2024 Approved Effortless Video Transfer Importing and Exporting in Adobe Premiere Pro 2023

2024 Approved Effortless Video Transfer Importing and Exporting in Adobe Premiere Pro 2023

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Effortless Video Transfer: Importing and Exporting in Adobe Premiere Pro 2023

How to Import and Export Videos in Adobe Premiere

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Adobe Premiere Pro offers different paths to importing and exporting videos. Here we mainly discuss how to import and export media files in Adobe Premiere Pro.

Learn more tips, tricks and hacks of Premiere for accelerating video editing.

This is a basic tutorial about Adobe Premiere, professional video editing software. However, if video editing is new to you, consider Wondershare Filmora , which is a powerful but easy-to-use tool for users just starting out. Download the free trial version below.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )


Importing

There are two main ways to import media into Premiere, the import command and the media browser. They do things slightly differently and have uses they are both best suited to, here we will look at the process itself and which method to use in a given situation.

1. Import Command

This is a straightforward command that works like most other programs, and is accessed from the file menu, or via the Control+I shortcut on the PC or Command+I on the Mac. You can also double click an empty area of the project panel to automatically open the import dialogue.

Whichever way you access it, you get the standard for the platform import dialogue box we see here.

Import videos to Adobe Premiere

This method of importing is best suited to self-contained media such as audio or graphics, or video files such as MP4 that are single files themselves, whose location on your computer you know so you can navigate to them easily. This is not the way to import videos from cameras, as they invariably create complex file and folder arrangements that make choosing the correct files difficult. This is where you would opt for the media browser method instead.

2. Media Browser

Whilst on the surface media browser appears to do the same job as the import command the way they carry out the task is somewhat different, media browser is designed to let you see the media created by cameras, and show you easy to understand icons and metadata rather than the intricate pattern of files and folders they use. This makes picking the correct clip from a selection much easier, with metadata showing you date and duration as well as file type.

Import videos to Adobe Premiere

The media browser panel is found in the project panel, which on the standard layout is the bottom left corner, and can also be accessed by the Shift+8 shortcut. As you can see from the screenshot it works like an operating system file browser and allows you to navigate through the file directories of hard drives and removable media connected to the system.

One of the benefits of media browser is to narrow down the type of media being shown, so you can set to avchd for instance and it will display just that type of file in a given location. Because many projects use media from different sources this can be a real boon to finding the right file within a list.

File Types

Media browser displays more or less any file there is in a given location, and importing is simply a matter of selecting the correct file and double clicking it or right clicking and selecting import from the menu. You can select multiple files at once by holding down shift and import them all together if needed.

There are some exceptions to this, however, despite having a huge number of file types supported natively within Premiere, you will sometimes run into files that are not supported, FLV and MKV files being the most common ones, but this is not the end of the world and there is a simple solution.

Wondershare Video Converter Ultimate offers an easy way to convert any file you may have into media that Premiere can use quickly and efficiently, and is a great tool to have alongside premiere if you commonly work with multiple file types.

Exporting

The ultimate aim of any project is obviously to finish it and let others see the result of your creativity, and that means exporting your work into a format that is suitable for the medium you wish the project to be viewed on. Premiere offers a number of options regarding export, you can select an entire sequence to export as a single file for the web or disc, choose a single frame to post to a website, blog or to distribute through email, you can export just the audio, or just the video from a sequence, and if you have the right hardware, can export directly to tape or disk.

To export a project that closely matches the original media in quality and frame rates, often called a master copy, is very straightforward in Premiere, with the sequence selected, either in the Timeline Panel or the Project Panel, you simply use the File > Export > Media path :

Export videos in Adobe Premiere

Which opens the media export dialogue.

Export videos in Adobe Premiere

Selecting ‘Match Sequence Settings’ here creates a finished file that matches the quality of the original source media. Then you simply choose a suitable name for the file in the Output Name field, and click export. This creates in essence a digital clone of the sequence, and best practice is to always do this for any project, however, for many projects, this is not necessarily the format you would want the final product to be in, those concentrating on YouTube output, or someone wanting to author a DVD for instance will need other options.

Thankfully Premiere caters here as well. Instead of selecting the ‘Match Sequence Settings’ within export dialogue, you can click on the ‘Format’ field to change the type of file that is produced. What options here can vary depending on codecs installed, this screenshot shows only those that are included with the product for clarity.

Export videos in Adobe Premiere

Depending on which format you choose. The preset below will allow you to choose a wide range of output settings to suit the intended platform. For instance, selecting format brings up a huge number of presets for various Tablets and Phones, but also for Vimeo and YouTube, which is why it is one of the most common output formats. Here’s a look at some of the presets available from the menu.

Export videos in Adobe Premiere

Once you choose a preset, you can further modify the parameters to suit the project you are working on and even save those as an additional custom preset for later projects should you wish. Again, choosing a suitable file name and clicking Export ends the process.

The other common requirement is for DVD or Blu-Ray files. Whilst you need access to the appropriate hardware to burn the disk, Premiere creates the file structure for that natively and you have two options here. Mpeg2 in either DVD or Blu-Ray form, or Blu-Ray. With high quality source material, the two formats are virtually indistinguishable in their final format, however, MPEG2 will be much quicker to render and is a good choice for most applications. Although does allow more content to fit into a given space, so it does have uses. Importing and exporting are the foundation of Premiere use, and as we have shown Premiere makes it very easy to do and produces the right file types for whatever your project is to be used for.

With the addition of Wondershare Video Converter Ultimate you have a workflow that can ingest and export any type of media file you will ever come across with the minimum of fuss.

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Adobe Premiere Pro offers different paths to importing and exporting videos. Here we mainly discuss how to import and export media files in Adobe Premiere Pro.

Learn more tips, tricks and hacks of Premiere for accelerating video editing.

This is a basic tutorial about Adobe Premiere, professional video editing software. However, if video editing is new to you, consider Wondershare Filmora , which is a powerful but easy-to-use tool for users just starting out. Download the free trial version below.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )


Importing

There are two main ways to import media into Premiere, the import command and the media browser. They do things slightly differently and have uses they are both best suited to, here we will look at the process itself and which method to use in a given situation.

1. Import Command

This is a straightforward command that works like most other programs, and is accessed from the file menu, or via the Control+I shortcut on the PC or Command+I on the Mac. You can also double click an empty area of the project panel to automatically open the import dialogue.

Whichever way you access it, you get the standard for the platform import dialogue box we see here.

Import videos to Adobe Premiere

This method of importing is best suited to self-contained media such as audio or graphics, or video files such as MP4 that are single files themselves, whose location on your computer you know so you can navigate to them easily. This is not the way to import videos from cameras, as they invariably create complex file and folder arrangements that make choosing the correct files difficult. This is where you would opt for the media browser method instead.

2. Media Browser

Whilst on the surface media browser appears to do the same job as the import command the way they carry out the task is somewhat different, media browser is designed to let you see the media created by cameras, and show you easy to understand icons and metadata rather than the intricate pattern of files and folders they use. This makes picking the correct clip from a selection much easier, with metadata showing you date and duration as well as file type.

Import videos to Adobe Premiere

The media browser panel is found in the project panel, which on the standard layout is the bottom left corner, and can also be accessed by the Shift+8 shortcut. As you can see from the screenshot it works like an operating system file browser and allows you to navigate through the file directories of hard drives and removable media connected to the system.

One of the benefits of media browser is to narrow down the type of media being shown, so you can set to avchd for instance and it will display just that type of file in a given location. Because many projects use media from different sources this can be a real boon to finding the right file within a list.

File Types

Media browser displays more or less any file there is in a given location, and importing is simply a matter of selecting the correct file and double clicking it or right clicking and selecting import from the menu. You can select multiple files at once by holding down shift and import them all together if needed.

There are some exceptions to this, however, despite having a huge number of file types supported natively within Premiere, you will sometimes run into files that are not supported, FLV and MKV files being the most common ones, but this is not the end of the world and there is a simple solution.

Wondershare Video Converter Ultimate offers an easy way to convert any file you may have into media that Premiere can use quickly and efficiently, and is a great tool to have alongside premiere if you commonly work with multiple file types.

Exporting

The ultimate aim of any project is obviously to finish it and let others see the result of your creativity, and that means exporting your work into a format that is suitable for the medium you wish the project to be viewed on. Premiere offers a number of options regarding export, you can select an entire sequence to export as a single file for the web or disc, choose a single frame to post to a website, blog or to distribute through email, you can export just the audio, or just the video from a sequence, and if you have the right hardware, can export directly to tape or disk.

To export a project that closely matches the original media in quality and frame rates, often called a master copy, is very straightforward in Premiere, with the sequence selected, either in the Timeline Panel or the Project Panel, you simply use the File > Export > Media path :

Export videos in Adobe Premiere

Which opens the media export dialogue.

Export videos in Adobe Premiere

Selecting ‘Match Sequence Settings’ here creates a finished file that matches the quality of the original source media. Then you simply choose a suitable name for the file in the Output Name field, and click export. This creates in essence a digital clone of the sequence, and best practice is to always do this for any project, however, for many projects, this is not necessarily the format you would want the final product to be in, those concentrating on YouTube output, or someone wanting to author a DVD for instance will need other options.

Thankfully Premiere caters here as well. Instead of selecting the ‘Match Sequence Settings’ within export dialogue, you can click on the ‘Format’ field to change the type of file that is produced. What options here can vary depending on codecs installed, this screenshot shows only those that are included with the product for clarity.

Export videos in Adobe Premiere

Depending on which format you choose. The preset below will allow you to choose a wide range of output settings to suit the intended platform. For instance, selecting format brings up a huge number of presets for various Tablets and Phones, but also for Vimeo and YouTube, which is why it is one of the most common output formats. Here’s a look at some of the presets available from the menu.

Export videos in Adobe Premiere

Once you choose a preset, you can further modify the parameters to suit the project you are working on and even save those as an additional custom preset for later projects should you wish. Again, choosing a suitable file name and clicking Export ends the process.

The other common requirement is for DVD or Blu-Ray files. Whilst you need access to the appropriate hardware to burn the disk, Premiere creates the file structure for that natively and you have two options here. Mpeg2 in either DVD or Blu-Ray form, or Blu-Ray. With high quality source material, the two formats are virtually indistinguishable in their final format, however, MPEG2 will be much quicker to render and is a good choice for most applications. Although does allow more content to fit into a given space, so it does have uses. Importing and exporting are the foundation of Premiere use, and as we have shown Premiere makes it very easy to do and produces the right file types for whatever your project is to be used for.

With the addition of Wondershare Video Converter Ultimate you have a workflow that can ingest and export any type of media file you will ever come across with the minimum of fuss.

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Adobe Premiere Pro offers different paths to importing and exporting videos. Here we mainly discuss how to import and export media files in Adobe Premiere Pro.

Learn more tips, tricks and hacks of Premiere for accelerating video editing.

This is a basic tutorial about Adobe Premiere, professional video editing software. However, if video editing is new to you, consider Wondershare Filmora , which is a powerful but easy-to-use tool for users just starting out. Download the free trial version below.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )


Importing

There are two main ways to import media into Premiere, the import command and the media browser. They do things slightly differently and have uses they are both best suited to, here we will look at the process itself and which method to use in a given situation.

1. Import Command

This is a straightforward command that works like most other programs, and is accessed from the file menu, or via the Control+I shortcut on the PC or Command+I on the Mac. You can also double click an empty area of the project panel to automatically open the import dialogue.

Whichever way you access it, you get the standard for the platform import dialogue box we see here.

Import videos to Adobe Premiere

This method of importing is best suited to self-contained media such as audio or graphics, or video files such as MP4 that are single files themselves, whose location on your computer you know so you can navigate to them easily. This is not the way to import videos from cameras, as they invariably create complex file and folder arrangements that make choosing the correct files difficult. This is where you would opt for the media browser method instead.

2. Media Browser

Whilst on the surface media browser appears to do the same job as the import command the way they carry out the task is somewhat different, media browser is designed to let you see the media created by cameras, and show you easy to understand icons and metadata rather than the intricate pattern of files and folders they use. This makes picking the correct clip from a selection much easier, with metadata showing you date and duration as well as file type.

Import videos to Adobe Premiere

The media browser panel is found in the project panel, which on the standard layout is the bottom left corner, and can also be accessed by the Shift+8 shortcut. As you can see from the screenshot it works like an operating system file browser and allows you to navigate through the file directories of hard drives and removable media connected to the system.

One of the benefits of media browser is to narrow down the type of media being shown, so you can set to avchd for instance and it will display just that type of file in a given location. Because many projects use media from different sources this can be a real boon to finding the right file within a list.

File Types

Media browser displays more or less any file there is in a given location, and importing is simply a matter of selecting the correct file and double clicking it or right clicking and selecting import from the menu. You can select multiple files at once by holding down shift and import them all together if needed.

There are some exceptions to this, however, despite having a huge number of file types supported natively within Premiere, you will sometimes run into files that are not supported, FLV and MKV files being the most common ones, but this is not the end of the world and there is a simple solution.

Wondershare Video Converter Ultimate offers an easy way to convert any file you may have into media that Premiere can use quickly and efficiently, and is a great tool to have alongside premiere if you commonly work with multiple file types.

Exporting

The ultimate aim of any project is obviously to finish it and let others see the result of your creativity, and that means exporting your work into a format that is suitable for the medium you wish the project to be viewed on. Premiere offers a number of options regarding export, you can select an entire sequence to export as a single file for the web or disc, choose a single frame to post to a website, blog or to distribute through email, you can export just the audio, or just the video from a sequence, and if you have the right hardware, can export directly to tape or disk.

To export a project that closely matches the original media in quality and frame rates, often called a master copy, is very straightforward in Premiere, with the sequence selected, either in the Timeline Panel or the Project Panel, you simply use the File > Export > Media path :

Export videos in Adobe Premiere

Which opens the media export dialogue.

Export videos in Adobe Premiere

Selecting ‘Match Sequence Settings’ here creates a finished file that matches the quality of the original source media. Then you simply choose a suitable name for the file in the Output Name field, and click export. This creates in essence a digital clone of the sequence, and best practice is to always do this for any project, however, for many projects, this is not necessarily the format you would want the final product to be in, those concentrating on YouTube output, or someone wanting to author a DVD for instance will need other options.

Thankfully Premiere caters here as well. Instead of selecting the ‘Match Sequence Settings’ within export dialogue, you can click on the ‘Format’ field to change the type of file that is produced. What options here can vary depending on codecs installed, this screenshot shows only those that are included with the product for clarity.

Export videos in Adobe Premiere

Depending on which format you choose. The preset below will allow you to choose a wide range of output settings to suit the intended platform. For instance, selecting format brings up a huge number of presets for various Tablets and Phones, but also for Vimeo and YouTube, which is why it is one of the most common output formats. Here’s a look at some of the presets available from the menu.

Export videos in Adobe Premiere

Once you choose a preset, you can further modify the parameters to suit the project you are working on and even save those as an additional custom preset for later projects should you wish. Again, choosing a suitable file name and clicking Export ends the process.

The other common requirement is for DVD or Blu-Ray files. Whilst you need access to the appropriate hardware to burn the disk, Premiere creates the file structure for that natively and you have two options here. Mpeg2 in either DVD or Blu-Ray form, or Blu-Ray. With high quality source material, the two formats are virtually indistinguishable in their final format, however, MPEG2 will be much quicker to render and is a good choice for most applications. Although does allow more content to fit into a given space, so it does have uses. Importing and exporting are the foundation of Premiere use, and as we have shown Premiere makes it very easy to do and produces the right file types for whatever your project is to be used for.

With the addition of Wondershare Video Converter Ultimate you have a workflow that can ingest and export any type of media file you will ever come across with the minimum of fuss.

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Adobe Premiere Pro offers different paths to importing and exporting videos. Here we mainly discuss how to import and export media files in Adobe Premiere Pro.

Learn more tips, tricks and hacks of Premiere for accelerating video editing.

This is a basic tutorial about Adobe Premiere, professional video editing software. However, if video editing is new to you, consider Wondershare Filmora , which is a powerful but easy-to-use tool for users just starting out. Download the free trial version below.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )


Importing

There are two main ways to import media into Premiere, the import command and the media browser. They do things slightly differently and have uses they are both best suited to, here we will look at the process itself and which method to use in a given situation.

1. Import Command

This is a straightforward command that works like most other programs, and is accessed from the file menu, or via the Control+I shortcut on the PC or Command+I on the Mac. You can also double click an empty area of the project panel to automatically open the import dialogue.

Whichever way you access it, you get the standard for the platform import dialogue box we see here.

Import videos to Adobe Premiere

This method of importing is best suited to self-contained media such as audio or graphics, or video files such as MP4 that are single files themselves, whose location on your computer you know so you can navigate to them easily. This is not the way to import videos from cameras, as they invariably create complex file and folder arrangements that make choosing the correct files difficult. This is where you would opt for the media browser method instead.

2. Media Browser

Whilst on the surface media browser appears to do the same job as the import command the way they carry out the task is somewhat different, media browser is designed to let you see the media created by cameras, and show you easy to understand icons and metadata rather than the intricate pattern of files and folders they use. This makes picking the correct clip from a selection much easier, with metadata showing you date and duration as well as file type.

Import videos to Adobe Premiere

The media browser panel is found in the project panel, which on the standard layout is the bottom left corner, and can also be accessed by the Shift+8 shortcut. As you can see from the screenshot it works like an operating system file browser and allows you to navigate through the file directories of hard drives and removable media connected to the system.

One of the benefits of media browser is to narrow down the type of media being shown, so you can set to avchd for instance and it will display just that type of file in a given location. Because many projects use media from different sources this can be a real boon to finding the right file within a list.

File Types

Media browser displays more or less any file there is in a given location, and importing is simply a matter of selecting the correct file and double clicking it or right clicking and selecting import from the menu. You can select multiple files at once by holding down shift and import them all together if needed.

There are some exceptions to this, however, despite having a huge number of file types supported natively within Premiere, you will sometimes run into files that are not supported, FLV and MKV files being the most common ones, but this is not the end of the world and there is a simple solution.

Wondershare Video Converter Ultimate offers an easy way to convert any file you may have into media that Premiere can use quickly and efficiently, and is a great tool to have alongside premiere if you commonly work with multiple file types.

Exporting

The ultimate aim of any project is obviously to finish it and let others see the result of your creativity, and that means exporting your work into a format that is suitable for the medium you wish the project to be viewed on. Premiere offers a number of options regarding export, you can select an entire sequence to export as a single file for the web or disc, choose a single frame to post to a website, blog or to distribute through email, you can export just the audio, or just the video from a sequence, and if you have the right hardware, can export directly to tape or disk.

To export a project that closely matches the original media in quality and frame rates, often called a master copy, is very straightforward in Premiere, with the sequence selected, either in the Timeline Panel or the Project Panel, you simply use the File > Export > Media path :

Export videos in Adobe Premiere

Which opens the media export dialogue.

Export videos in Adobe Premiere

Selecting ‘Match Sequence Settings’ here creates a finished file that matches the quality of the original source media. Then you simply choose a suitable name for the file in the Output Name field, and click export. This creates in essence a digital clone of the sequence, and best practice is to always do this for any project, however, for many projects, this is not necessarily the format you would want the final product to be in, those concentrating on YouTube output, or someone wanting to author a DVD for instance will need other options.

Thankfully Premiere caters here as well. Instead of selecting the ‘Match Sequence Settings’ within export dialogue, you can click on the ‘Format’ field to change the type of file that is produced. What options here can vary depending on codecs installed, this screenshot shows only those that are included with the product for clarity.

Export videos in Adobe Premiere

Depending on which format you choose. The preset below will allow you to choose a wide range of output settings to suit the intended platform. For instance, selecting format brings up a huge number of presets for various Tablets and Phones, but also for Vimeo and YouTube, which is why it is one of the most common output formats. Here’s a look at some of the presets available from the menu.

Export videos in Adobe Premiere

Once you choose a preset, you can further modify the parameters to suit the project you are working on and even save those as an additional custom preset for later projects should you wish. Again, choosing a suitable file name and clicking Export ends the process.

The other common requirement is for DVD or Blu-Ray files. Whilst you need access to the appropriate hardware to burn the disk, Premiere creates the file structure for that natively and you have two options here. Mpeg2 in either DVD or Blu-Ray form, or Blu-Ray. With high quality source material, the two formats are virtually indistinguishable in their final format, however, MPEG2 will be much quicker to render and is a good choice for most applications. Although does allow more content to fit into a given space, so it does have uses. Importing and exporting are the foundation of Premiere use, and as we have shown Premiere makes it very easy to do and produces the right file types for whatever your project is to be used for.

With the addition of Wondershare Video Converter Ultimate you have a workflow that can ingest and export any type of media file you will ever come across with the minimum of fuss.

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Top Picks: Lightweight Video Editors for Smooth Performance

If you are new to video editing and you simply want to do basic editing to your video, you need a light video editor. There is no need for a heavyweight video editor that is generally used by professionals. Besides, an industry-grade video editor demands high-end computer as they put pressure on your system resources for video processing and rendering.

Therefore, if you do not have a high-end computer for video editing, a lightweight video editor is perfect for you. There are so many lightweight video editing software applications available to choose from for video editing. We have picked the best light video editing software for smooth and satisfying video editing work.

Part 1. The Features for Light Video Editor

Here are the main features of a good lightweight video editor that you should be aware of.

Small File Size – A light video editor comes in a small size file, and you will understand the file size when you download it on your computer. Ideally, a light video editor should not be above a couple of hundred MBs in size.

Wide OS Compatibility – A good light video editor should not only be compatible with the latest version of computer operating system but also with older versions. This is because older operating systems fail to run a heavyweight video editor smoothly.

Low System Requirements – Every video editor lists out their system requirements starting from processor version to RAM capacity and free disk space. A light video editor should have low system requirements such as 4GB RAM, 5GB free disk space, Intel i3 or likewise.

Low CPU Usage – How much CPU resource a video editor uses determines whether the video editor is truly lightweight. You can monitor how much CPU resource an application is using from Task Manager. For a light video editor, it should never be more than 33% of the total CPU usage at any given time.

Faster Processing – A lightweight video editor is generally faster in processing and rendering videos. They use different techniques such as compression, background processing and proxy workflow to boost processing speed without affecting system performance.

Part 2. Best Light Video Editors

Here is the list of the best light video editing software with complete review so that you can pick the best one for your video editing purposes.

1. Filmora

Best for: beginners as well as advanced users.

System compatibility: Windows and Mac.

Reason to choose:

  • Drag and drop media files from your hard drive.
  • Robust timeline to arrange photos, videos, and audio files.
  • Wide categories of transitions, effects and graphical elements.
  • Take screenshot from videos and instant preview of the changes.
  • Export in different file formats with adjusted video parameters.

Reason to avoid:

  • Video processing slightly on the slower side.

filmora

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Wondershare Filmora is the best lightweight video editor that is tailor-made for both beginners as well as professionals. It is a premium video editor, and you should opt for it if you regularly edit videos. In fact, it is widely used by YouTubers and social media video creators. The software lets you record your screen and webcam video along with system and external mic sound. You can edit various video parameters such as aspect ratio, resolution, frame rate and likewise.

Coming to its editing features, you get a perfect blend of basic and advanced editing tools. You can trim, crop, split, join video clips as well as make videos from photos. You can import various media files of different formats including audio files. There are loads of transitions, effects, elements, texts, and stock media files. You can opt for greenscreen effect, apply stickers, correct colors, and much more.

2. Studio

Best for: Slightly advanced Windows users for advanced video editing.

System compatibility: Windows 11 and 10 (64 bit)

Reason to choose:

  • Perfect blend of standard and advanced video editing tools.
  • Advanced video masking and color grading options.
  • Tons of effects, filters, transitions, and overlays.
  • Edit multi-cam video and 360-degree video.
  • Advanced audio editing options.

Reason to avoid:

  • Some advanced features are not full-fledged.

pinnacle studio

Studio is a premium but light video editor that has some advanced video editing options. You will get all the basic video editing tools as well. You can publish cinema-grade videos with Studio. You can zoom video clips and edit frames accurately so that the video has no glitches and inconsistency in editing. The software allows you to edit multi-cam videos and make split-screen videos.

You can also record your screen and webcam with Studio. Apart from video editing, you can edit your audio files. There are options for color grading, blend modes and video making. Among the advanced features, you get motion and smart object tracking along with keyframing and editing 360-degree videos. The software comes with hardware acceleration to boost its performance.

3. OpenShot

Best for: those looking for a free light video editor.

System compatibility: Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Reason to choose:

  • Drag and drop media files of different formats.
  • Wide range of video filters and transition effects.
  • 3D objects and animations with Blender plugin.
  • Dedicated audio editor and video templates.

Reason to avoid:

  • Not so suitable for 4K resolution videos.

openshot

OpenShot is an open-source and cross-platform video editor that is compatible across all computer operating systems. It is completely free to use, and it has a good mixture of all basic and some advanced video editing options. You can import photos, video clips, and audio files as per your requirements as it supports a wide range of media file formats.

The user interface is simple, and hence, beginners will find it easy to use. The software has one of the lowest CPU resource usages among the lightweight video editors. You can trim, crop, resize, split and do all such video editing. You can adjust the speed of videos as well as correct video parameters. The software allows you to attach custom watermarks and overlays, and there is the option for time-mapping.

4. ShotCut

Best for: open-source video editor with standard and advanced features.

System compatibility: Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Reason to choose:

  • Import and export different file formats in high-resolution.
  • Chroma key, video stabilization, filters and transitions.
  • Video masking, composting and color correction.
  • Complete audio editor with filters and mixing.
  • Wide range of video editing options and tools.

Reason to avoid:

  • User interface takes time to understand all features.
  • Limited transitions and no stock media files.

shotcut

Shotcut is an open-source and cross-platform video editor. It has support for all the different media file formats, and it supports 4K resolution. You can use the software to capture webcam and screen video as well as audio narration. You can also import different file formats for photos. There are various audio features available starting from audio filters to audio mixing.

Shotcut comes with a large set of transitions, effects, and filters. It supports video stabilization and deinterlacing as well as blending modes. You can edit video speed, reserve video clips, correct colors, and imperfections easily. There is a multi-track timeline available for easy video making and editing.

5. Adobe Premiere Pro

Best for: premium video editor for advanced Windows users.

System compatibility: Windows 10 and 11.

Reason to choose:

  • Wide range of video effects, transitions, and templates.
  • Edit 3D, VR, and multicam and 360-dgree videos as well as audio.
  • Suitable for collaborative video editing and robust timeline.
  • Support for various video and audio formats.

Reason to avoid:

  • Reports of lagging in low-end computers.
  • Steep learning curve to understand the user interface.

adobe premiere pro

Adobe Premiere Pro is undoubtedly the best lightweight video editor Windows 10 for advanced video editors. Even though it is relatively less lightweight, you can do basic video editing on computers which do not have high-end hardware. Apart from basic editing, you can create industry-grade videos with the editing options available on the software.

You may need some training and lessons could be high useful for smooth editing. The software supports teamwork and collaborative video editing. You can edit VR and 3D videos as well as audio. The user interface is complicated, but it is highly customizable and flexible. The timeline is quite advanced and it is a complete video editor with full-fledged features.

6. VideoPad Video Editor

Best for: those who are looking for a video as well as audio editor.

System compatibility: Windows and Mac.

Reason to choose:

  • Perfect combination of standard video and audio editing options.
  • Video templates for intro, outro, and themed videos.
  • Lossless exporting of videos in different formats.
  • Video stabilization, color correction, and plugin support.
  • Supports 4K video and share directly on YouTube.

Reason to avoid:

  • Limited range of transitions and effects.
  • Limited options for 3D video editing.

videopad video editor

VideoPad Video Editor from NCH Software comes with a simple user interface, and hence, it is suitable for beginners. There is a wide category of transitions and effects available. It is the perfect combination video and audio editor. The software can process the videos faster, and it supports so many different types of media file formats.

Even though it is a rather simple video editor, it is quite powerful where you can edit 3D and e60-degree videos. Besides, there are options for 3D texts and tiles, chroma key, custom logos, and animations. Moreover, you can choose from different templates for intro and outro part of your videos. The audio editor is quite useful for mixing tracks, adding effects, and record own narration.

7. VSDC Free Video Editor

Best for: those who have very low end and outdated PCs.

System compatibility: Windows XP or above.

Reason to choose:

  • Zoom and edit option, 360-degree video editing.
  • Large set of video effects, transitions and filters.
  • Chroma key option and PiP and split screen effect.
  • Color correction and very low system requirements.
  • Supports importing and exporting different file formats.

Reason to avoid:

  • Advanced features are locked for premium users.

vsdc free video editor

VSDC is a free suite where you get video editor and audio editor for free. Coming specifically to VSDC Free Video Editor, all the features are available for free without any watermark. However, there is a Pro version available with more advance video editing features. The software supports a wide range of media file formats.

You can zoom and edit accurately. You can even edit 360-degree videos without any issue. There are options for color correction, greenscreen effects and visualizations. You can choose from a large set of video effects and filters. The best part is that VSDC Free Video Editor is suitable for very low-end systems.

8. Avidemux

Best for: those looking for a free video editor for basic editing.

System compatibility: Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Reason to choose:

  • Standard video options available.
  • Advanced video filters and effects.
  • Custom scripting and advanced interlacing.
  • Super intuitive user interface.
  • Supports multiple file formats.

Reason to avoid:

  • Not suitable for high-resolution videos.

avidemux

Avidemux from Sourceforge is a light video editing software free. The software is suitable for basic editing only. It is extremely lightweight, and it supports a limited resolution of videos. You can cut crop, trim videos, add filters to them, and perform encoding tasks. The software supports various import and export file formats.

Avidemux also has basic audio editing options, and you can publish compressed videos in rather small file sizes. There is also option for custom scripting, and you can automate common tasks easily. It belongs to the open-source video editor category, and hence, it is completely free to use for all purposes.

Part 3. FAQs about Light Video Editor

1. What is Light Video Editor?

Light Video Editor is a user-friendly video editing software that allows users to edit and create videos quickly and easily. The software includes features such as trimming, merging, cropping, adding music, and more.

2. what is the best lightweight video editor for windows?

Wondershare Filmora is the best lightweight video editor for Windows as well as Mac users. Even though the software is world-class as a video editing software, it does not demand high CPU usage and does not high system requirements.

3. What is the best free light video editor?

Shotcut is the best free light video editor, and it is available for all computer operating systems. If you have a very low-end computer, VSDC Free Video Editor is the best free light video editor for you.

4. Can I use a light video editor for professional projects?

While a light video editor may not have all the features of a professional video editor, it can still be used for professional projects such as short promotional videos, social media content, or simple marketing videos. It can be a great option for those who need to quickly edit and produce videos without spending a lot of time learning a complex software.

5. What are the benefits of using a light video editor?

One of the main benefits of using a light video editor is its simplicity and ease of use. It can be a great option for beginners or those who need to quickly edit and produce videos without spending a lot of time learning a complex software. It is also usually more affordable than a full-featured video editor and can still produce high-quality videos for personal or professional use.

Reason to avoid:

  • Video processing slightly on the slower side.

filmora

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Wondershare Filmora is the best lightweight video editor that is tailor-made for both beginners as well as professionals. It is a premium video editor, and you should opt for it if you regularly edit videos. In fact, it is widely used by YouTubers and social media video creators. The software lets you record your screen and webcam video along with system and external mic sound. You can edit various video parameters such as aspect ratio, resolution, frame rate and likewise.

Coming to its editing features, you get a perfect blend of basic and advanced editing tools. You can trim, crop, split, join video clips as well as make videos from photos. You can import various media files of different formats including audio files. There are loads of transitions, effects, elements, texts, and stock media files. You can opt for greenscreen effect, apply stickers, correct colors, and much more.

2. Studio

Best for: Slightly advanced Windows users for advanced video editing.

System compatibility: Windows 11 and 10 (64 bit)

Reason to choose:

  • Perfect blend of standard and advanced video editing tools.
  • Advanced video masking and color grading options.
  • Tons of effects, filters, transitions, and overlays.
  • Edit multi-cam video and 360-degree video.
  • Advanced audio editing options.

Reason to avoid:

  • Some advanced features are not full-fledged.

pinnacle studio

Studio is a premium but light video editor that has some advanced video editing options. You will get all the basic video editing tools as well. You can publish cinema-grade videos with Studio. You can zoom video clips and edit frames accurately so that the video has no glitches and inconsistency in editing. The software allows you to edit multi-cam videos and make split-screen videos.

You can also record your screen and webcam with Studio. Apart from video editing, you can edit your audio files. There are options for color grading, blend modes and video making. Among the advanced features, you get motion and smart object tracking along with keyframing and editing 360-degree videos. The software comes with hardware acceleration to boost its performance.

3. OpenShot

Best for: those looking for a free light video editor.

System compatibility: Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Reason to choose:

  • Drag and drop media files of different formats.
  • Wide range of video filters and transition effects.
  • 3D objects and animations with Blender plugin.
  • Dedicated audio editor and video templates.

Reason to avoid:

  • Not so suitable for 4K resolution videos.

openshot

OpenShot is an open-source and cross-platform video editor that is compatible across all computer operating systems. It is completely free to use, and it has a good mixture of all basic and some advanced video editing options. You can import photos, video clips, and audio files as per your requirements as it supports a wide range of media file formats.

The user interface is simple, and hence, beginners will find it easy to use. The software has one of the lowest CPU resource usages among the lightweight video editors. You can trim, crop, resize, split and do all such video editing. You can adjust the speed of videos as well as correct video parameters. The software allows you to attach custom watermarks and overlays, and there is the option for time-mapping.

4. ShotCut

Best for: open-source video editor with standard and advanced features.

System compatibility: Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Reason to choose:

  • Import and export different file formats in high-resolution.
  • Chroma key, video stabilization, filters and transitions.
  • Video masking, composting and color correction.
  • Complete audio editor with filters and mixing.
  • Wide range of video editing options and tools.

Reason to avoid:

  • User interface takes time to understand all features.
  • Limited transitions and no stock media files.

shotcut

Shotcut is an open-source and cross-platform video editor. It has support for all the different media file formats, and it supports 4K resolution. You can use the software to capture webcam and screen video as well as audio narration. You can also import different file formats for photos. There are various audio features available starting from audio filters to audio mixing.

Shotcut comes with a large set of transitions, effects, and filters. It supports video stabilization and deinterlacing as well as blending modes. You can edit video speed, reserve video clips, correct colors, and imperfections easily. There is a multi-track timeline available for easy video making and editing.

5. Adobe Premiere Pro

Best for: premium video editor for advanced Windows users.

System compatibility: Windows 10 and 11.

Reason to choose:

  • Wide range of video effects, transitions, and templates.
  • Edit 3D, VR, and multicam and 360-dgree videos as well as audio.
  • Suitable for collaborative video editing and robust timeline.
  • Support for various video and audio formats.

Reason to avoid:

  • Reports of lagging in low-end computers.
  • Steep learning curve to understand the user interface.

adobe premiere pro

Adobe Premiere Pro is undoubtedly the best lightweight video editor Windows 10 for advanced video editors. Even though it is relatively less lightweight, you can do basic video editing on computers which do not have high-end hardware. Apart from basic editing, you can create industry-grade videos with the editing options available on the software.

You may need some training and lessons could be high useful for smooth editing. The software supports teamwork and collaborative video editing. You can edit VR and 3D videos as well as audio. The user interface is complicated, but it is highly customizable and flexible. The timeline is quite advanced and it is a complete video editor with full-fledged features.

6. VideoPad Video Editor

Best for: those who are looking for a video as well as audio editor.

System compatibility: Windows and Mac.

Reason to choose:

  • Perfect combination of standard video and audio editing options.
  • Video templates for intro, outro, and themed videos.
  • Lossless exporting of videos in different formats.
  • Video stabilization, color correction, and plugin support.
  • Supports 4K video and share directly on YouTube.

Reason to avoid:

  • Limited range of transitions and effects.
  • Limited options for 3D video editing.

videopad video editor

VideoPad Video Editor from NCH Software comes with a simple user interface, and hence, it is suitable for beginners. There is a wide category of transitions and effects available. It is the perfect combination video and audio editor. The software can process the videos faster, and it supports so many different types of media file formats.

Even though it is a rather simple video editor, it is quite powerful where you can edit 3D and e60-degree videos. Besides, there are options for 3D texts and tiles, chroma key, custom logos, and animations. Moreover, you can choose from different templates for intro and outro part of your videos. The audio editor is quite useful for mixing tracks, adding effects, and record own narration.

7. VSDC Free Video Editor

Best for: those who have very low end and outdated PCs.

System compatibility: Windows XP or above.

Reason to choose:

  • Zoom and edit option, 360-degree video editing.
  • Large set of video effects, transitions and filters.
  • Chroma key option and PiP and split screen effect.
  • Color correction and very low system requirements.
  • Supports importing and exporting different file formats.

Reason to avoid:

  • Advanced features are locked for premium users.

vsdc free video editor

VSDC is a free suite where you get video editor and audio editor for free. Coming specifically to VSDC Free Video Editor, all the features are available for free without any watermark. However, there is a Pro version available with more advance video editing features. The software supports a wide range of media file formats.

You can zoom and edit accurately. You can even edit 360-degree videos without any issue. There are options for color correction, greenscreen effects and visualizations. You can choose from a large set of video effects and filters. The best part is that VSDC Free Video Editor is suitable for very low-end systems.

8. Avidemux

Best for: those looking for a free video editor for basic editing.

System compatibility: Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Reason to choose:

  • Standard video options available.
  • Advanced video filters and effects.
  • Custom scripting and advanced interlacing.
  • Super intuitive user interface.
  • Supports multiple file formats.

Reason to avoid:

  • Not suitable for high-resolution videos.

avidemux

Avidemux from Sourceforge is a light video editing software free. The software is suitable for basic editing only. It is extremely lightweight, and it supports a limited resolution of videos. You can cut crop, trim videos, add filters to them, and perform encoding tasks. The software supports various import and export file formats.

Avidemux also has basic audio editing options, and you can publish compressed videos in rather small file sizes. There is also option for custom scripting, and you can automate common tasks easily. It belongs to the open-source video editor category, and hence, it is completely free to use for all purposes.

Part 3. FAQs about Light Video Editor

1. What is Light Video Editor?

Light Video Editor is a user-friendly video editing software that allows users to edit and create videos quickly and easily. The software includes features such as trimming, merging, cropping, adding music, and more.

2. what is the best lightweight video editor for windows?

Wondershare Filmora is the best lightweight video editor for Windows as well as Mac users. Even though the software is world-class as a video editing software, it does not demand high CPU usage and does not high system requirements.

3. What is the best free light video editor?

Shotcut is the best free light video editor, and it is available for all computer operating systems. If you have a very low-end computer, VSDC Free Video Editor is the best free light video editor for you.

4. Can I use a light video editor for professional projects?

While a light video editor may not have all the features of a professional video editor, it can still be used for professional projects such as short promotional videos, social media content, or simple marketing videos. It can be a great option for those who need to quickly edit and produce videos without spending a lot of time learning a complex software.

5. What are the benefits of using a light video editor?

One of the main benefits of using a light video editor is its simplicity and ease of use. It can be a great option for beginners or those who need to quickly edit and produce videos without spending a lot of time learning a complex software. It is also usually more affordable than a full-featured video editor and can still produce high-quality videos for personal or professional use.

Reason to avoid:

  • Video processing slightly on the slower side.

filmora

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Wondershare Filmora is the best lightweight video editor that is tailor-made for both beginners as well as professionals. It is a premium video editor, and you should opt for it if you regularly edit videos. In fact, it is widely used by YouTubers and social media video creators. The software lets you record your screen and webcam video along with system and external mic sound. You can edit various video parameters such as aspect ratio, resolution, frame rate and likewise.

Coming to its editing features, you get a perfect blend of basic and advanced editing tools. You can trim, crop, split, join video clips as well as make videos from photos. You can import various media files of different formats including audio files. There are loads of transitions, effects, elements, texts, and stock media files. You can opt for greenscreen effect, apply stickers, correct colors, and much more.

2. Studio

Best for: Slightly advanced Windows users for advanced video editing.

System compatibility: Windows 11 and 10 (64 bit)

Reason to choose:

  • Perfect blend of standard and advanced video editing tools.
  • Advanced video masking and color grading options.
  • Tons of effects, filters, transitions, and overlays.
  • Edit multi-cam video and 360-degree video.
  • Advanced audio editing options.

Reason to avoid:

  • Some advanced features are not full-fledged.

pinnacle studio

Studio is a premium but light video editor that has some advanced video editing options. You will get all the basic video editing tools as well. You can publish cinema-grade videos with Studio. You can zoom video clips and edit frames accurately so that the video has no glitches and inconsistency in editing. The software allows you to edit multi-cam videos and make split-screen videos.

You can also record your screen and webcam with Studio. Apart from video editing, you can edit your audio files. There are options for color grading, blend modes and video making. Among the advanced features, you get motion and smart object tracking along with keyframing and editing 360-degree videos. The software comes with hardware acceleration to boost its performance.

3. OpenShot

Best for: those looking for a free light video editor.

System compatibility: Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Reason to choose:

  • Drag and drop media files of different formats.
  • Wide range of video filters and transition effects.
  • 3D objects and animations with Blender plugin.
  • Dedicated audio editor and video templates.

Reason to avoid:

  • Not so suitable for 4K resolution videos.

openshot

OpenShot is an open-source and cross-platform video editor that is compatible across all computer operating systems. It is completely free to use, and it has a good mixture of all basic and some advanced video editing options. You can import photos, video clips, and audio files as per your requirements as it supports a wide range of media file formats.

The user interface is simple, and hence, beginners will find it easy to use. The software has one of the lowest CPU resource usages among the lightweight video editors. You can trim, crop, resize, split and do all such video editing. You can adjust the speed of videos as well as correct video parameters. The software allows you to attach custom watermarks and overlays, and there is the option for time-mapping.

4. ShotCut

Best for: open-source video editor with standard and advanced features.

System compatibility: Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Reason to choose:

  • Import and export different file formats in high-resolution.
  • Chroma key, video stabilization, filters and transitions.
  • Video masking, composting and color correction.
  • Complete audio editor with filters and mixing.
  • Wide range of video editing options and tools.

Reason to avoid:

  • User interface takes time to understand all features.
  • Limited transitions and no stock media files.

shotcut

Shotcut is an open-source and cross-platform video editor. It has support for all the different media file formats, and it supports 4K resolution. You can use the software to capture webcam and screen video as well as audio narration. You can also import different file formats for photos. There are various audio features available starting from audio filters to audio mixing.

Shotcut comes with a large set of transitions, effects, and filters. It supports video stabilization and deinterlacing as well as blending modes. You can edit video speed, reserve video clips, correct colors, and imperfections easily. There is a multi-track timeline available for easy video making and editing.

5. Adobe Premiere Pro

Best for: premium video editor for advanced Windows users.

System compatibility: Windows 10 and 11.

Reason to choose:

  • Wide range of video effects, transitions, and templates.
  • Edit 3D, VR, and multicam and 360-dgree videos as well as audio.
  • Suitable for collaborative video editing and robust timeline.
  • Support for various video and audio formats.

Reason to avoid:

  • Reports of lagging in low-end computers.
  • Steep learning curve to understand the user interface.

adobe premiere pro

Adobe Premiere Pro is undoubtedly the best lightweight video editor Windows 10 for advanced video editors. Even though it is relatively less lightweight, you can do basic video editing on computers which do not have high-end hardware. Apart from basic editing, you can create industry-grade videos with the editing options available on the software.

You may need some training and lessons could be high useful for smooth editing. The software supports teamwork and collaborative video editing. You can edit VR and 3D videos as well as audio. The user interface is complicated, but it is highly customizable and flexible. The timeline is quite advanced and it is a complete video editor with full-fledged features.

6. VideoPad Video Editor

Best for: those who are looking for a video as well as audio editor.

System compatibility: Windows and Mac.

Reason to choose:

  • Perfect combination of standard video and audio editing options.
  • Video templates for intro, outro, and themed videos.
  • Lossless exporting of videos in different formats.
  • Video stabilization, color correction, and plugin support.
  • Supports 4K video and share directly on YouTube.

Reason to avoid:

  • Limited range of transitions and effects.
  • Limited options for 3D video editing.

videopad video editor

VideoPad Video Editor from NCH Software comes with a simple user interface, and hence, it is suitable for beginners. There is a wide category of transitions and effects available. It is the perfect combination video and audio editor. The software can process the videos faster, and it supports so many different types of media file formats.

Even though it is a rather simple video editor, it is quite powerful where you can edit 3D and e60-degree videos. Besides, there are options for 3D texts and tiles, chroma key, custom logos, and animations. Moreover, you can choose from different templates for intro and outro part of your videos. The audio editor is quite useful for mixing tracks, adding effects, and record own narration.

7. VSDC Free Video Editor

Best for: those who have very low end and outdated PCs.

System compatibility: Windows XP or above.

Reason to choose:

  • Zoom and edit option, 360-degree video editing.
  • Large set of video effects, transitions and filters.
  • Chroma key option and PiP and split screen effect.
  • Color correction and very low system requirements.
  • Supports importing and exporting different file formats.

Reason to avoid:

  • Advanced features are locked for premium users.

vsdc free video editor

VSDC is a free suite where you get video editor and audio editor for free. Coming specifically to VSDC Free Video Editor, all the features are available for free without any watermark. However, there is a Pro version available with more advance video editing features. The software supports a wide range of media file formats.

You can zoom and edit accurately. You can even edit 360-degree videos without any issue. There are options for color correction, greenscreen effects and visualizations. You can choose from a large set of video effects and filters. The best part is that VSDC Free Video Editor is suitable for very low-end systems.

8. Avidemux

Best for: those looking for a free video editor for basic editing.

System compatibility: Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Reason to choose:

  • Standard video options available.
  • Advanced video filters and effects.
  • Custom scripting and advanced interlacing.
  • Super intuitive user interface.
  • Supports multiple file formats.

Reason to avoid:

  • Not suitable for high-resolution videos.

avidemux

Avidemux from Sourceforge is a light video editing software free. The software is suitable for basic editing only. It is extremely lightweight, and it supports a limited resolution of videos. You can cut crop, trim videos, add filters to them, and perform encoding tasks. The software supports various import and export file formats.

Avidemux also has basic audio editing options, and you can publish compressed videos in rather small file sizes. There is also option for custom scripting, and you can automate common tasks easily. It belongs to the open-source video editor category, and hence, it is completely free to use for all purposes.

Part 3. FAQs about Light Video Editor

1. What is Light Video Editor?

Light Video Editor is a user-friendly video editing software that allows users to edit and create videos quickly and easily. The software includes features such as trimming, merging, cropping, adding music, and more.

2. what is the best lightweight video editor for windows?

Wondershare Filmora is the best lightweight video editor for Windows as well as Mac users. Even though the software is world-class as a video editing software, it does not demand high CPU usage and does not high system requirements.

3. What is the best free light video editor?

Shotcut is the best free light video editor, and it is available for all computer operating systems. If you have a very low-end computer, VSDC Free Video Editor is the best free light video editor for you.

4. Can I use a light video editor for professional projects?

While a light video editor may not have all the features of a professional video editor, it can still be used for professional projects such as short promotional videos, social media content, or simple marketing videos. It can be a great option for those who need to quickly edit and produce videos without spending a lot of time learning a complex software.

5. What are the benefits of using a light video editor?

One of the main benefits of using a light video editor is its simplicity and ease of use. It can be a great option for beginners or those who need to quickly edit and produce videos without spending a lot of time learning a complex software. It is also usually more affordable than a full-featured video editor and can still produce high-quality videos for personal or professional use.

Reason to avoid:

  • Video processing slightly on the slower side.

filmora

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Wondershare Filmora is the best lightweight video editor that is tailor-made for both beginners as well as professionals. It is a premium video editor, and you should opt for it if you regularly edit videos. In fact, it is widely used by YouTubers and social media video creators. The software lets you record your screen and webcam video along with system and external mic sound. You can edit various video parameters such as aspect ratio, resolution, frame rate and likewise.

Coming to its editing features, you get a perfect blend of basic and advanced editing tools. You can trim, crop, split, join video clips as well as make videos from photos. You can import various media files of different formats including audio files. There are loads of transitions, effects, elements, texts, and stock media files. You can opt for greenscreen effect, apply stickers, correct colors, and much more.

2. Studio

Best for: Slightly advanced Windows users for advanced video editing.

System compatibility: Windows 11 and 10 (64 bit)

Reason to choose:

  • Perfect blend of standard and advanced video editing tools.
  • Advanced video masking and color grading options.
  • Tons of effects, filters, transitions, and overlays.
  • Edit multi-cam video and 360-degree video.
  • Advanced audio editing options.

Reason to avoid:

  • Some advanced features are not full-fledged.

pinnacle studio

Studio is a premium but light video editor that has some advanced video editing options. You will get all the basic video editing tools as well. You can publish cinema-grade videos with Studio. You can zoom video clips and edit frames accurately so that the video has no glitches and inconsistency in editing. The software allows you to edit multi-cam videos and make split-screen videos.

You can also record your screen and webcam with Studio. Apart from video editing, you can edit your audio files. There are options for color grading, blend modes and video making. Among the advanced features, you get motion and smart object tracking along with keyframing and editing 360-degree videos. The software comes with hardware acceleration to boost its performance.

3. OpenShot

Best for: those looking for a free light video editor.

System compatibility: Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Reason to choose:

  • Drag and drop media files of different formats.
  • Wide range of video filters and transition effects.
  • 3D objects and animations with Blender plugin.
  • Dedicated audio editor and video templates.

Reason to avoid:

  • Not so suitable for 4K resolution videos.

openshot

OpenShot is an open-source and cross-platform video editor that is compatible across all computer operating systems. It is completely free to use, and it has a good mixture of all basic and some advanced video editing options. You can import photos, video clips, and audio files as per your requirements as it supports a wide range of media file formats.

The user interface is simple, and hence, beginners will find it easy to use. The software has one of the lowest CPU resource usages among the lightweight video editors. You can trim, crop, resize, split and do all such video editing. You can adjust the speed of videos as well as correct video parameters. The software allows you to attach custom watermarks and overlays, and there is the option for time-mapping.

4. ShotCut

Best for: open-source video editor with standard and advanced features.

System compatibility: Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Reason to choose:

  • Import and export different file formats in high-resolution.
  • Chroma key, video stabilization, filters and transitions.
  • Video masking, composting and color correction.
  • Complete audio editor with filters and mixing.
  • Wide range of video editing options and tools.

Reason to avoid:

  • User interface takes time to understand all features.
  • Limited transitions and no stock media files.

shotcut

Shotcut is an open-source and cross-platform video editor. It has support for all the different media file formats, and it supports 4K resolution. You can use the software to capture webcam and screen video as well as audio narration. You can also import different file formats for photos. There are various audio features available starting from audio filters to audio mixing.

Shotcut comes with a large set of transitions, effects, and filters. It supports video stabilization and deinterlacing as well as blending modes. You can edit video speed, reserve video clips, correct colors, and imperfections easily. There is a multi-track timeline available for easy video making and editing.

5. Adobe Premiere Pro

Best for: premium video editor for advanced Windows users.

System compatibility: Windows 10 and 11.

Reason to choose:

  • Wide range of video effects, transitions, and templates.
  • Edit 3D, VR, and multicam and 360-dgree videos as well as audio.
  • Suitable for collaborative video editing and robust timeline.
  • Support for various video and audio formats.

Reason to avoid:

  • Reports of lagging in low-end computers.
  • Steep learning curve to understand the user interface.

adobe premiere pro

Adobe Premiere Pro is undoubtedly the best lightweight video editor Windows 10 for advanced video editors. Even though it is relatively less lightweight, you can do basic video editing on computers which do not have high-end hardware. Apart from basic editing, you can create industry-grade videos with the editing options available on the software.

You may need some training and lessons could be high useful for smooth editing. The software supports teamwork and collaborative video editing. You can edit VR and 3D videos as well as audio. The user interface is complicated, but it is highly customizable and flexible. The timeline is quite advanced and it is a complete video editor with full-fledged features.

6. VideoPad Video Editor

Best for: those who are looking for a video as well as audio editor.

System compatibility: Windows and Mac.

Reason to choose:

  • Perfect combination of standard video and audio editing options.
  • Video templates for intro, outro, and themed videos.
  • Lossless exporting of videos in different formats.
  • Video stabilization, color correction, and plugin support.
  • Supports 4K video and share directly on YouTube.

Reason to avoid:

  • Limited range of transitions and effects.
  • Limited options for 3D video editing.

videopad video editor

VideoPad Video Editor from NCH Software comes with a simple user interface, and hence, it is suitable for beginners. There is a wide category of transitions and effects available. It is the perfect combination video and audio editor. The software can process the videos faster, and it supports so many different types of media file formats.

Even though it is a rather simple video editor, it is quite powerful where you can edit 3D and e60-degree videos. Besides, there are options for 3D texts and tiles, chroma key, custom logos, and animations. Moreover, you can choose from different templates for intro and outro part of your videos. The audio editor is quite useful for mixing tracks, adding effects, and record own narration.

7. VSDC Free Video Editor

Best for: those who have very low end and outdated PCs.

System compatibility: Windows XP or above.

Reason to choose:

  • Zoom and edit option, 360-degree video editing.
  • Large set of video effects, transitions and filters.
  • Chroma key option and PiP and split screen effect.
  • Color correction and very low system requirements.
  • Supports importing and exporting different file formats.

Reason to avoid:

  • Advanced features are locked for premium users.

vsdc free video editor

VSDC is a free suite where you get video editor and audio editor for free. Coming specifically to VSDC Free Video Editor, all the features are available for free without any watermark. However, there is a Pro version available with more advance video editing features. The software supports a wide range of media file formats.

You can zoom and edit accurately. You can even edit 360-degree videos without any issue. There are options for color correction, greenscreen effects and visualizations. You can choose from a large set of video effects and filters. The best part is that VSDC Free Video Editor is suitable for very low-end systems.

8. Avidemux

Best for: those looking for a free video editor for basic editing.

System compatibility: Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Reason to choose:

  • Standard video options available.
  • Advanced video filters and effects.
  • Custom scripting and advanced interlacing.
  • Super intuitive user interface.
  • Supports multiple file formats.

Reason to avoid:

  • Not suitable for high-resolution videos.

avidemux

Avidemux from Sourceforge is a light video editing software free. The software is suitable for basic editing only. It is extremely lightweight, and it supports a limited resolution of videos. You can cut crop, trim videos, add filters to them, and perform encoding tasks. The software supports various import and export file formats.

Avidemux also has basic audio editing options, and you can publish compressed videos in rather small file sizes. There is also option for custom scripting, and you can automate common tasks easily. It belongs to the open-source video editor category, and hence, it is completely free to use for all purposes.

Part 3. FAQs about Light Video Editor

1. What is Light Video Editor?

Light Video Editor is a user-friendly video editing software that allows users to edit and create videos quickly and easily. The software includes features such as trimming, merging, cropping, adding music, and more.

2. what is the best lightweight video editor for windows?

Wondershare Filmora is the best lightweight video editor for Windows as well as Mac users. Even though the software is world-class as a video editing software, it does not demand high CPU usage and does not high system requirements.

3. What is the best free light video editor?

Shotcut is the best free light video editor, and it is available for all computer operating systems. If you have a very low-end computer, VSDC Free Video Editor is the best free light video editor for you.

4. Can I use a light video editor for professional projects?

While a light video editor may not have all the features of a professional video editor, it can still be used for professional projects such as short promotional videos, social media content, or simple marketing videos. It can be a great option for those who need to quickly edit and produce videos without spending a lot of time learning a complex software.

5. What are the benefits of using a light video editor?

One of the main benefits of using a light video editor is its simplicity and ease of use. It can be a great option for beginners or those who need to quickly edit and produce videos without spending a lot of time learning a complex software. It is also usually more affordable than a full-featured video editor and can still produce high-quality videos for personal or professional use.

How to Edit Videos in Windows Live Movie Maker [Lately Windows Movie Maker]

How to Edit Videos in Windows Live Movie Maker

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Microsoft has released Windows Live Movie Maker on August 19, 2009 as part of a refresh to their Windows Live Essentials download. Windows Live Movie Maker is the first application designed for Windows 7 and is built to make beautiful movies from your photos and videos. And the latest version is Windows Live Movie Maker 2011.

Update in 2017: Microsoft has stopped the Windows Essentials Suite support on January 10, 2017. It is claimed that it is no longer available for download. If you are looking for an alternative to windows essentials movie maker, or windows movie maker, try Filmora video editor, which is available on both Windows7, Windows8 and Windows 10.


Part 1: Best Alternative to Windows Movie Maker: Filmora [Windows7/8/10 & Mac]

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

Windows Live Movie Maker is a little bit limiting for video editing. In most cases, you need to run Windows 7. Fortunately, you do have other options. There is plenty of software which will do the same thing but better than Windows Live Movie Maker for you to edit your videos and burn videos to DVD. Among many of them, we recommend one Wondershare Filmora. You may wonder what’s so special with this Video Editor. First of all, it supports almost all kinds of video formats, such as AVI, MP4, MPG, MPEG, 3GP, WMV, ASF, RM, RMVB, DAT, MOV, MKV and HD video formats: MTS, M2TS(AVCHD ), TS(MPEG-2), HD MKV(, MPEG-2 HD), HD WMV(VC-1), and HD MOV(, MPEG-4). Secondly, it provides powerful video editing function, such as crop, trim, adjust video effect, add watermark, etc. Also, there are various title and text templates, filter/transition and effects presets for you to choose from. Thirdly, Windows Live Movie Maker can only generate WMV files directly, but this video editor supports burn video to DVD disc, DVD Folder and ISO file or save the video to most of the popular formats.


Part 2: How to Edit Videos in Windows Live Movie Maker [Step by Step]

1.Add Videos and Photos

edit videos in windows live movie maker

While you are adding videos to Windows Live Movie Maker, you may encounter a problem like 3GP files can’t be added to Windows Live Movie Maker. Or it can’t be played in Window Live Movie Maker. And many other video files as well, such as RM, RMVB, DAT and HD video formats: MTS, TS, HD MKV, HD WMV, and HD MOV, etc. It’s quite necessary to get familiar with what all those files that could be imported to Windows Live Movie Maker.

 edit video using windows live movie maker

Notes

  • Video and music files that are protected with digital rights management (DRM) can’t be used in Windows Live Movie Maker.
  • Support for using MPEG-2 and Microsoft Recorded TV Show video files in your movie is available only if your computer is running one of the following editions of Windows Vista or Windows 7: Windows Vista Home Premium, Windows Vista Ultimate, Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Enterprise, or Windows 7 Ultimate.
  • AVCHD video files that contain Dolby Digital audio can be used in Windows Live Movie Maker if your computer is running one of the following editions of Windows 7: Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Enterprise, or Windows 7 Ultimate.
  • MPEG-4 video files that contain audio can be used if you’re using Movie Maker on a computer running Windows 7.
  • Some MPEG-4 video files can be used when you’re using Movie Maker on a computer running Windows Vista if the necessary audio and video codecs are installed.

After adding your photos or videos, you can also add audio or background music to your video clips by clicking the Add music option.

Learn details about How to Add and Edit Music in Windows Movie Maker

2. Video Editing

As we said before, Windows Live Movie Maker (later named Windows Movie Maker) is a simple and easy video editing software for Windows, it can complete some basic video editing and become a good choice for novices. Here, I will share with you about the basic video editing tutorial in the Movie Maker.

Windows Movie Maker Edit

Cut & Trim & Split video in Windows Movie Maker

After adding videos and photos to the storyboard, you can now keep the useful sections and remove unwanted parts. To trim video, just place the playhead to the target position and right click the clip to select the Trim Set Start Point and move the playhead again to then end point and right click to select Set End Point. You can also go to the Edit tab and click the Split menu to split the video into parts. You can then delete and cut out unwanted sections or move it to the proper position.

Add Audio to Video: Record and add voiceover or Music

Windows Movie Maker also allows you to add narrations and background music to video footage. Just click the Add Music option and you can add music from online music libraries such as AudioMicro, Free Music Archive, and Vimeo or add music from the computer.

Windows Movie Maker Edit Add music

Add auto movie themes to Video

There is a built-in AutoMovie themes library in Movie Maker. You can use some popular themes such as Contemporary, Cinematic, Fade, Pan and Zoom, Black and White and Sepia.

Add texts &titles to Video

You can add titles, captions, and credits to video with windows movie maker, but it seems hard to add subtitles and customize its position. For more details about the text and title editing, check

Learn more details about How to Add Text to Video with Windows Movie Maker

Apply transitions & animations to video

The Movie Maker features lots of transitions under Animations tab. You can choose from wipes, cinematics, shatters, sweeps and curls, patterns and shapes, reveals, diagonals and dissolves.

Note: if you use the default themes, you won’t see all these transitions. Check the detailed steps about How to Add Transitions in Windows Movie Maker

Apply visual effects to video

We’ve introduced some of the best visual effects software before, but in Windows Movie Maker, you can also add effects such as 3D Ripple, Black and White, Blur, pixelate, mirrors, motions and fade effects.

Change video speed of video

The Movie Maker Edit tab allows you to adjust video volume, add fade in and fade out effects to video, or change video speed.

Learn more details about How to Speed Up Video in Windows Movie Maker

3. Save Video

After finish editing, you can upload your video clips to Facebook, YouTube, and other social media, or burn your videos to DVD with Windows DVD maker. You can also save your video clips on your computer.

Windows Movie Maker Save Video

You may also like: Windows Movie Maker VS Windows Live Movie Maker: What’s the Difference

While, if you find the windows movie maker editing features are limited based on your editing skills, you can try Wondershare Filmora. Below is a video tutorial about how to edit videos with Filmora.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Microsoft has released Windows Live Movie Maker on August 19, 2009 as part of a refresh to their Windows Live Essentials download. Windows Live Movie Maker is the first application designed for Windows 7 and is built to make beautiful movies from your photos and videos. And the latest version is Windows Live Movie Maker 2011.

Update in 2017: Microsoft has stopped the Windows Essentials Suite support on January 10, 2017. It is claimed that it is no longer available for download. If you are looking for an alternative to windows essentials movie maker, or windows movie maker, try Filmora video editor, which is available on both Windows7, Windows8 and Windows 10.


Part 1: Best Alternative to Windows Movie Maker: Filmora [Windows7/8/10 & Mac]

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

Windows Live Movie Maker is a little bit limiting for video editing. In most cases, you need to run Windows 7. Fortunately, you do have other options. There is plenty of software which will do the same thing but better than Windows Live Movie Maker for you to edit your videos and burn videos to DVD. Among many of them, we recommend one Wondershare Filmora. You may wonder what’s so special with this Video Editor. First of all, it supports almost all kinds of video formats, such as AVI, MP4, MPG, MPEG, 3GP, WMV, ASF, RM, RMVB, DAT, MOV, MKV and HD video formats: MTS, M2TS(AVCHD ), TS(MPEG-2), HD MKV(, MPEG-2 HD), HD WMV(VC-1), and HD MOV(, MPEG-4). Secondly, it provides powerful video editing function, such as crop, trim, adjust video effect, add watermark, etc. Also, there are various title and text templates, filter/transition and effects presets for you to choose from. Thirdly, Windows Live Movie Maker can only generate WMV files directly, but this video editor supports burn video to DVD disc, DVD Folder and ISO file or save the video to most of the popular formats.


Part 2: How to Edit Videos in Windows Live Movie Maker [Step by Step]

1.Add Videos and Photos

edit videos in windows live movie maker

While you are adding videos to Windows Live Movie Maker, you may encounter a problem like 3GP files can’t be added to Windows Live Movie Maker. Or it can’t be played in Window Live Movie Maker. And many other video files as well, such as RM, RMVB, DAT and HD video formats: MTS, TS, HD MKV, HD WMV, and HD MOV, etc. It’s quite necessary to get familiar with what all those files that could be imported to Windows Live Movie Maker.

 edit video using windows live movie maker

Notes

  • Video and music files that are protected with digital rights management (DRM) can’t be used in Windows Live Movie Maker.
  • Support for using MPEG-2 and Microsoft Recorded TV Show video files in your movie is available only if your computer is running one of the following editions of Windows Vista or Windows 7: Windows Vista Home Premium, Windows Vista Ultimate, Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Enterprise, or Windows 7 Ultimate.
  • AVCHD video files that contain Dolby Digital audio can be used in Windows Live Movie Maker if your computer is running one of the following editions of Windows 7: Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Enterprise, or Windows 7 Ultimate.
  • MPEG-4 video files that contain audio can be used if you’re using Movie Maker on a computer running Windows 7.
  • Some MPEG-4 video files can be used when you’re using Movie Maker on a computer running Windows Vista if the necessary audio and video codecs are installed.

After adding your photos or videos, you can also add audio or background music to your video clips by clicking the Add music option.

Learn details about How to Add and Edit Music in Windows Movie Maker

2. Video Editing

As we said before, Windows Live Movie Maker (later named Windows Movie Maker) is a simple and easy video editing software for Windows, it can complete some basic video editing and become a good choice for novices. Here, I will share with you about the basic video editing tutorial in the Movie Maker.

Windows Movie Maker Edit

Cut & Trim & Split video in Windows Movie Maker

After adding videos and photos to the storyboard, you can now keep the useful sections and remove unwanted parts. To trim video, just place the playhead to the target position and right click the clip to select the Trim Set Start Point and move the playhead again to then end point and right click to select Set End Point. You can also go to the Edit tab and click the Split menu to split the video into parts. You can then delete and cut out unwanted sections or move it to the proper position.

Add Audio to Video: Record and add voiceover or Music

Windows Movie Maker also allows you to add narrations and background music to video footage. Just click the Add Music option and you can add music from online music libraries such as AudioMicro, Free Music Archive, and Vimeo or add music from the computer.

Windows Movie Maker Edit Add music

Add auto movie themes to Video

There is a built-in AutoMovie themes library in Movie Maker. You can use some popular themes such as Contemporary, Cinematic, Fade, Pan and Zoom, Black and White and Sepia.

Add texts &titles to Video

You can add titles, captions, and credits to video with windows movie maker, but it seems hard to add subtitles and customize its position. For more details about the text and title editing, check

Learn more details about How to Add Text to Video with Windows Movie Maker

Apply transitions & animations to video

The Movie Maker features lots of transitions under Animations tab. You can choose from wipes, cinematics, shatters, sweeps and curls, patterns and shapes, reveals, diagonals and dissolves.

Note: if you use the default themes, you won’t see all these transitions. Check the detailed steps about How to Add Transitions in Windows Movie Maker

Apply visual effects to video

We’ve introduced some of the best visual effects software before, but in Windows Movie Maker, you can also add effects such as 3D Ripple, Black and White, Blur, pixelate, mirrors, motions and fade effects.

Change video speed of video

The Movie Maker Edit tab allows you to adjust video volume, add fade in and fade out effects to video, or change video speed.

Learn more details about How to Speed Up Video in Windows Movie Maker

3. Save Video

After finish editing, you can upload your video clips to Facebook, YouTube, and other social media, or burn your videos to DVD with Windows DVD maker. You can also save your video clips on your computer.

Windows Movie Maker Save Video

You may also like: Windows Movie Maker VS Windows Live Movie Maker: What’s the Difference

While, if you find the windows movie maker editing features are limited based on your editing skills, you can try Wondershare Filmora. Below is a video tutorial about how to edit videos with Filmora.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Microsoft has released Windows Live Movie Maker on August 19, 2009 as part of a refresh to their Windows Live Essentials download. Windows Live Movie Maker is the first application designed for Windows 7 and is built to make beautiful movies from your photos and videos. And the latest version is Windows Live Movie Maker 2011.

Update in 2017: Microsoft has stopped the Windows Essentials Suite support on January 10, 2017. It is claimed that it is no longer available for download. If you are looking for an alternative to windows essentials movie maker, or windows movie maker, try Filmora video editor, which is available on both Windows7, Windows8 and Windows 10.


Part 1: Best Alternative to Windows Movie Maker: Filmora [Windows7/8/10 & Mac]

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

Windows Live Movie Maker is a little bit limiting for video editing. In most cases, you need to run Windows 7. Fortunately, you do have other options. There is plenty of software which will do the same thing but better than Windows Live Movie Maker for you to edit your videos and burn videos to DVD. Among many of them, we recommend one Wondershare Filmora. You may wonder what’s so special with this Video Editor. First of all, it supports almost all kinds of video formats, such as AVI, MP4, MPG, MPEG, 3GP, WMV, ASF, RM, RMVB, DAT, MOV, MKV and HD video formats: MTS, M2TS(AVCHD ), TS(MPEG-2), HD MKV(, MPEG-2 HD), HD WMV(VC-1), and HD MOV(, MPEG-4). Secondly, it provides powerful video editing function, such as crop, trim, adjust video effect, add watermark, etc. Also, there are various title and text templates, filter/transition and effects presets for you to choose from. Thirdly, Windows Live Movie Maker can only generate WMV files directly, but this video editor supports burn video to DVD disc, DVD Folder and ISO file or save the video to most of the popular formats.


Part 2: How to Edit Videos in Windows Live Movie Maker [Step by Step]

1.Add Videos and Photos

edit videos in windows live movie maker

While you are adding videos to Windows Live Movie Maker, you may encounter a problem like 3GP files can’t be added to Windows Live Movie Maker. Or it can’t be played in Window Live Movie Maker. And many other video files as well, such as RM, RMVB, DAT and HD video formats: MTS, TS, HD MKV, HD WMV, and HD MOV, etc. It’s quite necessary to get familiar with what all those files that could be imported to Windows Live Movie Maker.

 edit video using windows live movie maker

Notes

  • Video and music files that are protected with digital rights management (DRM) can’t be used in Windows Live Movie Maker.
  • Support for using MPEG-2 and Microsoft Recorded TV Show video files in your movie is available only if your computer is running one of the following editions of Windows Vista or Windows 7: Windows Vista Home Premium, Windows Vista Ultimate, Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Enterprise, or Windows 7 Ultimate.
  • AVCHD video files that contain Dolby Digital audio can be used in Windows Live Movie Maker if your computer is running one of the following editions of Windows 7: Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Enterprise, or Windows 7 Ultimate.
  • MPEG-4 video files that contain audio can be used if you’re using Movie Maker on a computer running Windows 7.
  • Some MPEG-4 video files can be used when you’re using Movie Maker on a computer running Windows Vista if the necessary audio and video codecs are installed.

After adding your photos or videos, you can also add audio or background music to your video clips by clicking the Add music option.

Learn details about How to Add and Edit Music in Windows Movie Maker

2. Video Editing

As we said before, Windows Live Movie Maker (later named Windows Movie Maker) is a simple and easy video editing software for Windows, it can complete some basic video editing and become a good choice for novices. Here, I will share with you about the basic video editing tutorial in the Movie Maker.

Windows Movie Maker Edit

Cut & Trim & Split video in Windows Movie Maker

After adding videos and photos to the storyboard, you can now keep the useful sections and remove unwanted parts. To trim video, just place the playhead to the target position and right click the clip to select the Trim Set Start Point and move the playhead again to then end point and right click to select Set End Point. You can also go to the Edit tab and click the Split menu to split the video into parts. You can then delete and cut out unwanted sections or move it to the proper position.

Add Audio to Video: Record and add voiceover or Music

Windows Movie Maker also allows you to add narrations and background music to video footage. Just click the Add Music option and you can add music from online music libraries such as AudioMicro, Free Music Archive, and Vimeo or add music from the computer.

Windows Movie Maker Edit Add music

Add auto movie themes to Video

There is a built-in AutoMovie themes library in Movie Maker. You can use some popular themes such as Contemporary, Cinematic, Fade, Pan and Zoom, Black and White and Sepia.

Add texts &titles to Video

You can add titles, captions, and credits to video with windows movie maker, but it seems hard to add subtitles and customize its position. For more details about the text and title editing, check

Learn more details about How to Add Text to Video with Windows Movie Maker

Apply transitions & animations to video

The Movie Maker features lots of transitions under Animations tab. You can choose from wipes, cinematics, shatters, sweeps and curls, patterns and shapes, reveals, diagonals and dissolves.

Note: if you use the default themes, you won’t see all these transitions. Check the detailed steps about How to Add Transitions in Windows Movie Maker

Apply visual effects to video

We’ve introduced some of the best visual effects software before, but in Windows Movie Maker, you can also add effects such as 3D Ripple, Black and White, Blur, pixelate, mirrors, motions and fade effects.

Change video speed of video

The Movie Maker Edit tab allows you to adjust video volume, add fade in and fade out effects to video, or change video speed.

Learn more details about How to Speed Up Video in Windows Movie Maker

3. Save Video

After finish editing, you can upload your video clips to Facebook, YouTube, and other social media, or burn your videos to DVD with Windows DVD maker. You can also save your video clips on your computer.

Windows Movie Maker Save Video

You may also like: Windows Movie Maker VS Windows Live Movie Maker: What’s the Difference

While, if you find the windows movie maker editing features are limited based on your editing skills, you can try Wondershare Filmora. Below is a video tutorial about how to edit videos with Filmora.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Microsoft has released Windows Live Movie Maker on August 19, 2009 as part of a refresh to their Windows Live Essentials download. Windows Live Movie Maker is the first application designed for Windows 7 and is built to make beautiful movies from your photos and videos. And the latest version is Windows Live Movie Maker 2011.

Update in 2017: Microsoft has stopped the Windows Essentials Suite support on January 10, 2017. It is claimed that it is no longer available for download. If you are looking for an alternative to windows essentials movie maker, or windows movie maker, try Filmora video editor, which is available on both Windows7, Windows8 and Windows 10.


Part 1: Best Alternative to Windows Movie Maker: Filmora [Windows7/8/10 & Mac]

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

Windows Live Movie Maker is a little bit limiting for video editing. In most cases, you need to run Windows 7. Fortunately, you do have other options. There is plenty of software which will do the same thing but better than Windows Live Movie Maker for you to edit your videos and burn videos to DVD. Among many of them, we recommend one Wondershare Filmora. You may wonder what’s so special with this Video Editor. First of all, it supports almost all kinds of video formats, such as AVI, MP4, MPG, MPEG, 3GP, WMV, ASF, RM, RMVB, DAT, MOV, MKV and HD video formats: MTS, M2TS(AVCHD ), TS(MPEG-2), HD MKV(, MPEG-2 HD), HD WMV(VC-1), and HD MOV(, MPEG-4). Secondly, it provides powerful video editing function, such as crop, trim, adjust video effect, add watermark, etc. Also, there are various title and text templates, filter/transition and effects presets for you to choose from. Thirdly, Windows Live Movie Maker can only generate WMV files directly, but this video editor supports burn video to DVD disc, DVD Folder and ISO file or save the video to most of the popular formats.


Part 2: How to Edit Videos in Windows Live Movie Maker [Step by Step]

1.Add Videos and Photos

edit videos in windows live movie maker

While you are adding videos to Windows Live Movie Maker, you may encounter a problem like 3GP files can’t be added to Windows Live Movie Maker. Or it can’t be played in Window Live Movie Maker. And many other video files as well, such as RM, RMVB, DAT and HD video formats: MTS, TS, HD MKV, HD WMV, and HD MOV, etc. It’s quite necessary to get familiar with what all those files that could be imported to Windows Live Movie Maker.

 edit video using windows live movie maker

Notes

  • Video and music files that are protected with digital rights management (DRM) can’t be used in Windows Live Movie Maker.
  • Support for using MPEG-2 and Microsoft Recorded TV Show video files in your movie is available only if your computer is running one of the following editions of Windows Vista or Windows 7: Windows Vista Home Premium, Windows Vista Ultimate, Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Enterprise, or Windows 7 Ultimate.
  • AVCHD video files that contain Dolby Digital audio can be used in Windows Live Movie Maker if your computer is running one of the following editions of Windows 7: Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Enterprise, or Windows 7 Ultimate.
  • MPEG-4 video files that contain audio can be used if you’re using Movie Maker on a computer running Windows 7.
  • Some MPEG-4 video files can be used when you’re using Movie Maker on a computer running Windows Vista if the necessary audio and video codecs are installed.

After adding your photos or videos, you can also add audio or background music to your video clips by clicking the Add music option.

Learn details about How to Add and Edit Music in Windows Movie Maker

2. Video Editing

As we said before, Windows Live Movie Maker (later named Windows Movie Maker) is a simple and easy video editing software for Windows, it can complete some basic video editing and become a good choice for novices. Here, I will share with you about the basic video editing tutorial in the Movie Maker.

Windows Movie Maker Edit

Cut & Trim & Split video in Windows Movie Maker

After adding videos and photos to the storyboard, you can now keep the useful sections and remove unwanted parts. To trim video, just place the playhead to the target position and right click the clip to select the Trim Set Start Point and move the playhead again to then end point and right click to select Set End Point. You can also go to the Edit tab and click the Split menu to split the video into parts. You can then delete and cut out unwanted sections or move it to the proper position.

Add Audio to Video: Record and add voiceover or Music

Windows Movie Maker also allows you to add narrations and background music to video footage. Just click the Add Music option and you can add music from online music libraries such as AudioMicro, Free Music Archive, and Vimeo or add music from the computer.

Windows Movie Maker Edit Add music

Add auto movie themes to Video

There is a built-in AutoMovie themes library in Movie Maker. You can use some popular themes such as Contemporary, Cinematic, Fade, Pan and Zoom, Black and White and Sepia.

Add texts &titles to Video

You can add titles, captions, and credits to video with windows movie maker, but it seems hard to add subtitles and customize its position. For more details about the text and title editing, check

Learn more details about How to Add Text to Video with Windows Movie Maker

Apply transitions & animations to video

The Movie Maker features lots of transitions under Animations tab. You can choose from wipes, cinematics, shatters, sweeps and curls, patterns and shapes, reveals, diagonals and dissolves.

Note: if you use the default themes, you won’t see all these transitions. Check the detailed steps about How to Add Transitions in Windows Movie Maker

Apply visual effects to video

We’ve introduced some of the best visual effects software before, but in Windows Movie Maker, you can also add effects such as 3D Ripple, Black and White, Blur, pixelate, mirrors, motions and fade effects.

Change video speed of video

The Movie Maker Edit tab allows you to adjust video volume, add fade in and fade out effects to video, or change video speed.

Learn more details about How to Speed Up Video in Windows Movie Maker

3. Save Video

After finish editing, you can upload your video clips to Facebook, YouTube, and other social media, or burn your videos to DVD with Windows DVD maker. You can also save your video clips on your computer.

Windows Movie Maker Save Video

You may also like: Windows Movie Maker VS Windows Live Movie Maker: What’s the Difference

While, if you find the windows movie maker editing features are limited based on your editing skills, you can try Wondershare Filmora. Below is a video tutorial about how to edit videos with Filmora.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Windows Movie Maker Download [Complete Guide]

Microsoft produced the movie editing software known as Windows Movie Maker. You can download Movie Maker Windows 10 or even in previous versions. This application can combine video, sound, still photos, and transcripts to make a customized movie. Its functions are simple to use and enjoyable to explore with, and its XML code enables users to create new transitions and effects or change current ones. It’s also simple to upload finished Windows Movie Maker productions to video and social media platforms.

This guide explains everything you need to know about downloading windows movie maker. You can choose to use windows movie maker installation guide as well. With this Windows Movie Maker, you can choose from five different thumb sizes, which is probably plenty, and you can enlarge these clip representations using the zoom button at the bottom. Using the cursor insertion point and edit buttons, you can cut or divide clips. Once you’re used to the app’s distinct editing method, it becomes pretty simple.

Part 1. System Requirements for Windows Movie Maker

Beginners should use Windows Video Maker. Along with fundamental capabilities and workflow components seen in professional video editing systems, it is available for free on Windows PCs. Even inexperienced editors may understand it because to its simple chronology in the form of an understandable interface. Windows Movie Maker allows you to create your own movies. Create professional movies from your still and moving images. To aid in telling your tale, use transitions, sound, subtitles, and special effects.

Requirements Compatibility of Windows Movie Maker
Support System Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10 are all versions of Microsoft Windows.
Processor 1GHz Intel/AMD processor or above such as an Intel Pentium III, Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) Athlon, or equivalent processor
For Audio An audio capture device to capture audio from external sources
Hardware Memory 300MB space for installation
Graphics Card Super VGA (800x600) resolution graphics card with at least a 16-bit graphics card
Other Requirements 256MB RAM (512MB or above recommended)

Part 2. Download and install Windows Movie Maker Windows 10

Anyone who wants to easily modify movies should use Movie Maker. The program offers every fundamental feature you need to create edited videos. Effects, transitions, titles and credits, audio track, timeline narration, and Auto Movie are just a few of the features available in Windows Movie Maker. XML code may be used to create new effects and transitions as well as modify already existing ones. An easy-to-use tool for altering audio tracks is Windows Movie Maker. To audio tracks, Windows Movie Maker can add simple effects like fade-in and fade-out.

Steps to Download and Install Windows Movie Maker on Win 10

Step1 Download the File

You may download Windows Movie Maker to produce videos from photographs. Transitions, a soundtrack, title and credit text, among other things, are simple to add to your video. Complete the necessary file downloads by clicking on the download button(s) below. Depending on your download speed, this might take anything from a few minutes to many hours.

Download Windows Movie Maker

Step2 Run the Downloaded program File

The installation launch screen is given in the following image. To install the program, run “setup.exe” by double-clicking the downloaded setup file that you previously downloaded.

run windows movie maker installer

Step3 Set Personalized Installation

Follow the instructions to install Windows Movie Maker. .Net framework is a required for Windows Movie Maker. Launch the Windows Movie Maker Installer program to install Windows Movie Maker on Windows 10.

install all windows essentials

Step4 Hit Install Button

Press the “Install” button after selecting Messenger, Photo Gallery, and Movie Maker as the apps to be installed. You can now access Windows Movie Maker.

installing windows essentials 2012

Naturally, Microsoft also offered new video editing tools for Windows users once they ceased upgrading Windows Movie Maker. The complete version of Windows Movie Maker 2022 is now installed on your Windows 10 OS computer without any restrictions.

Part 3. Download and Install Windows Movie Maker Windows 7/8

Windows Movie Maker is a user-friendly and effective movie creation and editing software program created for the most recent versions of Windows 11 and Windows 7/8/10. Windows XP and Vista are compatible with the previous version. Only the Essentials package, a free collection of lifestyle and utility software for Windows 7 and Windows 8, which also contains Windows Photo Gallery, allows you to install Movie Maker. The single installer for all the Essentials applications gives you the choice to install all of them at once or just some of them.

Steps to Download and Install Windows Movie Maker on Win 7/8

Step1 Download the Installer

Start downloading Windows Live Essentials Movie Maker 12 by clicking on one of the links below. Windows Live Essentials Movie Maker has a standalone, complete offline installation available here. Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, and 64-bit versions of Windows are all supported by this offline installation solution for Windows Movie Maker.

Download Installer

Step2 Open and Customize the File

Access the “Patch” folder. Apply the fix by running “windows.movie.maker-patch.exe”. Although Windows Essentials installation is requested by the Windows Movie Maker installer, it is not required. You may click “Choose the programs you wish to install” instead to bypass it. You may now view your selections. We just need the picture gallery and the movie creator, so uncheck the boxes next to Writer, Messenger, and Mail. Click the “Choose the apps you wish to install” button after that.

Step3 Hit Install Button

Following this, the installation of Windows Movie Maker will begin when you click the install button. The installation is finished in a short while. After a successful installation, Windows Movie Maker can be added to your taskbar and a desktop shortcut can be made.

select programs to install windows

Step4 Launch the Editor

Free video editing software with a simple UI is called Windows Movie Maker. Click the provided download button to start the Windows movie maker download. The Windows Movie Maker utility download is completely secure and virus-free.

launch windows movie maker software

Part 4. Best Windows Movie Maker Alternative to Use

While there are now several excellent video editors available on the market, we will here suggest Filmora by Wondershare as the best replacement for Windows Movie Maker. Filmora is an extremely user-friendly video editor in terms of UI. It offers a simple user interface that even beginners may quickly grasp. By holding the mouse over any clip in the Media view, you can navigate through it thanks to a handy UX touch.

You may download Filmora for free on your computer running Windows 10 or Windows 11 and it is a very user-friendly movie editor. For novices who want to create explainer videos, training videos, demo videos, and more rapidly, Filmora is a simple yet advanced feature-packed tool. The great video templates make screen recording more alluring. You can make use of annotation tools like callouts, arrows, and drawing gestures to attract attention to essential information. Its structure is quite straightforward and easy to understand since it utilizes the timeline as the editing UI.

How to Edit Videos with Filmora:

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

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Step1 Install Filmora on your Windows PC

You must to download and install Wondershare Filmora on your computer before using it. This TV recorder on the fly may be used for your requirements. You can find every version of the Filmora software, including Windows and Mac versions, as well as the most current version.

You can now install it on your computer once you’ve done downloading it before you can use it with your laptop. It will bring you to the user-friendly UI of Filmora, where you may use the documentation function right away, as illustrated in the following figure:

install filmora on windows pc

Step2 Import the Content

A significant component of managing your raw footages is the Media library. All of the imported material, including the images, audio files, and movies, are now kept in Import Window. The media files are also included in the Music, Pictures, and Videos sections. This top free video editing program has new built-in sound tracks to simplify your job. As the video backdrop music, you can either choose the built-in music or local audio files.

import the content

Step3 Create the Movies

Finally, you may edit your audio recordings using tools that are completely customizable. Use the editor in Filmora to edit your recorded audio files, using simple to advanced editing techniques. Your recorded video can be improved using Filmora’s Editor by adding animated titles, spectacular effects, audio enhancements, and more.

create the movies

Step4 Add Special Effects to Your Video

Wondershare Filmora was created primarily to give your films a polished appearance. You may utilize a variety of its eye-catching and adjustable effects to make your video productions stand out from the competition. In this area, we’ve covered some of the best effects for bringing life to your dull, unprofessional films.

add special effects to video

Step5 Save or Share the Videos

Finally, you can use the complete Filmora editor as previously mentioned when you’ve done editing the recorded video. When you want to submit your creative work right away to YouTube or another well-known website, click the Export option and choose the platform where you want to share your video clip. If you like, you may even make changes to the video before uploading it.

The Bottom Line

Looking to create captivating movies from video clips? The best tool for the purpose can be Windows Movie Maker. While Windows Movie Maker allows for basic track editing, such as the addition of fade-in and fade-out effects for audio tracks, yet, using Filmora program gives you a variety of tools to create professional-looking films, including timeline narration, transition overlays, animations, and audio choices. This way, you might use the suggested movie maker to make movies with a professional tool and sharing it with others.

Part 2. Download and install Windows Movie Maker Windows 10

Anyone who wants to easily modify movies should use Movie Maker. The program offers every fundamental feature you need to create edited videos. Effects, transitions, titles and credits, audio track, timeline narration, and Auto Movie are just a few of the features available in Windows Movie Maker. XML code may be used to create new effects and transitions as well as modify already existing ones. An easy-to-use tool for altering audio tracks is Windows Movie Maker. To audio tracks, Windows Movie Maker can add simple effects like fade-in and fade-out.

Steps to Download and Install Windows Movie Maker on Win 10

Step1 Download the File

You may download Windows Movie Maker to produce videos from photographs. Transitions, a soundtrack, title and credit text, among other things, are simple to add to your video. Complete the necessary file downloads by clicking on the download button(s) below. Depending on your download speed, this might take anything from a few minutes to many hours.

Download Windows Movie Maker

Step2 Run the Downloaded program File

The installation launch screen is given in the following image. To install the program, run “setup.exe” by double-clicking the downloaded setup file that you previously downloaded.

run windows movie maker installer

Step3 Set Personalized Installation

Follow the instructions to install Windows Movie Maker. .Net framework is a required for Windows Movie Maker. Launch the Windows Movie Maker Installer program to install Windows Movie Maker on Windows 10.

install all windows essentials

Step4 Hit Install Button

Press the “Install” button after selecting Messenger, Photo Gallery, and Movie Maker as the apps to be installed. You can now access Windows Movie Maker.

installing windows essentials 2012

Naturally, Microsoft also offered new video editing tools for Windows users once they ceased upgrading Windows Movie Maker. The complete version of Windows Movie Maker 2022 is now installed on your Windows 10 OS computer without any restrictions.

Part 3. Download and Install Windows Movie Maker Windows 7/8

Windows Movie Maker is a user-friendly and effective movie creation and editing software program created for the most recent versions of Windows 11 and Windows 7/8/10. Windows XP and Vista are compatible with the previous version. Only the Essentials package, a free collection of lifestyle and utility software for Windows 7 and Windows 8, which also contains Windows Photo Gallery, allows you to install Movie Maker. The single installer for all the Essentials applications gives you the choice to install all of them at once or just some of them.

Steps to Download and Install Windows Movie Maker on Win 7/8

Step1 Download the Installer

Start downloading Windows Live Essentials Movie Maker 12 by clicking on one of the links below. Windows Live Essentials Movie Maker has a standalone, complete offline installation available here. Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, and 64-bit versions of Windows are all supported by this offline installation solution for Windows Movie Maker.

Download Installer

Step2 Open and Customize the File

Access the “Patch” folder. Apply the fix by running “windows.movie.maker-patch.exe”. Although Windows Essentials installation is requested by the Windows Movie Maker installer, it is not required. You may click “Choose the programs you wish to install” instead to bypass it. You may now view your selections. We just need the picture gallery and the movie creator, so uncheck the boxes next to Writer, Messenger, and Mail. Click the “Choose the apps you wish to install” button after that.

Step3 Hit Install Button

Following this, the installation of Windows Movie Maker will begin when you click the install button. The installation is finished in a short while. After a successful installation, Windows Movie Maker can be added to your taskbar and a desktop shortcut can be made.

select programs to install windows

Step4 Launch the Editor

Free video editing software with a simple UI is called Windows Movie Maker. Click the provided download button to start the Windows movie maker download. The Windows Movie Maker utility download is completely secure and virus-free.

launch windows movie maker software

Part 4. Best Windows Movie Maker Alternative to Use

While there are now several excellent video editors available on the market, we will here suggest Filmora by Wondershare as the best replacement for Windows Movie Maker. Filmora is an extremely user-friendly video editor in terms of UI. It offers a simple user interface that even beginners may quickly grasp. By holding the mouse over any clip in the Media view, you can navigate through it thanks to a handy UX touch.

You may download Filmora for free on your computer running Windows 10 or Windows 11 and it is a very user-friendly movie editor. For novices who want to create explainer videos, training videos, demo videos, and more rapidly, Filmora is a simple yet advanced feature-packed tool. The great video templates make screen recording more alluring. You can make use of annotation tools like callouts, arrows, and drawing gestures to attract attention to essential information. Its structure is quite straightforward and easy to understand since it utilizes the timeline as the editing UI.

How to Edit Videos with Filmora:

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

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Step1 Install Filmora on your Windows PC

You must to download and install Wondershare Filmora on your computer before using it. This TV recorder on the fly may be used for your requirements. You can find every version of the Filmora software, including Windows and Mac versions, as well as the most current version.

You can now install it on your computer once you’ve done downloading it before you can use it with your laptop. It will bring you to the user-friendly UI of Filmora, where you may use the documentation function right away, as illustrated in the following figure:

install filmora on windows pc

Step2 Import the Content

A significant component of managing your raw footages is the Media library. All of the imported material, including the images, audio files, and movies, are now kept in Import Window. The media files are also included in the Music, Pictures, and Videos sections. This top free video editing program has new built-in sound tracks to simplify your job. As the video backdrop music, you can either choose the built-in music or local audio files.

import the content

Step3 Create the Movies

Finally, you may edit your audio recordings using tools that are completely customizable. Use the editor in Filmora to edit your recorded audio files, using simple to advanced editing techniques. Your recorded video can be improved using Filmora’s Editor by adding animated titles, spectacular effects, audio enhancements, and more.

create the movies

Step4 Add Special Effects to Your Video

Wondershare Filmora was created primarily to give your films a polished appearance. You may utilize a variety of its eye-catching and adjustable effects to make your video productions stand out from the competition. In this area, we’ve covered some of the best effects for bringing life to your dull, unprofessional films.

add special effects to video

Step5 Save or Share the Videos

Finally, you can use the complete Filmora editor as previously mentioned when you’ve done editing the recorded video. When you want to submit your creative work right away to YouTube or another well-known website, click the Export option and choose the platform where you want to share your video clip. If you like, you may even make changes to the video before uploading it.

The Bottom Line

Looking to create captivating movies from video clips? The best tool for the purpose can be Windows Movie Maker. While Windows Movie Maker allows for basic track editing, such as the addition of fade-in and fade-out effects for audio tracks, yet, using Filmora program gives you a variety of tools to create professional-looking films, including timeline narration, transition overlays, animations, and audio choices. This way, you might use the suggested movie maker to make movies with a professional tool and sharing it with others.

Also read:

  • Title: 2024 Approved Effortless Video Transfer Importing and Exporting in Adobe Premiere Pro 2023
  • Author: Giselle
  • Created at : 2024-04-25 07:34:53
  • Updated at : 2024-04-26 07:34:53
  • Link: https://ai-vdieo-software.techidaily.com/2024-approved-effortless-video-transfer-importing-and-exporting-in-adobe-premiere-pro-2023/
  • License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
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2024 Approved Effortless Video Transfer Importing and Exporting in Adobe Premiere Pro 2023