From Basics to Pro: A Comprehensive Guide to Picture-in-Picture Editing in Final Cut Pro

How to Create a Picture-in-Picture Effect Using Final Cut Pro

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Sometimes we need to show two videos together on the same screen to convey certain usage information. If you are searching for a tool to make this task possible then Final Cut Pro is the best choice for you.

This tool can help you to use the picture-in-picture effect with ease. However, the process for adding this effect cannot be completed within one r two steps.

The article below contains complete details about how to add PIP effects using Final Cut Pro. You will be glad to know that FCP also works with few integrated plugins that assist in the free picture in picture effect generation.

How to Create PIP Effect with FCP

If you are ready with two videos and now want to bring them to the same screen then prefer to follow these simple steps:

Step 1: Add Background video

The very first step that you need to follow for PIP effect generation using FCP is to bring your main or background video to the timeline as a primary storyline. Once you have created the primary storyline then all videos for the PIP effect will be added to it.

Step 2: Add PIP videos

It is time to choose the higher video clip so that the PIP effect can be applied. This task can be done either by using on-screen type controls available on the viewer or you can move ahead with transform controls available on the inspector.

Note that lower clips use to stay in the background in final results whereas upper clips will appear in the foreground. By default, both clips use to have 100% full screen with 100% opaque settings.

Step 3: Apply PIP effect

As now you have added both videos on-screen now you have to select the higher video and then click over the rectangular transform button that is available on the lower-left corner of viewer screen. As soon as you make this selection, the icon will turn into blue color, and naturally 8 dots will appear around the selected image or video. Use any one of these dots for scaling your selection in asymmetrical order.

Step 4: Adjust PIP Effect

• If you want to scale this image in a symmetrical fashion then simply drag the dot to the corner from the central position.
• Now hold the option key and drag one dot to the corner. It will help you to shrink as well as to enlarge the image even without affecting its actual aspect ratio.
• Users can keep on scaling this foreground image till the time they achieve essential size.
• Now click inside your selected image and start dragging it to reach a certain specific position. You can place it anywhere on a big screen.

Step 5: Follow precise Adjustment

Simply select the top clip and then hit Command + 4 to open the inspector. Now click on that blue show button over your FCP screen and it will provide you complete information about the transform category of available built-in effects. If you use inspector for this task then it can help you to get very precise results for scaling needs. It assists users to manage images with accurate position and size.

Step 6: Apply Cross- Dissolve

• Now choose the leading edge of effect and use Command + T. It will immediately apply the default cross-dissolve option for starting clip.
• You will be glad to know that the PIP effect does not restrict users to work just upon a single image rather it can be used to process as many pictures as your project needs and that can fit inside the frame.

Check this video tutorial to know more details:

Picture in Picture Plug-ins for Final Cut Pro

There are so many plug-ins available in the market for Final Cut Pro platform and all of them possess unique qualities along with impressive toolsets. No matter whether you are a beginner with the PIP effect or professional making high-end video projects, FCP plug-ins can make your task much easier with their intuitive controls.

1. Tokyo PiPintor

PiPintor Free is a specially designed picture-in-picture plugin that assists beginners with easy processing of the PIP effect over Final Cut Pro platform. It simply awakes the menu-driven animation power on your tool so that picture in picture effect can be completed without key-framing.

2. ProPIP

Those who need to enjoy a higher level of customizations are advised to work over ProPIP environment. This advanced tool assists users to showcase their abilities with full freedom for personalization.

ProPIP is the best choice for newscasting, commentaries, and many other applications. It helps in generating fine controls for initial as well as end position, rotation, and scaling effects along with easy-to-use media controls over the screen. ProPIP also provides personalized borders with endless opportunities to develop impressive projects on Final Cut Pro platform.

Benjamin Arango

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

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Sometimes we need to show two videos together on the same screen to convey certain usage information. If you are searching for a tool to make this task possible then Final Cut Pro is the best choice for you.

This tool can help you to use the picture-in-picture effect with ease. However, the process for adding this effect cannot be completed within one r two steps.

The article below contains complete details about how to add PIP effects using Final Cut Pro. You will be glad to know that FCP also works with few integrated plugins that assist in the free picture in picture effect generation.

How to Create PIP Effect with FCP

If you are ready with two videos and now want to bring them to the same screen then prefer to follow these simple steps:

Step 1: Add Background video

The very first step that you need to follow for PIP effect generation using FCP is to bring your main or background video to the timeline as a primary storyline. Once you have created the primary storyline then all videos for the PIP effect will be added to it.

Step 2: Add PIP videos

It is time to choose the higher video clip so that the PIP effect can be applied. This task can be done either by using on-screen type controls available on the viewer or you can move ahead with transform controls available on the inspector.

Note that lower clips use to stay in the background in final results whereas upper clips will appear in the foreground. By default, both clips use to have 100% full screen with 100% opaque settings.

Step 3: Apply PIP effect

As now you have added both videos on-screen now you have to select the higher video and then click over the rectangular transform button that is available on the lower-left corner of viewer screen. As soon as you make this selection, the icon will turn into blue color, and naturally 8 dots will appear around the selected image or video. Use any one of these dots for scaling your selection in asymmetrical order.

Step 4: Adjust PIP Effect

• If you want to scale this image in a symmetrical fashion then simply drag the dot to the corner from the central position.
• Now hold the option key and drag one dot to the corner. It will help you to shrink as well as to enlarge the image even without affecting its actual aspect ratio.
• Users can keep on scaling this foreground image till the time they achieve essential size.
• Now click inside your selected image and start dragging it to reach a certain specific position. You can place it anywhere on a big screen.

Step 5: Follow precise Adjustment

Simply select the top clip and then hit Command + 4 to open the inspector. Now click on that blue show button over your FCP screen and it will provide you complete information about the transform category of available built-in effects. If you use inspector for this task then it can help you to get very precise results for scaling needs. It assists users to manage images with accurate position and size.

Step 6: Apply Cross- Dissolve

• Now choose the leading edge of effect and use Command + T. It will immediately apply the default cross-dissolve option for starting clip.
• You will be glad to know that the PIP effect does not restrict users to work just upon a single image rather it can be used to process as many pictures as your project needs and that can fit inside the frame.

Check this video tutorial to know more details:

Picture in Picture Plug-ins for Final Cut Pro

There are so many plug-ins available in the market for Final Cut Pro platform and all of them possess unique qualities along with impressive toolsets. No matter whether you are a beginner with the PIP effect or professional making high-end video projects, FCP plug-ins can make your task much easier with their intuitive controls.

1. Tokyo PiPintor

PiPintor Free is a specially designed picture-in-picture plugin that assists beginners with easy processing of the PIP effect over Final Cut Pro platform. It simply awakes the menu-driven animation power on your tool so that picture in picture effect can be completed without key-framing.

2. ProPIP

Those who need to enjoy a higher level of customizations are advised to work over ProPIP environment. This advanced tool assists users to showcase their abilities with full freedom for personalization.

ProPIP is the best choice for newscasting, commentaries, and many other applications. It helps in generating fine controls for initial as well as end position, rotation, and scaling effects along with easy-to-use media controls over the screen. ProPIP also provides personalized borders with endless opportunities to develop impressive projects on Final Cut Pro platform.

Benjamin Arango

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

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Sometimes we need to show two videos together on the same screen to convey certain usage information. If you are searching for a tool to make this task possible then Final Cut Pro is the best choice for you.

This tool can help you to use the picture-in-picture effect with ease. However, the process for adding this effect cannot be completed within one r two steps.

The article below contains complete details about how to add PIP effects using Final Cut Pro. You will be glad to know that FCP also works with few integrated plugins that assist in the free picture in picture effect generation.

How to Create PIP Effect with FCP

If you are ready with two videos and now want to bring them to the same screen then prefer to follow these simple steps:

Step 1: Add Background video

The very first step that you need to follow for PIP effect generation using FCP is to bring your main or background video to the timeline as a primary storyline. Once you have created the primary storyline then all videos for the PIP effect will be added to it.

Step 2: Add PIP videos

It is time to choose the higher video clip so that the PIP effect can be applied. This task can be done either by using on-screen type controls available on the viewer or you can move ahead with transform controls available on the inspector.

Note that lower clips use to stay in the background in final results whereas upper clips will appear in the foreground. By default, both clips use to have 100% full screen with 100% opaque settings.

Step 3: Apply PIP effect

As now you have added both videos on-screen now you have to select the higher video and then click over the rectangular transform button that is available on the lower-left corner of viewer screen. As soon as you make this selection, the icon will turn into blue color, and naturally 8 dots will appear around the selected image or video. Use any one of these dots for scaling your selection in asymmetrical order.

Step 4: Adjust PIP Effect

• If you want to scale this image in a symmetrical fashion then simply drag the dot to the corner from the central position.
• Now hold the option key and drag one dot to the corner. It will help you to shrink as well as to enlarge the image even without affecting its actual aspect ratio.
• Users can keep on scaling this foreground image till the time they achieve essential size.
• Now click inside your selected image and start dragging it to reach a certain specific position. You can place it anywhere on a big screen.

Step 5: Follow precise Adjustment

Simply select the top clip and then hit Command + 4 to open the inspector. Now click on that blue show button over your FCP screen and it will provide you complete information about the transform category of available built-in effects. If you use inspector for this task then it can help you to get very precise results for scaling needs. It assists users to manage images with accurate position and size.

Step 6: Apply Cross- Dissolve

• Now choose the leading edge of effect and use Command + T. It will immediately apply the default cross-dissolve option for starting clip.
• You will be glad to know that the PIP effect does not restrict users to work just upon a single image rather it can be used to process as many pictures as your project needs and that can fit inside the frame.

Check this video tutorial to know more details:

Picture in Picture Plug-ins for Final Cut Pro

There are so many plug-ins available in the market for Final Cut Pro platform and all of them possess unique qualities along with impressive toolsets. No matter whether you are a beginner with the PIP effect or professional making high-end video projects, FCP plug-ins can make your task much easier with their intuitive controls.

1. Tokyo PiPintor

PiPintor Free is a specially designed picture-in-picture plugin that assists beginners with easy processing of the PIP effect over Final Cut Pro platform. It simply awakes the menu-driven animation power on your tool so that picture in picture effect can be completed without key-framing.

2. ProPIP

Those who need to enjoy a higher level of customizations are advised to work over ProPIP environment. This advanced tool assists users to showcase their abilities with full freedom for personalization.

ProPIP is the best choice for newscasting, commentaries, and many other applications. It helps in generating fine controls for initial as well as end position, rotation, and scaling effects along with easy-to-use media controls over the screen. ProPIP also provides personalized borders with endless opportunities to develop impressive projects on Final Cut Pro platform.

Benjamin Arango

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

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Sometimes we need to show two videos together on the same screen to convey certain usage information. If you are searching for a tool to make this task possible then Final Cut Pro is the best choice for you.

This tool can help you to use the picture-in-picture effect with ease. However, the process for adding this effect cannot be completed within one r two steps.

The article below contains complete details about how to add PIP effects using Final Cut Pro. You will be glad to know that FCP also works with few integrated plugins that assist in the free picture in picture effect generation.

How to Create PIP Effect with FCP

If you are ready with two videos and now want to bring them to the same screen then prefer to follow these simple steps:

Step 1: Add Background video

The very first step that you need to follow for PIP effect generation using FCP is to bring your main or background video to the timeline as a primary storyline. Once you have created the primary storyline then all videos for the PIP effect will be added to it.

Step 2: Add PIP videos

It is time to choose the higher video clip so that the PIP effect can be applied. This task can be done either by using on-screen type controls available on the viewer or you can move ahead with transform controls available on the inspector.

Note that lower clips use to stay in the background in final results whereas upper clips will appear in the foreground. By default, both clips use to have 100% full screen with 100% opaque settings.

Step 3: Apply PIP effect

As now you have added both videos on-screen now you have to select the higher video and then click over the rectangular transform button that is available on the lower-left corner of viewer screen. As soon as you make this selection, the icon will turn into blue color, and naturally 8 dots will appear around the selected image or video. Use any one of these dots for scaling your selection in asymmetrical order.

Step 4: Adjust PIP Effect

• If you want to scale this image in a symmetrical fashion then simply drag the dot to the corner from the central position.
• Now hold the option key and drag one dot to the corner. It will help you to shrink as well as to enlarge the image even without affecting its actual aspect ratio.
• Users can keep on scaling this foreground image till the time they achieve essential size.
• Now click inside your selected image and start dragging it to reach a certain specific position. You can place it anywhere on a big screen.

Step 5: Follow precise Adjustment

Simply select the top clip and then hit Command + 4 to open the inspector. Now click on that blue show button over your FCP screen and it will provide you complete information about the transform category of available built-in effects. If you use inspector for this task then it can help you to get very precise results for scaling needs. It assists users to manage images with accurate position and size.

Step 6: Apply Cross- Dissolve

• Now choose the leading edge of effect and use Command + T. It will immediately apply the default cross-dissolve option for starting clip.
• You will be glad to know that the PIP effect does not restrict users to work just upon a single image rather it can be used to process as many pictures as your project needs and that can fit inside the frame.

Check this video tutorial to know more details:

Picture in Picture Plug-ins for Final Cut Pro

There are so many plug-ins available in the market for Final Cut Pro platform and all of them possess unique qualities along with impressive toolsets. No matter whether you are a beginner with the PIP effect or professional making high-end video projects, FCP plug-ins can make your task much easier with their intuitive controls.

1. Tokyo PiPintor

PiPintor Free is a specially designed picture-in-picture plugin that assists beginners with easy processing of the PIP effect over Final Cut Pro platform. It simply awakes the menu-driven animation power on your tool so that picture in picture effect can be completed without key-framing.

2. ProPIP

Those who need to enjoy a higher level of customizations are advised to work over ProPIP environment. This advanced tool assists users to showcase their abilities with full freedom for personalization.

ProPIP is the best choice for newscasting, commentaries, and many other applications. It helps in generating fine controls for initial as well as end position, rotation, and scaling effects along with easy-to-use media controls over the screen. ProPIP also provides personalized borders with endless opportunities to develop impressive projects on Final Cut Pro platform.

Benjamin Arango

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

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Best 8 Light Video Editing Software

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.

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.

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 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 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 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 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 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 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.

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.

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 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 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 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 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 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 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.

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.

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 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 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 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 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 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 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.

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.

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 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 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 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 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 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 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.

GoPro Quik Vs. The Competition: A Review and Alternative Options for PC

If you are a content creator and like to make videos using a Go-Pro, you must be looking for an app that can edit your photos and videos with no hassle. I’m sure you have spent hours on YouTube to find a good source that gives you the best reviews before buying GoPro. It is also obvious that paying monthly subscriptions gets old every now and then, making it necessary to find something else like GoPro Quik For Desktop.

Previously, GoPro offered a mobile app for Android and iOS users, but recently it launched a desktop app as well, which is pretty handy and can do everything your mobile devices could do, plus a bit more. You can now edit your photos and videos more precisely using a big screen on your desktop and take advantage of fast processing. If you haven’t used the GoPro Quik pc version and you want to know what this app can do for you, then you are on the right page.

In this article, we will do a brief review of the GoPro Quik Desktop app. We will take a look at its features. We will discuss its benefits and drawbacks. In the end, we will provide you with our opinion on whether this app is worth your time and efforts or not. So, if you want to know about GoPro Quik in-depth, make sure you read the full article.

GoPro Quik PC- An Overview

Do you need an app for editing GoPro videos and photos? If the answer is yes, then you should go for GoPro Quik for Desktop. GoPro Quik is a video editing software that allows you to edit your GoPro videos and photos within no time. The app comes with a very simple user interface that will help you quickly edit your videos. GoPro Quik for desktop was created to meet your basic needs and wants when it comes to editing GoPro photos and videos. You can easily edit your GoPro photos and videos using this app. This app will help you in creating post-production videos like a pro.

The best thing about GoPro Quick for Desktop is that it is free to use and is available easily for both 32 bit and 64 bit systems. It also has a simple and intuitive interface that anyone can adopt, even if you don’t have any prior experience with this video editing app. It basically allows you to import your GoPro clips, highlight your favorite clips, and then it edits your video for you–including adding music. The process is pretty quick, as the name suggests.

GoPro Quik Windows Features

GoPro Quik app is rich with features, and it provides pretty much everything that you need to create amazing photos and videos. A few highlighting features are discussed below:

1.Create Amazing Videos In Just A Few Clicks

With GoPro Quik, making amazing videos is very easy. With just a few clicks, you can import all your videos and photos. Then you can edit them in just a few clicks. Everything here is so simple that you will feel like a pro video editor yourself.

2.Auto Cloud Uploads

Another amazing feature of GoPro Quik is that once you have done editing your videos, they will be automatically uploaded to your cloud. But for this feature to work, make sure that you have an active GoPro PLUS subscription.

3.Excellent editing

Simply click a few buttons to turn GoPro footage into an awesome video. Pick the perfect soundtrack, then pick your favorite moments. Your video automatically syncs with the music, so you can share it in just a few seconds. Make your videos come alive with panning effects by adding photos and time-lapse sequences.

4.Share with friends

Make short videos that are ideal for posting on Facebook, YouTube, and more. Make a unique video from your burst and timelapse photos. Additionally, you can find and save the most memorable moments in a video, then share them as high-quality still images.

5.New Speed Tool

Tap the pencil to choose the Speed icon for the video in your Media Mural. Then you can apply more than one-speed effect simultaneously. The speed can be toggled between real-time and half-speed slow motion. You can also add freeze frames for a specified period of time.

6.GoPro-Exclusive filters

From Media or Mural, select a photo or video and tap the pencil. In order to optimize the footage to the environment it was shot in, GoPro has created 25 filters in-house. By using the scrub bar, you can adjust the intensity of each filter.

7.Premium Themes

Alternatively, you may create a new highlight from Media. You will be presented with 13 video editing themes. Besides adding text and transitions, you can also change the music, choose the duration, and choose the right format for your intended sharing platform, such as social media or text.

Pros

Despite its ease and quickness, there are a few drawbacks to it. First, I must say this is awesome and perfect for anyone who has never edited a GoPro video before. When you’re new to video editing software, it can be very easy to become frustrated and overwhelmed, so it’s great for those who aren’t familiar with it. It’s all about getting that video off your memory card and putting it out there. That’s it.

Cons

You cannot edit footage from your phone or DSLR with Quik App for Desktop - only GoPro footage can be used in Quik App. This is a GoPro app, after all. It should be used with GoPro content!

In addition to the ten free songs, GoPro Plus members have access to an additional song library. Users cannot import their own music either.

Additionally, you may only create a certain number of Highlights. Each 30-second video is limited to 10 Highlights.

Final Verdict

Although GoPro Quik is amazing and comes with a lot of features, there are still many limitations of this application, as discussed in the cons section of this article. If you want to do basic editing, then this app will do just good, but if you are looking for advanced features like audio normalization, keyframing, color tuning, gif support, etc., then you will have to use another fully-fledged video editing app. We recommend you to give a try to our Filmora video editor.

Filmora comes with plenty of features and can easily compete with the most advanced video editors in the world. The best thing is, you can download and install it for free and try all of its features without paying a penny. Also, there is an amazing community and Filmora support that you won’t find anywhere else.

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Previously, GoPro offered a mobile app for Android and iOS users, but recently it launched a desktop app as well, which is pretty handy and can do everything your mobile devices could do, plus a bit more. You can now edit your photos and videos more precisely using a big screen on your desktop and take advantage of fast processing. If you haven’t used the GoPro Quik pc version and you want to know what this app can do for you, then you are on the right page.

In this article, we will do a brief review of the GoPro Quik Desktop app. We will take a look at its features. We will discuss its benefits and drawbacks. In the end, we will provide you with our opinion on whether this app is worth your time and efforts or not. So, if you want to know about GoPro Quik in-depth, make sure you read the full article.

GoPro Quik PC- An Overview

Do you need an app for editing GoPro videos and photos? If the answer is yes, then you should go for GoPro Quik for Desktop. GoPro Quik is a video editing software that allows you to edit your GoPro videos and photos within no time. The app comes with a very simple user interface that will help you quickly edit your videos. GoPro Quik for desktop was created to meet your basic needs and wants when it comes to editing GoPro photos and videos. You can easily edit your GoPro photos and videos using this app. This app will help you in creating post-production videos like a pro.

The best thing about GoPro Quick for Desktop is that it is free to use and is available easily for both 32 bit and 64 bit systems. It also has a simple and intuitive interface that anyone can adopt, even if you don’t have any prior experience with this video editing app. It basically allows you to import your GoPro clips, highlight your favorite clips, and then it edits your video for you–including adding music. The process is pretty quick, as the name suggests.

GoPro Quik Windows Features

GoPro Quik app is rich with features, and it provides pretty much everything that you need to create amazing photos and videos. A few highlighting features are discussed below:

1.Create Amazing Videos In Just A Few Clicks

With GoPro Quik, making amazing videos is very easy. With just a few clicks, you can import all your videos and photos. Then you can edit them in just a few clicks. Everything here is so simple that you will feel like a pro video editor yourself.

2.Auto Cloud Uploads

Another amazing feature of GoPro Quik is that once you have done editing your videos, they will be automatically uploaded to your cloud. But for this feature to work, make sure that you have an active GoPro PLUS subscription.

3.Excellent editing

Simply click a few buttons to turn GoPro footage into an awesome video. Pick the perfect soundtrack, then pick your favorite moments. Your video automatically syncs with the music, so you can share it in just a few seconds. Make your videos come alive with panning effects by adding photos and time-lapse sequences.

4.Share with friends

Make short videos that are ideal for posting on Facebook, YouTube, and more. Make a unique video from your burst and timelapse photos. Additionally, you can find and save the most memorable moments in a video, then share them as high-quality still images.

5.New Speed Tool

Tap the pencil to choose the Speed icon for the video in your Media Mural. Then you can apply more than one-speed effect simultaneously. The speed can be toggled between real-time and half-speed slow motion. You can also add freeze frames for a specified period of time.

6.GoPro-Exclusive filters

From Media or Mural, select a photo or video and tap the pencil. In order to optimize the footage to the environment it was shot in, GoPro has created 25 filters in-house. By using the scrub bar, you can adjust the intensity of each filter.

7.Premium Themes

Alternatively, you may create a new highlight from Media. You will be presented with 13 video editing themes. Besides adding text and transitions, you can also change the music, choose the duration, and choose the right format for your intended sharing platform, such as social media or text.

Pros

Despite its ease and quickness, there are a few drawbacks to it. First, I must say this is awesome and perfect for anyone who has never edited a GoPro video before. When you’re new to video editing software, it can be very easy to become frustrated and overwhelmed, so it’s great for those who aren’t familiar with it. It’s all about getting that video off your memory card and putting it out there. That’s it.

Cons

You cannot edit footage from your phone or DSLR with Quik App for Desktop - only GoPro footage can be used in Quik App. This is a GoPro app, after all. It should be used with GoPro content!

In addition to the ten free songs, GoPro Plus members have access to an additional song library. Users cannot import their own music either.

Additionally, you may only create a certain number of Highlights. Each 30-second video is limited to 10 Highlights.

Final Verdict

Although GoPro Quik is amazing and comes with a lot of features, there are still many limitations of this application, as discussed in the cons section of this article. If you want to do basic editing, then this app will do just good, but if you are looking for advanced features like audio normalization, keyframing, color tuning, gif support, etc., then you will have to use another fully-fledged video editing app. We recommend you to give a try to our Filmora video editor.

Filmora comes with plenty of features and can easily compete with the most advanced video editors in the world. The best thing is, you can download and install it for free and try all of its features without paying a penny. Also, there is an amazing community and Filmora support that you won’t find anywhere else.

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Previously, GoPro offered a mobile app for Android and iOS users, but recently it launched a desktop app as well, which is pretty handy and can do everything your mobile devices could do, plus a bit more. You can now edit your photos and videos more precisely using a big screen on your desktop and take advantage of fast processing. If you haven’t used the GoPro Quik pc version and you want to know what this app can do for you, then you are on the right page.

In this article, we will do a brief review of the GoPro Quik Desktop app. We will take a look at its features. We will discuss its benefits and drawbacks. In the end, we will provide you with our opinion on whether this app is worth your time and efforts or not. So, if you want to know about GoPro Quik in-depth, make sure you read the full article.

GoPro Quik PC- An Overview

Do you need an app for editing GoPro videos and photos? If the answer is yes, then you should go for GoPro Quik for Desktop. GoPro Quik is a video editing software that allows you to edit your GoPro videos and photos within no time. The app comes with a very simple user interface that will help you quickly edit your videos. GoPro Quik for desktop was created to meet your basic needs and wants when it comes to editing GoPro photos and videos. You can easily edit your GoPro photos and videos using this app. This app will help you in creating post-production videos like a pro.

The best thing about GoPro Quick for Desktop is that it is free to use and is available easily for both 32 bit and 64 bit systems. It also has a simple and intuitive interface that anyone can adopt, even if you don’t have any prior experience with this video editing app. It basically allows you to import your GoPro clips, highlight your favorite clips, and then it edits your video for you–including adding music. The process is pretty quick, as the name suggests.

GoPro Quik Windows Features

GoPro Quik app is rich with features, and it provides pretty much everything that you need to create amazing photos and videos. A few highlighting features are discussed below:

1.Create Amazing Videos In Just A Few Clicks

With GoPro Quik, making amazing videos is very easy. With just a few clicks, you can import all your videos and photos. Then you can edit them in just a few clicks. Everything here is so simple that you will feel like a pro video editor yourself.

2.Auto Cloud Uploads

Another amazing feature of GoPro Quik is that once you have done editing your videos, they will be automatically uploaded to your cloud. But for this feature to work, make sure that you have an active GoPro PLUS subscription.

3.Excellent editing

Simply click a few buttons to turn GoPro footage into an awesome video. Pick the perfect soundtrack, then pick your favorite moments. Your video automatically syncs with the music, so you can share it in just a few seconds. Make your videos come alive with panning effects by adding photos and time-lapse sequences.

4.Share with friends

Make short videos that are ideal for posting on Facebook, YouTube, and more. Make a unique video from your burst and timelapse photos. Additionally, you can find and save the most memorable moments in a video, then share them as high-quality still images.

5.New Speed Tool

Tap the pencil to choose the Speed icon for the video in your Media Mural. Then you can apply more than one-speed effect simultaneously. The speed can be toggled between real-time and half-speed slow motion. You can also add freeze frames for a specified period of time.

6.GoPro-Exclusive filters

From Media or Mural, select a photo or video and tap the pencil. In order to optimize the footage to the environment it was shot in, GoPro has created 25 filters in-house. By using the scrub bar, you can adjust the intensity of each filter.

7.Premium Themes

Alternatively, you may create a new highlight from Media. You will be presented with 13 video editing themes. Besides adding text and transitions, you can also change the music, choose the duration, and choose the right format for your intended sharing platform, such as social media or text.

Pros

Despite its ease and quickness, there are a few drawbacks to it. First, I must say this is awesome and perfect for anyone who has never edited a GoPro video before. When you’re new to video editing software, it can be very easy to become frustrated and overwhelmed, so it’s great for those who aren’t familiar with it. It’s all about getting that video off your memory card and putting it out there. That’s it.

Cons

You cannot edit footage from your phone or DSLR with Quik App for Desktop - only GoPro footage can be used in Quik App. This is a GoPro app, after all. It should be used with GoPro content!

In addition to the ten free songs, GoPro Plus members have access to an additional song library. Users cannot import their own music either.

Additionally, you may only create a certain number of Highlights. Each 30-second video is limited to 10 Highlights.

Final Verdict

Although GoPro Quik is amazing and comes with a lot of features, there are still many limitations of this application, as discussed in the cons section of this article. If you want to do basic editing, then this app will do just good, but if you are looking for advanced features like audio normalization, keyframing, color tuning, gif support, etc., then you will have to use another fully-fledged video editing app. We recommend you to give a try to our Filmora video editor.

Filmora comes with plenty of features and can easily compete with the most advanced video editors in the world. The best thing is, you can download and install it for free and try all of its features without paying a penny. Also, there is an amazing community and Filmora support that you won’t find anywhere else.

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Previously, GoPro offered a mobile app for Android and iOS users, but recently it launched a desktop app as well, which is pretty handy and can do everything your mobile devices could do, plus a bit more. You can now edit your photos and videos more precisely using a big screen on your desktop and take advantage of fast processing. If you haven’t used the GoPro Quik pc version and you want to know what this app can do for you, then you are on the right page.

In this article, we will do a brief review of the GoPro Quik Desktop app. We will take a look at its features. We will discuss its benefits and drawbacks. In the end, we will provide you with our opinion on whether this app is worth your time and efforts or not. So, if you want to know about GoPro Quik in-depth, make sure you read the full article.

GoPro Quik PC- An Overview

Do you need an app for editing GoPro videos and photos? If the answer is yes, then you should go for GoPro Quik for Desktop. GoPro Quik is a video editing software that allows you to edit your GoPro videos and photos within no time. The app comes with a very simple user interface that will help you quickly edit your videos. GoPro Quik for desktop was created to meet your basic needs and wants when it comes to editing GoPro photos and videos. You can easily edit your GoPro photos and videos using this app. This app will help you in creating post-production videos like a pro.

The best thing about GoPro Quick for Desktop is that it is free to use and is available easily for both 32 bit and 64 bit systems. It also has a simple and intuitive interface that anyone can adopt, even if you don’t have any prior experience with this video editing app. It basically allows you to import your GoPro clips, highlight your favorite clips, and then it edits your video for you–including adding music. The process is pretty quick, as the name suggests.

GoPro Quik Windows Features

GoPro Quik app is rich with features, and it provides pretty much everything that you need to create amazing photos and videos. A few highlighting features are discussed below:

1.Create Amazing Videos In Just A Few Clicks

With GoPro Quik, making amazing videos is very easy. With just a few clicks, you can import all your videos and photos. Then you can edit them in just a few clicks. Everything here is so simple that you will feel like a pro video editor yourself.

2.Auto Cloud Uploads

Another amazing feature of GoPro Quik is that once you have done editing your videos, they will be automatically uploaded to your cloud. But for this feature to work, make sure that you have an active GoPro PLUS subscription.

3.Excellent editing

Simply click a few buttons to turn GoPro footage into an awesome video. Pick the perfect soundtrack, then pick your favorite moments. Your video automatically syncs with the music, so you can share it in just a few seconds. Make your videos come alive with panning effects by adding photos and time-lapse sequences.

4.Share with friends

Make short videos that are ideal for posting on Facebook, YouTube, and more. Make a unique video from your burst and timelapse photos. Additionally, you can find and save the most memorable moments in a video, then share them as high-quality still images.

5.New Speed Tool

Tap the pencil to choose the Speed icon for the video in your Media Mural. Then you can apply more than one-speed effect simultaneously. The speed can be toggled between real-time and half-speed slow motion. You can also add freeze frames for a specified period of time.

6.GoPro-Exclusive filters

From Media or Mural, select a photo or video and tap the pencil. In order to optimize the footage to the environment it was shot in, GoPro has created 25 filters in-house. By using the scrub bar, you can adjust the intensity of each filter.

7.Premium Themes

Alternatively, you may create a new highlight from Media. You will be presented with 13 video editing themes. Besides adding text and transitions, you can also change the music, choose the duration, and choose the right format for your intended sharing platform, such as social media or text.

Pros

Despite its ease and quickness, there are a few drawbacks to it. First, I must say this is awesome and perfect for anyone who has never edited a GoPro video before. When you’re new to video editing software, it can be very easy to become frustrated and overwhelmed, so it’s great for those who aren’t familiar with it. It’s all about getting that video off your memory card and putting it out there. That’s it.

Cons

You cannot edit footage from your phone or DSLR with Quik App for Desktop - only GoPro footage can be used in Quik App. This is a GoPro app, after all. It should be used with GoPro content!

In addition to the ten free songs, GoPro Plus members have access to an additional song library. Users cannot import their own music either.

Additionally, you may only create a certain number of Highlights. Each 30-second video is limited to 10 Highlights.

Final Verdict

Although GoPro Quik is amazing and comes with a lot of features, there are still many limitations of this application, as discussed in the cons section of this article. If you want to do basic editing, then this app will do just good, but if you are looking for advanced features like audio normalization, keyframing, color tuning, gif support, etc., then you will have to use another fully-fledged video editing app. We recommend you to give a try to our Filmora video editor.

Filmora comes with plenty of features and can easily compete with the most advanced video editors in the world. The best thing is, you can download and install it for free and try all of its features without paying a penny. Also, there is an amazing community and Filmora support that you won’t find anywhere else.

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Mastering Image Cropping in Final Cut Pro X [2023 Edition]

Final Cut Pro X: How to Crop an Image

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Cropping an image means to remove a portion of the image, either to hide something you don’t want the audience to see or emphasize different elements within the image. Just as Photoshop allows us to crop still images, Final Cut Pro X allows us to crop moving video clips, as you’ll learn in this article.

---

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

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

---

How to Crop an Image in Final Cut Pro X

However, before I show how this is done, I need to explain one really important fact about video: all video uses what’s called “fixed resolution.” Fixed resolution means that high-definition video is always displayed at one of two sizes:

You May Also Like: How to Crop GIF Images >>

• 1920 x 1080 pixels
• 1920 x 1080 pixels

Unlike still images which can be thousands of pixels on a side, video clips are locked into one of these two sizes. This means that if you crop a video clip, to remove something you don’t like, the remaining pixels are often enlarged to fill the frame. Crop too much and your video clip will look blurry, blocky, and edges will look stair-stepped.

I’ll show you two ways to crop a video clip in this article, one that maintains a high image quality but reduces the size of the frame (called “trimming”) and the other that fills the frame with the image but reduces image quality (called “cropping”). You get to pick which one works the best for you.

TRIMMING

Trimming is the process of removing portions of a video clip without changing the size of the clip. This retains the highest amount of image quality.

For instance, here an image - courtesy of Pond5 (<www.pond5.com>). Let’s say that we want to emphasize the barn and not the sky.

The easiest way to do this is to click the icon in the lower left corner of the Viewer and choose “Crop.”

This displays the cropping tools in the Viewer.

Click the Trim button to turn on Trim mode. (This article discusses Trim and Crop. I’ll cover the Ken Burns effect in a future article.)

Grab one of the blue dots and drag to hide portions of the frame. I generally grab a corner, but any blue dot will do.

NOTE: Press and hold the Option key while dragging to drag opposite edges or corners. Press and hold the Shift key to constrain the trim to the same aspect ratio as the frame.

Drag other corners or edges to further trim the image.

When you have trimmed the image the way you want, click the “Done” button in the top right corner to exit trimming mode.

If no other clip is below the trimmed clip, the background will be black.

But, it actually isn’t black, it’s transparent. If you put another clip below it, you’ll see the lower clip underneath the trimmed image.

Trimming allows us to hide portions of a video clip, without changing the image quality of the clip that remains. However, trimming always creates transparent sections within an image.

CROPPING

Cropping allows us to select just a portion of a video clip, without creating any transparent sections, BUT, it degrades image quality.

There are several ways we can choose to crop an image:

• Click the Crop icon, as we illustrated above

• Right-mouse click (or Control-click) inside the Viewer and choose
• Type Shift+C

* In the Inspector > Video tab > Crop (this option provides the most precision, but is the least intuitive to use)

If you selected any option except the Inspector, click the Crop button in the Viewer.

Now, drag a blue button in one of the corners. Because cropping, unlike trimming, fills the frame with the portion of the image we select, we can only move corners and the image is always sized to match the aspect ratio of our sequence.

Final Cut displays numbers at the top of the Viewer indicating how much the image has been cropped.

Reposition the frame by grabbing inside the rectangle and dragging.

When you are happy with the results, click the Done button in the top right corner.

Notice that the selected portion of the image now fills the frame. Even though there is a clip below our cropped clip, we don’t see it.

And, if you look closely, you’ll see that the cropped image is softer (blurrier) than the original and edges are more likely to be stair-stepped.

RESET

To reset a cropped image back to its default settings, open the Inspector and click the small curved arrow to the right of the word “Crop.”

SUMMARY

Trimming is used to hide portions of an image and superimpose it over another image.

Cropping is used to reframe an image, say from a medium shot to a close-up, but runs the risk of overly softening an image. The general rule is that cropping a little is OK, but don’t crop too much.

I use both these techniques frequently in my own editing.

Benjamin Arango

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

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Cropping an image means to remove a portion of the image, either to hide something you don’t want the audience to see or emphasize different elements within the image. Just as Photoshop allows us to crop still images, Final Cut Pro X allows us to crop moving video clips, as you’ll learn in this article.

---

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

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

---

How to Crop an Image in Final Cut Pro X

However, before I show how this is done, I need to explain one really important fact about video: all video uses what’s called “fixed resolution.” Fixed resolution means that high-definition video is always displayed at one of two sizes:

You May Also Like: How to Crop GIF Images >>

• 1920 x 1080 pixels
• 1920 x 1080 pixels

Unlike still images which can be thousands of pixels on a side, video clips are locked into one of these two sizes. This means that if you crop a video clip, to remove something you don’t like, the remaining pixels are often enlarged to fill the frame. Crop too much and your video clip will look blurry, blocky, and edges will look stair-stepped.

I’ll show you two ways to crop a video clip in this article, one that maintains a high image quality but reduces the size of the frame (called “trimming”) and the other that fills the frame with the image but reduces image quality (called “cropping”). You get to pick which one works the best for you.

TRIMMING

Trimming is the process of removing portions of a video clip without changing the size of the clip. This retains the highest amount of image quality.

For instance, here an image - courtesy of Pond5 (<www.pond5.com>). Let’s say that we want to emphasize the barn and not the sky.

The easiest way to do this is to click the icon in the lower left corner of the Viewer and choose “Crop.”

This displays the cropping tools in the Viewer.

Click the Trim button to turn on Trim mode. (This article discusses Trim and Crop. I’ll cover the Ken Burns effect in a future article.)

Grab one of the blue dots and drag to hide portions of the frame. I generally grab a corner, but any blue dot will do.

NOTE: Press and hold the Option key while dragging to drag opposite edges or corners. Press and hold the Shift key to constrain the trim to the same aspect ratio as the frame.

Drag other corners or edges to further trim the image.

When you have trimmed the image the way you want, click the “Done” button in the top right corner to exit trimming mode.

If no other clip is below the trimmed clip, the background will be black.

But, it actually isn’t black, it’s transparent. If you put another clip below it, you’ll see the lower clip underneath the trimmed image.

Trimming allows us to hide portions of a video clip, without changing the image quality of the clip that remains. However, trimming always creates transparent sections within an image.

CROPPING

Cropping allows us to select just a portion of a video clip, without creating any transparent sections, BUT, it degrades image quality.

There are several ways we can choose to crop an image:

• Click the Crop icon, as we illustrated above

• Right-mouse click (or Control-click) inside the Viewer and choose
• Type Shift+C

* In the Inspector > Video tab > Crop (this option provides the most precision, but is the least intuitive to use)

If you selected any option except the Inspector, click the Crop button in the Viewer.

Now, drag a blue button in one of the corners. Because cropping, unlike trimming, fills the frame with the portion of the image we select, we can only move corners and the image is always sized to match the aspect ratio of our sequence.

Final Cut displays numbers at the top of the Viewer indicating how much the image has been cropped.

Reposition the frame by grabbing inside the rectangle and dragging.

When you are happy with the results, click the Done button in the top right corner.

Notice that the selected portion of the image now fills the frame. Even though there is a clip below our cropped clip, we don’t see it.

And, if you look closely, you’ll see that the cropped image is softer (blurrier) than the original and edges are more likely to be stair-stepped.

RESET

To reset a cropped image back to its default settings, open the Inspector and click the small curved arrow to the right of the word “Crop.”

SUMMARY

Trimming is used to hide portions of an image and superimpose it over another image.

Cropping is used to reframe an image, say from a medium shot to a close-up, but runs the risk of overly softening an image. The general rule is that cropping a little is OK, but don’t crop too much.

I use both these techniques frequently in my own editing.

Benjamin Arango

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

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Cropping an image means to remove a portion of the image, either to hide something you don’t want the audience to see or emphasize different elements within the image. Just as Photoshop allows us to crop still images, Final Cut Pro X allows us to crop moving video clips, as you’ll learn in this article.

---

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

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

---

How to Crop an Image in Final Cut Pro X

However, before I show how this is done, I need to explain one really important fact about video: all video uses what’s called “fixed resolution.” Fixed resolution means that high-definition video is always displayed at one of two sizes:

You May Also Like: How to Crop GIF Images >>

• 1920 x 1080 pixels
• 1920 x 1080 pixels

Unlike still images which can be thousands of pixels on a side, video clips are locked into one of these two sizes. This means that if you crop a video clip, to remove something you don’t like, the remaining pixels are often enlarged to fill the frame. Crop too much and your video clip will look blurry, blocky, and edges will look stair-stepped.

I’ll show you two ways to crop a video clip in this article, one that maintains a high image quality but reduces the size of the frame (called “trimming”) and the other that fills the frame with the image but reduces image quality (called “cropping”). You get to pick which one works the best for you.

TRIMMING

Trimming is the process of removing portions of a video clip without changing the size of the clip. This retains the highest amount of image quality.

For instance, here an image - courtesy of Pond5 (<www.pond5.com>). Let’s say that we want to emphasize the barn and not the sky.

The easiest way to do this is to click the icon in the lower left corner of the Viewer and choose “Crop.”

This displays the cropping tools in the Viewer.

Click the Trim button to turn on Trim mode. (This article discusses Trim and Crop. I’ll cover the Ken Burns effect in a future article.)

Grab one of the blue dots and drag to hide portions of the frame. I generally grab a corner, but any blue dot will do.

NOTE: Press and hold the Option key while dragging to drag opposite edges or corners. Press and hold the Shift key to constrain the trim to the same aspect ratio as the frame.

Drag other corners or edges to further trim the image.

When you have trimmed the image the way you want, click the “Done” button in the top right corner to exit trimming mode.

If no other clip is below the trimmed clip, the background will be black.

But, it actually isn’t black, it’s transparent. If you put another clip below it, you’ll see the lower clip underneath the trimmed image.

Trimming allows us to hide portions of a video clip, without changing the image quality of the clip that remains. However, trimming always creates transparent sections within an image.

CROPPING

Cropping allows us to select just a portion of a video clip, without creating any transparent sections, BUT, it degrades image quality.

There are several ways we can choose to crop an image:

• Click the Crop icon, as we illustrated above

• Right-mouse click (or Control-click) inside the Viewer and choose
• Type Shift+C

* In the Inspector > Video tab > Crop (this option provides the most precision, but is the least intuitive to use)

If you selected any option except the Inspector, click the Crop button in the Viewer.

Now, drag a blue button in one of the corners. Because cropping, unlike trimming, fills the frame with the portion of the image we select, we can only move corners and the image is always sized to match the aspect ratio of our sequence.

Final Cut displays numbers at the top of the Viewer indicating how much the image has been cropped.

Reposition the frame by grabbing inside the rectangle and dragging.

When you are happy with the results, click the Done button in the top right corner.

Notice that the selected portion of the image now fills the frame. Even though there is a clip below our cropped clip, we don’t see it.

And, if you look closely, you’ll see that the cropped image is softer (blurrier) than the original and edges are more likely to be stair-stepped.

RESET

To reset a cropped image back to its default settings, open the Inspector and click the small curved arrow to the right of the word “Crop.”

SUMMARY

Trimming is used to hide portions of an image and superimpose it over another image.

Cropping is used to reframe an image, say from a medium shot to a close-up, but runs the risk of overly softening an image. The general rule is that cropping a little is OK, but don’t crop too much.

I use both these techniques frequently in my own editing.

Benjamin Arango

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

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Cropping an image means to remove a portion of the image, either to hide something you don’t want the audience to see or emphasize different elements within the image. Just as Photoshop allows us to crop still images, Final Cut Pro X allows us to crop moving video clips, as you’ll learn in this article.

---

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

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

---

How to Crop an Image in Final Cut Pro X

However, before I show how this is done, I need to explain one really important fact about video: all video uses what’s called “fixed resolution.” Fixed resolution means that high-definition video is always displayed at one of two sizes:

You May Also Like: How to Crop GIF Images >>

• 1920 x 1080 pixels
• 1920 x 1080 pixels

Unlike still images which can be thousands of pixels on a side, video clips are locked into one of these two sizes. This means that if you crop a video clip, to remove something you don’t like, the remaining pixels are often enlarged to fill the frame. Crop too much and your video clip will look blurry, blocky, and edges will look stair-stepped.

I’ll show you two ways to crop a video clip in this article, one that maintains a high image quality but reduces the size of the frame (called “trimming”) and the other that fills the frame with the image but reduces image quality (called “cropping”). You get to pick which one works the best for you.

TRIMMING

Trimming is the process of removing portions of a video clip without changing the size of the clip. This retains the highest amount of image quality.

For instance, here an image - courtesy of Pond5 (<www.pond5.com>). Let’s say that we want to emphasize the barn and not the sky.

The easiest way to do this is to click the icon in the lower left corner of the Viewer and choose “Crop.”

This displays the cropping tools in the Viewer.

Click the Trim button to turn on Trim mode. (This article discusses Trim and Crop. I’ll cover the Ken Burns effect in a future article.)

Grab one of the blue dots and drag to hide portions of the frame. I generally grab a corner, but any blue dot will do.

NOTE: Press and hold the Option key while dragging to drag opposite edges or corners. Press and hold the Shift key to constrain the trim to the same aspect ratio as the frame.

Drag other corners or edges to further trim the image.

When you have trimmed the image the way you want, click the “Done” button in the top right corner to exit trimming mode.

If no other clip is below the trimmed clip, the background will be black.

But, it actually isn’t black, it’s transparent. If you put another clip below it, you’ll see the lower clip underneath the trimmed image.

Trimming allows us to hide portions of a video clip, without changing the image quality of the clip that remains. However, trimming always creates transparent sections within an image.

CROPPING

Cropping allows us to select just a portion of a video clip, without creating any transparent sections, BUT, it degrades image quality.

There are several ways we can choose to crop an image:

• Click the Crop icon, as we illustrated above

• Right-mouse click (or Control-click) inside the Viewer and choose
• Type Shift+C

* In the Inspector > Video tab > Crop (this option provides the most precision, but is the least intuitive to use)

If you selected any option except the Inspector, click the Crop button in the Viewer.

Now, drag a blue button in one of the corners. Because cropping, unlike trimming, fills the frame with the portion of the image we select, we can only move corners and the image is always sized to match the aspect ratio of our sequence.

Final Cut displays numbers at the top of the Viewer indicating how much the image has been cropped.

Reposition the frame by grabbing inside the rectangle and dragging.

When you are happy with the results, click the Done button in the top right corner.

Notice that the selected portion of the image now fills the frame. Even though there is a clip below our cropped clip, we don’t see it.

And, if you look closely, you’ll see that the cropped image is softer (blurrier) than the original and edges are more likely to be stair-stepped.

RESET

To reset a cropped image back to its default settings, open the Inspector and click the small curved arrow to the right of the word “Crop.”

SUMMARY

Trimming is used to hide portions of an image and superimpose it over another image.

Cropping is used to reframe an image, say from a medium shot to a close-up, but runs the risk of overly softening an image. The general rule is that cropping a little is OK, but don’t crop too much.

I use both these techniques frequently in my own editing.

Benjamin Arango

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

Follow @Benjamin Arango

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