iMovie is a typical instrument that Youtubers use to edit their movies once they’re first getting began because it comes free with Mac units. It has all the essential performance you have to edit scenes, minimize out ‘ums’ and ‘uhs’ and, importantly, add in a Ken Burns impact.
iMovie is extraordinarily simple to make use of and pretty intuitive. In different phrases, an important selection for inexperienced persons.
However, there are solely two video “tracks” (a.ok.a. layers) you should utilize, so there may be some limitation on how wild you will get with results. (The opposite draw back to iMovie? It’s solely out there on Apple merchandise.)
{Many professional} Youtubers ultimately improve to Ultimate Reduce Professional or Adobe Premiere CC to reap the benefits of the extra strong modifying options there.
With tons of venture templates, presets, and results, each of those video modifying packages are nice instruments for letting your creativity fly unfettered… and there are tons of tutorials on the market that can assist you reap the benefits of all of the enjoyable options.
After all, it’ll value you to have this kind of freedom: each Ultimate Reduce and Premiere will be fairly dear.
How do I select the free video modifying software program that’s proper for me?
There are quite a lot of free video modifying packages on the market, so take a detailed take a look at their options to see which of them align finest along with your wants.
Would you like one thing that exports simply to social codecs? Is inexperienced display screen or picture-in-picture functionality one thing you employ lots? Should you do quite a lot of collaborating: are you able to share the file simply with different creators? Are you simply splicing collectively clips, or do you need to incorporate tons of results and layers?
Have a take into consideration how you employ (or need to use!) video and what has delighted or annoyed you about different instruments previously. Then, do your analysis and attempt to discover one with options that suit your distinctive preferences.
That being mentioned: the one factor you’ll actually threat by downloading the ‘improper’ software program, after all, is losing your time on one thing that’s clunky or can’t do what you’d like. So don’t topic your self to an excessive amount of evaluation paralysis: decide one, attempt it out, and transfer on to the subsequent if it’s not grooving with you.
How can I edit a video like a professional for free?
To edit your movies professionally, you in all probability need to look past the in-app editing features of TikTok, Instagram Reels, or Facebook Reels.
Obtain a free video modifying program to get entry to primary instruments that can assist you coloration right, add audio and visible results, crop, minimize, or add scenes — similar to the professionals.
Scroll up to take a look at our checklist of the very best free video modifying software program for 2022.
What’s the very best free video modifying software program with no watermark?
We’ve compiled our favourite free video modifying packages above, and none of them have a watermark.
Scroll again on as much as evaluation all 10 choices for free video modifying software program that can mean you can edit away, free from the concern {that a} bizarre visible trademark will damage your video masterpiece whenever you go to export it.
After all, having the best video modifying instruments and abilities is only one a part of the equation on the subject of creating compelling social content material. Your message — and your videography skills — matter too. Obtain our social video strategy guide here to construct a successful sport plan: lights, digital camera, motion.
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