Mastering FFmpeg How to Merge Audio and Video with Ease for 2024

Mastering FFmpeg How to Merge Audio and Video with Ease for 2024

Morgan Lv12

Mastering FFmpeg: How to Merge Audio and Video with Ease

Welcome to the world of video production! Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced video creator, one of the most important skills to master is merging audio and video seamlessly. In this article, we’ll focus on FFmpeg, a powerful command-line tool that can help you easily merge audio and video.

FFmpeg is open-source software that allows you to convert, edit, and stream multimedia files. It’s widely used by professionals and enthusiasts and has many capabilities, including merging audio and video files. This guide will walk you through merging audio and video using FFmpeg. So, whether you’re creating a YouTube video, a podcast, or a movie, you’ll have the skills to make it sound and look great.

merge audio and video with ffmpeg

Preparation

Are you ready to master the art of merging audio and video? Then let’s dive into the world of FFmpeg, a powerful and versatile tool that can help you achieve professional results.

With FFmpeg, you can record, convert, and stream audio and video files in any format, making it a complete and cross-platform solution. It’s also a great tool for decoding, encoding, transcoding, muxing, demuxing, streaming, filtering, and playing any media type.

But before we start merging video files using FFmpeg, it’s important to understand the basics of container formats and video codecs. These are the building blocks of your videos, and the specific types you’re working with will determine the method you’ll use to merge them. So, buckle up, and let’s get started!

How To Combine Video With Two Audio Using FFmpeg

Are you looking to add multiple audio tracks to your video? With FFmpeg, you can easily combine video with two audio streams. Whether creating a foreign-language version of your video or adding an alternate audio track, this method will help you achieve professional results. This section will guide you through combining video with two audio streams using FFmpeg’s command-line interface. So, let’s get started!

Mixing Two Audios Into a Video

Combining multiple audio tracks into one video can be done easily with FFmpeg’s command-line interface. In this example, we will combine two audio tracks into one video so that the voiceover will play over the background music. Here’s the step-by-step process:

Step1 Open your command prompt or terminal and navigate to the directory where your video and audio files are located.

Step2 Replacevideo1.mp4“ and “audio1.mp3“ with the names of your actual video and audio files.

ffmpeg \

-i video1.mp4 -i audio1.mp3 \

Step3 The -c:v copy flag tells FFmpeg to copy the video stream from the source file without re-encoding it. This helps to speed up the process and avoid quality loss.

-c:v copy \

-filter_complex “ \

Step4 The command “amix=inputs=2:duration=longest“ tells amix to accept 2 inputs (0:a and 1:a) and combine them into an output stream called audio_out, with the duration of the longest input.

[0:a][1:a] amix=inputs=2:duration=longest [audio_out] \

Step5 Map the video stream (0:v) and the mixed audio stream (audio_out) into the final output video.

-map 0:v -map “[audio_out]“ \

Step6 The -y flag tells FFmpeg to overwrite the output file if it already exists.

-y output.mp4

Once complete, you’ll find the newly created video file with the mixed audio in the specified output location.

Mixing Two Audios Into a Video Adjusting Volume

We will be taking a step further and show you how to merge two audio tracks into a video while adjusting the volume of one of the audio tracks. This can be useful when you want to emphasize one audio track over the other, for example, to make the voiceover more prominent in a video.

And here’s the step-by-step process:

Step1 Start the command by specifying the input files.

ffmpeg \

-i video1.mp4 -i audio1.mp3 \

Step2 Use the filter_complex option to specify a filter graph.

-filter_complex “ \

[0:a] volume=0.5 [music];

Step3 Use the amix filter to take the “music“ stream and audio1.mp3 and mix them.

[music][1:a] amix=inputs=2:duration=longest [audio_out] \

“ \

Step4 Use the map option to specify which streams from the input files should be included in the output file.

-map 0:v -map “[audio_out]“ \

Step5 Specify the output file name as “output.mp4“ and the -y flag to overwrite the output file without asking for confirmation if it already exists.

-y output.mp4

Mixing Two Audios Into a Video With Delay

When creating videos, sometimes the audio needs to be synced with the video, or you want to add a delay to the audio track. Here’s how to add delay to an audio track using FFmpeg.

Step1 Use the adelay filter to add delay to the audio track.

[1:a] adelay=2100|2100 [voice];

Step2 Mix the delayed audio track with the original audio track

[0:a][voice] amix=inputs=2:duration=longest [audio_out]

Step3 Map the video and audio tracks to the output file

-map 0:v -map “[audio_out]“

Step4 Use the -y flag to overwrite the output file

-y output.mp4

The final command would look like this:

ffmpeg \

-i video1.mp4 -i audio1.mp3 \

-filter_complex “ \

[1:a] adelay=2100|2100 [voice]; \

[0:a][voice] amix=inputs=2:duration=longest [audio_out] \

“ \

-map 0:v -map “[audio_out]“ \

-y output.mp4

This command will delay the audio track by 2100 milliseconds and then mix it with the original audio track, resulting in a new video file with the delayed audio.

It May Interest You - Merge Audio and Video Files With Filmora

While FFmpeg is a powerful tool for merging audio and video files, its learning curve can be steep for some users. If you’re looking for an easier option, you may consider using video editing software like Filmora.

What Is Filmora?

Wondershare Filmora is a video editing software that allows users to create professional-looking videos easily. It offers a user-friendly interface, making it an excellent option for those needing a more extensive video editing experience.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

This software offers an intuitive interface and a wide range of features that make it easy to merge audio and video files, even for beginners. In addition, Filmora provides various options for editing and enhancing the audio and video files, giving you more control over the final output. Filmora is a great alternative to FFmpeg for those who want to merge audio and video files quickly and easily.

How To Combine Audio and Video Files Using Filmora

Filmora is a user-friendly video editing software that allows you to easily combine audio and video files to create a polished and professional final product. So here’s the step-by-step process of combining audio and video files using Filmora.

Step1 Import audio and video files into Filmora using drag-and-drop or the “Import Media“ button.

filmora import media

Step2 Place the media files in the timeline and align the video with the audio.

filmora align media

Step3 Replace the original audio by right-clicking the video, selectingDetach Audio,” deleting the original audio, and replacing it with new audio.

filmora detach audio

Step4 Export the final video by selecting a format and clickingExport,” or publish directly to YouTube or burn to DVD.

filmora export video

People Also Ask

Here are some frequently asked questions regarding the merging function of FFmpeg and other related topics:

Q1. How To Merge Image and Video in FFmpeg?

To merge an image and a video using FFmpeg, first, use the -loop option on the image to loop it for the duration of the video, then use the overlay filter to overlay the image on the video. The command would look like this:

ffmpeg -i video.mp4 -i image.jpg -filter_complex “[0:v][1:v] overlay=0:0” -pix_fmt yuv420p -c:a copy output.mp4

This command takes the input video and image, applies the overlay filter to overlay the image on the video starting at the top left corner (0:0), and outputs the result to output.mp4. The -pix_fmt yuv420p and -c:a copy options ensure compatibility with most devices.

Q2. Can I Merge 2 MP4 Files Into 1?

Yes, you can merge two MP4 files into one using Filmora. To do this, follow these steps:

Step1 Open Filmora and import the video files

Step2 Drag the videos to the timeline

Step3 Align the second video with the first without leaving any gaps

Step4 ClickExport“ and select desired settings

Step5 ClickExport“ again to save the combined video on your computer.

Q3. How Can I Merge the Video and Subtitle?

To merge video and subtitle in Filmora, follow these steps:

Step1 Open Filmora and import your SRT subtitle file.

Step2 Place the SRT file on the timeline and right-click on it. Select “Advanced Edit“ from the options.

Step3 Adjust the subtitle’s time code, text, color, font, and other settings. When finished, chooseExport Subtitle file“ to save the changes.

Still want to learn more tricks about adding subtitles to your video? Check out the video below:

Conclusion

Using FFmpeg and Filmora, you can easily combine video with audio, merge multiple video files, and add subtitles to your videos. Both tools offer different features and learning curves, so it’s important to understand what you need before choosing one. Filmora is a great option for beginners and those who want a user-friendly interface, while FFmpeg is a powerful command-line tool for advanced users.

  • -i INPUT_FILE.mp4“ flag specifies INPUT_FILE.mp4 as the input source.
  • -i AUDIO.wav,” tells FFmpeg to take AUDIO.wav as an input source.
  • The “-c:v copy“ flag is a short form of “-codec:v copy,” which means to copy the video stream from the source files to the destination file.
  • The “-c:a aac“ flag means selecting all the audio streams from the source files and then encoding them with the AAC encoder.
  • mp4“ specifies the name of the output file.

Step3 In case you don’t want any audio conversion, drop the aac part in the command and replace it with copy; the command would look like this:

ffmpeg -i INPUT_FILE.mp4 -i AUDIO.aac -c:v copy -c:a copy OUTPUT_FILE.mp4

-->

How To Combine Video With Two Audio Using FFmpeg

Are you looking to add multiple audio tracks to your video? With FFmpeg, you can easily combine video with two audio streams. Whether creating a foreign-language version of your video or adding an alternate audio track, this method will help you achieve professional results. This section will guide you through combining video with two audio streams using FFmpeg’s command-line interface. So, let’s get started!

Mixing Two Audios Into a Video

Combining multiple audio tracks into one video can be done easily with FFmpeg’s command-line interface. In this example, we will combine two audio tracks into one video so that the voiceover will play over the background music. Here’s the step-by-step process:

Step1 Open your command prompt or terminal and navigate to the directory where your video and audio files are located.

Step2 Replacevideo1.mp4“ and “audio1.mp3“ with the names of your actual video and audio files.

ffmpeg \

-i video1.mp4 -i audio1.mp3 \

Step3 The -c:v copy flag tells FFmpeg to copy the video stream from the source file without re-encoding it. This helps to speed up the process and avoid quality loss.

-c:v copy \

-filter_complex “ \

Step4 The command “amix=inputs=2:duration=longest“ tells amix to accept 2 inputs (0:a and 1:a) and combine them into an output stream called audio_out, with the duration of the longest input.

[0:a][1:a] amix=inputs=2:duration=longest [audio_out] \

Step5 Map the video stream (0:v) and the mixed audio stream (audio_out) into the final output video.

-map 0:v -map “[audio_out]“ \

Step6 The -y flag tells FFmpeg to overwrite the output file if it already exists.

-y output.mp4

Once complete, you’ll find the newly created video file with the mixed audio in the specified output location.

Mixing Two Audios Into a Video Adjusting Volume

We will be taking a step further and show you how to merge two audio tracks into a video while adjusting the volume of one of the audio tracks. This can be useful when you want to emphasize one audio track over the other, for example, to make the voiceover more prominent in a video.

And here’s the step-by-step process:

Step1 Start the command by specifying the input files.

ffmpeg \

-i video1.mp4 -i audio1.mp3 \

Step2 Use the filter_complex option to specify a filter graph.

-filter_complex “ \

[0:a] volume=0.5 [music];

Step3 Use the amix filter to take the “music“ stream and audio1.mp3 and mix them.

[music][1:a] amix=inputs=2:duration=longest [audio_out] \

“ \

Step4 Use the map option to specify which streams from the input files should be included in the output file.

-map 0:v -map “[audio_out]“ \

Step5 Specify the output file name as “output.mp4“ and the -y flag to overwrite the output file without asking for confirmation if it already exists.

-y output.mp4

Mixing Two Audios Into a Video With Delay

When creating videos, sometimes the audio needs to be synced with the video, or you want to add a delay to the audio track. Here’s how to add delay to an audio track using FFmpeg.

Step1 Use the adelay filter to add delay to the audio track.

[1:a] adelay=2100|2100 [voice];

Step2 Mix the delayed audio track with the original audio track

[0:a][voice] amix=inputs=2:duration=longest [audio_out]

Step3 Map the video and audio tracks to the output file

-map 0:v -map “[audio_out]“

Step4 Use the -y flag to overwrite the output file

-y output.mp4

The final command would look like this:

ffmpeg \

-i video1.mp4 -i audio1.mp3 \

-filter_complex “ \

[1:a] adelay=2100|2100 [voice]; \

[0:a][voice] amix=inputs=2:duration=longest [audio_out] \

“ \

-map 0:v -map “[audio_out]“ \

-y output.mp4

This command will delay the audio track by 2100 milliseconds and then mix it with the original audio track, resulting in a new video file with the delayed audio.

It May Interest You - Merge Audio and Video Files With Filmora

While FFmpeg is a powerful tool for merging audio and video files, its learning curve can be steep for some users. If you’re looking for an easier option, you may consider using video editing software like Filmora.

What Is Filmora?

Wondershare Filmora is a video editing software that allows users to create professional-looking videos easily. It offers a user-friendly interface, making it an excellent option for those needing a more extensive video editing experience.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

This software offers an intuitive interface and a wide range of features that make it easy to merge audio and video files, even for beginners. In addition, Filmora provides various options for editing and enhancing the audio and video files, giving you more control over the final output. Filmora is a great alternative to FFmpeg for those who want to merge audio and video files quickly and easily.

How To Combine Audio and Video Files Using Filmora

Filmora is a user-friendly video editing software that allows you to easily combine audio and video files to create a polished and professional final product. So here’s the step-by-step process of combining audio and video files using Filmora.

Step1 Import audio and video files into Filmora using drag-and-drop or the “Import Media“ button.

filmora import media

Step2 Place the media files in the timeline and align the video with the audio.

filmora align media

Step3 Replace the original audio by right-clicking the video, selectingDetach Audio,” deleting the original audio, and replacing it with new audio.

filmora detach audio

Step4 Export the final video by selecting a format and clickingExport,” or publish directly to YouTube or burn to DVD.

filmora export video

People Also Ask

Here are some frequently asked questions regarding the merging function of FFmpeg and other related topics:

Q1. How To Merge Image and Video in FFmpeg?

To merge an image and a video using FFmpeg, first, use the -loop option on the image to loop it for the duration of the video, then use the overlay filter to overlay the image on the video. The command would look like this:

ffmpeg -i video.mp4 -i image.jpg -filter_complex “[0:v][1:v] overlay=0:0” -pix_fmt yuv420p -c:a copy output.mp4

This command takes the input video and image, applies the overlay filter to overlay the image on the video starting at the top left corner (0:0), and outputs the result to output.mp4. The -pix_fmt yuv420p and -c:a copy options ensure compatibility with most devices.

Q2. Can I Merge 2 MP4 Files Into 1?

Yes, you can merge two MP4 files into one using Filmora. To do this, follow these steps:

Step1 Open Filmora and import the video files

Step2 Drag the videos to the timeline

Step3 Align the second video with the first without leaving any gaps

Step4 ClickExport“ and select desired settings

Step5 ClickExport“ again to save the combined video on your computer.

Q3. How Can I Merge the Video and Subtitle?

To merge video and subtitle in Filmora, follow these steps:

Step1 Open Filmora and import your SRT subtitle file.

Step2 Place the SRT file on the timeline and right-click on it. Select “Advanced Edit“ from the options.

Step3 Adjust the subtitle’s time code, text, color, font, and other settings. When finished, chooseExport Subtitle file“ to save the changes.

Still want to learn more tricks about adding subtitles to your video? Check out the video below:

Conclusion

Using FFmpeg and Filmora, you can easily combine video with audio, merge multiple video files, and add subtitles to your videos. Both tools offer different features and learning curves, so it’s important to understand what you need before choosing one. Filmora is a great option for beginners and those who want a user-friendly interface, while FFmpeg is a powerful command-line tool for advanced users.

How to Make a Slideshow GIF?

How to Make a Slideshow GIF?

An easy yet powerful editor

Numerous effects to choose from

Detailed tutorials provided by the official channel

Try It Free Try It Free

In this world of advanced technology and inventions, nothing is impossible. And we have found different exciting ways of making the world around us a more interesting a fun place to live. And all this is because of the rapidly advancing technology.

The simplest things around us have become more exciting and fun to deal with. The mere mode of communication has shifted to the digital platform and has improved so much than before. We can now express how we feel through the different emotions as precisely as possible.

And adding to that, now, we have the GIFs to make our conversation funnier and more engaging. So, what if we integrate these gifs in slideshows? It will be much more exciting and a huge plus point. So, let us look into what are GIFs, how can we use them and lastly, what tool is the best for creating some fantastic and amazing GIFs and videos.

So, let us now start our discussion without any further delay!

In this article

01 [What Is a GIF and When to Use a GIF?](#Part 1)

02 [How to Edit a GIF in Google Slides?](#Part 2)

03 [How to Make a Slideshow GIF?](#Part 3)

Part 1 What Is a GIF and When to Use a GIF?

It is essential that we discuss what a GIF is? Firstly, GIF is the abbreviation for Graphics Interchange Format. Steve Wilhite, an American computer scantiest, was responsible for developing this bitmap image format with the team at the online services provider CompuServe.

The GIFs are images and animations whose sizes are reduced. The animations are much shorter in duration than the regular animation videos. It makes the animations look more expressive. The message, information, or expression to be portrayed through the animation gets better expressed due to its speed.

Therefore, the GIFs’ animations are much more exciting and engaging. A question might arise t you: Why should you use GIFs in slideshows, or how can they be beneficial. Let us put forth some benefits of GIFs that will help you know and understand their importance. Here are the benefits of using Gifs.

Gifs slideshow slides tend to engage the audience much more. Firstly, they are one of the most unique ways of presenting a slideshow or any other content. So, being unique will automatically positively attract more attention.

Your content and slideshow will stand out among the crowd. Firstly, GIFs are some of the most inimitable components to fit in a slideshow. Additionally, each GIF has its characteristic features different from the others. Each of them is interesting and engaging in their way. So, you always have the chance of being better than the rest when you use GIFs in slideshows.

As google slides spread, a sensation of laughter, which, consequently, prevails in a positive environment. This, in turn, helps make your slideshow more appealing and more enjoyable. The more fun you add to anything, the more attractive it will be. And adding GIFs in slideshows can be the best way of doing so.

Now, let us discuss the next important question about using the GIFs: when should we use them? You must know that gifs on google slides can be used in a limited way. So, here are the different ways you can really and readily integrate GIFs in your slideshows.

Use them in the first slide as a title slide. Whenever you use a GIF in the first or the introductory slide, you automatically initiate your presentation with something unique. And as a result, you successfully grab the audience’ leave a good impression. Additionally, from the first slide itself, you tend to have a comfortable and positive environment to continue your presentation more impeccably.

Use URL GIFs. There are plenty of them; therefore, you can have abundant choices and choose the best among them, especially the more relatable and engaging ones. The URL GIFs are plentily used in chat. So, adding them to your slides makes it more interesting, relatable and praiseworthy. However, it would be best to be careful about the copyright aspect. Ensure not to use URL GIFs that can face you with copyright issues.

You can also use the screengrabs; you can easily pull the attention of your audience to different parts of your content, one after the another, most systematically and effectively. As a result, you can explain and express your content in the most detailed way possible.

Either type of GIF that you can use are charts and graphs. In the first place, putting graphs and charts tend to make your presentation more organised, factual and professional. So, when you include GIFs of charts and graphs, you take the beneficial qualities of your display a notch higher.

Part 2 How to Edit a GIF in Google Slides?

There are numerous ways to edit the GIFs in google slides. If you want to edit a GIF in google slides, you will have to follow specific steps. It is alright if you are unaware of the steps because we will discuss the actions that will help you edit gifs in google slides.

01For cropping the GIFs

Sometimes, you may not want the entire Gif to be in your slideshow. And for that, you need to cut off the unnecessary portion of the GIF. You can ideally do so with the help of cropping the GIF, and it helps attain better focus on the part of the GIF that is relatable and, therefore, makes your slide enhanced and improved.

How to crop a GIF in google slide?

Step 1: Tap on the GIF twice and then pull the black tabs in the size you want your GIF to be.

Step 2: Press “Enter” to crop the GIF in your selected size.

02For cropping GIFs in a particular shape

You might want to make your GIFs into a particular shape, and it can be a triangle, square or even a heart shape. This will make your slideshow look more eye-catching and worked on.

How to crop the GIFs in a particular shape in google slides?

Step 1: Select the arrow present next to the “Crop” option.

Step 2: Select the option “shape”.

Step 3: A list of shapes will be shown. Choose the one you would want your GIF to have.

crop into shape

03For putting borders in the GIFs

To make your gifs more countered, eye-catching and prominent, you can put a border around them. You can readily do so in google slides in the simplest way possible.

How to put borders in GIFs in google slides?

Step 1: Select your GIF. Head to the “Menu Bar”.

Step 2: go to “Border Colour” and select the colour of the border you want to put around your GIF.

Step 3: Go to the “Border Weight” option and select the thickness of the border your GIF would have.

border

04For formatting your GIFs

GIFs can be readily formatted in google slides, which is in the following ways.

Rotating the GIFs

If you want to rotate your GIFs vertically or horizontally, you have to-

Step 1: Select the GIF and go to the “Format” options in the toolbar.

Step 2: Select the option “Rotate” and select to rotate it vertically or horizontally.

Recolouring the GIFs

You might want to match the colours of your GIFs with your presentation. And you can do so by-.

Step 1: Select the GIF and go to the “Recolour” option.

Step 2: Select the colour that you want.

Part 1 How to Make a Slideshow GIF?

As we had mentioned earlier, we will be introducing you to the best tool that will help you make the most incredible GIFs as well as video edits; it is the Filmora. It includes plenty of features that will help the professionals nurture their skills and the beginners.

But, how can you use Wondershare Filmora Video Editor for making google slides animated gifs? Here are the steps for it.

Wondershare Filmora - Best Video Editor for Mac/Windows

Try It Free Try It Free

5,481,435 people have downloaded it.

Build unique custom animations without breaking a sweat.

Focus on creating epic stories and leave the details to Filmora’s auto features.

Start a creative adventure with drag & drop effects and endless possibilities.

Filmora simplifies advanced features to save you time and effort.

Filmora cuts out repetition so you can move on to your next creative breakthrough.

Step 1: import the media files that you want

Step 2: Drag the media files to the times to edit the animation of it.

add to timeline

Step 3: Edit the media files the way you want. Crop, rotate, recolour the way you want it to appear.

Step 4: You can integrate some texts into it if you want.

add text

Step 5: Save the edit and export it for further use.

save as gif

Key Takeaways from This Episode

Therefore, in the above discussion, we have enveloped numerous important aspects about GIFs and their utility in the google slides. We started with discussing and underrating what a GIF is and why is slider gif essential for us.

Next, discuss the various ways you can edit the GIFs in your slideshows, along with the steps accordingly. Lastly, we introduced and discussed the best tool you can use for editing videos making GIFs and videos.

So, if you are a beginner or a professional who wants to use the more advanced features of editing videos, Filmora is the best platform and tool for you. Access it for free through its free trial options. And once you find how amazing it is, you can readily access its paid features to enjoy the sphere of editing more profoundly!

Try It Free Try It Free

In this world of advanced technology and inventions, nothing is impossible. And we have found different exciting ways of making the world around us a more interesting a fun place to live. And all this is because of the rapidly advancing technology.

The simplest things around us have become more exciting and fun to deal with. The mere mode of communication has shifted to the digital platform and has improved so much than before. We can now express how we feel through the different emotions as precisely as possible.

And adding to that, now, we have the GIFs to make our conversation funnier and more engaging. So, what if we integrate these gifs in slideshows? It will be much more exciting and a huge plus point. So, let us look into what are GIFs, how can we use them and lastly, what tool is the best for creating some fantastic and amazing GIFs and videos.

So, let us now start our discussion without any further delay!

In this article

01 [What Is a GIF and When to Use a GIF?](#Part 1)

02 [How to Edit a GIF in Google Slides?](#Part 2)

03 [How to Make a Slideshow GIF?](#Part 3)

Part 1 What Is a GIF and When to Use a GIF?

It is essential that we discuss what a GIF is? Firstly, GIF is the abbreviation for Graphics Interchange Format. Steve Wilhite, an American computer scantiest, was responsible for developing this bitmap image format with the team at the online services provider CompuServe.

The GIFs are images and animations whose sizes are reduced. The animations are much shorter in duration than the regular animation videos. It makes the animations look more expressive. The message, information, or expression to be portrayed through the animation gets better expressed due to its speed.

Therefore, the GIFs’ animations are much more exciting and engaging. A question might arise t you: Why should you use GIFs in slideshows, or how can they be beneficial. Let us put forth some benefits of GIFs that will help you know and understand their importance. Here are the benefits of using Gifs.

Gifs slideshow slides tend to engage the audience much more. Firstly, they are one of the most unique ways of presenting a slideshow or any other content. So, being unique will automatically positively attract more attention.

Your content and slideshow will stand out among the crowd. Firstly, GIFs are some of the most inimitable components to fit in a slideshow. Additionally, each GIF has its characteristic features different from the others. Each of them is interesting and engaging in their way. So, you always have the chance of being better than the rest when you use GIFs in slideshows.

As google slides spread, a sensation of laughter, which, consequently, prevails in a positive environment. This, in turn, helps make your slideshow more appealing and more enjoyable. The more fun you add to anything, the more attractive it will be. And adding GIFs in slideshows can be the best way of doing so.

Now, let us discuss the next important question about using the GIFs: when should we use them? You must know that gifs on google slides can be used in a limited way. So, here are the different ways you can really and readily integrate GIFs in your slideshows.

Use them in the first slide as a title slide. Whenever you use a GIF in the first or the introductory slide, you automatically initiate your presentation with something unique. And as a result, you successfully grab the audience’ leave a good impression. Additionally, from the first slide itself, you tend to have a comfortable and positive environment to continue your presentation more impeccably.

Use URL GIFs. There are plenty of them; therefore, you can have abundant choices and choose the best among them, especially the more relatable and engaging ones. The URL GIFs are plentily used in chat. So, adding them to your slides makes it more interesting, relatable and praiseworthy. However, it would be best to be careful about the copyright aspect. Ensure not to use URL GIFs that can face you with copyright issues.

You can also use the screengrabs; you can easily pull the attention of your audience to different parts of your content, one after the another, most systematically and effectively. As a result, you can explain and express your content in the most detailed way possible.

Either type of GIF that you can use are charts and graphs. In the first place, putting graphs and charts tend to make your presentation more organised, factual and professional. So, when you include GIFs of charts and graphs, you take the beneficial qualities of your display a notch higher.

Part 2 How to Edit a GIF in Google Slides?

There are numerous ways to edit the GIFs in google slides. If you want to edit a GIF in google slides, you will have to follow specific steps. It is alright if you are unaware of the steps because we will discuss the actions that will help you edit gifs in google slides.

01For cropping the GIFs

Sometimes, you may not want the entire Gif to be in your slideshow. And for that, you need to cut off the unnecessary portion of the GIF. You can ideally do so with the help of cropping the GIF, and it helps attain better focus on the part of the GIF that is relatable and, therefore, makes your slide enhanced and improved.

How to crop a GIF in google slide?

Step 1: Tap on the GIF twice and then pull the black tabs in the size you want your GIF to be.

Step 2: Press “Enter” to crop the GIF in your selected size.

02For cropping GIFs in a particular shape

You might want to make your GIFs into a particular shape, and it can be a triangle, square or even a heart shape. This will make your slideshow look more eye-catching and worked on.

How to crop the GIFs in a particular shape in google slides?

Step 1: Select the arrow present next to the “Crop” option.

Step 2: Select the option “shape”.

Step 3: A list of shapes will be shown. Choose the one you would want your GIF to have.

crop into shape

03For putting borders in the GIFs

To make your gifs more countered, eye-catching and prominent, you can put a border around them. You can readily do so in google slides in the simplest way possible.

How to put borders in GIFs in google slides?

Step 1: Select your GIF. Head to the “Menu Bar”.

Step 2: go to “Border Colour” and select the colour of the border you want to put around your GIF.

Step 3: Go to the “Border Weight” option and select the thickness of the border your GIF would have.

border

04For formatting your GIFs

GIFs can be readily formatted in google slides, which is in the following ways.

Rotating the GIFs

If you want to rotate your GIFs vertically or horizontally, you have to-

Step 1: Select the GIF and go to the “Format” options in the toolbar.

Step 2: Select the option “Rotate” and select to rotate it vertically or horizontally.

Recolouring the GIFs

You might want to match the colours of your GIFs with your presentation. And you can do so by-.

Step 1: Select the GIF and go to the “Recolour” option.

Step 2: Select the colour that you want.

Part 1 How to Make a Slideshow GIF?

As we had mentioned earlier, we will be introducing you to the best tool that will help you make the most incredible GIFs as well as video edits; it is the Filmora. It includes plenty of features that will help the professionals nurture their skills and the beginners.

But, how can you use Wondershare Filmora Video Editor for making google slides animated gifs? Here are the steps for it.

Wondershare Filmora - Best Video Editor for Mac/Windows

Try It Free Try It Free

5,481,435 people have downloaded it.

Build unique custom animations without breaking a sweat.

Focus on creating epic stories and leave the details to Filmora’s auto features.

Start a creative adventure with drag & drop effects and endless possibilities.

Filmora simplifies advanced features to save you time and effort.

Filmora cuts out repetition so you can move on to your next creative breakthrough.

Step 1: import the media files that you want

Step 2: Drag the media files to the times to edit the animation of it.

add to timeline

Step 3: Edit the media files the way you want. Crop, rotate, recolour the way you want it to appear.

Step 4: You can integrate some texts into it if you want.

add text

Step 5: Save the edit and export it for further use.

save as gif

Key Takeaways from This Episode

Therefore, in the above discussion, we have enveloped numerous important aspects about GIFs and their utility in the google slides. We started with discussing and underrating what a GIF is and why is slider gif essential for us.

Next, discuss the various ways you can edit the GIFs in your slideshows, along with the steps accordingly. Lastly, we introduced and discussed the best tool you can use for editing videos making GIFs and videos.

So, if you are a beginner or a professional who wants to use the more advanced features of editing videos, Filmora is the best platform and tool for you. Access it for free through its free trial options. And once you find how amazing it is, you can readily access its paid features to enjoy the sphere of editing more profoundly!

Try It Free Try It Free

In this world of advanced technology and inventions, nothing is impossible. And we have found different exciting ways of making the world around us a more interesting a fun place to live. And all this is because of the rapidly advancing technology.

The simplest things around us have become more exciting and fun to deal with. The mere mode of communication has shifted to the digital platform and has improved so much than before. We can now express how we feel through the different emotions as precisely as possible.

And adding to that, now, we have the GIFs to make our conversation funnier and more engaging. So, what if we integrate these gifs in slideshows? It will be much more exciting and a huge plus point. So, let us look into what are GIFs, how can we use them and lastly, what tool is the best for creating some fantastic and amazing GIFs and videos.

So, let us now start our discussion without any further delay!

In this article

01 [What Is a GIF and When to Use a GIF?](#Part 1)

02 [How to Edit a GIF in Google Slides?](#Part 2)

03 [How to Make a Slideshow GIF?](#Part 3)

Part 1 What Is a GIF and When to Use a GIF?

It is essential that we discuss what a GIF is? Firstly, GIF is the abbreviation for Graphics Interchange Format. Steve Wilhite, an American computer scantiest, was responsible for developing this bitmap image format with the team at the online services provider CompuServe.

The GIFs are images and animations whose sizes are reduced. The animations are much shorter in duration than the regular animation videos. It makes the animations look more expressive. The message, information, or expression to be portrayed through the animation gets better expressed due to its speed.

Therefore, the GIFs’ animations are much more exciting and engaging. A question might arise t you: Why should you use GIFs in slideshows, or how can they be beneficial. Let us put forth some benefits of GIFs that will help you know and understand their importance. Here are the benefits of using Gifs.

Gifs slideshow slides tend to engage the audience much more. Firstly, they are one of the most unique ways of presenting a slideshow or any other content. So, being unique will automatically positively attract more attention.

Your content and slideshow will stand out among the crowd. Firstly, GIFs are some of the most inimitable components to fit in a slideshow. Additionally, each GIF has its characteristic features different from the others. Each of them is interesting and engaging in their way. So, you always have the chance of being better than the rest when you use GIFs in slideshows.

As google slides spread, a sensation of laughter, which, consequently, prevails in a positive environment. This, in turn, helps make your slideshow more appealing and more enjoyable. The more fun you add to anything, the more attractive it will be. And adding GIFs in slideshows can be the best way of doing so.

Now, let us discuss the next important question about using the GIFs: when should we use them? You must know that gifs on google slides can be used in a limited way. So, here are the different ways you can really and readily integrate GIFs in your slideshows.

Use them in the first slide as a title slide. Whenever you use a GIF in the first or the introductory slide, you automatically initiate your presentation with something unique. And as a result, you successfully grab the audience’ leave a good impression. Additionally, from the first slide itself, you tend to have a comfortable and positive environment to continue your presentation more impeccably.

Use URL GIFs. There are plenty of them; therefore, you can have abundant choices and choose the best among them, especially the more relatable and engaging ones. The URL GIFs are plentily used in chat. So, adding them to your slides makes it more interesting, relatable and praiseworthy. However, it would be best to be careful about the copyright aspect. Ensure not to use URL GIFs that can face you with copyright issues.

You can also use the screengrabs; you can easily pull the attention of your audience to different parts of your content, one after the another, most systematically and effectively. As a result, you can explain and express your content in the most detailed way possible.

Either type of GIF that you can use are charts and graphs. In the first place, putting graphs and charts tend to make your presentation more organised, factual and professional. So, when you include GIFs of charts and graphs, you take the beneficial qualities of your display a notch higher.

Part 2 How to Edit a GIF in Google Slides?

There are numerous ways to edit the GIFs in google slides. If you want to edit a GIF in google slides, you will have to follow specific steps. It is alright if you are unaware of the steps because we will discuss the actions that will help you edit gifs in google slides.

01For cropping the GIFs

Sometimes, you may not want the entire Gif to be in your slideshow. And for that, you need to cut off the unnecessary portion of the GIF. You can ideally do so with the help of cropping the GIF, and it helps attain better focus on the part of the GIF that is relatable and, therefore, makes your slide enhanced and improved.

How to crop a GIF in google slide?

Step 1: Tap on the GIF twice and then pull the black tabs in the size you want your GIF to be.

Step 2: Press “Enter” to crop the GIF in your selected size.

02For cropping GIFs in a particular shape

You might want to make your GIFs into a particular shape, and it can be a triangle, square or even a heart shape. This will make your slideshow look more eye-catching and worked on.

How to crop the GIFs in a particular shape in google slides?

Step 1: Select the arrow present next to the “Crop” option.

Step 2: Select the option “shape”.

Step 3: A list of shapes will be shown. Choose the one you would want your GIF to have.

crop into shape

03For putting borders in the GIFs

To make your gifs more countered, eye-catching and prominent, you can put a border around them. You can readily do so in google slides in the simplest way possible.

How to put borders in GIFs in google slides?

Step 1: Select your GIF. Head to the “Menu Bar”.

Step 2: go to “Border Colour” and select the colour of the border you want to put around your GIF.

Step 3: Go to the “Border Weight” option and select the thickness of the border your GIF would have.

border

04For formatting your GIFs

GIFs can be readily formatted in google slides, which is in the following ways.

Rotating the GIFs

If you want to rotate your GIFs vertically or horizontally, you have to-

Step 1: Select the GIF and go to the “Format” options in the toolbar.

Step 2: Select the option “Rotate” and select to rotate it vertically or horizontally.

Recolouring the GIFs

You might want to match the colours of your GIFs with your presentation. And you can do so by-.

Step 1: Select the GIF and go to the “Recolour” option.

Step 2: Select the colour that you want.

Part 1 How to Make a Slideshow GIF?

As we had mentioned earlier, we will be introducing you to the best tool that will help you make the most incredible GIFs as well as video edits; it is the Filmora. It includes plenty of features that will help the professionals nurture their skills and the beginners.

But, how can you use Wondershare Filmora Video Editor for making google slides animated gifs? Here are the steps for it.

Wondershare Filmora - Best Video Editor for Mac/Windows

Try It Free Try It Free

5,481,435 people have downloaded it.

Build unique custom animations without breaking a sweat.

Focus on creating epic stories and leave the details to Filmora’s auto features.

Start a creative adventure with drag & drop effects and endless possibilities.

Filmora simplifies advanced features to save you time and effort.

Filmora cuts out repetition so you can move on to your next creative breakthrough.

Step 1: import the media files that you want

Step 2: Drag the media files to the times to edit the animation of it.

add to timeline

Step 3: Edit the media files the way you want. Crop, rotate, recolour the way you want it to appear.

Step 4: You can integrate some texts into it if you want.

add text

Step 5: Save the edit and export it for further use.

save as gif

Key Takeaways from This Episode

Therefore, in the above discussion, we have enveloped numerous important aspects about GIFs and their utility in the google slides. We started with discussing and underrating what a GIF is and why is slider gif essential for us.

Next, discuss the various ways you can edit the GIFs in your slideshows, along with the steps accordingly. Lastly, we introduced and discussed the best tool you can use for editing videos making GIFs and videos.

So, if you are a beginner or a professional who wants to use the more advanced features of editing videos, Filmora is the best platform and tool for you. Access it for free through its free trial options. And once you find how amazing it is, you can readily access its paid features to enjoy the sphere of editing more profoundly!

Try It Free Try It Free

In this world of advanced technology and inventions, nothing is impossible. And we have found different exciting ways of making the world around us a more interesting a fun place to live. And all this is because of the rapidly advancing technology.

The simplest things around us have become more exciting and fun to deal with. The mere mode of communication has shifted to the digital platform and has improved so much than before. We can now express how we feel through the different emotions as precisely as possible.

And adding to that, now, we have the GIFs to make our conversation funnier and more engaging. So, what if we integrate these gifs in slideshows? It will be much more exciting and a huge plus point. So, let us look into what are GIFs, how can we use them and lastly, what tool is the best for creating some fantastic and amazing GIFs and videos.

So, let us now start our discussion without any further delay!

In this article

01 [What Is a GIF and When to Use a GIF?](#Part 1)

02 [How to Edit a GIF in Google Slides?](#Part 2)

03 [How to Make a Slideshow GIF?](#Part 3)

Part 1 What Is a GIF and When to Use a GIF?

It is essential that we discuss what a GIF is? Firstly, GIF is the abbreviation for Graphics Interchange Format. Steve Wilhite, an American computer scantiest, was responsible for developing this bitmap image format with the team at the online services provider CompuServe.

The GIFs are images and animations whose sizes are reduced. The animations are much shorter in duration than the regular animation videos. It makes the animations look more expressive. The message, information, or expression to be portrayed through the animation gets better expressed due to its speed.

Therefore, the GIFs’ animations are much more exciting and engaging. A question might arise t you: Why should you use GIFs in slideshows, or how can they be beneficial. Let us put forth some benefits of GIFs that will help you know and understand their importance. Here are the benefits of using Gifs.

Gifs slideshow slides tend to engage the audience much more. Firstly, they are one of the most unique ways of presenting a slideshow or any other content. So, being unique will automatically positively attract more attention.

Your content and slideshow will stand out among the crowd. Firstly, GIFs are some of the most inimitable components to fit in a slideshow. Additionally, each GIF has its characteristic features different from the others. Each of them is interesting and engaging in their way. So, you always have the chance of being better than the rest when you use GIFs in slideshows.

As google slides spread, a sensation of laughter, which, consequently, prevails in a positive environment. This, in turn, helps make your slideshow more appealing and more enjoyable. The more fun you add to anything, the more attractive it will be. And adding GIFs in slideshows can be the best way of doing so.

Now, let us discuss the next important question about using the GIFs: when should we use them? You must know that gifs on google slides can be used in a limited way. So, here are the different ways you can really and readily integrate GIFs in your slideshows.

Use them in the first slide as a title slide. Whenever you use a GIF in the first or the introductory slide, you automatically initiate your presentation with something unique. And as a result, you successfully grab the audience’ leave a good impression. Additionally, from the first slide itself, you tend to have a comfortable and positive environment to continue your presentation more impeccably.

Use URL GIFs. There are plenty of them; therefore, you can have abundant choices and choose the best among them, especially the more relatable and engaging ones. The URL GIFs are plentily used in chat. So, adding them to your slides makes it more interesting, relatable and praiseworthy. However, it would be best to be careful about the copyright aspect. Ensure not to use URL GIFs that can face you with copyright issues.

You can also use the screengrabs; you can easily pull the attention of your audience to different parts of your content, one after the another, most systematically and effectively. As a result, you can explain and express your content in the most detailed way possible.

Either type of GIF that you can use are charts and graphs. In the first place, putting graphs and charts tend to make your presentation more organised, factual and professional. So, when you include GIFs of charts and graphs, you take the beneficial qualities of your display a notch higher.

Part 2 How to Edit a GIF in Google Slides?

There are numerous ways to edit the GIFs in google slides. If you want to edit a GIF in google slides, you will have to follow specific steps. It is alright if you are unaware of the steps because we will discuss the actions that will help you edit gifs in google slides.

01For cropping the GIFs

Sometimes, you may not want the entire Gif to be in your slideshow. And for that, you need to cut off the unnecessary portion of the GIF. You can ideally do so with the help of cropping the GIF, and it helps attain better focus on the part of the GIF that is relatable and, therefore, makes your slide enhanced and improved.

How to crop a GIF in google slide?

Step 1: Tap on the GIF twice and then pull the black tabs in the size you want your GIF to be.

Step 2: Press “Enter” to crop the GIF in your selected size.

02For cropping GIFs in a particular shape

You might want to make your GIFs into a particular shape, and it can be a triangle, square or even a heart shape. This will make your slideshow look more eye-catching and worked on.

How to crop the GIFs in a particular shape in google slides?

Step 1: Select the arrow present next to the “Crop” option.

Step 2: Select the option “shape”.

Step 3: A list of shapes will be shown. Choose the one you would want your GIF to have.

crop into shape

03For putting borders in the GIFs

To make your gifs more countered, eye-catching and prominent, you can put a border around them. You can readily do so in google slides in the simplest way possible.

How to put borders in GIFs in google slides?

Step 1: Select your GIF. Head to the “Menu Bar”.

Step 2: go to “Border Colour” and select the colour of the border you want to put around your GIF.

Step 3: Go to the “Border Weight” option and select the thickness of the border your GIF would have.

border

04For formatting your GIFs

GIFs can be readily formatted in google slides, which is in the following ways.

Rotating the GIFs

If you want to rotate your GIFs vertically or horizontally, you have to-

Step 1: Select the GIF and go to the “Format” options in the toolbar.

Step 2: Select the option “Rotate” and select to rotate it vertically or horizontally.

Recolouring the GIFs

You might want to match the colours of your GIFs with your presentation. And you can do so by-.

Step 1: Select the GIF and go to the “Recolour” option.

Step 2: Select the colour that you want.

Part 1 How to Make a Slideshow GIF?

As we had mentioned earlier, we will be introducing you to the best tool that will help you make the most incredible GIFs as well as video edits; it is the Filmora. It includes plenty of features that will help the professionals nurture their skills and the beginners.

But, how can you use Wondershare Filmora Video Editor for making google slides animated gifs? Here are the steps for it.

Wondershare Filmora - Best Video Editor for Mac/Windows

Try It Free Try It Free

5,481,435 people have downloaded it.

Build unique custom animations without breaking a sweat.

Focus on creating epic stories and leave the details to Filmora’s auto features.

Start a creative adventure with drag & drop effects and endless possibilities.

Filmora simplifies advanced features to save you time and effort.

Filmora cuts out repetition so you can move on to your next creative breakthrough.

Step 1: import the media files that you want

Step 2: Drag the media files to the times to edit the animation of it.

add to timeline

Step 3: Edit the media files the way you want. Crop, rotate, recolour the way you want it to appear.

Step 4: You can integrate some texts into it if you want.

add text

Step 5: Save the edit and export it for further use.

save as gif

Key Takeaways from This Episode

Therefore, in the above discussion, we have enveloped numerous important aspects about GIFs and their utility in the google slides. We started with discussing and underrating what a GIF is and why is slider gif essential for us.

Next, discuss the various ways you can edit the GIFs in your slideshows, along with the steps accordingly. Lastly, we introduced and discussed the best tool you can use for editing videos making GIFs and videos.

So, if you are a beginner or a professional who wants to use the more advanced features of editing videos, Filmora is the best platform and tool for you. Access it for free through its free trial options. And once you find how amazing it is, you can readily access its paid features to enjoy the sphere of editing more profoundly!

How to Make First Impression Review Video

There are many types of first impression reviews, it can be for gadgets, it can also be for products like skin care, makeup or it can also be home related like appliances, home decor etc. or any products that is available in the market. It depends on the content you choose but this are all example of some products that people want to see impression reviews before buying products.

Doing a first impression review is important specially for companies, because they want to know how the public will accept their products or what else should be changed in the products. The views and opinion of content creator and also for buyer are much needed of this company.

Using this video content to market will benefits the company and products, this is because people engage more with videos than with words or static photo.In this article I will share to you the information about first impression review video and tips on how to make an effective first impression product review.

First Impression Review Video

First impression review is more likely product reviews or live review, products reviews are the videos where you are explaining, products features, pros and cons are describe while first time to see the products. It include also a little of unboxing reviews, because when doing a first impression review, it show how you accept the product looks or what can you say about the product even if it’s the first time you see it.

A review has a simple goal, to check if the products is worth buying or not. It covers how the products helps you. This can involve examining or test the products performance, cost and more.

first impression video example

How this kind of content will help you

Let’s say you want to create content and you have thought or chosen to create these kind of video, so below are the benefits of how it can help to grow your channel.

  • Strengthening your online presence
  • Engaging viewers
  • Building stronger community
  • Converting viewers into buyers
  • Opportunity to work with Brand
  • Product Sponsorship

Tips on How to Perform Product First Impression Review

Include unboxing Video

Unboxing video is recording yourself while opening item for the first time. This opportunity can benefit people who are weighing multiple products before making a purchase. Unboxing videos can recreate the feeling of getting something new and enjoying it for the first time.

Its seems that it is same as you make a first impression video and It would be better if includes this type of video the unboxing of the product in front of the viewers so they see how you react about the product. The genuine reaction upon opening the product is always the best reaction they will see.

Unboxing video make people feel that way and the people behind the camera have knack for building excitement.

shoot unboxing video first impression

Detailed explanation

Detailed explanation meaning starting from the moment you open the package to details that are into the packaging of the products like the ingredients, manufacturer, expiration etc. Introduce the product properly and talk about the where you saw it or how you found out about this. Explain also the product claims that sometime you will read on the packaging but if luck of information you also need to search in their website or pages. Just don’t forget to include everything that you think people need to know about the product.

What include in the video is a commentary explaining to the viewers the features of a particular product. The review may typically includes the strengths and weaknesses of the products.

Talk about Product features and benefits

Products features are the characteristics of the products you are making a vlog. These are the plain facts about the products like the sizes, weight, functionality and benefits because viewers or customers are more likely to know the products performance. Make a list about all the features of the product you are reviewing, explain briefly each one so that viewers can better understand. The same with the benefits they will get if they buy this products.

When you use features in this manner, you help customers who have already decided to buy the product decide which version they are going to buy.

product benefits first impression review

Share personal thoughts

Of course it’s important here that you can share your personal thoughts for the first time you see or touch the product. As an influencer for your viewers to believe and trust you, you just need to give your honest review about the product. Also share them your thoughts about the appearance, what should be change or fixed in the products if any.

Don’t forget to update your viewers when you already use the products. Make another video on how the product perform on you or how the product effects. So that the viewers know immediately if they will buy or not or if it is worth to buy.

Be honest when reviewing especially many viewers only rely on the video review of the influencers.

share personal thoughts first impression video

For Effective Video Performance and Promotion

You need to make the video better so that the brand will be more happy when they see that apart from your effort to search for good things about the products, they will also see your effort when it comes to video editing.

I’m talking about video editing software, you can see many in the market that can be downloaded for free but of course make sure if it’s performance wise to use.

Wondershare Filmora is one of the effective video editing software that can be use especially if you are a beginner in this kind of work.

Filmora has many great features that you can use to enhance the video you make. Use the color enhancer to make the color of the product you show in the video even better. Also use effects to make the video more creative and nice, don’t forget to use background music so the video isn’t boring. There are viewers that beside of how effective you are in doing product review, they are also commenting about the video editing. You have to make your video creative and stand out so that you can attract more viewers to your channel.

first impression video with filmora

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

After making your video creative by editing, it is important that you always promote your videos on all your social media or pages, so that many people can see your hard work, make all effort to get your video noticed by social networks, because nowadays social network make easy for people to share information thru videos. This sharing gives your vlog the potential to reach out to the audiences exponentially. The more entertaining and helpful you make your vlogs the better the chances of sharing.

Conclusion

For Business owners, they will get great benefits when they use influencer to promote their new products because apart from the great help of online promotion, many people also listen to what influencers or vlogger say, especially when they show how effective the product is or how the product perform well. The reason why other brand owner refers to vlogger to promote their brand is because it gives a sense of transparency in communication for the consumers. Although the vlog varies slightly different depending on the vlog, the vlogger appears in the video in a tone that sounds like telling a story to the friends or acquaintance.

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

After making your video creative by editing, it is important that you always promote your videos on all your social media or pages, so that many people can see your hard work, make all effort to get your video noticed by social networks, because nowadays social network make easy for people to share information thru videos. This sharing gives your vlog the potential to reach out to the audiences exponentially. The more entertaining and helpful you make your vlogs the better the chances of sharing.

Conclusion

For Business owners, they will get great benefits when they use influencer to promote their new products because apart from the great help of online promotion, many people also listen to what influencers or vlogger say, especially when they show how effective the product is or how the product perform well. The reason why other brand owner refers to vlogger to promote their brand is because it gives a sense of transparency in communication for the consumers. Although the vlog varies slightly different depending on the vlog, the vlogger appears in the video in a tone that sounds like telling a story to the friends or acquaintance.

Top 18 Video Editors for PC and Mac

More and more people love to share their knowledge, experience and daily life via videos. Platforms such as TikTok, YouTube, Vimeo are continuing to attract more and more people. But most people don’t know much about video editing. Which video editor they can use? How to apply the effects to improve the video visually? This post will give you all the tips and answers on editing a video.

Contents

01 [Video Editing Basics ](#Part 1)

02 [Editor’s Top 3 Picks ](#Part 2)

03 [Open-Source Video Editors](#Part 3)

04 [Freemium and Freeware Video Editors](#Part 4)

05 [Proprietary Video Editing Software](#Part 5)

06 [How to Choose the Suitable Video Editor](#Part 6)

07 [Video Editing Tips for Newbies](#Part 7)

08 [Frequently Asked Questions of Video Editor](#Part 8)

Part 1: Video Editing Basics

Before going to the best video editors, you should be aware of the basics of video editing. Here are the basic concepts of video editing that you must know as they are common across all video editors.

1. The Timeline: The timeline is an area of a video editor where you place your video clips sequentially. When you play the video after editing, the video will play from the start of the timeline and finish at the end of the timeline where your video content ends. The timeline is where you can place your audio clips, video effects, and graphical elements as per your requirements.

2. The Canvas: The canvas is an area of a video editor where you view your video clips frame by frame. The canvas allows you to edit the video starting from cropping to adding graphical elements. You can view all the changes you make to the video before applying them permanently.

3. Basic editing: The basic editing of a video includes splitting and trimming out important parts of a large video file and, thereafter, joining the different video clips to make an engaging video. The basic editing also includes adding audio clips, adjusting video parameters such as color, brightness, contrast as well as adding texts to the video.

4. Aspect Ratio: The aspect ratio of a video represents the ratio of width to height of the video in terms of pixels. For example, a video with aspect ratio of 16:9 means the video is 1920p x 1080p. You can edit the aspect ratio depending on where you want to publish the video. For example, social media videos use 1:1 and 9: 16 aspect ratio, tablets use 4:3 aspect ratio, and 16:9 is the standard aspect ratio.

5. B-roll: B-roll is a secondary video footage that you can add to your primary video(A-roll) to enhance the video creativity and aesthetic value. B-roll could be a cinematic shot, a slow-motion footage, a close-up shot from different angles, as well as a shot mixed with wide-angle, pans, and tilts.

6. Frame Rate: Frame rate refers to the number of images or frames displayed per second in a video. In short, frame rate refers to frames per second in a video. For example, a video of 30fps means the video is showing 30 different images per second. The 24fps is used for movies and the 30fps is used for online and TV videos. Even 60fps videos are becoming common as they produce a smoother video experience.

Part 2: Editor’s Top 3 Picks - Choose The Best Video Editor

Best Video Editor for All Creators - Filmora

Wondershare Filmora is the ideal video editor with an intuitive user interface. You get all the standard and advanced video editing features packed into its platform. You can record videos of external webcam and computer screen as well. There are unlimited video effects and graphical elements to turn your raw videos into eye-catching videos instantly.

Best for Professional Editing - Premiere Pro

Adobe Premium Pro is the best professional video editor where all the advanced features of video editing are available. The software supports editing multiple projects simultaneously. You can edit VR, Multicam, and 3D videos as well. It is a perfect platform for a professional video editing team to work in sync.

Best for Online Video Editing - WeVideo

WeVideo is by far the best online video editor with 30 million users. Starting from standard video editing options and uploading directly to social media platforms, WeVideo is a full-fledged video editor. You can also record videos and create your own video templates. Moreover, you can collaborate with other video creators and make the best use of the unlimited stock media library.

Part 3: Open-Source Video Editors

Open-source video editors have compatibility with all the desktop operating systems. Moreover, due to their codes readily available online, these video editing software applications are available completely free of cost. Here are the best open-source video editors for beginners and experienced users.

# For Beginner Users

1. Blender

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

Best for: best open-source video editor with balanced features

G2 rating: 4.5 out of 5

blender video editor software

Blender is an open-source video editing suite that is popular for its 3D models. Since it is a suite, you can use the platform not only for video editing but also for creating animated videos and games.

Starting from basic video editing such as trim and split to advance video editing such as masking and color adjustment, all options are readily available. Besides, there are options for audio mixing and live preview of editing works.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Video cropping, trimming, splitting, joining, and adjusting speed.
  • Different slots to add videos, images, scenes, audio clips, effects and masks.
  • Different transitions, filters, effects, waveforms, and keyframes available.
  • Create 3D models and animated videos with proper audio mixing.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • Takes time to get used to the platform.
  • Reports of bugs have become a regular occurrence.

2. Avidemux

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

Best for: best open-source video editor for basic editing

G2 rating: 4.4 out of 5

avidemux

Avidemux from Soundforge is a lightweight and basic video editor. Starting from trimming and cutting videos to applying filters and encoding videos, all the options are readily available. The software supports a wide range of video file formats for editing.

The platform also supports scripting through which you can automate tasks to perform on videos. Besides, there are options for color adjustments, video conversion, and advanced interlacing. The simple user interface is perfect for beginners to edit videos intuitively.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Quick video editing for trimming, cutting, rotating, and cropping.
  • Change speed and use different filters for color adjustments and subtitles.
  • Supports different video file formats in import and export.
  • The user interface is simple and suitable for beginners.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • Does not have a traditional timeline for video editing.
  • Limited effects, filters, and advanced features.

3. Kdenlive

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

Best for: best open-source video editor for all

G2 rating: 4.3 out of 5

kdenlive editor software

Kdenlive video editor is a versatile video editor with standard and advanced video editing features balanced properly. The open-source software allows multi-track timeline and supports dual monitor setup for video editing. The user interface is simple, and you can configure it as per your preference.

Kdenlive supports a wide range of video and audio files, and you can use configurable keyboard shortcuts for easy operation. The automatic backup feature is highly useful in the professional video editing world. Similarly, the presence of keyframe-based effects and advanced effects can make a video stand out.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Multi-track timeline for working with multiple video and audio clips.
  • Keyframeable effects, transitions, color correction and unlimited online resources.
  • Vast set of options for creating stunning texts and titles.
  • Smooth preview, configurable interface, and automatic backup.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • Lacks GPU acceleration and hence, slow response at times.
  • Speed adjustment effect is not efficient.

# For Advanced Users

4. OpenShot

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux, Chrome OS

Best for: Best open source editor for all desktop users

G2 rating: 4.4 out of 5

openshot

OpenShot is a cross-platform, open-source video editor where you can work on one project on different operating systems. It works on keyframe animation framework, and you can choose from different interpolations. The platform offers you to work with unlimited video and audio clips as well as layers.

You can perform all the basic video editing operations as well as go for advanced editing. The features and tools are well-balanced for regular as well as professional video editing. Starting from video effects and audio mixing to chroma key and time-mapping, everything is available under one roof.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Basic video editing with panning, zooming, and scrolling features.
  • Wide range of transitions, effects, time and speed control.
  • Time-mapping, audio mixing, overlays, and composting.
  • Supports 3D animations and objects, templates for titles and sub-titles.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • Hardware acceleration is not very powerful.
  • Not suitable for 4K video editing as it gets extremely slow.

5. Shotcut

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

Best for: Best for video editors who love filters and effects

G2 rating: 4.2 out of 5

shotcut

Shotcut is another open-source and cross-platform video editor with a professional user interface. The software supports importing different file formats of video and audio files. It is suitable for editing 4K videos, and it is a full-fledged audio editor as well.

Its vast video filters and effects are comparable to premium video editors. You can work with multi-track timeline and keyframes with markers and rangers. Besides, you can keep notes on your project easily. Overall, it is a balanced video editor in terms of features and functionalities.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Wide categories of video effects, transitions, and filters.
  • Multi-track and multi-format timeline and detailed audio editor.
  • Standard and advanced editing options with hardware acceleration.
  • Export video in high-resolution and in different formats.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • The user interface can take some time to get used to.
  • The stock media library is rather limited.

6. NATRON

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

Best for: Best open-source video editor with visual effects

G2 rating: 3.5 out of 5

natron video editor

NATRON is a robust video editor with powerful tracking tool for 2D and planar tracking. You can work with multiple layers and clips and avail various keying options on your video editing project. In fact, it is a full-fledged video compositing software for better video production with multi-layer structure.

The hardware acceleration of the software produces faster rendering. You get to work with presets, tracker nodes, rotoscoping, multi-plane and motion editing. The option of multi-view workflow along with real-time playback is extremely useful while editing multicam videos.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Superior visual effects and motion editing.
  • Multi-tasking with multi-view workflow.
  • Option of rotoscoping and python scripting.
  • Supports different open-source plugins.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • The user interface is quite advanced and needs some learning time.
  • It gets unstable and slow while previewing high-resolution videos.

Part 4: Freemium and Freeware Video Editors

Freeware video editors are available completely free of cost and they are mostly exclusive to a certain operating system. On the other hand, freemium video editors have certain features completely free while it charges users a small fee for certain advanced features. Here is the list of the best freemium and freeware video editors.

# For Beginner Users

7. ActivePresenter

Compatibility: Windows and Mac

Best for: best video editing software for learning videos.

G2 rating: 4.5 out of 5

active presenter

ActivePresenter from AtomiSystems is a video editor with screen recording options. The software is particularly useful in making and editing learning videos. There are different templates available for editing videos quickly. Besides, you can use the platform for standard editing options for any video.

Starting from working with multiple timelines to making videos interactive and responsive, there are various out-of-box features. Moreover, you can edit your audio and export your edited video in different file formats.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Multiple timelines for editing various video and audio clips.
  • Basic video and audio editing options and greenscreen effects.
  • Webcam and screen recording with audio from different sources.
  • Export videos with different file formats, HTML, xAPI, SCORM and much more.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • The learning curve is slightly steep.
  • Not suitable for editing all types of videos.

8. Microsoft Photos

Compatibility: Windows

Best for: best built-in video editor for Windows users

G2 rating: 4.6 out of 5

windows photos app

Microsoft Photos is the inbuilt video editor for Windows users. The app comes pre-installed in Windows and it is mostly used for viewing photos. But there is an inbuilt video editor where you can do the basic video editing works.

You can trim a video, add texts, and apply 3D effects as well as different filters available. There are also options for rotating videos, applying background music and customizing audio. The user interface is very simple for all users.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Instant basic video editing options available.
  • Apply effects, filters, as well as music.
  • Simple and intuitive user interface for everyone.
  • Comes pre-installed and completely free of cost.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • Very limited video editing options.
  • Very limited video file formats supported.

9. iMovie

Compatibility: Mac

Best for: Best built-in video editor for Mac users

G2 rating: 4.3 out of 5

imovie editor for mac

iMovie is the inbuilt video editor for Mac users as it comes pre-installed on macOS. The application is free to use and it is compatible with iPhone and iPad as well. You can perform all the basic video editing works starting from trimming to rotating videos.

Besides, there is a wide range of effects and filters available to apply on your videos. The best part is that it supports editing 4K videos. There are also various graphical elements available and you can share your video easily on different platforms.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Trim, rotate, split and crop videos easily.
  • Work across Mac, iPhone and iPad seamlessly.
  • Wide range of effects, filters, and objects available.
  • Supports editing 4K videos without any lag.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • Lacks advanced editing options though it is a dedicated video editor.
  • Supports very limited video file formats.

# For Advanced Users

10. Lightworks

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

Best for: best for social media video creators

G2 rating: 3.5 out of 5

lightworks

Lightworks is a freemium video editor where most features are reserved for premium users. If you are a social media creator or learning video creator, Lightworks Create is best for you. If you are a professional video creator, you should opt for Lightworks Pro.

The software supports almost all file formats, and you can export videos on social media instantly. The timeline is advanced with proxy editing, autosave and background processing features. You can share projects with your teammates and work collaboratively.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Powerful and advanced timeline for quick editing.
  • Motion graphics and tilting along with advanced metadata.
  • Flexible user interface with proxy workflow and storyboard bin.
  • Suitable for collaborating works and cloud storage.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • Can crash while working with 4K videos.
  • Limited options for advanced video editing.

11. VideoPad

Compatibility: Windows

Best for: best video editor for short video creators.

G2 rating: 4.1 out of 5

videopad

VideoPad by NCH Software is an intuitive video editor that supports over 60 different video file formats. There are tools available for basic editing such as trimming and cropping. Besides, there are various effects and transitions available to apply on your video.

The video editor also lets you edit audio files and you can edit 360-degree videos as well. There are video stabilization and chroma key effect available. The video editor is available free for non-commercial use with certain limitations that you can overcome with its premium plan.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Edit in Storybook or Timeline mode and perfect all basic editing works.
  • Audio editing options with different audio effects.
  • Add 3D video effects, special filters, and change video speed.
  • Supports a wide range of video file formats.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • Can crash while editing 4K videos.
  • Lacks advanced editing options.

12. VSDC Free Video Editor

Compatibility: Windows only.

Best for: Free feature-rich video editing suite

G2 rating: 4.0 out of 5

vsdc

VSDC Free Video Editor is a free suite that includes both video and audio editor. You can use the software for recording screen as well as voiceovers. The software is suitable for low-end computers as it is a lightweight application.

Apart from basic editing, you can edit 360 videos. Starting from color correction and zooming to split-screen effect and chroma key, it is full-fledged feature-rich software. For more advanced features, you can opt for VSDC Video Editor Pro version.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Zooming, panning, and color correction options.
  • Wide range of effects and filters present.
  • Chrome key option as well as 360 degree video editing.
  • Work with multiple layers and sync objects perfectly.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • Lacks advanced video editing options.
  • No masking or video stabilization option available.

Part 5: Proprietary Video Editing Software

If you are a regular video creator and you want to invest in video editing to improve the quality of your video content, you have to opt for a proprietary video editing software. All professional video creators prefer proprietary video editing software over freeware and freemium video editors. Here are the best premium video videos with the most advanced video editing options.

# For Beginner Users

13. Filmora

Compatibility: Windows and Mac.

Best for: Best video editors for YouTubers and vloggers

G2 rating: 4.4 out of 5

filmora video editor

Wondershare Filmora is a feature-rich video editor but an intuitive user interface. Therefore, it is perfectly suitable for beginners who want all the features and tools for advanced video editing without a steep learning curve. Filmora is also useful if you want to record screen or webcam video.

Starting from tons of video effects and transitions to a large stock library and graphical elements, Filmora is tailor-made for editing all types of videos. It also supports a wide range of file formats and you can edit 4K videos as well as audio files comfortably.

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Reason to Choose:-

  • Trim, split, join, crop and work with multiple video and audio clips.
  • Large collection of video and audio effects, transitions, and graphical elements.
  • Large stock library of free media files and animations.
  • Work with multiple layers and clips effortlessly on its smooth timeline.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • The processing time for videos could be on the higher side.

14. Camtasia

Compatibility: Windows and Mac.

Best for: Teachers and students to edit tutorial videos

G2 rating: 4.6 out of 5

camtasia video editing software

Camtasia by Techsmith is a premium video editor and it is equally popular as a video recorder. It is particularly useful for recording and editing tutorial videos as there are different templates available. Coming to video editing part, you can perform all the basic video editing works instantly.

There are various trendy effects, transitions, and presets available. You can remove green screen and apply different frames for video compatibility on different devices. Besides, you can upload the editing video different on different platforms instantly.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Quick trimming, splitting, cropping options.
  • Large collection of templates and presets.
  • Wide range of effects, annotations, and transitions.
  • Import, export, and share different file formats.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • No motion tracking option.
  • Reports of frequent crashes.

15. Final Cut Pro

Compatibility: Mac only.

Best for: best professional video editors for Mac users

G2 rating: 4.4 out of 5

final cut pro

Final Cut Pro from Apple is an extremely popular premium video editor among professional video creators who are Mac users. It is a powerful and advanced video editor that can handle high resolution videos smoothly. It is a perfect mix of standard and advanced video editing features.

Starting from editing multicam and VR videos to 3D and 360 degree videos, Final Cut Pro is suitable for all. There are unlimited presets and effects present and you can edit 4K videos as well as large video files smoothly.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Basic and advanced video and audio editing features.
  • Supports editing all the different video types such as 3D, 4K, VR videos.
  • Supports plug-ins, external tools and cinematic effects.
  • Renders high resolution, large video files in short time.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • Learning curve is quite steep.
  • Pricing is on the higher side.

# For Beginner Users

16. Adobe Premiere Pro

Compatibility: Windows only.

Best for: best professional video editing software for most people

G2 rating: 4.5 out of 5

adobe premiere pro

Adobe Premiere Pro is the ultimate video editor in the professional video editing world. You get all the different advanced features of video editing packed in the application. Even though the learning curve is steep, Adobe Premiere Pro is one of the most used video editors in professional video creation.

Adobe Premiere Pro supports all the different video file formats and you can edit various videos simultaneously. It is a perfect tool for editing a large video project collaboratively. It supports editing VR videos, 3D videos, as well as multicam videos.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Standard and advanced editing options with quick rendering.
  • Suitable for multi-tasking and collaborative work in video editing.
  • Supports almost all types of videos and audio file formats.
  • Flexible and configurable user interface and advanced timeline.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • Learning curve is very steep.
  • Not suitable for low-end computers.

17. Vegas Pro

Compatibility: Windows only.

Best for: Video & audio editing for professionals

G2 rating: 4.2 out of 5

vegas

Vegas Pro from Sony is a professional video and audio editor. You can work with multiple video and audio files and you can choose from timeline or storyboard layout. In fact, there are options for nested timeline and multicam editing. The customized workflow and layouts make the application suitable for everyone.

You can enhance your video with its large collection of filters, effects, and titles. There are options for keyframing, scene detection, color correction, and light adjustments. The artificial intelligence makes editing faster with automation control.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Powerful timeline and storyboard mode with keyframing.
  • Advanced HDR color correction and grading.
  • Artificial intelligence for quick and repeated editing.
  • Multicam editing, motion tracking, and support for 3D videos.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • Stability of the application is questionable.
  • Pricing is steep and lacks tutorial guide.

18. Hitfilm Express

Compatibility: Windows and Mac

Best for: Best for video effects lovers

G2 rating: 4.4 out of 5

hitfilm express

Hitfilm Express is particularly popular for its unlimited video effects that make the video stand out easily. The user interface is quite simple to use, and you can apply effects to turn your raw video into professional video instantly. In fact, it has the largest VFX toolkit with industry-grade effects.

You can edit 4K videos, and there are options for motion tracking and video animations. You can also opt for color correction and grading. You can also edit vertical videos and upload them on social media platforms. You can also edit audio clips and use composting and layering features to enhance your video.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Advanced timeline for better workflow.
  • Standard and advanced video editing options.
  • Largest collection of video effects of different categories.
  • Color grading, correction, and free training and support.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • Lacks green screen editing option.
  • Rendering is not always swift.

Part 6: How to Choose the Suitable Video Editor?

The most important part of video editing is to choose the most suitable video editor for your videos. Here are some important factors to consider while choosing a video editor.

1. Budget and Price: If you are getting started, you can opt for a free video editor. But eventually, you have to go for a premium video editor if you are serious about video editing. You should opt for that video editor that fits your budget and offers more features for the price charged in comparison to its competitors.

2. Learning Curve: You should always opt for a video editor that has a low learning curve. If the video editor is complicated to operate, you will get frustrated, and you won’t be able to unlock the full potential of the video editor. Besides, you will have to lose a lot of time in learning and perfecting the usage of the application.

3. Stock Library: The video editor you are choosing must have a sizeable stock media library. A stock library is where you can find video clips and audio clips that are free to use for everyone. You can incorporate them into your video to enhance the content quality and bring variety to your audiences.

4. Audio control: Video editing is incomplete without proper audio editing. Your video editor should have a separate timeline for audio clips so that you can place them perfect to go in sync with the video clips. Some video editors have dedicated options for audio mixing and editing as per requirements.

5. upport video formats: Your video editor must support a wide range of video file formats that you have to include from time to time. If it supports only the popular file formats, you will not be able to include the interesting videos you may get from different sources which the video editor does not support.

6. Software stability: If you need to edit high-resolution videos, you have to ensure that the video editor you are choosing can stay stable throughout. There are many popular video editors available that become unstable while editing and rendering high-resolution videos. You have to read reviews to come to a conclusion about software stability.

7. Customer Support: Last but most importantly, your video editor must have a good customer support team. In your video editing journey, you will need the help of technical customer support to clarify issues related to the software so that you can excel in your video editing sessions.

Part 7: Video Editing Tips for Beginners

Here are some basic video editing tips that you should keep in mind while editing any video.

1. Try Tight Cuts: Your video should not be too long so that it gets boring for the viewers. Therefore, you have to make tight cuts which means you have to cut out pauses, gaps between dialogs, and anything that is unnecessary for viewers. If you think that tight cuts will take more time than usual, you can consider reshooting the part to save time.

2. Put The Story Before The Footage: When you are shooting a planned video, you must be shooting the video with multiple cameras from different angles. While editing and choosing the perfect angle for a certain video segment, you have to select the one that enhances the story you are telling through your video. For example, in an interview video, you should know when to emphasize and show close angles to capture the emotion of the speaker.

3. Chop Out Mistakes: The most basic work in video editing is to cut out the mistakes. This is because you are sure to make mistakes while shooting, and you will reshoot a lot of mistakes to correct them. Therefore, take your time to chop out mistakes but make sure that the video feels continuous, and if required, you can reshoot. To avoid mistakes in action, you can use different camera angles, blur portions, and bleep out certain words.

4. Learn to use color: Color correction and adjustment is a majorly neglected part of video editing that can make your video different from others. When you are shooting in outdoor conditions, the color of the video could get disturbed depending on the color of your dress as well as your surrounding. While editing, you need to correct them so that the video looks visually pleasing to the eyes.

5. Cut to music: Audio plays a very important role in any video, and hence, you should not neglect it. Always opt for a video editor that has a good collection of stock music so that you can apply them to your video in appropriate places. Music helps to break the monotony and grab the attention of the audience instantly.

6. Back up your work: It takes hours to shoot a video but only a second to lose it. Instead of blindingly relying on your storage device, you should take back up of your work on multiple devices. Taking backup in the cloud storage area is the best option as you can access your work from anywhere.

Part 8: Frequently Asked Questions of Video Editor

What is the best video editor?

Wondershare Filmora is the best video editor as it has the perfect mix of standard and advanced video editing options. The user interface is intuitive and easy to operate for every video creator.

What editor do YouTubers use on PC?

The most commonly used video editors by YouTubers are Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere Pro and Filmora. Unless you are a pro in video editing, we recommend Filmora and Shotcut for your YouTube videos.

How can I edit videos for free?

If you are a Windows user, you can use Microsoft Photos and Openshot for editing your videos for free. For Mac users, iMovie is the best free video editor with balanced features.

Does Windows 10 have a free video editor?

Yes, Windows 10 does come with a free video editor and it is called Microsoft Photos. You can edit your photos and videos with the application.

Is Filmora Free?

No, Filmora is a premium video editor. However, you can download its free trial version to understand its features and functionalities. Thereafter, you can purchase its premium plan as per your suitability.

02 [Editor’s Top 3 Picks ](#Part 2)

03 [Open-Source Video Editors](#Part 3)

04 [Freemium and Freeware Video Editors](#Part 4)

05 [Proprietary Video Editing Software](#Part 5)

06 [How to Choose the Suitable Video Editor](#Part 6)

07 [Video Editing Tips for Newbies](#Part 7)

08 [Frequently Asked Questions of Video Editor](#Part 8)

Part 1: Video Editing Basics

Before going to the best video editors, you should be aware of the basics of video editing. Here are the basic concepts of video editing that you must know as they are common across all video editors.

1. The Timeline: The timeline is an area of a video editor where you place your video clips sequentially. When you play the video after editing, the video will play from the start of the timeline and finish at the end of the timeline where your video content ends. The timeline is where you can place your audio clips, video effects, and graphical elements as per your requirements.

2. The Canvas: The canvas is an area of a video editor where you view your video clips frame by frame. The canvas allows you to edit the video starting from cropping to adding graphical elements. You can view all the changes you make to the video before applying them permanently.

3. Basic editing: The basic editing of a video includes splitting and trimming out important parts of a large video file and, thereafter, joining the different video clips to make an engaging video. The basic editing also includes adding audio clips, adjusting video parameters such as color, brightness, contrast as well as adding texts to the video.

4. Aspect Ratio: The aspect ratio of a video represents the ratio of width to height of the video in terms of pixels. For example, a video with aspect ratio of 16:9 means the video is 1920p x 1080p. You can edit the aspect ratio depending on where you want to publish the video. For example, social media videos use 1:1 and 9: 16 aspect ratio, tablets use 4:3 aspect ratio, and 16:9 is the standard aspect ratio.

5. B-roll: B-roll is a secondary video footage that you can add to your primary video(A-roll) to enhance the video creativity and aesthetic value. B-roll could be a cinematic shot, a slow-motion footage, a close-up shot from different angles, as well as a shot mixed with wide-angle, pans, and tilts.

6. Frame Rate: Frame rate refers to the number of images or frames displayed per second in a video. In short, frame rate refers to frames per second in a video. For example, a video of 30fps means the video is showing 30 different images per second. The 24fps is used for movies and the 30fps is used for online and TV videos. Even 60fps videos are becoming common as they produce a smoother video experience.

Part 2: Editor’s Top 3 Picks - Choose The Best Video Editor

Best Video Editor for All Creators - Filmora

Wondershare Filmora is the ideal video editor with an intuitive user interface. You get all the standard and advanced video editing features packed into its platform. You can record videos of external webcam and computer screen as well. There are unlimited video effects and graphical elements to turn your raw videos into eye-catching videos instantly.

Best for Professional Editing - Premiere Pro

Adobe Premium Pro is the best professional video editor where all the advanced features of video editing are available. The software supports editing multiple projects simultaneously. You can edit VR, Multicam, and 3D videos as well. It is a perfect platform for a professional video editing team to work in sync.

Best for Online Video Editing - WeVideo

WeVideo is by far the best online video editor with 30 million users. Starting from standard video editing options and uploading directly to social media platforms, WeVideo is a full-fledged video editor. You can also record videos and create your own video templates. Moreover, you can collaborate with other video creators and make the best use of the unlimited stock media library.

Part 3: Open-Source Video Editors

Open-source video editors have compatibility with all the desktop operating systems. Moreover, due to their codes readily available online, these video editing software applications are available completely free of cost. Here are the best open-source video editors for beginners and experienced users.

# For Beginner Users

1. Blender

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

Best for: best open-source video editor with balanced features

G2 rating: 4.5 out of 5

blender video editor software

Blender is an open-source video editing suite that is popular for its 3D models. Since it is a suite, you can use the platform not only for video editing but also for creating animated videos and games.

Starting from basic video editing such as trim and split to advance video editing such as masking and color adjustment, all options are readily available. Besides, there are options for audio mixing and live preview of editing works.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Video cropping, trimming, splitting, joining, and adjusting speed.
  • Different slots to add videos, images, scenes, audio clips, effects and masks.
  • Different transitions, filters, effects, waveforms, and keyframes available.
  • Create 3D models and animated videos with proper audio mixing.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • Takes time to get used to the platform.
  • Reports of bugs have become a regular occurrence.

2. Avidemux

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

Best for: best open-source video editor for basic editing

G2 rating: 4.4 out of 5

avidemux

Avidemux from Soundforge is a lightweight and basic video editor. Starting from trimming and cutting videos to applying filters and encoding videos, all the options are readily available. The software supports a wide range of video file formats for editing.

The platform also supports scripting through which you can automate tasks to perform on videos. Besides, there are options for color adjustments, video conversion, and advanced interlacing. The simple user interface is perfect for beginners to edit videos intuitively.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Quick video editing for trimming, cutting, rotating, and cropping.
  • Change speed and use different filters for color adjustments and subtitles.
  • Supports different video file formats in import and export.
  • The user interface is simple and suitable for beginners.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • Does not have a traditional timeline for video editing.
  • Limited effects, filters, and advanced features.

3. Kdenlive

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

Best for: best open-source video editor for all

G2 rating: 4.3 out of 5

kdenlive editor software

Kdenlive video editor is a versatile video editor with standard and advanced video editing features balanced properly. The open-source software allows multi-track timeline and supports dual monitor setup for video editing. The user interface is simple, and you can configure it as per your preference.

Kdenlive supports a wide range of video and audio files, and you can use configurable keyboard shortcuts for easy operation. The automatic backup feature is highly useful in the professional video editing world. Similarly, the presence of keyframe-based effects and advanced effects can make a video stand out.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Multi-track timeline for working with multiple video and audio clips.
  • Keyframeable effects, transitions, color correction and unlimited online resources.
  • Vast set of options for creating stunning texts and titles.
  • Smooth preview, configurable interface, and automatic backup.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • Lacks GPU acceleration and hence, slow response at times.
  • Speed adjustment effect is not efficient.

# For Advanced Users

4. OpenShot

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux, Chrome OS

Best for: Best open source editor for all desktop users

G2 rating: 4.4 out of 5

openshot

OpenShot is a cross-platform, open-source video editor where you can work on one project on different operating systems. It works on keyframe animation framework, and you can choose from different interpolations. The platform offers you to work with unlimited video and audio clips as well as layers.

You can perform all the basic video editing operations as well as go for advanced editing. The features and tools are well-balanced for regular as well as professional video editing. Starting from video effects and audio mixing to chroma key and time-mapping, everything is available under one roof.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Basic video editing with panning, zooming, and scrolling features.
  • Wide range of transitions, effects, time and speed control.
  • Time-mapping, audio mixing, overlays, and composting.
  • Supports 3D animations and objects, templates for titles and sub-titles.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • Hardware acceleration is not very powerful.
  • Not suitable for 4K video editing as it gets extremely slow.

5. Shotcut

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

Best for: Best for video editors who love filters and effects

G2 rating: 4.2 out of 5

shotcut

Shotcut is another open-source and cross-platform video editor with a professional user interface. The software supports importing different file formats of video and audio files. It is suitable for editing 4K videos, and it is a full-fledged audio editor as well.

Its vast video filters and effects are comparable to premium video editors. You can work with multi-track timeline and keyframes with markers and rangers. Besides, you can keep notes on your project easily. Overall, it is a balanced video editor in terms of features and functionalities.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Wide categories of video effects, transitions, and filters.
  • Multi-track and multi-format timeline and detailed audio editor.
  • Standard and advanced editing options with hardware acceleration.
  • Export video in high-resolution and in different formats.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • The user interface can take some time to get used to.
  • The stock media library is rather limited.

6. NATRON

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

Best for: Best open-source video editor with visual effects

G2 rating: 3.5 out of 5

natron video editor

NATRON is a robust video editor with powerful tracking tool for 2D and planar tracking. You can work with multiple layers and clips and avail various keying options on your video editing project. In fact, it is a full-fledged video compositing software for better video production with multi-layer structure.

The hardware acceleration of the software produces faster rendering. You get to work with presets, tracker nodes, rotoscoping, multi-plane and motion editing. The option of multi-view workflow along with real-time playback is extremely useful while editing multicam videos.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Superior visual effects and motion editing.
  • Multi-tasking with multi-view workflow.
  • Option of rotoscoping and python scripting.
  • Supports different open-source plugins.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • The user interface is quite advanced and needs some learning time.
  • It gets unstable and slow while previewing high-resolution videos.

Part 4: Freemium and Freeware Video Editors

Freeware video editors are available completely free of cost and they are mostly exclusive to a certain operating system. On the other hand, freemium video editors have certain features completely free while it charges users a small fee for certain advanced features. Here is the list of the best freemium and freeware video editors.

# For Beginner Users

7. ActivePresenter

Compatibility: Windows and Mac

Best for: best video editing software for learning videos.

G2 rating: 4.5 out of 5

active presenter

ActivePresenter from AtomiSystems is a video editor with screen recording options. The software is particularly useful in making and editing learning videos. There are different templates available for editing videos quickly. Besides, you can use the platform for standard editing options for any video.

Starting from working with multiple timelines to making videos interactive and responsive, there are various out-of-box features. Moreover, you can edit your audio and export your edited video in different file formats.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Multiple timelines for editing various video and audio clips.
  • Basic video and audio editing options and greenscreen effects.
  • Webcam and screen recording with audio from different sources.
  • Export videos with different file formats, HTML, xAPI, SCORM and much more.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • The learning curve is slightly steep.
  • Not suitable for editing all types of videos.

8. Microsoft Photos

Compatibility: Windows

Best for: best built-in video editor for Windows users

G2 rating: 4.6 out of 5

windows photos app

Microsoft Photos is the inbuilt video editor for Windows users. The app comes pre-installed in Windows and it is mostly used for viewing photos. But there is an inbuilt video editor where you can do the basic video editing works.

You can trim a video, add texts, and apply 3D effects as well as different filters available. There are also options for rotating videos, applying background music and customizing audio. The user interface is very simple for all users.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Instant basic video editing options available.
  • Apply effects, filters, as well as music.
  • Simple and intuitive user interface for everyone.
  • Comes pre-installed and completely free of cost.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • Very limited video editing options.
  • Very limited video file formats supported.

9. iMovie

Compatibility: Mac

Best for: Best built-in video editor for Mac users

G2 rating: 4.3 out of 5

imovie editor for mac

iMovie is the inbuilt video editor for Mac users as it comes pre-installed on macOS. The application is free to use and it is compatible with iPhone and iPad as well. You can perform all the basic video editing works starting from trimming to rotating videos.

Besides, there is a wide range of effects and filters available to apply on your videos. The best part is that it supports editing 4K videos. There are also various graphical elements available and you can share your video easily on different platforms.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Trim, rotate, split and crop videos easily.
  • Work across Mac, iPhone and iPad seamlessly.
  • Wide range of effects, filters, and objects available.
  • Supports editing 4K videos without any lag.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • Lacks advanced editing options though it is a dedicated video editor.
  • Supports very limited video file formats.

# For Advanced Users

10. Lightworks

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

Best for: best for social media video creators

G2 rating: 3.5 out of 5

lightworks

Lightworks is a freemium video editor where most features are reserved for premium users. If you are a social media creator or learning video creator, Lightworks Create is best for you. If you are a professional video creator, you should opt for Lightworks Pro.

The software supports almost all file formats, and you can export videos on social media instantly. The timeline is advanced with proxy editing, autosave and background processing features. You can share projects with your teammates and work collaboratively.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Powerful and advanced timeline for quick editing.
  • Motion graphics and tilting along with advanced metadata.
  • Flexible user interface with proxy workflow and storyboard bin.
  • Suitable for collaborating works and cloud storage.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • Can crash while working with 4K videos.
  • Limited options for advanced video editing.

11. VideoPad

Compatibility: Windows

Best for: best video editor for short video creators.

G2 rating: 4.1 out of 5

videopad

VideoPad by NCH Software is an intuitive video editor that supports over 60 different video file formats. There are tools available for basic editing such as trimming and cropping. Besides, there are various effects and transitions available to apply on your video.

The video editor also lets you edit audio files and you can edit 360-degree videos as well. There are video stabilization and chroma key effect available. The video editor is available free for non-commercial use with certain limitations that you can overcome with its premium plan.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Edit in Storybook or Timeline mode and perfect all basic editing works.
  • Audio editing options with different audio effects.
  • Add 3D video effects, special filters, and change video speed.
  • Supports a wide range of video file formats.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • Can crash while editing 4K videos.
  • Lacks advanced editing options.

12. VSDC Free Video Editor

Compatibility: Windows only.

Best for: Free feature-rich video editing suite

G2 rating: 4.0 out of 5

vsdc

VSDC Free Video Editor is a free suite that includes both video and audio editor. You can use the software for recording screen as well as voiceovers. The software is suitable for low-end computers as it is a lightweight application.

Apart from basic editing, you can edit 360 videos. Starting from color correction and zooming to split-screen effect and chroma key, it is full-fledged feature-rich software. For more advanced features, you can opt for VSDC Video Editor Pro version.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Zooming, panning, and color correction options.
  • Wide range of effects and filters present.
  • Chrome key option as well as 360 degree video editing.
  • Work with multiple layers and sync objects perfectly.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • Lacks advanced video editing options.
  • No masking or video stabilization option available.

Part 5: Proprietary Video Editing Software

If you are a regular video creator and you want to invest in video editing to improve the quality of your video content, you have to opt for a proprietary video editing software. All professional video creators prefer proprietary video editing software over freeware and freemium video editors. Here are the best premium video videos with the most advanced video editing options.

# For Beginner Users

13. Filmora

Compatibility: Windows and Mac.

Best for: Best video editors for YouTubers and vloggers

G2 rating: 4.4 out of 5

filmora video editor

Wondershare Filmora is a feature-rich video editor but an intuitive user interface. Therefore, it is perfectly suitable for beginners who want all the features and tools for advanced video editing without a steep learning curve. Filmora is also useful if you want to record screen or webcam video.

Starting from tons of video effects and transitions to a large stock library and graphical elements, Filmora is tailor-made for editing all types of videos. It also supports a wide range of file formats and you can edit 4K videos as well as audio files comfortably.

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Reason to Choose:-

  • Trim, split, join, crop and work with multiple video and audio clips.
  • Large collection of video and audio effects, transitions, and graphical elements.
  • Large stock library of free media files and animations.
  • Work with multiple layers and clips effortlessly on its smooth timeline.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • The processing time for videos could be on the higher side.

14. Camtasia

Compatibility: Windows and Mac.

Best for: Teachers and students to edit tutorial videos

G2 rating: 4.6 out of 5

camtasia video editing software

Camtasia by Techsmith is a premium video editor and it is equally popular as a video recorder. It is particularly useful for recording and editing tutorial videos as there are different templates available. Coming to video editing part, you can perform all the basic video editing works instantly.

There are various trendy effects, transitions, and presets available. You can remove green screen and apply different frames for video compatibility on different devices. Besides, you can upload the editing video different on different platforms instantly.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Quick trimming, splitting, cropping options.
  • Large collection of templates and presets.
  • Wide range of effects, annotations, and transitions.
  • Import, export, and share different file formats.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • No motion tracking option.
  • Reports of frequent crashes.

15. Final Cut Pro

Compatibility: Mac only.

Best for: best professional video editors for Mac users

G2 rating: 4.4 out of 5

final cut pro

Final Cut Pro from Apple is an extremely popular premium video editor among professional video creators who are Mac users. It is a powerful and advanced video editor that can handle high resolution videos smoothly. It is a perfect mix of standard and advanced video editing features.

Starting from editing multicam and VR videos to 3D and 360 degree videos, Final Cut Pro is suitable for all. There are unlimited presets and effects present and you can edit 4K videos as well as large video files smoothly.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Basic and advanced video and audio editing features.
  • Supports editing all the different video types such as 3D, 4K, VR videos.
  • Supports plug-ins, external tools and cinematic effects.
  • Renders high resolution, large video files in short time.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • Learning curve is quite steep.
  • Pricing is on the higher side.

# For Beginner Users

16. Adobe Premiere Pro

Compatibility: Windows only.

Best for: best professional video editing software for most people

G2 rating: 4.5 out of 5

adobe premiere pro

Adobe Premiere Pro is the ultimate video editor in the professional video editing world. You get all the different advanced features of video editing packed in the application. Even though the learning curve is steep, Adobe Premiere Pro is one of the most used video editors in professional video creation.

Adobe Premiere Pro supports all the different video file formats and you can edit various videos simultaneously. It is a perfect tool for editing a large video project collaboratively. It supports editing VR videos, 3D videos, as well as multicam videos.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Standard and advanced editing options with quick rendering.
  • Suitable for multi-tasking and collaborative work in video editing.
  • Supports almost all types of videos and audio file formats.
  • Flexible and configurable user interface and advanced timeline.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • Learning curve is very steep.
  • Not suitable for low-end computers.

17. Vegas Pro

Compatibility: Windows only.

Best for: Video & audio editing for professionals

G2 rating: 4.2 out of 5

vegas

Vegas Pro from Sony is a professional video and audio editor. You can work with multiple video and audio files and you can choose from timeline or storyboard layout. In fact, there are options for nested timeline and multicam editing. The customized workflow and layouts make the application suitable for everyone.

You can enhance your video with its large collection of filters, effects, and titles. There are options for keyframing, scene detection, color correction, and light adjustments. The artificial intelligence makes editing faster with automation control.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Powerful timeline and storyboard mode with keyframing.
  • Advanced HDR color correction and grading.
  • Artificial intelligence for quick and repeated editing.
  • Multicam editing, motion tracking, and support for 3D videos.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • Stability of the application is questionable.
  • Pricing is steep and lacks tutorial guide.

18. Hitfilm Express

Compatibility: Windows and Mac

Best for: Best for video effects lovers

G2 rating: 4.4 out of 5

hitfilm express

Hitfilm Express is particularly popular for its unlimited video effects that make the video stand out easily. The user interface is quite simple to use, and you can apply effects to turn your raw video into professional video instantly. In fact, it has the largest VFX toolkit with industry-grade effects.

You can edit 4K videos, and there are options for motion tracking and video animations. You can also opt for color correction and grading. You can also edit vertical videos and upload them on social media platforms. You can also edit audio clips and use composting and layering features to enhance your video.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Advanced timeline for better workflow.
  • Standard and advanced video editing options.
  • Largest collection of video effects of different categories.
  • Color grading, correction, and free training and support.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • Lacks green screen editing option.
  • Rendering is not always swift.

Part 6: How to Choose the Suitable Video Editor?

The most important part of video editing is to choose the most suitable video editor for your videos. Here are some important factors to consider while choosing a video editor.

1. Budget and Price: If you are getting started, you can opt for a free video editor. But eventually, you have to go for a premium video editor if you are serious about video editing. You should opt for that video editor that fits your budget and offers more features for the price charged in comparison to its competitors.

2. Learning Curve: You should always opt for a video editor that has a low learning curve. If the video editor is complicated to operate, you will get frustrated, and you won’t be able to unlock the full potential of the video editor. Besides, you will have to lose a lot of time in learning and perfecting the usage of the application.

3. Stock Library: The video editor you are choosing must have a sizeable stock media library. A stock library is where you can find video clips and audio clips that are free to use for everyone. You can incorporate them into your video to enhance the content quality and bring variety to your audiences.

4. Audio control: Video editing is incomplete without proper audio editing. Your video editor should have a separate timeline for audio clips so that you can place them perfect to go in sync with the video clips. Some video editors have dedicated options for audio mixing and editing as per requirements.

5. upport video formats: Your video editor must support a wide range of video file formats that you have to include from time to time. If it supports only the popular file formats, you will not be able to include the interesting videos you may get from different sources which the video editor does not support.

6. Software stability: If you need to edit high-resolution videos, you have to ensure that the video editor you are choosing can stay stable throughout. There are many popular video editors available that become unstable while editing and rendering high-resolution videos. You have to read reviews to come to a conclusion about software stability.

7. Customer Support: Last but most importantly, your video editor must have a good customer support team. In your video editing journey, you will need the help of technical customer support to clarify issues related to the software so that you can excel in your video editing sessions.

Part 7: Video Editing Tips for Beginners

Here are some basic video editing tips that you should keep in mind while editing any video.

1. Try Tight Cuts: Your video should not be too long so that it gets boring for the viewers. Therefore, you have to make tight cuts which means you have to cut out pauses, gaps between dialogs, and anything that is unnecessary for viewers. If you think that tight cuts will take more time than usual, you can consider reshooting the part to save time.

2. Put The Story Before The Footage: When you are shooting a planned video, you must be shooting the video with multiple cameras from different angles. While editing and choosing the perfect angle for a certain video segment, you have to select the one that enhances the story you are telling through your video. For example, in an interview video, you should know when to emphasize and show close angles to capture the emotion of the speaker.

3. Chop Out Mistakes: The most basic work in video editing is to cut out the mistakes. This is because you are sure to make mistakes while shooting, and you will reshoot a lot of mistakes to correct them. Therefore, take your time to chop out mistakes but make sure that the video feels continuous, and if required, you can reshoot. To avoid mistakes in action, you can use different camera angles, blur portions, and bleep out certain words.

4. Learn to use color: Color correction and adjustment is a majorly neglected part of video editing that can make your video different from others. When you are shooting in outdoor conditions, the color of the video could get disturbed depending on the color of your dress as well as your surrounding. While editing, you need to correct them so that the video looks visually pleasing to the eyes.

5. Cut to music: Audio plays a very important role in any video, and hence, you should not neglect it. Always opt for a video editor that has a good collection of stock music so that you can apply them to your video in appropriate places. Music helps to break the monotony and grab the attention of the audience instantly.

6. Back up your work: It takes hours to shoot a video but only a second to lose it. Instead of blindingly relying on your storage device, you should take back up of your work on multiple devices. Taking backup in the cloud storage area is the best option as you can access your work from anywhere.

Part 8: Frequently Asked Questions of Video Editor

What is the best video editor?

Wondershare Filmora is the best video editor as it has the perfect mix of standard and advanced video editing options. The user interface is intuitive and easy to operate for every video creator.

What editor do YouTubers use on PC?

The most commonly used video editors by YouTubers are Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere Pro and Filmora. Unless you are a pro in video editing, we recommend Filmora and Shotcut for your YouTube videos.

How can I edit videos for free?

If you are a Windows user, you can use Microsoft Photos and Openshot for editing your videos for free. For Mac users, iMovie is the best free video editor with balanced features.

Does Windows 10 have a free video editor?

Yes, Windows 10 does come with a free video editor and it is called Microsoft Photos. You can edit your photos and videos with the application.

Is Filmora Free?

No, Filmora is a premium video editor. However, you can download its free trial version to understand its features and functionalities. Thereafter, you can purchase its premium plan as per your suitability.

02 [Editor’s Top 3 Picks ](#Part 2)

03 [Open-Source Video Editors](#Part 3)

04 [Freemium and Freeware Video Editors](#Part 4)

05 [Proprietary Video Editing Software](#Part 5)

06 [How to Choose the Suitable Video Editor](#Part 6)

07 [Video Editing Tips for Newbies](#Part 7)

08 [Frequently Asked Questions of Video Editor](#Part 8)

Part 1: Video Editing Basics

Before going to the best video editors, you should be aware of the basics of video editing. Here are the basic concepts of video editing that you must know as they are common across all video editors.

1. The Timeline: The timeline is an area of a video editor where you place your video clips sequentially. When you play the video after editing, the video will play from the start of the timeline and finish at the end of the timeline where your video content ends. The timeline is where you can place your audio clips, video effects, and graphical elements as per your requirements.

2. The Canvas: The canvas is an area of a video editor where you view your video clips frame by frame. The canvas allows you to edit the video starting from cropping to adding graphical elements. You can view all the changes you make to the video before applying them permanently.

3. Basic editing: The basic editing of a video includes splitting and trimming out important parts of a large video file and, thereafter, joining the different video clips to make an engaging video. The basic editing also includes adding audio clips, adjusting video parameters such as color, brightness, contrast as well as adding texts to the video.

4. Aspect Ratio: The aspect ratio of a video represents the ratio of width to height of the video in terms of pixels. For example, a video with aspect ratio of 16:9 means the video is 1920p x 1080p. You can edit the aspect ratio depending on where you want to publish the video. For example, social media videos use 1:1 and 9: 16 aspect ratio, tablets use 4:3 aspect ratio, and 16:9 is the standard aspect ratio.

5. B-roll: B-roll is a secondary video footage that you can add to your primary video(A-roll) to enhance the video creativity and aesthetic value. B-roll could be a cinematic shot, a slow-motion footage, a close-up shot from different angles, as well as a shot mixed with wide-angle, pans, and tilts.

6. Frame Rate: Frame rate refers to the number of images or frames displayed per second in a video. In short, frame rate refers to frames per second in a video. For example, a video of 30fps means the video is showing 30 different images per second. The 24fps is used for movies and the 30fps is used for online and TV videos. Even 60fps videos are becoming common as they produce a smoother video experience.

Part 2: Editor’s Top 3 Picks - Choose The Best Video Editor

Best Video Editor for All Creators - Filmora

Wondershare Filmora is the ideal video editor with an intuitive user interface. You get all the standard and advanced video editing features packed into its platform. You can record videos of external webcam and computer screen as well. There are unlimited video effects and graphical elements to turn your raw videos into eye-catching videos instantly.

Best for Professional Editing - Premiere Pro

Adobe Premium Pro is the best professional video editor where all the advanced features of video editing are available. The software supports editing multiple projects simultaneously. You can edit VR, Multicam, and 3D videos as well. It is a perfect platform for a professional video editing team to work in sync.

Best for Online Video Editing - WeVideo

WeVideo is by far the best online video editor with 30 million users. Starting from standard video editing options and uploading directly to social media platforms, WeVideo is a full-fledged video editor. You can also record videos and create your own video templates. Moreover, you can collaborate with other video creators and make the best use of the unlimited stock media library.

Part 3: Open-Source Video Editors

Open-source video editors have compatibility with all the desktop operating systems. Moreover, due to their codes readily available online, these video editing software applications are available completely free of cost. Here are the best open-source video editors for beginners and experienced users.

# For Beginner Users

1. Blender

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

Best for: best open-source video editor with balanced features

G2 rating: 4.5 out of 5

blender video editor software

Blender is an open-source video editing suite that is popular for its 3D models. Since it is a suite, you can use the platform not only for video editing but also for creating animated videos and games.

Starting from basic video editing such as trim and split to advance video editing such as masking and color adjustment, all options are readily available. Besides, there are options for audio mixing and live preview of editing works.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Video cropping, trimming, splitting, joining, and adjusting speed.
  • Different slots to add videos, images, scenes, audio clips, effects and masks.
  • Different transitions, filters, effects, waveforms, and keyframes available.
  • Create 3D models and animated videos with proper audio mixing.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • Takes time to get used to the platform.
  • Reports of bugs have become a regular occurrence.

2. Avidemux

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

Best for: best open-source video editor for basic editing

G2 rating: 4.4 out of 5

avidemux

Avidemux from Soundforge is a lightweight and basic video editor. Starting from trimming and cutting videos to applying filters and encoding videos, all the options are readily available. The software supports a wide range of video file formats for editing.

The platform also supports scripting through which you can automate tasks to perform on videos. Besides, there are options for color adjustments, video conversion, and advanced interlacing. The simple user interface is perfect for beginners to edit videos intuitively.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Quick video editing for trimming, cutting, rotating, and cropping.
  • Change speed and use different filters for color adjustments and subtitles.
  • Supports different video file formats in import and export.
  • The user interface is simple and suitable for beginners.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • Does not have a traditional timeline for video editing.
  • Limited effects, filters, and advanced features.

3. Kdenlive

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

Best for: best open-source video editor for all

G2 rating: 4.3 out of 5

kdenlive editor software

Kdenlive video editor is a versatile video editor with standard and advanced video editing features balanced properly. The open-source software allows multi-track timeline and supports dual monitor setup for video editing. The user interface is simple, and you can configure it as per your preference.

Kdenlive supports a wide range of video and audio files, and you can use configurable keyboard shortcuts for easy operation. The automatic backup feature is highly useful in the professional video editing world. Similarly, the presence of keyframe-based effects and advanced effects can make a video stand out.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Multi-track timeline for working with multiple video and audio clips.
  • Keyframeable effects, transitions, color correction and unlimited online resources.
  • Vast set of options for creating stunning texts and titles.
  • Smooth preview, configurable interface, and automatic backup.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • Lacks GPU acceleration and hence, slow response at times.
  • Speed adjustment effect is not efficient.

# For Advanced Users

4. OpenShot

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux, Chrome OS

Best for: Best open source editor for all desktop users

G2 rating: 4.4 out of 5

openshot

OpenShot is a cross-platform, open-source video editor where you can work on one project on different operating systems. It works on keyframe animation framework, and you can choose from different interpolations. The platform offers you to work with unlimited video and audio clips as well as layers.

You can perform all the basic video editing operations as well as go for advanced editing. The features and tools are well-balanced for regular as well as professional video editing. Starting from video effects and audio mixing to chroma key and time-mapping, everything is available under one roof.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Basic video editing with panning, zooming, and scrolling features.
  • Wide range of transitions, effects, time and speed control.
  • Time-mapping, audio mixing, overlays, and composting.
  • Supports 3D animations and objects, templates for titles and sub-titles.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • Hardware acceleration is not very powerful.
  • Not suitable for 4K video editing as it gets extremely slow.

5. Shotcut

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

Best for: Best for video editors who love filters and effects

G2 rating: 4.2 out of 5

shotcut

Shotcut is another open-source and cross-platform video editor with a professional user interface. The software supports importing different file formats of video and audio files. It is suitable for editing 4K videos, and it is a full-fledged audio editor as well.

Its vast video filters and effects are comparable to premium video editors. You can work with multi-track timeline and keyframes with markers and rangers. Besides, you can keep notes on your project easily. Overall, it is a balanced video editor in terms of features and functionalities.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Wide categories of video effects, transitions, and filters.
  • Multi-track and multi-format timeline and detailed audio editor.
  • Standard and advanced editing options with hardware acceleration.
  • Export video in high-resolution and in different formats.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • The user interface can take some time to get used to.
  • The stock media library is rather limited.

6. NATRON

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

Best for: Best open-source video editor with visual effects

G2 rating: 3.5 out of 5

natron video editor

NATRON is a robust video editor with powerful tracking tool for 2D and planar tracking. You can work with multiple layers and clips and avail various keying options on your video editing project. In fact, it is a full-fledged video compositing software for better video production with multi-layer structure.

The hardware acceleration of the software produces faster rendering. You get to work with presets, tracker nodes, rotoscoping, multi-plane and motion editing. The option of multi-view workflow along with real-time playback is extremely useful while editing multicam videos.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Superior visual effects and motion editing.
  • Multi-tasking with multi-view workflow.
  • Option of rotoscoping and python scripting.
  • Supports different open-source plugins.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • The user interface is quite advanced and needs some learning time.
  • It gets unstable and slow while previewing high-resolution videos.

Part 4: Freemium and Freeware Video Editors

Freeware video editors are available completely free of cost and they are mostly exclusive to a certain operating system. On the other hand, freemium video editors have certain features completely free while it charges users a small fee for certain advanced features. Here is the list of the best freemium and freeware video editors.

# For Beginner Users

7. ActivePresenter

Compatibility: Windows and Mac

Best for: best video editing software for learning videos.

G2 rating: 4.5 out of 5

active presenter

ActivePresenter from AtomiSystems is a video editor with screen recording options. The software is particularly useful in making and editing learning videos. There are different templates available for editing videos quickly. Besides, you can use the platform for standard editing options for any video.

Starting from working with multiple timelines to making videos interactive and responsive, there are various out-of-box features. Moreover, you can edit your audio and export your edited video in different file formats.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Multiple timelines for editing various video and audio clips.
  • Basic video and audio editing options and greenscreen effects.
  • Webcam and screen recording with audio from different sources.
  • Export videos with different file formats, HTML, xAPI, SCORM and much more.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • The learning curve is slightly steep.
  • Not suitable for editing all types of videos.

8. Microsoft Photos

Compatibility: Windows

Best for: best built-in video editor for Windows users

G2 rating: 4.6 out of 5

windows photos app

Microsoft Photos is the inbuilt video editor for Windows users. The app comes pre-installed in Windows and it is mostly used for viewing photos. But there is an inbuilt video editor where you can do the basic video editing works.

You can trim a video, add texts, and apply 3D effects as well as different filters available. There are also options for rotating videos, applying background music and customizing audio. The user interface is very simple for all users.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Instant basic video editing options available.
  • Apply effects, filters, as well as music.
  • Simple and intuitive user interface for everyone.
  • Comes pre-installed and completely free of cost.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • Very limited video editing options.
  • Very limited video file formats supported.

9. iMovie

Compatibility: Mac

Best for: Best built-in video editor for Mac users

G2 rating: 4.3 out of 5

imovie editor for mac

iMovie is the inbuilt video editor for Mac users as it comes pre-installed on macOS. The application is free to use and it is compatible with iPhone and iPad as well. You can perform all the basic video editing works starting from trimming to rotating videos.

Besides, there is a wide range of effects and filters available to apply on your videos. The best part is that it supports editing 4K videos. There are also various graphical elements available and you can share your video easily on different platforms.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Trim, rotate, split and crop videos easily.
  • Work across Mac, iPhone and iPad seamlessly.
  • Wide range of effects, filters, and objects available.
  • Supports editing 4K videos without any lag.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • Lacks advanced editing options though it is a dedicated video editor.
  • Supports very limited video file formats.

# For Advanced Users

10. Lightworks

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

Best for: best for social media video creators

G2 rating: 3.5 out of 5

lightworks

Lightworks is a freemium video editor where most features are reserved for premium users. If you are a social media creator or learning video creator, Lightworks Create is best for you. If you are a professional video creator, you should opt for Lightworks Pro.

The software supports almost all file formats, and you can export videos on social media instantly. The timeline is advanced with proxy editing, autosave and background processing features. You can share projects with your teammates and work collaboratively.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Powerful and advanced timeline for quick editing.
  • Motion graphics and tilting along with advanced metadata.
  • Flexible user interface with proxy workflow and storyboard bin.
  • Suitable for collaborating works and cloud storage.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • Can crash while working with 4K videos.
  • Limited options for advanced video editing.

11. VideoPad

Compatibility: Windows

Best for: best video editor for short video creators.

G2 rating: 4.1 out of 5

videopad

VideoPad by NCH Software is an intuitive video editor that supports over 60 different video file formats. There are tools available for basic editing such as trimming and cropping. Besides, there are various effects and transitions available to apply on your video.

The video editor also lets you edit audio files and you can edit 360-degree videos as well. There are video stabilization and chroma key effect available. The video editor is available free for non-commercial use with certain limitations that you can overcome with its premium plan.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Edit in Storybook or Timeline mode and perfect all basic editing works.
  • Audio editing options with different audio effects.
  • Add 3D video effects, special filters, and change video speed.
  • Supports a wide range of video file formats.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • Can crash while editing 4K videos.
  • Lacks advanced editing options.

12. VSDC Free Video Editor

Compatibility: Windows only.

Best for: Free feature-rich video editing suite

G2 rating: 4.0 out of 5

vsdc

VSDC Free Video Editor is a free suite that includes both video and audio editor. You can use the software for recording screen as well as voiceovers. The software is suitable for low-end computers as it is a lightweight application.

Apart from basic editing, you can edit 360 videos. Starting from color correction and zooming to split-screen effect and chroma key, it is full-fledged feature-rich software. For more advanced features, you can opt for VSDC Video Editor Pro version.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Zooming, panning, and color correction options.
  • Wide range of effects and filters present.
  • Chrome key option as well as 360 degree video editing.
  • Work with multiple layers and sync objects perfectly.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • Lacks advanced video editing options.
  • No masking or video stabilization option available.

Part 5: Proprietary Video Editing Software

If you are a regular video creator and you want to invest in video editing to improve the quality of your video content, you have to opt for a proprietary video editing software. All professional video creators prefer proprietary video editing software over freeware and freemium video editors. Here are the best premium video videos with the most advanced video editing options.

# For Beginner Users

13. Filmora

Compatibility: Windows and Mac.

Best for: Best video editors for YouTubers and vloggers

G2 rating: 4.4 out of 5

filmora video editor

Wondershare Filmora is a feature-rich video editor but an intuitive user interface. Therefore, it is perfectly suitable for beginners who want all the features and tools for advanced video editing without a steep learning curve. Filmora is also useful if you want to record screen or webcam video.

Starting from tons of video effects and transitions to a large stock library and graphical elements, Filmora is tailor-made for editing all types of videos. It also supports a wide range of file formats and you can edit 4K videos as well as audio files comfortably.

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Reason to Choose:-

  • Trim, split, join, crop and work with multiple video and audio clips.
  • Large collection of video and audio effects, transitions, and graphical elements.
  • Large stock library of free media files and animations.
  • Work with multiple layers and clips effortlessly on its smooth timeline.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • The processing time for videos could be on the higher side.

14. Camtasia

Compatibility: Windows and Mac.

Best for: Teachers and students to edit tutorial videos

G2 rating: 4.6 out of 5

camtasia video editing software

Camtasia by Techsmith is a premium video editor and it is equally popular as a video recorder. It is particularly useful for recording and editing tutorial videos as there are different templates available. Coming to video editing part, you can perform all the basic video editing works instantly.

There are various trendy effects, transitions, and presets available. You can remove green screen and apply different frames for video compatibility on different devices. Besides, you can upload the editing video different on different platforms instantly.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Quick trimming, splitting, cropping options.
  • Large collection of templates and presets.
  • Wide range of effects, annotations, and transitions.
  • Import, export, and share different file formats.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • No motion tracking option.
  • Reports of frequent crashes.

15. Final Cut Pro

Compatibility: Mac only.

Best for: best professional video editors for Mac users

G2 rating: 4.4 out of 5

final cut pro

Final Cut Pro from Apple is an extremely popular premium video editor among professional video creators who are Mac users. It is a powerful and advanced video editor that can handle high resolution videos smoothly. It is a perfect mix of standard and advanced video editing features.

Starting from editing multicam and VR videos to 3D and 360 degree videos, Final Cut Pro is suitable for all. There are unlimited presets and effects present and you can edit 4K videos as well as large video files smoothly.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Basic and advanced video and audio editing features.
  • Supports editing all the different video types such as 3D, 4K, VR videos.
  • Supports plug-ins, external tools and cinematic effects.
  • Renders high resolution, large video files in short time.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • Learning curve is quite steep.
  • Pricing is on the higher side.

# For Beginner Users

16. Adobe Premiere Pro

Compatibility: Windows only.

Best for: best professional video editing software for most people

G2 rating: 4.5 out of 5

adobe premiere pro

Adobe Premiere Pro is the ultimate video editor in the professional video editing world. You get all the different advanced features of video editing packed in the application. Even though the learning curve is steep, Adobe Premiere Pro is one of the most used video editors in professional video creation.

Adobe Premiere Pro supports all the different video file formats and you can edit various videos simultaneously. It is a perfect tool for editing a large video project collaboratively. It supports editing VR videos, 3D videos, as well as multicam videos.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Standard and advanced editing options with quick rendering.
  • Suitable for multi-tasking and collaborative work in video editing.
  • Supports almost all types of videos and audio file formats.
  • Flexible and configurable user interface and advanced timeline.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • Learning curve is very steep.
  • Not suitable for low-end computers.

17. Vegas Pro

Compatibility: Windows only.

Best for: Video & audio editing for professionals

G2 rating: 4.2 out of 5

vegas

Vegas Pro from Sony is a professional video and audio editor. You can work with multiple video and audio files and you can choose from timeline or storyboard layout. In fact, there are options for nested timeline and multicam editing. The customized workflow and layouts make the application suitable for everyone.

You can enhance your video with its large collection of filters, effects, and titles. There are options for keyframing, scene detection, color correction, and light adjustments. The artificial intelligence makes editing faster with automation control.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Powerful timeline and storyboard mode with keyframing.
  • Advanced HDR color correction and grading.
  • Artificial intelligence for quick and repeated editing.
  • Multicam editing, motion tracking, and support for 3D videos.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • Stability of the application is questionable.
  • Pricing is steep and lacks tutorial guide.

18. Hitfilm Express

Compatibility: Windows and Mac

Best for: Best for video effects lovers

G2 rating: 4.4 out of 5

hitfilm express

Hitfilm Express is particularly popular for its unlimited video effects that make the video stand out easily. The user interface is quite simple to use, and you can apply effects to turn your raw video into professional video instantly. In fact, it has the largest VFX toolkit with industry-grade effects.

You can edit 4K videos, and there are options for motion tracking and video animations. You can also opt for color correction and grading. You can also edit vertical videos and upload them on social media platforms. You can also edit audio clips and use composting and layering features to enhance your video.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Advanced timeline for better workflow.
  • Standard and advanced video editing options.
  • Largest collection of video effects of different categories.
  • Color grading, correction, and free training and support.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • Lacks green screen editing option.
  • Rendering is not always swift.

Part 6: How to Choose the Suitable Video Editor?

The most important part of video editing is to choose the most suitable video editor for your videos. Here are some important factors to consider while choosing a video editor.

1. Budget and Price: If you are getting started, you can opt for a free video editor. But eventually, you have to go for a premium video editor if you are serious about video editing. You should opt for that video editor that fits your budget and offers more features for the price charged in comparison to its competitors.

2. Learning Curve: You should always opt for a video editor that has a low learning curve. If the video editor is complicated to operate, you will get frustrated, and you won’t be able to unlock the full potential of the video editor. Besides, you will have to lose a lot of time in learning and perfecting the usage of the application.

3. Stock Library: The video editor you are choosing must have a sizeable stock media library. A stock library is where you can find video clips and audio clips that are free to use for everyone. You can incorporate them into your video to enhance the content quality and bring variety to your audiences.

4. Audio control: Video editing is incomplete without proper audio editing. Your video editor should have a separate timeline for audio clips so that you can place them perfect to go in sync with the video clips. Some video editors have dedicated options for audio mixing and editing as per requirements.

5. upport video formats: Your video editor must support a wide range of video file formats that you have to include from time to time. If it supports only the popular file formats, you will not be able to include the interesting videos you may get from different sources which the video editor does not support.

6. Software stability: If you need to edit high-resolution videos, you have to ensure that the video editor you are choosing can stay stable throughout. There are many popular video editors available that become unstable while editing and rendering high-resolution videos. You have to read reviews to come to a conclusion about software stability.

7. Customer Support: Last but most importantly, your video editor must have a good customer support team. In your video editing journey, you will need the help of technical customer support to clarify issues related to the software so that you can excel in your video editing sessions.

Part 7: Video Editing Tips for Beginners

Here are some basic video editing tips that you should keep in mind while editing any video.

1. Try Tight Cuts: Your video should not be too long so that it gets boring for the viewers. Therefore, you have to make tight cuts which means you have to cut out pauses, gaps between dialogs, and anything that is unnecessary for viewers. If you think that tight cuts will take more time than usual, you can consider reshooting the part to save time.

2. Put The Story Before The Footage: When you are shooting a planned video, you must be shooting the video with multiple cameras from different angles. While editing and choosing the perfect angle for a certain video segment, you have to select the one that enhances the story you are telling through your video. For example, in an interview video, you should know when to emphasize and show close angles to capture the emotion of the speaker.

3. Chop Out Mistakes: The most basic work in video editing is to cut out the mistakes. This is because you are sure to make mistakes while shooting, and you will reshoot a lot of mistakes to correct them. Therefore, take your time to chop out mistakes but make sure that the video feels continuous, and if required, you can reshoot. To avoid mistakes in action, you can use different camera angles, blur portions, and bleep out certain words.

4. Learn to use color: Color correction and adjustment is a majorly neglected part of video editing that can make your video different from others. When you are shooting in outdoor conditions, the color of the video could get disturbed depending on the color of your dress as well as your surrounding. While editing, you need to correct them so that the video looks visually pleasing to the eyes.

5. Cut to music: Audio plays a very important role in any video, and hence, you should not neglect it. Always opt for a video editor that has a good collection of stock music so that you can apply them to your video in appropriate places. Music helps to break the monotony and grab the attention of the audience instantly.

6. Back up your work: It takes hours to shoot a video but only a second to lose it. Instead of blindingly relying on your storage device, you should take back up of your work on multiple devices. Taking backup in the cloud storage area is the best option as you can access your work from anywhere.

Part 8: Frequently Asked Questions of Video Editor

What is the best video editor?

Wondershare Filmora is the best video editor as it has the perfect mix of standard and advanced video editing options. The user interface is intuitive and easy to operate for every video creator.

What editor do YouTubers use on PC?

The most commonly used video editors by YouTubers are Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere Pro and Filmora. Unless you are a pro in video editing, we recommend Filmora and Shotcut for your YouTube videos.

How can I edit videos for free?

If you are a Windows user, you can use Microsoft Photos and Openshot for editing your videos for free. For Mac users, iMovie is the best free video editor with balanced features.

Does Windows 10 have a free video editor?

Yes, Windows 10 does come with a free video editor and it is called Microsoft Photos. You can edit your photos and videos with the application.

Is Filmora Free?

No, Filmora is a premium video editor. However, you can download its free trial version to understand its features and functionalities. Thereafter, you can purchase its premium plan as per your suitability.

02 [Editor’s Top 3 Picks ](#Part 2)

03 [Open-Source Video Editors](#Part 3)

04 [Freemium and Freeware Video Editors](#Part 4)

05 [Proprietary Video Editing Software](#Part 5)

06 [How to Choose the Suitable Video Editor](#Part 6)

07 [Video Editing Tips for Newbies](#Part 7)

08 [Frequently Asked Questions of Video Editor](#Part 8)

Part 1: Video Editing Basics

Before going to the best video editors, you should be aware of the basics of video editing. Here are the basic concepts of video editing that you must know as they are common across all video editors.

1. The Timeline: The timeline is an area of a video editor where you place your video clips sequentially. When you play the video after editing, the video will play from the start of the timeline and finish at the end of the timeline where your video content ends. The timeline is where you can place your audio clips, video effects, and graphical elements as per your requirements.

2. The Canvas: The canvas is an area of a video editor where you view your video clips frame by frame. The canvas allows you to edit the video starting from cropping to adding graphical elements. You can view all the changes you make to the video before applying them permanently.

3. Basic editing: The basic editing of a video includes splitting and trimming out important parts of a large video file and, thereafter, joining the different video clips to make an engaging video. The basic editing also includes adding audio clips, adjusting video parameters such as color, brightness, contrast as well as adding texts to the video.

4. Aspect Ratio: The aspect ratio of a video represents the ratio of width to height of the video in terms of pixels. For example, a video with aspect ratio of 16:9 means the video is 1920p x 1080p. You can edit the aspect ratio depending on where you want to publish the video. For example, social media videos use 1:1 and 9: 16 aspect ratio, tablets use 4:3 aspect ratio, and 16:9 is the standard aspect ratio.

5. B-roll: B-roll is a secondary video footage that you can add to your primary video(A-roll) to enhance the video creativity and aesthetic value. B-roll could be a cinematic shot, a slow-motion footage, a close-up shot from different angles, as well as a shot mixed with wide-angle, pans, and tilts.

6. Frame Rate: Frame rate refers to the number of images or frames displayed per second in a video. In short, frame rate refers to frames per second in a video. For example, a video of 30fps means the video is showing 30 different images per second. The 24fps is used for movies and the 30fps is used for online and TV videos. Even 60fps videos are becoming common as they produce a smoother video experience.

Part 2: Editor’s Top 3 Picks - Choose The Best Video Editor

Best Video Editor for All Creators - Filmora

Wondershare Filmora is the ideal video editor with an intuitive user interface. You get all the standard and advanced video editing features packed into its platform. You can record videos of external webcam and computer screen as well. There are unlimited video effects and graphical elements to turn your raw videos into eye-catching videos instantly.

Best for Professional Editing - Premiere Pro

Adobe Premium Pro is the best professional video editor where all the advanced features of video editing are available. The software supports editing multiple projects simultaneously. You can edit VR, Multicam, and 3D videos as well. It is a perfect platform for a professional video editing team to work in sync.

Best for Online Video Editing - WeVideo

WeVideo is by far the best online video editor with 30 million users. Starting from standard video editing options and uploading directly to social media platforms, WeVideo is a full-fledged video editor. You can also record videos and create your own video templates. Moreover, you can collaborate with other video creators and make the best use of the unlimited stock media library.

Part 3: Open-Source Video Editors

Open-source video editors have compatibility with all the desktop operating systems. Moreover, due to their codes readily available online, these video editing software applications are available completely free of cost. Here are the best open-source video editors for beginners and experienced users.

# For Beginner Users

1. Blender

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

Best for: best open-source video editor with balanced features

G2 rating: 4.5 out of 5

blender video editor software

Blender is an open-source video editing suite that is popular for its 3D models. Since it is a suite, you can use the platform not only for video editing but also for creating animated videos and games.

Starting from basic video editing such as trim and split to advance video editing such as masking and color adjustment, all options are readily available. Besides, there are options for audio mixing and live preview of editing works.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Video cropping, trimming, splitting, joining, and adjusting speed.
  • Different slots to add videos, images, scenes, audio clips, effects and masks.
  • Different transitions, filters, effects, waveforms, and keyframes available.
  • Create 3D models and animated videos with proper audio mixing.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • Takes time to get used to the platform.
  • Reports of bugs have become a regular occurrence.

2. Avidemux

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

Best for: best open-source video editor for basic editing

G2 rating: 4.4 out of 5

avidemux

Avidemux from Soundforge is a lightweight and basic video editor. Starting from trimming and cutting videos to applying filters and encoding videos, all the options are readily available. The software supports a wide range of video file formats for editing.

The platform also supports scripting through which you can automate tasks to perform on videos. Besides, there are options for color adjustments, video conversion, and advanced interlacing. The simple user interface is perfect for beginners to edit videos intuitively.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Quick video editing for trimming, cutting, rotating, and cropping.
  • Change speed and use different filters for color adjustments and subtitles.
  • Supports different video file formats in import and export.
  • The user interface is simple and suitable for beginners.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • Does not have a traditional timeline for video editing.
  • Limited effects, filters, and advanced features.

3. Kdenlive

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

Best for: best open-source video editor for all

G2 rating: 4.3 out of 5

kdenlive editor software

Kdenlive video editor is a versatile video editor with standard and advanced video editing features balanced properly. The open-source software allows multi-track timeline and supports dual monitor setup for video editing. The user interface is simple, and you can configure it as per your preference.

Kdenlive supports a wide range of video and audio files, and you can use configurable keyboard shortcuts for easy operation. The automatic backup feature is highly useful in the professional video editing world. Similarly, the presence of keyframe-based effects and advanced effects can make a video stand out.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Multi-track timeline for working with multiple video and audio clips.
  • Keyframeable effects, transitions, color correction and unlimited online resources.
  • Vast set of options for creating stunning texts and titles.
  • Smooth preview, configurable interface, and automatic backup.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • Lacks GPU acceleration and hence, slow response at times.
  • Speed adjustment effect is not efficient.

# For Advanced Users

4. OpenShot

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux, Chrome OS

Best for: Best open source editor for all desktop users

G2 rating: 4.4 out of 5

openshot

OpenShot is a cross-platform, open-source video editor where you can work on one project on different operating systems. It works on keyframe animation framework, and you can choose from different interpolations. The platform offers you to work with unlimited video and audio clips as well as layers.

You can perform all the basic video editing operations as well as go for advanced editing. The features and tools are well-balanced for regular as well as professional video editing. Starting from video effects and audio mixing to chroma key and time-mapping, everything is available under one roof.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Basic video editing with panning, zooming, and scrolling features.
  • Wide range of transitions, effects, time and speed control.
  • Time-mapping, audio mixing, overlays, and composting.
  • Supports 3D animations and objects, templates for titles and sub-titles.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • Hardware acceleration is not very powerful.
  • Not suitable for 4K video editing as it gets extremely slow.

5. Shotcut

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

Best for: Best for video editors who love filters and effects

G2 rating: 4.2 out of 5

shotcut

Shotcut is another open-source and cross-platform video editor with a professional user interface. The software supports importing different file formats of video and audio files. It is suitable for editing 4K videos, and it is a full-fledged audio editor as well.

Its vast video filters and effects are comparable to premium video editors. You can work with multi-track timeline and keyframes with markers and rangers. Besides, you can keep notes on your project easily. Overall, it is a balanced video editor in terms of features and functionalities.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Wide categories of video effects, transitions, and filters.
  • Multi-track and multi-format timeline and detailed audio editor.
  • Standard and advanced editing options with hardware acceleration.
  • Export video in high-resolution and in different formats.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • The user interface can take some time to get used to.
  • The stock media library is rather limited.

6. NATRON

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

Best for: Best open-source video editor with visual effects

G2 rating: 3.5 out of 5

natron video editor

NATRON is a robust video editor with powerful tracking tool for 2D and planar tracking. You can work with multiple layers and clips and avail various keying options on your video editing project. In fact, it is a full-fledged video compositing software for better video production with multi-layer structure.

The hardware acceleration of the software produces faster rendering. You get to work with presets, tracker nodes, rotoscoping, multi-plane and motion editing. The option of multi-view workflow along with real-time playback is extremely useful while editing multicam videos.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Superior visual effects and motion editing.
  • Multi-tasking with multi-view workflow.
  • Option of rotoscoping and python scripting.
  • Supports different open-source plugins.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • The user interface is quite advanced and needs some learning time.
  • It gets unstable and slow while previewing high-resolution videos.

Part 4: Freemium and Freeware Video Editors

Freeware video editors are available completely free of cost and they are mostly exclusive to a certain operating system. On the other hand, freemium video editors have certain features completely free while it charges users a small fee for certain advanced features. Here is the list of the best freemium and freeware video editors.

# For Beginner Users

7. ActivePresenter

Compatibility: Windows and Mac

Best for: best video editing software for learning videos.

G2 rating: 4.5 out of 5

active presenter

ActivePresenter from AtomiSystems is a video editor with screen recording options. The software is particularly useful in making and editing learning videos. There are different templates available for editing videos quickly. Besides, you can use the platform for standard editing options for any video.

Starting from working with multiple timelines to making videos interactive and responsive, there are various out-of-box features. Moreover, you can edit your audio and export your edited video in different file formats.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Multiple timelines for editing various video and audio clips.
  • Basic video and audio editing options and greenscreen effects.
  • Webcam and screen recording with audio from different sources.
  • Export videos with different file formats, HTML, xAPI, SCORM and much more.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • The learning curve is slightly steep.
  • Not suitable for editing all types of videos.

8. Microsoft Photos

Compatibility: Windows

Best for: best built-in video editor for Windows users

G2 rating: 4.6 out of 5

windows photos app

Microsoft Photos is the inbuilt video editor for Windows users. The app comes pre-installed in Windows and it is mostly used for viewing photos. But there is an inbuilt video editor where you can do the basic video editing works.

You can trim a video, add texts, and apply 3D effects as well as different filters available. There are also options for rotating videos, applying background music and customizing audio. The user interface is very simple for all users.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Instant basic video editing options available.
  • Apply effects, filters, as well as music.
  • Simple and intuitive user interface for everyone.
  • Comes pre-installed and completely free of cost.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • Very limited video editing options.
  • Very limited video file formats supported.

9. iMovie

Compatibility: Mac

Best for: Best built-in video editor for Mac users

G2 rating: 4.3 out of 5

imovie editor for mac

iMovie is the inbuilt video editor for Mac users as it comes pre-installed on macOS. The application is free to use and it is compatible with iPhone and iPad as well. You can perform all the basic video editing works starting from trimming to rotating videos.

Besides, there is a wide range of effects and filters available to apply on your videos. The best part is that it supports editing 4K videos. There are also various graphical elements available and you can share your video easily on different platforms.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Trim, rotate, split and crop videos easily.
  • Work across Mac, iPhone and iPad seamlessly.
  • Wide range of effects, filters, and objects available.
  • Supports editing 4K videos without any lag.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • Lacks advanced editing options though it is a dedicated video editor.
  • Supports very limited video file formats.

# For Advanced Users

10. Lightworks

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

Best for: best for social media video creators

G2 rating: 3.5 out of 5

lightworks

Lightworks is a freemium video editor where most features are reserved for premium users. If you are a social media creator or learning video creator, Lightworks Create is best for you. If you are a professional video creator, you should opt for Lightworks Pro.

The software supports almost all file formats, and you can export videos on social media instantly. The timeline is advanced with proxy editing, autosave and background processing features. You can share projects with your teammates and work collaboratively.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Powerful and advanced timeline for quick editing.
  • Motion graphics and tilting along with advanced metadata.
  • Flexible user interface with proxy workflow and storyboard bin.
  • Suitable for collaborating works and cloud storage.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • Can crash while working with 4K videos.
  • Limited options for advanced video editing.

11. VideoPad

Compatibility: Windows

Best for: best video editor for short video creators.

G2 rating: 4.1 out of 5

videopad

VideoPad by NCH Software is an intuitive video editor that supports over 60 different video file formats. There are tools available for basic editing such as trimming and cropping. Besides, there are various effects and transitions available to apply on your video.

The video editor also lets you edit audio files and you can edit 360-degree videos as well. There are video stabilization and chroma key effect available. The video editor is available free for non-commercial use with certain limitations that you can overcome with its premium plan.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Edit in Storybook or Timeline mode and perfect all basic editing works.
  • Audio editing options with different audio effects.
  • Add 3D video effects, special filters, and change video speed.
  • Supports a wide range of video file formats.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • Can crash while editing 4K videos.
  • Lacks advanced editing options.

12. VSDC Free Video Editor

Compatibility: Windows only.

Best for: Free feature-rich video editing suite

G2 rating: 4.0 out of 5

vsdc

VSDC Free Video Editor is a free suite that includes both video and audio editor. You can use the software for recording screen as well as voiceovers. The software is suitable for low-end computers as it is a lightweight application.

Apart from basic editing, you can edit 360 videos. Starting from color correction and zooming to split-screen effect and chroma key, it is full-fledged feature-rich software. For more advanced features, you can opt for VSDC Video Editor Pro version.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Zooming, panning, and color correction options.
  • Wide range of effects and filters present.
  • Chrome key option as well as 360 degree video editing.
  • Work with multiple layers and sync objects perfectly.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • Lacks advanced video editing options.
  • No masking or video stabilization option available.

Part 5: Proprietary Video Editing Software

If you are a regular video creator and you want to invest in video editing to improve the quality of your video content, you have to opt for a proprietary video editing software. All professional video creators prefer proprietary video editing software over freeware and freemium video editors. Here are the best premium video videos with the most advanced video editing options.

# For Beginner Users

13. Filmora

Compatibility: Windows and Mac.

Best for: Best video editors for YouTubers and vloggers

G2 rating: 4.4 out of 5

filmora video editor

Wondershare Filmora is a feature-rich video editor but an intuitive user interface. Therefore, it is perfectly suitable for beginners who want all the features and tools for advanced video editing without a steep learning curve. Filmora is also useful if you want to record screen or webcam video.

Starting from tons of video effects and transitions to a large stock library and graphical elements, Filmora is tailor-made for editing all types of videos. It also supports a wide range of file formats and you can edit 4K videos as well as audio files comfortably.

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Reason to Choose:-

  • Trim, split, join, crop and work with multiple video and audio clips.
  • Large collection of video and audio effects, transitions, and graphical elements.
  • Large stock library of free media files and animations.
  • Work with multiple layers and clips effortlessly on its smooth timeline.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • The processing time for videos could be on the higher side.

14. Camtasia

Compatibility: Windows and Mac.

Best for: Teachers and students to edit tutorial videos

G2 rating: 4.6 out of 5

camtasia video editing software

Camtasia by Techsmith is a premium video editor and it is equally popular as a video recorder. It is particularly useful for recording and editing tutorial videos as there are different templates available. Coming to video editing part, you can perform all the basic video editing works instantly.

There are various trendy effects, transitions, and presets available. You can remove green screen and apply different frames for video compatibility on different devices. Besides, you can upload the editing video different on different platforms instantly.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Quick trimming, splitting, cropping options.
  • Large collection of templates and presets.
  • Wide range of effects, annotations, and transitions.
  • Import, export, and share different file formats.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • No motion tracking option.
  • Reports of frequent crashes.

15. Final Cut Pro

Compatibility: Mac only.

Best for: best professional video editors for Mac users

G2 rating: 4.4 out of 5

final cut pro

Final Cut Pro from Apple is an extremely popular premium video editor among professional video creators who are Mac users. It is a powerful and advanced video editor that can handle high resolution videos smoothly. It is a perfect mix of standard and advanced video editing features.

Starting from editing multicam and VR videos to 3D and 360 degree videos, Final Cut Pro is suitable for all. There are unlimited presets and effects present and you can edit 4K videos as well as large video files smoothly.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Basic and advanced video and audio editing features.
  • Supports editing all the different video types such as 3D, 4K, VR videos.
  • Supports plug-ins, external tools and cinematic effects.
  • Renders high resolution, large video files in short time.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • Learning curve is quite steep.
  • Pricing is on the higher side.

# For Beginner Users

16. Adobe Premiere Pro

Compatibility: Windows only.

Best for: best professional video editing software for most people

G2 rating: 4.5 out of 5

adobe premiere pro

Adobe Premiere Pro is the ultimate video editor in the professional video editing world. You get all the different advanced features of video editing packed in the application. Even though the learning curve is steep, Adobe Premiere Pro is one of the most used video editors in professional video creation.

Adobe Premiere Pro supports all the different video file formats and you can edit various videos simultaneously. It is a perfect tool for editing a large video project collaboratively. It supports editing VR videos, 3D videos, as well as multicam videos.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Standard and advanced editing options with quick rendering.
  • Suitable for multi-tasking and collaborative work in video editing.
  • Supports almost all types of videos and audio file formats.
  • Flexible and configurable user interface and advanced timeline.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • Learning curve is very steep.
  • Not suitable for low-end computers.

17. Vegas Pro

Compatibility: Windows only.

Best for: Video & audio editing for professionals

G2 rating: 4.2 out of 5

vegas

Vegas Pro from Sony is a professional video and audio editor. You can work with multiple video and audio files and you can choose from timeline or storyboard layout. In fact, there are options for nested timeline and multicam editing. The customized workflow and layouts make the application suitable for everyone.

You can enhance your video with its large collection of filters, effects, and titles. There are options for keyframing, scene detection, color correction, and light adjustments. The artificial intelligence makes editing faster with automation control.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Powerful timeline and storyboard mode with keyframing.
  • Advanced HDR color correction and grading.
  • Artificial intelligence for quick and repeated editing.
  • Multicam editing, motion tracking, and support for 3D videos.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • Stability of the application is questionable.
  • Pricing is steep and lacks tutorial guide.

18. Hitfilm Express

Compatibility: Windows and Mac

Best for: Best for video effects lovers

G2 rating: 4.4 out of 5

hitfilm express

Hitfilm Express is particularly popular for its unlimited video effects that make the video stand out easily. The user interface is quite simple to use, and you can apply effects to turn your raw video into professional video instantly. In fact, it has the largest VFX toolkit with industry-grade effects.

You can edit 4K videos, and there are options for motion tracking and video animations. You can also opt for color correction and grading. You can also edit vertical videos and upload them on social media platforms. You can also edit audio clips and use composting and layering features to enhance your video.

Reason to Choose:-

  • Advanced timeline for better workflow.
  • Standard and advanced video editing options.
  • Largest collection of video effects of different categories.
  • Color grading, correction, and free training and support.

Reason to Avoid:-

  • Lacks green screen editing option.
  • Rendering is not always swift.

Part 6: How to Choose the Suitable Video Editor?

The most important part of video editing is to choose the most suitable video editor for your videos. Here are some important factors to consider while choosing a video editor.

1. Budget and Price: If you are getting started, you can opt for a free video editor. But eventually, you have to go for a premium video editor if you are serious about video editing. You should opt for that video editor that fits your budget and offers more features for the price charged in comparison to its competitors.

2. Learning Curve: You should always opt for a video editor that has a low learning curve. If the video editor is complicated to operate, you will get frustrated, and you won’t be able to unlock the full potential of the video editor. Besides, you will have to lose a lot of time in learning and perfecting the usage of the application.

3. Stock Library: The video editor you are choosing must have a sizeable stock media library. A stock library is where you can find video clips and audio clips that are free to use for everyone. You can incorporate them into your video to enhance the content quality and bring variety to your audiences.

4. Audio control: Video editing is incomplete without proper audio editing. Your video editor should have a separate timeline for audio clips so that you can place them perfect to go in sync with the video clips. Some video editors have dedicated options for audio mixing and editing as per requirements.

5. upport video formats: Your video editor must support a wide range of video file formats that you have to include from time to time. If it supports only the popular file formats, you will not be able to include the interesting videos you may get from different sources which the video editor does not support.

6. Software stability: If you need to edit high-resolution videos, you have to ensure that the video editor you are choosing can stay stable throughout. There are many popular video editors available that become unstable while editing and rendering high-resolution videos. You have to read reviews to come to a conclusion about software stability.

7. Customer Support: Last but most importantly, your video editor must have a good customer support team. In your video editing journey, you will need the help of technical customer support to clarify issues related to the software so that you can excel in your video editing sessions.

Part 7: Video Editing Tips for Beginners

Here are some basic video editing tips that you should keep in mind while editing any video.

1. Try Tight Cuts: Your video should not be too long so that it gets boring for the viewers. Therefore, you have to make tight cuts which means you have to cut out pauses, gaps between dialogs, and anything that is unnecessary for viewers. If you think that tight cuts will take more time than usual, you can consider reshooting the part to save time.

2. Put The Story Before The Footage: When you are shooting a planned video, you must be shooting the video with multiple cameras from different angles. While editing and choosing the perfect angle for a certain video segment, you have to select the one that enhances the story you are telling through your video. For example, in an interview video, you should know when to emphasize and show close angles to capture the emotion of the speaker.

3. Chop Out Mistakes: The most basic work in video editing is to cut out the mistakes. This is because you are sure to make mistakes while shooting, and you will reshoot a lot of mistakes to correct them. Therefore, take your time to chop out mistakes but make sure that the video feels continuous, and if required, you can reshoot. To avoid mistakes in action, you can use different camera angles, blur portions, and bleep out certain words.

4. Learn to use color: Color correction and adjustment is a majorly neglected part of video editing that can make your video different from others. When you are shooting in outdoor conditions, the color of the video could get disturbed depending on the color of your dress as well as your surrounding. While editing, you need to correct them so that the video looks visually pleasing to the eyes.

5. Cut to music: Audio plays a very important role in any video, and hence, you should not neglect it. Always opt for a video editor that has a good collection of stock music so that you can apply them to your video in appropriate places. Music helps to break the monotony and grab the attention of the audience instantly.

6. Back up your work: It takes hours to shoot a video but only a second to lose it. Instead of blindingly relying on your storage device, you should take back up of your work on multiple devices. Taking backup in the cloud storage area is the best option as you can access your work from anywhere.

Part 8: Frequently Asked Questions of Video Editor

What is the best video editor?

Wondershare Filmora is the best video editor as it has the perfect mix of standard and advanced video editing options. The user interface is intuitive and easy to operate for every video creator.

What editor do YouTubers use on PC?

The most commonly used video editors by YouTubers are Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere Pro and Filmora. Unless you are a pro in video editing, we recommend Filmora and Shotcut for your YouTube videos.

How can I edit videos for free?

If you are a Windows user, you can use Microsoft Photos and Openshot for editing your videos for free. For Mac users, iMovie is the best free video editor with balanced features.

Does Windows 10 have a free video editor?

Yes, Windows 10 does come with a free video editor and it is called Microsoft Photos. You can edit your photos and videos with the application.

Is Filmora Free?

No, Filmora is a premium video editor. However, you can download its free trial version to understand its features and functionalities. Thereafter, you can purchase its premium plan as per your suitability.

Also read:

  • Title: Mastering FFmpeg How to Merge Audio and Video with Ease for 2024
  • Author: Morgan
  • Created at : 2024-05-19 05:12:22
  • Updated at : 2024-05-20 05:12:22
  • Link: https://ai-video-editing.techidaily.com/mastering-ffmpeg-how-to-merge-audio-and-video-with-ease-for-2024/
  • License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
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Mastering FFmpeg How to Merge Audio and Video with Ease for 2024