2024 Approved Take Your Videos to the Next Level 3 Creative Transition Ideas in FCP

2024 Approved Take Your Videos to the Next Level 3 Creative Transition Ideas in FCP

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Take Your Videos to the Next Level: 3 Creative Transition Ideas in FCP

3 Ways To Add Transitions In Final Cut Pro

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

When professionals edit their video films, they often need to switch directly between different recorded scenes to create customized outcomes at the end. If these transitions between different scenes are not well optimized then definitely they will affect the flow of the film and make it appear annoying with a little blanking period in between.

If you make use of Final Cut Pro for video editing then it becomes much easier to adjust these transitions so that edited films can run smoothly. The information below will help you to get complete knowledge about managing transitions in videos using FCP.


Those who are not familiar with Final Cut Pro platform and finding it a little complex as a beginner can switch to Wondershare Filmora for Mac as it is one of the easiest professional tools available from Mac devices.

This software is loaded with all powerful features and possesses an interactive user interface for those who are just starting out with Video Editing.

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


You may also like: How to add effects in Final Cut Pro >>

3 Ways to add or modify the transitions in Final Cut Pro

Part 1: Using Shortcut to Apply Transitions:

Create transitions in FCP

It is possible to apply transitions with a simple shortcut; all that you need to do is either blade your video clip into several scenes as per need or add two or more different scenes to be joined to your software timeline.

It is desired because the transition effect can be applied only if you have more than one clip on the timeline. Also, you can see more keyboard shortcuts here.

Blade your clip

Once you have obtained your two scenes for which you need to add transition effect then select the very first scene from the timeline. Now open the Video animation window on your device, it can be done by pressing Shift+V; find the Compositing option, and then apply default transitions by simply dragging timeline handle towards both sides of the composite window. In FCP, Cross dissolve will be selected as the default transition.

Default transition

Part 2: Use Browser to Apply Transition:

  • Go to the media toolbar and then hit the transition icon. It can be identified as a shaded box over which X is written.

Transition icon

  • Now choose your favorite transition from Browser and drag it to your timeline.
  • It is time to place the dragged transition between two video clips that you need to edit here.

In order to change the duration of transition:

  • Simply right-click on the timeline and select the Change duration option.

Change duration

  • It can be selected from Ctrl+D options also.
  • You can use the precision editor option to adjust transition duration.

 Precision editor option to adjust transition duration

  • Users can also edit preferences for transition on Final Cut Pro software tool as per need.

 Edit preferences for transition

Part 3: Use Menu Bar to Apply Transition:

  • Click on the available cut between two clips on your timeline.
  • Now from the appeared menu bar select Edit and then choose Add Cross Dissolve for your transitions.

Add Cross Dissolve

Related article: How to fade in/out audio in FCP >>

Conclusion:

It is much easier to use Final Cut Pro for audio fade-in and out needs. This advanced software tool can be operated with simple to remember keyboard shortcuts and even beginners can develop new customized projects using it.

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

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

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

When professionals edit their video films, they often need to switch directly between different recorded scenes to create customized outcomes at the end. If these transitions between different scenes are not well optimized then definitely they will affect the flow of the film and make it appear annoying with a little blanking period in between.

If you make use of Final Cut Pro for video editing then it becomes much easier to adjust these transitions so that edited films can run smoothly. The information below will help you to get complete knowledge about managing transitions in videos using FCP.


Those who are not familiar with Final Cut Pro platform and finding it a little complex as a beginner can switch to Wondershare Filmora for Mac as it is one of the easiest professional tools available from Mac devices.

This software is loaded with all powerful features and possesses an interactive user interface for those who are just starting out with Video Editing.

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


You may also like: How to add effects in Final Cut Pro >>

3 Ways to add or modify the transitions in Final Cut Pro

Part 1: Using Shortcut to Apply Transitions:

Create transitions in FCP

It is possible to apply transitions with a simple shortcut; all that you need to do is either blade your video clip into several scenes as per need or add two or more different scenes to be joined to your software timeline.

It is desired because the transition effect can be applied only if you have more than one clip on the timeline. Also, you can see more keyboard shortcuts here.

Blade your clip

Once you have obtained your two scenes for which you need to add transition effect then select the very first scene from the timeline. Now open the Video animation window on your device, it can be done by pressing Shift+V; find the Compositing option, and then apply default transitions by simply dragging timeline handle towards both sides of the composite window. In FCP, Cross dissolve will be selected as the default transition.

Default transition

Part 2: Use Browser to Apply Transition:

  • Go to the media toolbar and then hit the transition icon. It can be identified as a shaded box over which X is written.

Transition icon

  • Now choose your favorite transition from Browser and drag it to your timeline.
  • It is time to place the dragged transition between two video clips that you need to edit here.

In order to change the duration of transition:

  • Simply right-click on the timeline and select the Change duration option.

Change duration

  • It can be selected from Ctrl+D options also.
  • You can use the precision editor option to adjust transition duration.

 Precision editor option to adjust transition duration

  • Users can also edit preferences for transition on Final Cut Pro software tool as per need.

 Edit preferences for transition

Part 3: Use Menu Bar to Apply Transition:

  • Click on the available cut between two clips on your timeline.
  • Now from the appeared menu bar select Edit and then choose Add Cross Dissolve for your transitions.

Add Cross Dissolve

Related article: How to fade in/out audio in FCP >>

Conclusion:

It is much easier to use Final Cut Pro for audio fade-in and out needs. This advanced software tool can be operated with simple to remember keyboard shortcuts and even beginners can develop new customized projects using it.

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

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

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

When professionals edit their video films, they often need to switch directly between different recorded scenes to create customized outcomes at the end. If these transitions between different scenes are not well optimized then definitely they will affect the flow of the film and make it appear annoying with a little blanking period in between.

If you make use of Final Cut Pro for video editing then it becomes much easier to adjust these transitions so that edited films can run smoothly. The information below will help you to get complete knowledge about managing transitions in videos using FCP.


Those who are not familiar with Final Cut Pro platform and finding it a little complex as a beginner can switch to Wondershare Filmora for Mac as it is one of the easiest professional tools available from Mac devices.

This software is loaded with all powerful features and possesses an interactive user interface for those who are just starting out with Video Editing.

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


You may also like: How to add effects in Final Cut Pro >>

3 Ways to add or modify the transitions in Final Cut Pro

Part 1: Using Shortcut to Apply Transitions:

Create transitions in FCP

It is possible to apply transitions with a simple shortcut; all that you need to do is either blade your video clip into several scenes as per need or add two or more different scenes to be joined to your software timeline.

It is desired because the transition effect can be applied only if you have more than one clip on the timeline. Also, you can see more keyboard shortcuts here.

Blade your clip

Once you have obtained your two scenes for which you need to add transition effect then select the very first scene from the timeline. Now open the Video animation window on your device, it can be done by pressing Shift+V; find the Compositing option, and then apply default transitions by simply dragging timeline handle towards both sides of the composite window. In FCP, Cross dissolve will be selected as the default transition.

Default transition

Part 2: Use Browser to Apply Transition:

  • Go to the media toolbar and then hit the transition icon. It can be identified as a shaded box over which X is written.

Transition icon

  • Now choose your favorite transition from Browser and drag it to your timeline.
  • It is time to place the dragged transition between two video clips that you need to edit here.

In order to change the duration of transition:

  • Simply right-click on the timeline and select the Change duration option.

Change duration

  • It can be selected from Ctrl+D options also.
  • You can use the precision editor option to adjust transition duration.

 Precision editor option to adjust transition duration

  • Users can also edit preferences for transition on Final Cut Pro software tool as per need.

 Edit preferences for transition

Part 3: Use Menu Bar to Apply Transition:

  • Click on the available cut between two clips on your timeline.
  • Now from the appeared menu bar select Edit and then choose Add Cross Dissolve for your transitions.

Add Cross Dissolve

Related article: How to fade in/out audio in FCP >>

Conclusion:

It is much easier to use Final Cut Pro for audio fade-in and out needs. This advanced software tool can be operated with simple to remember keyboard shortcuts and even beginners can develop new customized projects using it.

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

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

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

When professionals edit their video films, they often need to switch directly between different recorded scenes to create customized outcomes at the end. If these transitions between different scenes are not well optimized then definitely they will affect the flow of the film and make it appear annoying with a little blanking period in between.

If you make use of Final Cut Pro for video editing then it becomes much easier to adjust these transitions so that edited films can run smoothly. The information below will help you to get complete knowledge about managing transitions in videos using FCP.


Those who are not familiar with Final Cut Pro platform and finding it a little complex as a beginner can switch to Wondershare Filmora for Mac as it is one of the easiest professional tools available from Mac devices.

This software is loaded with all powerful features and possesses an interactive user interface for those who are just starting out with Video Editing.

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


You may also like: How to add effects in Final Cut Pro >>

3 Ways to add or modify the transitions in Final Cut Pro

Part 1: Using Shortcut to Apply Transitions:

Create transitions in FCP

It is possible to apply transitions with a simple shortcut; all that you need to do is either blade your video clip into several scenes as per need or add two or more different scenes to be joined to your software timeline.

It is desired because the transition effect can be applied only if you have more than one clip on the timeline. Also, you can see more keyboard shortcuts here.

Blade your clip

Once you have obtained your two scenes for which you need to add transition effect then select the very first scene from the timeline. Now open the Video animation window on your device, it can be done by pressing Shift+V; find the Compositing option, and then apply default transitions by simply dragging timeline handle towards both sides of the composite window. In FCP, Cross dissolve will be selected as the default transition.

Default transition

Part 2: Use Browser to Apply Transition:

  • Go to the media toolbar and then hit the transition icon. It can be identified as a shaded box over which X is written.

Transition icon

  • Now choose your favorite transition from Browser and drag it to your timeline.
  • It is time to place the dragged transition between two video clips that you need to edit here.

In order to change the duration of transition:

  • Simply right-click on the timeline and select the Change duration option.

Change duration

  • It can be selected from Ctrl+D options also.
  • You can use the precision editor option to adjust transition duration.

 Precision editor option to adjust transition duration

  • Users can also edit preferences for transition on Final Cut Pro software tool as per need.

 Edit preferences for transition

Part 3: Use Menu Bar to Apply Transition:

  • Click on the available cut between two clips on your timeline.
  • Now from the appeared menu bar select Edit and then choose Add Cross Dissolve for your transitions.

Add Cross Dissolve

Related article: How to fade in/out audio in FCP >>

Conclusion:

It is much easier to use Final Cut Pro for audio fade-in and out needs. This advanced software tool can be operated with simple to remember keyboard shortcuts and even beginners can develop new customized projects using it.

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

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

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Stop Motion Magic on Instagram: Tips and Tricks

How to Make a Stop Motion Video on Instagram

author avatar

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Instagram’s announcement that the stop motion feature will become available in the Stories section created quite a buzz on the Internet, a while ago. In 2020, the feature remains relatively unknown to social media users, even though on paper it seemed promising.

Stop motion videos, are simply sequentially taken photos that create an illusion of movement once they are played one after the other. These types of videos are growing more popular on social media, as they can make Instagram stories or any other social media feed more interesting. You are at the right place if you would like to join video content creators who already produce stop motion videos because in this article we are going to show you how to make a stop motion video on Instagram.

Part 1: How to Make a Stop Motion Video on Instagram?

The technical side of making a stop motion video on Instagram is rather simple since you can enable this feature in just a few taps. After you launch the app, you should tap on the Camera icon in the upper left corner of the screen. The new window will open where you can choose the type of Instagram story you want to create, so you can pick to go live , record a video normally or use the app’s Boomerang feature.

You will find the Stop Motion option at the end of this menu, and after you tap on it you just have to press the white button in the middle of the toolbar that is located near the bottom of the screen in order to start taking pictures.

Currently, Instagram limits the number of photos you can take with the stop motion feature to ten. Tap on the Done button that is located at the top of the screen once you completed the process of making a stop motion video and then proceed to choose stickers you would like to include in the story you created. Press the Send To button and decide if you want to share the stop motion video to your Instagram or Facebook story or with some of your Instagram followers. ;

Check the ultimate guide about how to use Instagram Stories

Cons of Making Stop Motion Videos with Instagram

Even though Instagram’s new stop motion feature offers an easy way to make your stories more interesting, it still has a few downsides. Adding sound or music to stop motion videos you create with Instagram isn’t possible at the moment, and you can’t do much more other than downloading the video to your device.

Like all other Instagram stories, stop motion videos created with this app are only available for 24 hours if you don’t save them on your phone. Moreover, downloading the stories you create with Instagram ’s stop motion tool will enable you to edit them with video editing apps for iPhone and Android devices and post them to any social media platform you choose.

In addition, the maximum number of frames a stop motion video created with Instagram can have is limited to just ten.

Frequently Asked Questions: Why Can’t I See the Stop Motion Feature in Instagram Stories?

Instagram’s stop motion feature is still in its beta stage, which means that it isn’t available on all versions of the app. So, if you can’t see this option you must go to Google Play or Apps Store and install the version of Instagram that has this feature. If the issue persists, you should opt for some other stop motion app you can use free of charge. ;

Part 2: 3 Best Stop Motion Apps you can Use to Create Animated Videos for Instagram

You shouldn’t worry if the stop motion feature isn’t available on the version of Instagram you’re using, because there are so many apps that are equipped with this tool. With so many different options on the market, finding the app that provides you with all features you need to create stop motion videos can be a difficult task. That’s why we shortlisted the three best apps for iPhones and Android devices that enable you to make animated stop motion videos for Instagram.

1. Over

Price: Free, offers in-app purchase

Compatibility: iOS, Android

Over allows you to do much more than just create stop motion videos you can post on Instagram since it is equipped with a versatile set of tools that can help you improve the brand awareness on social media. There are more than 700 templates to choose from and each of them enables you to adjust your photos and videos to the social network’s demands. However, the free version of the app offers only limited capabilities, and you must upgrade to the Pro version if you want to have access to all photo and video editing tools Over have to offer.

2. Mojo

Price: Free, offers in-app purchases

Compatibility: iOS , Android

create stop motion video for IG in Mojo

Creating content for social media with Mojo is a simple process that can be completed in just three easy steps. You don’t even need a Mojo account to start creating stories with this app. All you have to do is select an animated template, import videos or photos and edit it before tapping on the share button. There are more than a hundred animated templates to choose from, so after you pick one, you just have to add text overlays , but you must purchase Mojo Pro if you want to change aspect ratios , duplicate stories or have access to all text styles and templates.

3. Life Lapse

Price: Free, offers in-app purchases

Compatibility: iOS , Android

Life Lapse Stop Motion Maker

The fact that more than a million video content creators and brands are using Life Lapse to make stop motion videos says a lot about the app’s capabilities. Unlike Over and Mojo, Life Lapse lets you set the exposure and focus locks, switch on a grid or use the ghosted image overlay. Besides capturing photos and videos, the app also allows you to import photos you want to include in the stop motion animation. Furthermore, even the free version of Life Lapse offers a variety of video editing tools that allow you to crop images or adjust saturation, brightness or white balance values in each frame.

Check more video editing apps for Instagram

Part 3: How to Create a Stop Motion Videos with Life Lapse

You don’t have to be a skilled cinematographer to make a stop motion video using the Life Lapse app. Once you’ve installed and launched Life Lapse you should create a new project by tapping on the + icon. As soon as the camera loads you’ll be asked to choose if you would like to create a photo or a video project. Tap on the photo option and start taking photos of the objects or people you want to include in your stop motion video.

The app also grants you access to a broad range of tools that will make composing the shots easier or reduce the flickering effect. Even though Life Lapse doesn’t limit the maximum duration of the stop motion videos you can create with it, an Instagram story cannot be longer than 15 seconds. Furthermore, changing a video’s aspect ratio to 9:16 is recommended, as it will enable you to know exactly how your stop motion video is going to look like after you upload it to Instagram.

Part 4: Tips for Creating Stop Motion Videos for Instagram

The process of making a stop motion animation is not technically complicated since you just need to place your phone on a tripod and take a photo each time you move an object in the shot. Even so, working on a stop motion project requires previous preparations. Here are a few tips that will help you make a better stop motion animation video.

1. Develop a concept

What is your stop motion video about? This is the first and the most important question you will have to answer before you start making a stop motion video. Developing a concept will enable you to know which props you are going to need or how many actors you have to find before you can actually start shooting. Stop motion videos can be virtually about anything, and you should choose a story that will keep the audience interested from start to finish.

2. Shoot in studio conditions

Although it is not impossible to make a stop motion video in outdoor conditions, having control over sudden light changes is. That is why it is much better to shoot stop motion videos in studio-like conditions where you can easily adjust all the parameters in accordance with the demands of the project you’re working on. In addition, it is paramount to keep your phone perfectly steady, which is why it is better to mount it on a tripod than to shoot handheld.

Conclusion

Instagram’s stop motion feature is still under development and it may be some time before you can use it to create professional-looking videos. Apps like Over or Life Lapse are a much better option for all video content creators who would like to impress their audience with stop motion videos. Which app are you using to create stop motion videos? Leave a comment and let us know.

author avatar

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Instagram’s announcement that the stop motion feature will become available in the Stories section created quite a buzz on the Internet, a while ago. In 2020, the feature remains relatively unknown to social media users, even though on paper it seemed promising.

Stop motion videos, are simply sequentially taken photos that create an illusion of movement once they are played one after the other. These types of videos are growing more popular on social media, as they can make Instagram stories or any other social media feed more interesting. You are at the right place if you would like to join video content creators who already produce stop motion videos because in this article we are going to show you how to make a stop motion video on Instagram.

Part 1: How to Make a Stop Motion Video on Instagram?

The technical side of making a stop motion video on Instagram is rather simple since you can enable this feature in just a few taps. After you launch the app, you should tap on the Camera icon in the upper left corner of the screen. The new window will open where you can choose the type of Instagram story you want to create, so you can pick to go live , record a video normally or use the app’s Boomerang feature.

You will find the Stop Motion option at the end of this menu, and after you tap on it you just have to press the white button in the middle of the toolbar that is located near the bottom of the screen in order to start taking pictures.

Currently, Instagram limits the number of photos you can take with the stop motion feature to ten. Tap on the Done button that is located at the top of the screen once you completed the process of making a stop motion video and then proceed to choose stickers you would like to include in the story you created. Press the Send To button and decide if you want to share the stop motion video to your Instagram or Facebook story or with some of your Instagram followers. ;

Check the ultimate guide about how to use Instagram Stories

Cons of Making Stop Motion Videos with Instagram

Even though Instagram’s new stop motion feature offers an easy way to make your stories more interesting, it still has a few downsides. Adding sound or music to stop motion videos you create with Instagram isn’t possible at the moment, and you can’t do much more other than downloading the video to your device.

Like all other Instagram stories, stop motion videos created with this app are only available for 24 hours if you don’t save them on your phone. Moreover, downloading the stories you create with Instagram ’s stop motion tool will enable you to edit them with video editing apps for iPhone and Android devices and post them to any social media platform you choose.

In addition, the maximum number of frames a stop motion video created with Instagram can have is limited to just ten.

Frequently Asked Questions: Why Can’t I See the Stop Motion Feature in Instagram Stories?

Instagram’s stop motion feature is still in its beta stage, which means that it isn’t available on all versions of the app. So, if you can’t see this option you must go to Google Play or Apps Store and install the version of Instagram that has this feature. If the issue persists, you should opt for some other stop motion app you can use free of charge. ;

Part 2: 3 Best Stop Motion Apps you can Use to Create Animated Videos for Instagram

You shouldn’t worry if the stop motion feature isn’t available on the version of Instagram you’re using, because there are so many apps that are equipped with this tool. With so many different options on the market, finding the app that provides you with all features you need to create stop motion videos can be a difficult task. That’s why we shortlisted the three best apps for iPhones and Android devices that enable you to make animated stop motion videos for Instagram.

1. Over

Price: Free, offers in-app purchase

Compatibility: iOS, Android

Over allows you to do much more than just create stop motion videos you can post on Instagram since it is equipped with a versatile set of tools that can help you improve the brand awareness on social media. There are more than 700 templates to choose from and each of them enables you to adjust your photos and videos to the social network’s demands. However, the free version of the app offers only limited capabilities, and you must upgrade to the Pro version if you want to have access to all photo and video editing tools Over have to offer.

2. Mojo

Price: Free, offers in-app purchases

Compatibility: iOS , Android

create stop motion video for IG in Mojo

Creating content for social media with Mojo is a simple process that can be completed in just three easy steps. You don’t even need a Mojo account to start creating stories with this app. All you have to do is select an animated template, import videos or photos and edit it before tapping on the share button. There are more than a hundred animated templates to choose from, so after you pick one, you just have to add text overlays , but you must purchase Mojo Pro if you want to change aspect ratios , duplicate stories or have access to all text styles and templates.

3. Life Lapse

Price: Free, offers in-app purchases

Compatibility: iOS , Android

Life Lapse Stop Motion Maker

The fact that more than a million video content creators and brands are using Life Lapse to make stop motion videos says a lot about the app’s capabilities. Unlike Over and Mojo, Life Lapse lets you set the exposure and focus locks, switch on a grid or use the ghosted image overlay. Besides capturing photos and videos, the app also allows you to import photos you want to include in the stop motion animation. Furthermore, even the free version of Life Lapse offers a variety of video editing tools that allow you to crop images or adjust saturation, brightness or white balance values in each frame.

Check more video editing apps for Instagram

Part 3: How to Create a Stop Motion Videos with Life Lapse

You don’t have to be a skilled cinematographer to make a stop motion video using the Life Lapse app. Once you’ve installed and launched Life Lapse you should create a new project by tapping on the + icon. As soon as the camera loads you’ll be asked to choose if you would like to create a photo or a video project. Tap on the photo option and start taking photos of the objects or people you want to include in your stop motion video.

The app also grants you access to a broad range of tools that will make composing the shots easier or reduce the flickering effect. Even though Life Lapse doesn’t limit the maximum duration of the stop motion videos you can create with it, an Instagram story cannot be longer than 15 seconds. Furthermore, changing a video’s aspect ratio to 9:16 is recommended, as it will enable you to know exactly how your stop motion video is going to look like after you upload it to Instagram.

Part 4: Tips for Creating Stop Motion Videos for Instagram

The process of making a stop motion animation is not technically complicated since you just need to place your phone on a tripod and take a photo each time you move an object in the shot. Even so, working on a stop motion project requires previous preparations. Here are a few tips that will help you make a better stop motion animation video.

1. Develop a concept

What is your stop motion video about? This is the first and the most important question you will have to answer before you start making a stop motion video. Developing a concept will enable you to know which props you are going to need or how many actors you have to find before you can actually start shooting. Stop motion videos can be virtually about anything, and you should choose a story that will keep the audience interested from start to finish.

2. Shoot in studio conditions

Although it is not impossible to make a stop motion video in outdoor conditions, having control over sudden light changes is. That is why it is much better to shoot stop motion videos in studio-like conditions where you can easily adjust all the parameters in accordance with the demands of the project you’re working on. In addition, it is paramount to keep your phone perfectly steady, which is why it is better to mount it on a tripod than to shoot handheld.

Conclusion

Instagram’s stop motion feature is still under development and it may be some time before you can use it to create professional-looking videos. Apps like Over or Life Lapse are a much better option for all video content creators who would like to impress their audience with stop motion videos. Which app are you using to create stop motion videos? Leave a comment and let us know.

author avatar

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Instagram’s announcement that the stop motion feature will become available in the Stories section created quite a buzz on the Internet, a while ago. In 2020, the feature remains relatively unknown to social media users, even though on paper it seemed promising.

Stop motion videos, are simply sequentially taken photos that create an illusion of movement once they are played one after the other. These types of videos are growing more popular on social media, as they can make Instagram stories or any other social media feed more interesting. You are at the right place if you would like to join video content creators who already produce stop motion videos because in this article we are going to show you how to make a stop motion video on Instagram.

Part 1: How to Make a Stop Motion Video on Instagram?

The technical side of making a stop motion video on Instagram is rather simple since you can enable this feature in just a few taps. After you launch the app, you should tap on the Camera icon in the upper left corner of the screen. The new window will open where you can choose the type of Instagram story you want to create, so you can pick to go live , record a video normally or use the app’s Boomerang feature.

You will find the Stop Motion option at the end of this menu, and after you tap on it you just have to press the white button in the middle of the toolbar that is located near the bottom of the screen in order to start taking pictures.

Currently, Instagram limits the number of photos you can take with the stop motion feature to ten. Tap on the Done button that is located at the top of the screen once you completed the process of making a stop motion video and then proceed to choose stickers you would like to include in the story you created. Press the Send To button and decide if you want to share the stop motion video to your Instagram or Facebook story or with some of your Instagram followers. ;

Check the ultimate guide about how to use Instagram Stories

Cons of Making Stop Motion Videos with Instagram

Even though Instagram’s new stop motion feature offers an easy way to make your stories more interesting, it still has a few downsides. Adding sound or music to stop motion videos you create with Instagram isn’t possible at the moment, and you can’t do much more other than downloading the video to your device.

Like all other Instagram stories, stop motion videos created with this app are only available for 24 hours if you don’t save them on your phone. Moreover, downloading the stories you create with Instagram ’s stop motion tool will enable you to edit them with video editing apps for iPhone and Android devices and post them to any social media platform you choose.

In addition, the maximum number of frames a stop motion video created with Instagram can have is limited to just ten.

Frequently Asked Questions: Why Can’t I See the Stop Motion Feature in Instagram Stories?

Instagram’s stop motion feature is still in its beta stage, which means that it isn’t available on all versions of the app. So, if you can’t see this option you must go to Google Play or Apps Store and install the version of Instagram that has this feature. If the issue persists, you should opt for some other stop motion app you can use free of charge. ;

Part 2: 3 Best Stop Motion Apps you can Use to Create Animated Videos for Instagram

You shouldn’t worry if the stop motion feature isn’t available on the version of Instagram you’re using, because there are so many apps that are equipped with this tool. With so many different options on the market, finding the app that provides you with all features you need to create stop motion videos can be a difficult task. That’s why we shortlisted the three best apps for iPhones and Android devices that enable you to make animated stop motion videos for Instagram.

1. Over

Price: Free, offers in-app purchase

Compatibility: iOS, Android

Over allows you to do much more than just create stop motion videos you can post on Instagram since it is equipped with a versatile set of tools that can help you improve the brand awareness on social media. There are more than 700 templates to choose from and each of them enables you to adjust your photos and videos to the social network’s demands. However, the free version of the app offers only limited capabilities, and you must upgrade to the Pro version if you want to have access to all photo and video editing tools Over have to offer.

2. Mojo

Price: Free, offers in-app purchases

Compatibility: iOS , Android

create stop motion video for IG in Mojo

Creating content for social media with Mojo is a simple process that can be completed in just three easy steps. You don’t even need a Mojo account to start creating stories with this app. All you have to do is select an animated template, import videos or photos and edit it before tapping on the share button. There are more than a hundred animated templates to choose from, so after you pick one, you just have to add text overlays , but you must purchase Mojo Pro if you want to change aspect ratios , duplicate stories or have access to all text styles and templates.

3. Life Lapse

Price: Free, offers in-app purchases

Compatibility: iOS , Android

Life Lapse Stop Motion Maker

The fact that more than a million video content creators and brands are using Life Lapse to make stop motion videos says a lot about the app’s capabilities. Unlike Over and Mojo, Life Lapse lets you set the exposure and focus locks, switch on a grid or use the ghosted image overlay. Besides capturing photos and videos, the app also allows you to import photos you want to include in the stop motion animation. Furthermore, even the free version of Life Lapse offers a variety of video editing tools that allow you to crop images or adjust saturation, brightness or white balance values in each frame.

Check more video editing apps for Instagram

Part 3: How to Create a Stop Motion Videos with Life Lapse

You don’t have to be a skilled cinematographer to make a stop motion video using the Life Lapse app. Once you’ve installed and launched Life Lapse you should create a new project by tapping on the + icon. As soon as the camera loads you’ll be asked to choose if you would like to create a photo or a video project. Tap on the photo option and start taking photos of the objects or people you want to include in your stop motion video.

The app also grants you access to a broad range of tools that will make composing the shots easier or reduce the flickering effect. Even though Life Lapse doesn’t limit the maximum duration of the stop motion videos you can create with it, an Instagram story cannot be longer than 15 seconds. Furthermore, changing a video’s aspect ratio to 9:16 is recommended, as it will enable you to know exactly how your stop motion video is going to look like after you upload it to Instagram.

Part 4: Tips for Creating Stop Motion Videos for Instagram

The process of making a stop motion animation is not technically complicated since you just need to place your phone on a tripod and take a photo each time you move an object in the shot. Even so, working on a stop motion project requires previous preparations. Here are a few tips that will help you make a better stop motion animation video.

1. Develop a concept

What is your stop motion video about? This is the first and the most important question you will have to answer before you start making a stop motion video. Developing a concept will enable you to know which props you are going to need or how many actors you have to find before you can actually start shooting. Stop motion videos can be virtually about anything, and you should choose a story that will keep the audience interested from start to finish.

2. Shoot in studio conditions

Although it is not impossible to make a stop motion video in outdoor conditions, having control over sudden light changes is. That is why it is much better to shoot stop motion videos in studio-like conditions where you can easily adjust all the parameters in accordance with the demands of the project you’re working on. In addition, it is paramount to keep your phone perfectly steady, which is why it is better to mount it on a tripod than to shoot handheld.

Conclusion

Instagram’s stop motion feature is still under development and it may be some time before you can use it to create professional-looking videos. Apps like Over or Life Lapse are a much better option for all video content creators who would like to impress their audience with stop motion videos. Which app are you using to create stop motion videos? Leave a comment and let us know.

author avatar

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Instagram’s announcement that the stop motion feature will become available in the Stories section created quite a buzz on the Internet, a while ago. In 2020, the feature remains relatively unknown to social media users, even though on paper it seemed promising.

Stop motion videos, are simply sequentially taken photos that create an illusion of movement once they are played one after the other. These types of videos are growing more popular on social media, as they can make Instagram stories or any other social media feed more interesting. You are at the right place if you would like to join video content creators who already produce stop motion videos because in this article we are going to show you how to make a stop motion video on Instagram.

Part 1: How to Make a Stop Motion Video on Instagram?

The technical side of making a stop motion video on Instagram is rather simple since you can enable this feature in just a few taps. After you launch the app, you should tap on the Camera icon in the upper left corner of the screen. The new window will open where you can choose the type of Instagram story you want to create, so you can pick to go live , record a video normally or use the app’s Boomerang feature.

You will find the Stop Motion option at the end of this menu, and after you tap on it you just have to press the white button in the middle of the toolbar that is located near the bottom of the screen in order to start taking pictures.

Currently, Instagram limits the number of photos you can take with the stop motion feature to ten. Tap on the Done button that is located at the top of the screen once you completed the process of making a stop motion video and then proceed to choose stickers you would like to include in the story you created. Press the Send To button and decide if you want to share the stop motion video to your Instagram or Facebook story or with some of your Instagram followers. ;

Check the ultimate guide about how to use Instagram Stories

Cons of Making Stop Motion Videos with Instagram

Even though Instagram’s new stop motion feature offers an easy way to make your stories more interesting, it still has a few downsides. Adding sound or music to stop motion videos you create with Instagram isn’t possible at the moment, and you can’t do much more other than downloading the video to your device.

Like all other Instagram stories, stop motion videos created with this app are only available for 24 hours if you don’t save them on your phone. Moreover, downloading the stories you create with Instagram ’s stop motion tool will enable you to edit them with video editing apps for iPhone and Android devices and post them to any social media platform you choose.

In addition, the maximum number of frames a stop motion video created with Instagram can have is limited to just ten.

Frequently Asked Questions: Why Can’t I See the Stop Motion Feature in Instagram Stories?

Instagram’s stop motion feature is still in its beta stage, which means that it isn’t available on all versions of the app. So, if you can’t see this option you must go to Google Play or Apps Store and install the version of Instagram that has this feature. If the issue persists, you should opt for some other stop motion app you can use free of charge. ;

Part 2: 3 Best Stop Motion Apps you can Use to Create Animated Videos for Instagram

You shouldn’t worry if the stop motion feature isn’t available on the version of Instagram you’re using, because there are so many apps that are equipped with this tool. With so many different options on the market, finding the app that provides you with all features you need to create stop motion videos can be a difficult task. That’s why we shortlisted the three best apps for iPhones and Android devices that enable you to make animated stop motion videos for Instagram.

1. Over

Price: Free, offers in-app purchase

Compatibility: iOS, Android

Over allows you to do much more than just create stop motion videos you can post on Instagram since it is equipped with a versatile set of tools that can help you improve the brand awareness on social media. There are more than 700 templates to choose from and each of them enables you to adjust your photos and videos to the social network’s demands. However, the free version of the app offers only limited capabilities, and you must upgrade to the Pro version if you want to have access to all photo and video editing tools Over have to offer.

2. Mojo

Price: Free, offers in-app purchases

Compatibility: iOS , Android

create stop motion video for IG in Mojo

Creating content for social media with Mojo is a simple process that can be completed in just three easy steps. You don’t even need a Mojo account to start creating stories with this app. All you have to do is select an animated template, import videos or photos and edit it before tapping on the share button. There are more than a hundred animated templates to choose from, so after you pick one, you just have to add text overlays , but you must purchase Mojo Pro if you want to change aspect ratios , duplicate stories or have access to all text styles and templates.

3. Life Lapse

Price: Free, offers in-app purchases

Compatibility: iOS , Android

Life Lapse Stop Motion Maker

The fact that more than a million video content creators and brands are using Life Lapse to make stop motion videos says a lot about the app’s capabilities. Unlike Over and Mojo, Life Lapse lets you set the exposure and focus locks, switch on a grid or use the ghosted image overlay. Besides capturing photos and videos, the app also allows you to import photos you want to include in the stop motion animation. Furthermore, even the free version of Life Lapse offers a variety of video editing tools that allow you to crop images or adjust saturation, brightness or white balance values in each frame.

Check more video editing apps for Instagram

Part 3: How to Create a Stop Motion Videos with Life Lapse

You don’t have to be a skilled cinematographer to make a stop motion video using the Life Lapse app. Once you’ve installed and launched Life Lapse you should create a new project by tapping on the + icon. As soon as the camera loads you’ll be asked to choose if you would like to create a photo or a video project. Tap on the photo option and start taking photos of the objects or people you want to include in your stop motion video.

The app also grants you access to a broad range of tools that will make composing the shots easier or reduce the flickering effect. Even though Life Lapse doesn’t limit the maximum duration of the stop motion videos you can create with it, an Instagram story cannot be longer than 15 seconds. Furthermore, changing a video’s aspect ratio to 9:16 is recommended, as it will enable you to know exactly how your stop motion video is going to look like after you upload it to Instagram.

Part 4: Tips for Creating Stop Motion Videos for Instagram

The process of making a stop motion animation is not technically complicated since you just need to place your phone on a tripod and take a photo each time you move an object in the shot. Even so, working on a stop motion project requires previous preparations. Here are a few tips that will help you make a better stop motion animation video.

1. Develop a concept

What is your stop motion video about? This is the first and the most important question you will have to answer before you start making a stop motion video. Developing a concept will enable you to know which props you are going to need or how many actors you have to find before you can actually start shooting. Stop motion videos can be virtually about anything, and you should choose a story that will keep the audience interested from start to finish.

2. Shoot in studio conditions

Although it is not impossible to make a stop motion video in outdoor conditions, having control over sudden light changes is. That is why it is much better to shoot stop motion videos in studio-like conditions where you can easily adjust all the parameters in accordance with the demands of the project you’re working on. In addition, it is paramount to keep your phone perfectly steady, which is why it is better to mount it on a tripod than to shoot handheld.

Conclusion

Instagram’s stop motion feature is still under development and it may be some time before you can use it to create professional-looking videos. Apps like Over or Life Lapse are a much better option for all video content creators who would like to impress their audience with stop motion videos. Which app are you using to create stop motion videos? Leave a comment and let us know.

author avatar

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

The Ultimate List: 5 Best Free WMV Video Editing Tools

Top 5 Best Free WMV Video Editors

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Finding suitable video editing software is quite a difficult task. There are so many choices and at the present scenario, loads of tools come for free even. So, it is a natural trend for the people to incline for the free video editing tools rather than spending money on a tool, which offers nothing but almost the same features. Here is a list of top five free WMV video editing tools, which feature almost all sorts of casual video editing needs.


If you need a more professional video editing tool, Wondershare Filmora is highly recommended. It allows you to create Hollywood-like home movies with titles, effects and transitions from all regular videos, audios and photos. All the video editing tools including trim, split, crop, etc are provided. After editing videos, you can even use the software to share with family and friends, convert videos to different formats and burn DVD.

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


Top 5 Best Free WMV Video Editors

1. Windows Movie Maker

Window Movie Maker is an easy-to-use video editing program developed by Microsoft. It supports various video formats including WMV, ASF, MPG, AVI, WMA, WAV and MP3. With it, you can easily combine photos with your video or can customize your video with preset video transition options as well as other video effects. However, the tool has a few limitations which make this piece of tool not suitable for professional video editing purposes.

free wmv video editor

Pros:

  • Easily-to-use interface;
  • Practical video editing options for beginners.

Cons:

  • Crashes a lot and cannot handle large files;
  • Various versions have been released, though differences are truly negligible.

2. Movica

Movica is a graphic or movie editor for Windows Media (.wmv), MPEG files and FLV movies. This program enables you to copy, paste and select or delete multiple portions from a video file. It’s easy-to-use and has keyboard shortcuts which makes the job of editing WMV much easily. However, it’s compiled as a 32-bit Windows and thus makes its major drawbacks from other users who are already using 64-bit Windows.

free wmv video editor

Pros:

  • Lots of keyboard shortcuts to make editing easy.

Cons:

  • Doesn’t support 64-bit Windows;
  • Outdated interface.

3. VSDC Free Video Editor

VSDC Free Video Editor is an application designed for video editing. It supports various video formats including AVI, MPG, MOV, WMV, MKV, RM, SWF, and FLV files. It’s a complex application with plenty of functionality: drawing and selection tools, plenty of color and lighting corrections, some useful filters, transitions, audio effects and more. All of these allow you to add a personal touch to your video files.

free wmv video editor

Pros:

  • Many useful options provided;
  • Can also be used as a video converter.

Cons:

  • Computer resources (CPU and RAM) are required at a high level;
  • Interface may look complex.

4. Video Toolbox

Video Toolbox is a free powerful online video editor. It enables you easily convert videos, add watermark text, cut videos, crop videos, merge several video files, demux video files and much more. It’s capable of processing video files up to 600 MB. Another feature is to analyze the video files and display detailed information about the codec, bit rate, frame rate, resolution, etc.

free wmv video editor

Pros:

  • Easy-to-use;
  • Powerful video conversion ability.

Cons:

  • Only provides simple video editing functions.

5. Cellsea

Cellsea is an another online video editor which supports various video formats including WMV, RM, 3GP, DIVX, FLV, AVI, MOV, MPG, VOB and MP4. With this free online video editing service, you can upload your videos, easily add effects, change video size, add sound or convert your video to another format and then share with your friends instantaneously.

top wmv video editor

Pros:

  • Easily edit your videos online and share with others.

Cons:

  • Has file size limit.

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

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

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Finding suitable video editing software is quite a difficult task. There are so many choices and at the present scenario, loads of tools come for free even. So, it is a natural trend for the people to incline for the free video editing tools rather than spending money on a tool, which offers nothing but almost the same features. Here is a list of top five free WMV video editing tools, which feature almost all sorts of casual video editing needs.


If you need a more professional video editing tool, Wondershare Filmora is highly recommended. It allows you to create Hollywood-like home movies with titles, effects and transitions from all regular videos, audios and photos. All the video editing tools including trim, split, crop, etc are provided. After editing videos, you can even use the software to share with family and friends, convert videos to different formats and burn DVD.

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


Top 5 Best Free WMV Video Editors

1. Windows Movie Maker

Window Movie Maker is an easy-to-use video editing program developed by Microsoft. It supports various video formats including WMV, ASF, MPG, AVI, WMA, WAV and MP3. With it, you can easily combine photos with your video or can customize your video with preset video transition options as well as other video effects. However, the tool has a few limitations which make this piece of tool not suitable for professional video editing purposes.

free wmv video editor

Pros:

  • Easily-to-use interface;
  • Practical video editing options for beginners.

Cons:

  • Crashes a lot and cannot handle large files;
  • Various versions have been released, though differences are truly negligible.

2. Movica

Movica is a graphic or movie editor for Windows Media (.wmv), MPEG files and FLV movies. This program enables you to copy, paste and select or delete multiple portions from a video file. It’s easy-to-use and has keyboard shortcuts which makes the job of editing WMV much easily. However, it’s compiled as a 32-bit Windows and thus makes its major drawbacks from other users who are already using 64-bit Windows.

free wmv video editor

Pros:

  • Lots of keyboard shortcuts to make editing easy.

Cons:

  • Doesn’t support 64-bit Windows;
  • Outdated interface.

3. VSDC Free Video Editor

VSDC Free Video Editor is an application designed for video editing. It supports various video formats including AVI, MPG, MOV, WMV, MKV, RM, SWF, and FLV files. It’s a complex application with plenty of functionality: drawing and selection tools, plenty of color and lighting corrections, some useful filters, transitions, audio effects and more. All of these allow you to add a personal touch to your video files.

free wmv video editor

Pros:

  • Many useful options provided;
  • Can also be used as a video converter.

Cons:

  • Computer resources (CPU and RAM) are required at a high level;
  • Interface may look complex.

4. Video Toolbox

Video Toolbox is a free powerful online video editor. It enables you easily convert videos, add watermark text, cut videos, crop videos, merge several video files, demux video files and much more. It’s capable of processing video files up to 600 MB. Another feature is to analyze the video files and display detailed information about the codec, bit rate, frame rate, resolution, etc.

free wmv video editor

Pros:

  • Easy-to-use;
  • Powerful video conversion ability.

Cons:

  • Only provides simple video editing functions.

5. Cellsea

Cellsea is an another online video editor which supports various video formats including WMV, RM, 3GP, DIVX, FLV, AVI, MOV, MPG, VOB and MP4. With this free online video editing service, you can upload your videos, easily add effects, change video size, add sound or convert your video to another format and then share with your friends instantaneously.

top wmv video editor

Pros:

  • Easily edit your videos online and share with others.

Cons:

  • Has file size limit.

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

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

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Finding suitable video editing software is quite a difficult task. There are so many choices and at the present scenario, loads of tools come for free even. So, it is a natural trend for the people to incline for the free video editing tools rather than spending money on a tool, which offers nothing but almost the same features. Here is a list of top five free WMV video editing tools, which feature almost all sorts of casual video editing needs.


If you need a more professional video editing tool, Wondershare Filmora is highly recommended. It allows you to create Hollywood-like home movies with titles, effects and transitions from all regular videos, audios and photos. All the video editing tools including trim, split, crop, etc are provided. After editing videos, you can even use the software to share with family and friends, convert videos to different formats and burn DVD.

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


Top 5 Best Free WMV Video Editors

1. Windows Movie Maker

Window Movie Maker is an easy-to-use video editing program developed by Microsoft. It supports various video formats including WMV, ASF, MPG, AVI, WMA, WAV and MP3. With it, you can easily combine photos with your video or can customize your video with preset video transition options as well as other video effects. However, the tool has a few limitations which make this piece of tool not suitable for professional video editing purposes.

free wmv video editor

Pros:

  • Easily-to-use interface;
  • Practical video editing options for beginners.

Cons:

  • Crashes a lot and cannot handle large files;
  • Various versions have been released, though differences are truly negligible.

2. Movica

Movica is a graphic or movie editor for Windows Media (.wmv), MPEG files and FLV movies. This program enables you to copy, paste and select or delete multiple portions from a video file. It’s easy-to-use and has keyboard shortcuts which makes the job of editing WMV much easily. However, it’s compiled as a 32-bit Windows and thus makes its major drawbacks from other users who are already using 64-bit Windows.

free wmv video editor

Pros:

  • Lots of keyboard shortcuts to make editing easy.

Cons:

  • Doesn’t support 64-bit Windows;
  • Outdated interface.

3. VSDC Free Video Editor

VSDC Free Video Editor is an application designed for video editing. It supports various video formats including AVI, MPG, MOV, WMV, MKV, RM, SWF, and FLV files. It’s a complex application with plenty of functionality: drawing and selection tools, plenty of color and lighting corrections, some useful filters, transitions, audio effects and more. All of these allow you to add a personal touch to your video files.

free wmv video editor

Pros:

  • Many useful options provided;
  • Can also be used as a video converter.

Cons:

  • Computer resources (CPU and RAM) are required at a high level;
  • Interface may look complex.

4. Video Toolbox

Video Toolbox is a free powerful online video editor. It enables you easily convert videos, add watermark text, cut videos, crop videos, merge several video files, demux video files and much more. It’s capable of processing video files up to 600 MB. Another feature is to analyze the video files and display detailed information about the codec, bit rate, frame rate, resolution, etc.

free wmv video editor

Pros:

  • Easy-to-use;
  • Powerful video conversion ability.

Cons:

  • Only provides simple video editing functions.

5. Cellsea

Cellsea is an another online video editor which supports various video formats including WMV, RM, 3GP, DIVX, FLV, AVI, MOV, MPG, VOB and MP4. With this free online video editing service, you can upload your videos, easily add effects, change video size, add sound or convert your video to another format and then share with your friends instantaneously.

top wmv video editor

Pros:

  • Easily edit your videos online and share with others.

Cons:

  • Has file size limit.

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

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

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Finding suitable video editing software is quite a difficult task. There are so many choices and at the present scenario, loads of tools come for free even. So, it is a natural trend for the people to incline for the free video editing tools rather than spending money on a tool, which offers nothing but almost the same features. Here is a list of top five free WMV video editing tools, which feature almost all sorts of casual video editing needs.


If you need a more professional video editing tool, Wondershare Filmora is highly recommended. It allows you to create Hollywood-like home movies with titles, effects and transitions from all regular videos, audios and photos. All the video editing tools including trim, split, crop, etc are provided. After editing videos, you can even use the software to share with family and friends, convert videos to different formats and burn DVD.

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


Top 5 Best Free WMV Video Editors

1. Windows Movie Maker

Window Movie Maker is an easy-to-use video editing program developed by Microsoft. It supports various video formats including WMV, ASF, MPG, AVI, WMA, WAV and MP3. With it, you can easily combine photos with your video or can customize your video with preset video transition options as well as other video effects. However, the tool has a few limitations which make this piece of tool not suitable for professional video editing purposes.

free wmv video editor

Pros:

  • Easily-to-use interface;
  • Practical video editing options for beginners.

Cons:

  • Crashes a lot and cannot handle large files;
  • Various versions have been released, though differences are truly negligible.

2. Movica

Movica is a graphic or movie editor for Windows Media (.wmv), MPEG files and FLV movies. This program enables you to copy, paste and select or delete multiple portions from a video file. It’s easy-to-use and has keyboard shortcuts which makes the job of editing WMV much easily. However, it’s compiled as a 32-bit Windows and thus makes its major drawbacks from other users who are already using 64-bit Windows.

free wmv video editor

Pros:

  • Lots of keyboard shortcuts to make editing easy.

Cons:

  • Doesn’t support 64-bit Windows;
  • Outdated interface.

3. VSDC Free Video Editor

VSDC Free Video Editor is an application designed for video editing. It supports various video formats including AVI, MPG, MOV, WMV, MKV, RM, SWF, and FLV files. It’s a complex application with plenty of functionality: drawing and selection tools, plenty of color and lighting corrections, some useful filters, transitions, audio effects and more. All of these allow you to add a personal touch to your video files.

free wmv video editor

Pros:

  • Many useful options provided;
  • Can also be used as a video converter.

Cons:

  • Computer resources (CPU and RAM) are required at a high level;
  • Interface may look complex.

4. Video Toolbox

Video Toolbox is a free powerful online video editor. It enables you easily convert videos, add watermark text, cut videos, crop videos, merge several video files, demux video files and much more. It’s capable of processing video files up to 600 MB. Another feature is to analyze the video files and display detailed information about the codec, bit rate, frame rate, resolution, etc.

free wmv video editor

Pros:

  • Easy-to-use;
  • Powerful video conversion ability.

Cons:

  • Only provides simple video editing functions.

5. Cellsea

Cellsea is an another online video editor which supports various video formats including WMV, RM, 3GP, DIVX, FLV, AVI, MOV, MPG, VOB and MP4. With this free online video editing service, you can upload your videos, easily add effects, change video size, add sound or convert your video to another format and then share with your friends instantaneously.

top wmv video editor

Pros:

  • Easily edit your videos online and share with others.

Cons:

  • Has file size limit.

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

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

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Edit MP4 Videos Like a Pro: Top 10 Free Tools

Top 10 Best MP4 Video Editors

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

MP4 is one of the most popular video formats in the world, however, finding a free video editing software which can edit MP4 or MOV formats videos can be hard - with so many video editing software on the market, you don’t know what is great and what is a piece of junk, you don’t have time to test it one by one.

Thankfully, we have produced a top-five list of the best free MP4 editors for you to check. That’s right - with these video editors, you can just go with it and edit your MP4 video files in no time at all!

If you’re inclined to edit videos with presets and templates and looking for a fully-featured product, you may also want to consider a commercial product like Wondershare Filmora .

This video editing tool enables you to seamlessly put together video clips, music & text, apply effects and get a professional-looking home movie in minutes. Download and try it out.

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

See also: Best Video Editing for Windows


Here is a comparison table about the top MP4 editors. Have a quick look.

Supported system Ratings from G2 Pricing Free Trial Level
Filmora Windows/Mac 4.4/5 $49.99/Year, $79.99/Perpetual Available Newbies and experts. All levels of users.
Windows Movie Maker Windows 4.0/5 Free Available User-friendly. Suitable for all levels.
iMovie Mac 4.4/5 Free Available Beginner friendly
Avidemux Mac/Windows/Linux 4.4/5 Free Available Great for beginners
Lightworks Mac/Windows/Linux 3.5/5 $9.99 per user per month. Not available Suitable for all levels of users
VSDC Windows 4.0/5 $19.99 per month Not available Intermediate
VEGAS Pro Windows 4.3/5 $12.99 per month 30-day free trial Suitable for experts.
Openshot Mac/Windows/Linux 4.4/5 Free Available Suitable for newbies and experts.
Clipchamp Web-based 4.3/5 $6 per month Available Newbie-friendly
Freemake Windows 3.8/5 $24 per month. Available Simple. No learning curve. Suitable for all levels of users.
MiniTool MovieMaker Windows 4.0/5 $12.99 per month Not available Suitable for all levels of users.

1. Windows Movie Maker

Windows Movie Maker is a great video editing tool and has been a part of the Windows system for many years. It supports various video formats including MP4, MOV, AVI, WMV, M4V and more. The drag-n-drop functionality enables you to easily add video clips from the computer and drop them to the program.

With it, you can easily combine photos and videos, apply transitions and effects, add music or sound, move images and videos around and have them play at the speed of your choice, post to YouTube and much more.

free mp4 video editor

Pros:

  • Various video editing options;
  • Easy-to-use;
  • Different output options.

Cons:

  • It crashes a lot;
  • Many different versions of the same product;
  • Not available anymore as a part of Windows OS.

Learn more details about Windows Movie Maker

2. iMovie

As the equivalent of Windows Movie Make for Mac OS X, iMovie gives you the chance to turn any movie into a major production. With a simple to use UI, you can easily enhance your videos quicker than ever. Now just import your video clips from computer or external devices, arrange them on the timeline, drop titles, effects and sounds on to the part of the video you wish to edit, and preview the results.

Once it’s all done, one-click to export your file for iOS or Internet usage.

free mp4 video editor

Pros:

  • User-friendly interface;
  • Improved audio editing and fun Movie Trailers.

Cons:

  • No native AVCHD editing or direct import;
  • Pre-processing and import trans-coding can be time-consuming.

Learn more details about iMovie video editing tips

3. Avidemux

Avidemux is a free open-source video editing program for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux. It natively supports a great number of video formats like MP4, AVI, MPEG, MKV and ASF and comes with a well selected feature set to get your cutting, filtering and encoding tasks done. It’s also filled with features like different filters, decoding options, frame rate configuration, processing tools etc.

Other great feature is that tasks can be automated using projects and job queue.

free mp4 video editor

Pros:

  • Lightweight and fairly simple;
  • A wide selection of filters;
  • Provides command-line interface for advanced users.

Cons:

  • Outdated interface;
  • May drop frames in certain formats;
  • Can be complicated for beginning users.

4. Lightworks

Lightworks is one of the most advanced free video editing tools available. With the user-friendly interface and packed timeline, you can easily import, trim and seamlessly weave audio and video files together with a few effortless mouse clicks.

On top of that, it also includes the features like profession-level color correction, video capture function, GPU-accelerated real-time effects and board video formats support.

free mp4 video editor

Pros:

  • Customizable screens;
  • Amount of video editing options;
  • High video quality.

Cons:

  • It crashes occasionally;
  • Requires a long learning curve.

5. VSDC Free Video Editor

VSDC is a free video editing program for Windows. The support video formats include MP4, AVI, MKV, MPG, WMV, FLV and more. It provides various video filters, transitions, audio effects as well as drawing and selection tools.

When the editing done, you can choose the optimized save outputs for a variety of devices, including smart phones and gaming consoles.

top mp4 video editor

Pros:

  • Provides various useful filters;
  • Different output options.

Cons:

  • Computer resources (CPU and RAM) are required at a high level.

6. VEGAS Pro MP4

VEGAS Pro is one of the highly-rated premium MP4 editor tools in the market. This program has many amazing features, including advanced HDR color correction, scene detection, sound design, and live streaming.

Furthermore, it has hundreds of filters, effects, titles, and transitions to transform your output file. This array of features makes it easy to edit videos on Windows PC.

vegas pro mp4 video editor

Pros:

  • This program has plenty of video editing features.
  • It offers many filters, titles, and transitions.
  • It allows unlimited video and audio tracks.
  • It allows a nested timeline.
  • The color grading tools are clear and top-grade.

Cons:

  • Many users feel the interface is disorganized and difficult for newbies to navigate.
  • The Multicam feature, although present, is nearly unusable.
  • There are no welcome tutorials to get you started with ease.
  • Vegas Pro is expensive and is only suitable for Windows. You can buy it at $249 or subscribe for $12.99 monthly.

7. OpenShot MP4 Video Editor

OpenShot is a popular free media editor for Windows, Linux, and Mac. This open-source tool has evolved and now supports many media formats, including audio, video, and image formats.

This tool has one of the simplest user interfaces designed with all categories of users in mind. It supports over 70 languages, and users can add as many layers of tracks.

OpenShot offers a powerful animation framework to allow users to play around with animations to produce quality output videos. OpenShot also provides transitions and over 14 effects to make your output MP4 file attractive.

openshot mp4 video editor

Pros:

  • OpenShot is a cross-platform video editor; hence, you can use it on Windows, Mac, and Linux without compatibility issues.
  • It offers a good collection of animations and effects to make your video more appealing.
  • It has a simple and user-friendly interface. Therefore, amateurs won’t struggle to edit their MP4 videos.
  • It supports over 70 different languages.
  • It is free.

Cons:

  • Some of the purported features don’t function well.
  • Although it has a good collection of features, several other useful features are missing.
  • It cannot open AVCHD files.

8. Clipchamp MP4 Editor Online

Clipchamp is a free, easy-to-use video editor that is suitable for small business marketing. This web-based MP4 editor is designed with simplicity; hence, users can easily edit videos.

With Clipchamp, you can edit videos of all sizes directly on your browser without experience! You can add special effects, transitions, background music, and texts to make your output MP4 file eye-catchy.

Furthermore, you can trim, cut, split, combine, rotate, flip, and mirror videos depending on your need.

clipchamp edit mp4

Pros:

  • The combination of intelligent features and shortcuts significantly saves your time and energy.
  • It offers a sleek and intuitive interface to edit MP4 videos seamlessly.
  • It provides styling effects and lots of good transitions.
  • It offers several templates to get started.

Cons:

  • Users have limited control over the effects.
  • Most useful content requires subscriptions.
  • Users complain of slow export rendering.

9. Freemake MP4 Video Editor

Freemake is a common name in the media editing industry and is undoubtedly one of the best MP4 video editor tools.

Although it is not a fully-fledged app like other hot names, it allows you to quickly and easily edit MP4 videos on Windows. With Freemake, you can cut, rotate, and import files directly from YouTube.

freemake mp4 video editor

Pros:

  • It supports direct uploads from YouTube.
  • It supports several file formats.
  • It is easy to use.

Cons:

  • It offers basic video editing features.
  • It does not provide Mac support.

10. MiniTool MovieMaker

MiniTool MovieMaker is an easy-to-use video editor enriched with plenty of good video editing features. This tool offers an intuitive interface and collection of features that easily transform how you produce stunning videos.

With several video templates, you are one click away from generating stylish videos. The good with this tool is that it gives you a platform to inspire your creativity and export 1080P videos without a watermark.

minitool mp4 video editor

Pros:

  • It is friendly for beginners. Thanks to the simple and intuitive interface.
  • It offers plenty of templates, filters, themes, and stickers.

Cons:

  • It has limited editing features compared to top-grade tools like Filmora.
  • The free version is ad-laden and has a forced watermark on the exported file.

FAQs About MP4 Video Editing

1. How Do I Shorten an MP4 Video?

In this article, we have listed 10 free MP4 video editors, but Filmora is one the best tool for shortening mp4 videos. It comes with Auto Scene Detection tool, Instant cutter tool & the Trim feature. The Instant Cutter tool allows you to trim MP4 videos quickly without re-encoding. On the timeline, drag the trim icon to the right or left to remove the video’s beginning and end parts, respectively, and trim your video to shorten an MP4 video easily. The instant cutter tool is totally free to use and there is no watermark.

2. How Can I Split MP4 Files Into Parts for Free?

With the instant cutter tool in Filmora, you can easily split mp4 videos into parts for free as you require. Click Import with Instant Cutter Tool and then open the file, move the playhead to the start position of the video part that you want to keep, and then click the Set In icon. Repeat the process to find the ending point, and then click the Add Segment button to split the video and save it as a new one. You can split several clips from the original footage.

A more accessible alternative to this approach is using the Auto Scene Detection tool . It splits your video into multiple strategic segments automatically based on scene changes. You then end up with multiple split parts of the original video which you can selectively delete and then add to the timeline.

Conclusion

This article has highlighted some of the best MP4 converters worth trying. However, not every tool works for you. Choosing a tool that meets your needs and gives you desired MP4 editing experience is important.

Fortunately, the all-in-one Video editor-Filmora Video Editor, ticks all the boxes and easily becomes the best choice. This MP4 editor offers an unmatchable video and audio editing experience within your budget. Try Filmora today and take your MP4 editing experience to another level.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

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

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

MP4 is one of the most popular video formats in the world, however, finding a free video editing software which can edit MP4 or MOV formats videos can be hard - with so many video editing software on the market, you don’t know what is great and what is a piece of junk, you don’t have time to test it one by one.

Thankfully, we have produced a top-five list of the best free MP4 editors for you to check. That’s right - with these video editors, you can just go with it and edit your MP4 video files in no time at all!

If you’re inclined to edit videos with presets and templates and looking for a fully-featured product, you may also want to consider a commercial product like Wondershare Filmora .

This video editing tool enables you to seamlessly put together video clips, music & text, apply effects and get a professional-looking home movie in minutes. Download and try it out.

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

See also: Best Video Editing for Windows


Here is a comparison table about the top MP4 editors. Have a quick look.

Supported system Ratings from G2 Pricing Free Trial Level
Filmora Windows/Mac 4.4/5 $49.99/Year, $79.99/Perpetual Available Newbies and experts. All levels of users.
Windows Movie Maker Windows 4.0/5 Free Available User-friendly. Suitable for all levels.
iMovie Mac 4.4/5 Free Available Beginner friendly
Avidemux Mac/Windows/Linux 4.4/5 Free Available Great for beginners
Lightworks Mac/Windows/Linux 3.5/5 $9.99 per user per month. Not available Suitable for all levels of users
VSDC Windows 4.0/5 $19.99 per month Not available Intermediate
VEGAS Pro Windows 4.3/5 $12.99 per month 30-day free trial Suitable for experts.
Openshot Mac/Windows/Linux 4.4/5 Free Available Suitable for newbies and experts.
Clipchamp Web-based 4.3/5 $6 per month Available Newbie-friendly
Freemake Windows 3.8/5 $24 per month. Available Simple. No learning curve. Suitable for all levels of users.
MiniTool MovieMaker Windows 4.0/5 $12.99 per month Not available Suitable for all levels of users.

1. Windows Movie Maker

Windows Movie Maker is a great video editing tool and has been a part of the Windows system for many years. It supports various video formats including MP4, MOV, AVI, WMV, M4V and more. The drag-n-drop functionality enables you to easily add video clips from the computer and drop them to the program.

With it, you can easily combine photos and videos, apply transitions and effects, add music or sound, move images and videos around and have them play at the speed of your choice, post to YouTube and much more.

free mp4 video editor

Pros:

  • Various video editing options;
  • Easy-to-use;
  • Different output options.

Cons:

  • It crashes a lot;
  • Many different versions of the same product;
  • Not available anymore as a part of Windows OS.

Learn more details about Windows Movie Maker

2. iMovie

As the equivalent of Windows Movie Make for Mac OS X, iMovie gives you the chance to turn any movie into a major production. With a simple to use UI, you can easily enhance your videos quicker than ever. Now just import your video clips from computer or external devices, arrange them on the timeline, drop titles, effects and sounds on to the part of the video you wish to edit, and preview the results.

Once it’s all done, one-click to export your file for iOS or Internet usage.

free mp4 video editor

Pros:

  • User-friendly interface;
  • Improved audio editing and fun Movie Trailers.

Cons:

  • No native AVCHD editing or direct import;
  • Pre-processing and import trans-coding can be time-consuming.

Learn more details about iMovie video editing tips

3. Avidemux

Avidemux is a free open-source video editing program for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux. It natively supports a great number of video formats like MP4, AVI, MPEG, MKV and ASF and comes with a well selected feature set to get your cutting, filtering and encoding tasks done. It’s also filled with features like different filters, decoding options, frame rate configuration, processing tools etc.

Other great feature is that tasks can be automated using projects and job queue.

free mp4 video editor

Pros:

  • Lightweight and fairly simple;
  • A wide selection of filters;
  • Provides command-line interface for advanced users.

Cons:

  • Outdated interface;
  • May drop frames in certain formats;
  • Can be complicated for beginning users.

4. Lightworks

Lightworks is one of the most advanced free video editing tools available. With the user-friendly interface and packed timeline, you can easily import, trim and seamlessly weave audio and video files together with a few effortless mouse clicks.

On top of that, it also includes the features like profession-level color correction, video capture function, GPU-accelerated real-time effects and board video formats support.

free mp4 video editor

Pros:

  • Customizable screens;
  • Amount of video editing options;
  • High video quality.

Cons:

  • It crashes occasionally;
  • Requires a long learning curve.

5. VSDC Free Video Editor

VSDC is a free video editing program for Windows. The support video formats include MP4, AVI, MKV, MPG, WMV, FLV and more. It provides various video filters, transitions, audio effects as well as drawing and selection tools.

When the editing done, you can choose the optimized save outputs for a variety of devices, including smart phones and gaming consoles.

top mp4 video editor

Pros:

  • Provides various useful filters;
  • Different output options.

Cons:

  • Computer resources (CPU and RAM) are required at a high level.

6. VEGAS Pro MP4

VEGAS Pro is one of the highly-rated premium MP4 editor tools in the market. This program has many amazing features, including advanced HDR color correction, scene detection, sound design, and live streaming.

Furthermore, it has hundreds of filters, effects, titles, and transitions to transform your output file. This array of features makes it easy to edit videos on Windows PC.

vegas pro mp4 video editor

Pros:

  • This program has plenty of video editing features.
  • It offers many filters, titles, and transitions.
  • It allows unlimited video and audio tracks.
  • It allows a nested timeline.
  • The color grading tools are clear and top-grade.

Cons:

  • Many users feel the interface is disorganized and difficult for newbies to navigate.
  • The Multicam feature, although present, is nearly unusable.
  • There are no welcome tutorials to get you started with ease.
  • Vegas Pro is expensive and is only suitable for Windows. You can buy it at $249 or subscribe for $12.99 monthly.

7. OpenShot MP4 Video Editor

OpenShot is a popular free media editor for Windows, Linux, and Mac. This open-source tool has evolved and now supports many media formats, including audio, video, and image formats.

This tool has one of the simplest user interfaces designed with all categories of users in mind. It supports over 70 languages, and users can add as many layers of tracks.

OpenShot offers a powerful animation framework to allow users to play around with animations to produce quality output videos. OpenShot also provides transitions and over 14 effects to make your output MP4 file attractive.

openshot mp4 video editor

Pros:

  • OpenShot is a cross-platform video editor; hence, you can use it on Windows, Mac, and Linux without compatibility issues.
  • It offers a good collection of animations and effects to make your video more appealing.
  • It has a simple and user-friendly interface. Therefore, amateurs won’t struggle to edit their MP4 videos.
  • It supports over 70 different languages.
  • It is free.

Cons:

  • Some of the purported features don’t function well.
  • Although it has a good collection of features, several other useful features are missing.
  • It cannot open AVCHD files.

8. Clipchamp MP4 Editor Online

Clipchamp is a free, easy-to-use video editor that is suitable for small business marketing. This web-based MP4 editor is designed with simplicity; hence, users can easily edit videos.

With Clipchamp, you can edit videos of all sizes directly on your browser without experience! You can add special effects, transitions, background music, and texts to make your output MP4 file eye-catchy.

Furthermore, you can trim, cut, split, combine, rotate, flip, and mirror videos depending on your need.

clipchamp edit mp4

Pros:

  • The combination of intelligent features and shortcuts significantly saves your time and energy.
  • It offers a sleek and intuitive interface to edit MP4 videos seamlessly.
  • It provides styling effects and lots of good transitions.
  • It offers several templates to get started.

Cons:

  • Users have limited control over the effects.
  • Most useful content requires subscriptions.
  • Users complain of slow export rendering.

9. Freemake MP4 Video Editor

Freemake is a common name in the media editing industry and is undoubtedly one of the best MP4 video editor tools.

Although it is not a fully-fledged app like other hot names, it allows you to quickly and easily edit MP4 videos on Windows. With Freemake, you can cut, rotate, and import files directly from YouTube.

freemake mp4 video editor

Pros:

  • It supports direct uploads from YouTube.
  • It supports several file formats.
  • It is easy to use.

Cons:

  • It offers basic video editing features.
  • It does not provide Mac support.

10. MiniTool MovieMaker

MiniTool MovieMaker is an easy-to-use video editor enriched with plenty of good video editing features. This tool offers an intuitive interface and collection of features that easily transform how you produce stunning videos.

With several video templates, you are one click away from generating stylish videos. The good with this tool is that it gives you a platform to inspire your creativity and export 1080P videos without a watermark.

minitool mp4 video editor

Pros:

  • It is friendly for beginners. Thanks to the simple and intuitive interface.
  • It offers plenty of templates, filters, themes, and stickers.

Cons:

  • It has limited editing features compared to top-grade tools like Filmora.
  • The free version is ad-laden and has a forced watermark on the exported file.

FAQs About MP4 Video Editing

1. How Do I Shorten an MP4 Video?

In this article, we have listed 10 free MP4 video editors, but Filmora is one the best tool for shortening mp4 videos. It comes with Auto Scene Detection tool, Instant cutter tool & the Trim feature. The Instant Cutter tool allows you to trim MP4 videos quickly without re-encoding. On the timeline, drag the trim icon to the right or left to remove the video’s beginning and end parts, respectively, and trim your video to shorten an MP4 video easily. The instant cutter tool is totally free to use and there is no watermark.

2. How Can I Split MP4 Files Into Parts for Free?

With the instant cutter tool in Filmora, you can easily split mp4 videos into parts for free as you require. Click Import with Instant Cutter Tool and then open the file, move the playhead to the start position of the video part that you want to keep, and then click the Set In icon. Repeat the process to find the ending point, and then click the Add Segment button to split the video and save it as a new one. You can split several clips from the original footage.

A more accessible alternative to this approach is using the Auto Scene Detection tool . It splits your video into multiple strategic segments automatically based on scene changes. You then end up with multiple split parts of the original video which you can selectively delete and then add to the timeline.

Conclusion

This article has highlighted some of the best MP4 converters worth trying. However, not every tool works for you. Choosing a tool that meets your needs and gives you desired MP4 editing experience is important.

Fortunately, the all-in-one Video editor-Filmora Video Editor, ticks all the boxes and easily becomes the best choice. This MP4 editor offers an unmatchable video and audio editing experience within your budget. Try Filmora today and take your MP4 editing experience to another level.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

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

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

MP4 is one of the most popular video formats in the world, however, finding a free video editing software which can edit MP4 or MOV formats videos can be hard - with so many video editing software on the market, you don’t know what is great and what is a piece of junk, you don’t have time to test it one by one.

Thankfully, we have produced a top-five list of the best free MP4 editors for you to check. That’s right - with these video editors, you can just go with it and edit your MP4 video files in no time at all!

If you’re inclined to edit videos with presets and templates and looking for a fully-featured product, you may also want to consider a commercial product like Wondershare Filmora .

This video editing tool enables you to seamlessly put together video clips, music & text, apply effects and get a professional-looking home movie in minutes. Download and try it out.

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

See also: Best Video Editing for Windows


Here is a comparison table about the top MP4 editors. Have a quick look.

Supported system Ratings from G2 Pricing Free Trial Level
Filmora Windows/Mac 4.4/5 $49.99/Year, $79.99/Perpetual Available Newbies and experts. All levels of users.
Windows Movie Maker Windows 4.0/5 Free Available User-friendly. Suitable for all levels.
iMovie Mac 4.4/5 Free Available Beginner friendly
Avidemux Mac/Windows/Linux 4.4/5 Free Available Great for beginners
Lightworks Mac/Windows/Linux 3.5/5 $9.99 per user per month. Not available Suitable for all levels of users
VSDC Windows 4.0/5 $19.99 per month Not available Intermediate
VEGAS Pro Windows 4.3/5 $12.99 per month 30-day free trial Suitable for experts.
Openshot Mac/Windows/Linux 4.4/5 Free Available Suitable for newbies and experts.
Clipchamp Web-based 4.3/5 $6 per month Available Newbie-friendly
Freemake Windows 3.8/5 $24 per month. Available Simple. No learning curve. Suitable for all levels of users.
MiniTool MovieMaker Windows 4.0/5 $12.99 per month Not available Suitable for all levels of users.

1. Windows Movie Maker

Windows Movie Maker is a great video editing tool and has been a part of the Windows system for many years. It supports various video formats including MP4, MOV, AVI, WMV, M4V and more. The drag-n-drop functionality enables you to easily add video clips from the computer and drop them to the program.

With it, you can easily combine photos and videos, apply transitions and effects, add music or sound, move images and videos around and have them play at the speed of your choice, post to YouTube and much more.

free mp4 video editor

Pros:

  • Various video editing options;
  • Easy-to-use;
  • Different output options.

Cons:

  • It crashes a lot;
  • Many different versions of the same product;
  • Not available anymore as a part of Windows OS.

Learn more details about Windows Movie Maker

2. iMovie

As the equivalent of Windows Movie Make for Mac OS X, iMovie gives you the chance to turn any movie into a major production. With a simple to use UI, you can easily enhance your videos quicker than ever. Now just import your video clips from computer or external devices, arrange them on the timeline, drop titles, effects and sounds on to the part of the video you wish to edit, and preview the results.

Once it’s all done, one-click to export your file for iOS or Internet usage.

free mp4 video editor

Pros:

  • User-friendly interface;
  • Improved audio editing and fun Movie Trailers.

Cons:

  • No native AVCHD editing or direct import;
  • Pre-processing and import trans-coding can be time-consuming.

Learn more details about iMovie video editing tips

3. Avidemux

Avidemux is a free open-source video editing program for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux. It natively supports a great number of video formats like MP4, AVI, MPEG, MKV and ASF and comes with a well selected feature set to get your cutting, filtering and encoding tasks done. It’s also filled with features like different filters, decoding options, frame rate configuration, processing tools etc.

Other great feature is that tasks can be automated using projects and job queue.

free mp4 video editor

Pros:

  • Lightweight and fairly simple;
  • A wide selection of filters;
  • Provides command-line interface for advanced users.

Cons:

  • Outdated interface;
  • May drop frames in certain formats;
  • Can be complicated for beginning users.

4. Lightworks

Lightworks is one of the most advanced free video editing tools available. With the user-friendly interface and packed timeline, you can easily import, trim and seamlessly weave audio and video files together with a few effortless mouse clicks.

On top of that, it also includes the features like profession-level color correction, video capture function, GPU-accelerated real-time effects and board video formats support.

free mp4 video editor

Pros:

  • Customizable screens;
  • Amount of video editing options;
  • High video quality.

Cons:

  • It crashes occasionally;
  • Requires a long learning curve.

5. VSDC Free Video Editor

VSDC is a free video editing program for Windows. The support video formats include MP4, AVI, MKV, MPG, WMV, FLV and more. It provides various video filters, transitions, audio effects as well as drawing and selection tools.

When the editing done, you can choose the optimized save outputs for a variety of devices, including smart phones and gaming consoles.

top mp4 video editor

Pros:

  • Provides various useful filters;
  • Different output options.

Cons:

  • Computer resources (CPU and RAM) are required at a high level.

6. VEGAS Pro MP4

VEGAS Pro is one of the highly-rated premium MP4 editor tools in the market. This program has many amazing features, including advanced HDR color correction, scene detection, sound design, and live streaming.

Furthermore, it has hundreds of filters, effects, titles, and transitions to transform your output file. This array of features makes it easy to edit videos on Windows PC.

vegas pro mp4 video editor

Pros:

  • This program has plenty of video editing features.
  • It offers many filters, titles, and transitions.
  • It allows unlimited video and audio tracks.
  • It allows a nested timeline.
  • The color grading tools are clear and top-grade.

Cons:

  • Many users feel the interface is disorganized and difficult for newbies to navigate.
  • The Multicam feature, although present, is nearly unusable.
  • There are no welcome tutorials to get you started with ease.
  • Vegas Pro is expensive and is only suitable for Windows. You can buy it at $249 or subscribe for $12.99 monthly.

7. OpenShot MP4 Video Editor

OpenShot is a popular free media editor for Windows, Linux, and Mac. This open-source tool has evolved and now supports many media formats, including audio, video, and image formats.

This tool has one of the simplest user interfaces designed with all categories of users in mind. It supports over 70 languages, and users can add as many layers of tracks.

OpenShot offers a powerful animation framework to allow users to play around with animations to produce quality output videos. OpenShot also provides transitions and over 14 effects to make your output MP4 file attractive.

openshot mp4 video editor

Pros:

  • OpenShot is a cross-platform video editor; hence, you can use it on Windows, Mac, and Linux without compatibility issues.
  • It offers a good collection of animations and effects to make your video more appealing.
  • It has a simple and user-friendly interface. Therefore, amateurs won’t struggle to edit their MP4 videos.
  • It supports over 70 different languages.
  • It is free.

Cons:

  • Some of the purported features don’t function well.
  • Although it has a good collection of features, several other useful features are missing.
  • It cannot open AVCHD files.

8. Clipchamp MP4 Editor Online

Clipchamp is a free, easy-to-use video editor that is suitable for small business marketing. This web-based MP4 editor is designed with simplicity; hence, users can easily edit videos.

With Clipchamp, you can edit videos of all sizes directly on your browser without experience! You can add special effects, transitions, background music, and texts to make your output MP4 file eye-catchy.

Furthermore, you can trim, cut, split, combine, rotate, flip, and mirror videos depending on your need.

clipchamp edit mp4

Pros:

  • The combination of intelligent features and shortcuts significantly saves your time and energy.
  • It offers a sleek and intuitive interface to edit MP4 videos seamlessly.
  • It provides styling effects and lots of good transitions.
  • It offers several templates to get started.

Cons:

  • Users have limited control over the effects.
  • Most useful content requires subscriptions.
  • Users complain of slow export rendering.

9. Freemake MP4 Video Editor

Freemake is a common name in the media editing industry and is undoubtedly one of the best MP4 video editor tools.

Although it is not a fully-fledged app like other hot names, it allows you to quickly and easily edit MP4 videos on Windows. With Freemake, you can cut, rotate, and import files directly from YouTube.

freemake mp4 video editor

Pros:

  • It supports direct uploads from YouTube.
  • It supports several file formats.
  • It is easy to use.

Cons:

  • It offers basic video editing features.
  • It does not provide Mac support.

10. MiniTool MovieMaker

MiniTool MovieMaker is an easy-to-use video editor enriched with plenty of good video editing features. This tool offers an intuitive interface and collection of features that easily transform how you produce stunning videos.

With several video templates, you are one click away from generating stylish videos. The good with this tool is that it gives you a platform to inspire your creativity and export 1080P videos without a watermark.

minitool mp4 video editor

Pros:

  • It is friendly for beginners. Thanks to the simple and intuitive interface.
  • It offers plenty of templates, filters, themes, and stickers.

Cons:

  • It has limited editing features compared to top-grade tools like Filmora.
  • The free version is ad-laden and has a forced watermark on the exported file.

FAQs About MP4 Video Editing

1. How Do I Shorten an MP4 Video?

In this article, we have listed 10 free MP4 video editors, but Filmora is one the best tool for shortening mp4 videos. It comes with Auto Scene Detection tool, Instant cutter tool & the Trim feature. The Instant Cutter tool allows you to trim MP4 videos quickly without re-encoding. On the timeline, drag the trim icon to the right or left to remove the video’s beginning and end parts, respectively, and trim your video to shorten an MP4 video easily. The instant cutter tool is totally free to use and there is no watermark.

2. How Can I Split MP4 Files Into Parts for Free?

With the instant cutter tool in Filmora, you can easily split mp4 videos into parts for free as you require. Click Import with Instant Cutter Tool and then open the file, move the playhead to the start position of the video part that you want to keep, and then click the Set In icon. Repeat the process to find the ending point, and then click the Add Segment button to split the video and save it as a new one. You can split several clips from the original footage.

A more accessible alternative to this approach is using the Auto Scene Detection tool . It splits your video into multiple strategic segments automatically based on scene changes. You then end up with multiple split parts of the original video which you can selectively delete and then add to the timeline.

Conclusion

This article has highlighted some of the best MP4 converters worth trying. However, not every tool works for you. Choosing a tool that meets your needs and gives you desired MP4 editing experience is important.

Fortunately, the all-in-one Video editor-Filmora Video Editor, ticks all the boxes and easily becomes the best choice. This MP4 editor offers an unmatchable video and audio editing experience within your budget. Try Filmora today and take your MP4 editing experience to another level.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

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

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

MP4 is one of the most popular video formats in the world, however, finding a free video editing software which can edit MP4 or MOV formats videos can be hard - with so many video editing software on the market, you don’t know what is great and what is a piece of junk, you don’t have time to test it one by one.

Thankfully, we have produced a top-five list of the best free MP4 editors for you to check. That’s right - with these video editors, you can just go with it and edit your MP4 video files in no time at all!

If you’re inclined to edit videos with presets and templates and looking for a fully-featured product, you may also want to consider a commercial product like Wondershare Filmora .

This video editing tool enables you to seamlessly put together video clips, music & text, apply effects and get a professional-looking home movie in minutes. Download and try it out.

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

See also: Best Video Editing for Windows


Here is a comparison table about the top MP4 editors. Have a quick look.

Supported system Ratings from G2 Pricing Free Trial Level
Filmora Windows/Mac 4.4/5 $49.99/Year, $79.99/Perpetual Available Newbies and experts. All levels of users.
Windows Movie Maker Windows 4.0/5 Free Available User-friendly. Suitable for all levels.
iMovie Mac 4.4/5 Free Available Beginner friendly
Avidemux Mac/Windows/Linux 4.4/5 Free Available Great for beginners
Lightworks Mac/Windows/Linux 3.5/5 $9.99 per user per month. Not available Suitable for all levels of users
VSDC Windows 4.0/5 $19.99 per month Not available Intermediate
VEGAS Pro Windows 4.3/5 $12.99 per month 30-day free trial Suitable for experts.
Openshot Mac/Windows/Linux 4.4/5 Free Available Suitable for newbies and experts.
Clipchamp Web-based 4.3/5 $6 per month Available Newbie-friendly
Freemake Windows 3.8/5 $24 per month. Available Simple. No learning curve. Suitable for all levels of users.
MiniTool MovieMaker Windows 4.0/5 $12.99 per month Not available Suitable for all levels of users.

1. Windows Movie Maker

Windows Movie Maker is a great video editing tool and has been a part of the Windows system for many years. It supports various video formats including MP4, MOV, AVI, WMV, M4V and more. The drag-n-drop functionality enables you to easily add video clips from the computer and drop them to the program.

With it, you can easily combine photos and videos, apply transitions and effects, add music or sound, move images and videos around and have them play at the speed of your choice, post to YouTube and much more.

free mp4 video editor

Pros:

  • Various video editing options;
  • Easy-to-use;
  • Different output options.

Cons:

  • It crashes a lot;
  • Many different versions of the same product;
  • Not available anymore as a part of Windows OS.

Learn more details about Windows Movie Maker

2. iMovie

As the equivalent of Windows Movie Make for Mac OS X, iMovie gives you the chance to turn any movie into a major production. With a simple to use UI, you can easily enhance your videos quicker than ever. Now just import your video clips from computer or external devices, arrange them on the timeline, drop titles, effects and sounds on to the part of the video you wish to edit, and preview the results.

Once it’s all done, one-click to export your file for iOS or Internet usage.

free mp4 video editor

Pros:

  • User-friendly interface;
  • Improved audio editing and fun Movie Trailers.

Cons:

  • No native AVCHD editing or direct import;
  • Pre-processing and import trans-coding can be time-consuming.

Learn more details about iMovie video editing tips

3. Avidemux

Avidemux is a free open-source video editing program for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux. It natively supports a great number of video formats like MP4, AVI, MPEG, MKV and ASF and comes with a well selected feature set to get your cutting, filtering and encoding tasks done. It’s also filled with features like different filters, decoding options, frame rate configuration, processing tools etc.

Other great feature is that tasks can be automated using projects and job queue.

free mp4 video editor

Pros:

  • Lightweight and fairly simple;
  • A wide selection of filters;
  • Provides command-line interface for advanced users.

Cons:

  • Outdated interface;
  • May drop frames in certain formats;
  • Can be complicated for beginning users.

4. Lightworks

Lightworks is one of the most advanced free video editing tools available. With the user-friendly interface and packed timeline, you can easily import, trim and seamlessly weave audio and video files together with a few effortless mouse clicks.

On top of that, it also includes the features like profession-level color correction, video capture function, GPU-accelerated real-time effects and board video formats support.

free mp4 video editor

Pros:

  • Customizable screens;
  • Amount of video editing options;
  • High video quality.

Cons:

  • It crashes occasionally;
  • Requires a long learning curve.

5. VSDC Free Video Editor

VSDC is a free video editing program for Windows. The support video formats include MP4, AVI, MKV, MPG, WMV, FLV and more. It provides various video filters, transitions, audio effects as well as drawing and selection tools.

When the editing done, you can choose the optimized save outputs for a variety of devices, including smart phones and gaming consoles.

top mp4 video editor

Pros:

  • Provides various useful filters;
  • Different output options.

Cons:

  • Computer resources (CPU and RAM) are required at a high level.

6. VEGAS Pro MP4

VEGAS Pro is one of the highly-rated premium MP4 editor tools in the market. This program has many amazing features, including advanced HDR color correction, scene detection, sound design, and live streaming.

Furthermore, it has hundreds of filters, effects, titles, and transitions to transform your output file. This array of features makes it easy to edit videos on Windows PC.

vegas pro mp4 video editor

Pros:

  • This program has plenty of video editing features.
  • It offers many filters, titles, and transitions.
  • It allows unlimited video and audio tracks.
  • It allows a nested timeline.
  • The color grading tools are clear and top-grade.

Cons:

  • Many users feel the interface is disorganized and difficult for newbies to navigate.
  • The Multicam feature, although present, is nearly unusable.
  • There are no welcome tutorials to get you started with ease.
  • Vegas Pro is expensive and is only suitable for Windows. You can buy it at $249 or subscribe for $12.99 monthly.

7. OpenShot MP4 Video Editor

OpenShot is a popular free media editor for Windows, Linux, and Mac. This open-source tool has evolved and now supports many media formats, including audio, video, and image formats.

This tool has one of the simplest user interfaces designed with all categories of users in mind. It supports over 70 languages, and users can add as many layers of tracks.

OpenShot offers a powerful animation framework to allow users to play around with animations to produce quality output videos. OpenShot also provides transitions and over 14 effects to make your output MP4 file attractive.

openshot mp4 video editor

Pros:

  • OpenShot is a cross-platform video editor; hence, you can use it on Windows, Mac, and Linux without compatibility issues.
  • It offers a good collection of animations and effects to make your video more appealing.
  • It has a simple and user-friendly interface. Therefore, amateurs won’t struggle to edit their MP4 videos.
  • It supports over 70 different languages.
  • It is free.

Cons:

  • Some of the purported features don’t function well.
  • Although it has a good collection of features, several other useful features are missing.
  • It cannot open AVCHD files.

8. Clipchamp MP4 Editor Online

Clipchamp is a free, easy-to-use video editor that is suitable for small business marketing. This web-based MP4 editor is designed with simplicity; hence, users can easily edit videos.

With Clipchamp, you can edit videos of all sizes directly on your browser without experience! You can add special effects, transitions, background music, and texts to make your output MP4 file eye-catchy.

Furthermore, you can trim, cut, split, combine, rotate, flip, and mirror videos depending on your need.

clipchamp edit mp4

Pros:

  • The combination of intelligent features and shortcuts significantly saves your time and energy.
  • It offers a sleek and intuitive interface to edit MP4 videos seamlessly.
  • It provides styling effects and lots of good transitions.
  • It offers several templates to get started.

Cons:

  • Users have limited control over the effects.
  • Most useful content requires subscriptions.
  • Users complain of slow export rendering.

9. Freemake MP4 Video Editor

Freemake is a common name in the media editing industry and is undoubtedly one of the best MP4 video editor tools.

Although it is not a fully-fledged app like other hot names, it allows you to quickly and easily edit MP4 videos on Windows. With Freemake, you can cut, rotate, and import files directly from YouTube.

freemake mp4 video editor

Pros:

  • It supports direct uploads from YouTube.
  • It supports several file formats.
  • It is easy to use.

Cons:

  • It offers basic video editing features.
  • It does not provide Mac support.

10. MiniTool MovieMaker

MiniTool MovieMaker is an easy-to-use video editor enriched with plenty of good video editing features. This tool offers an intuitive interface and collection of features that easily transform how you produce stunning videos.

With several video templates, you are one click away from generating stylish videos. The good with this tool is that it gives you a platform to inspire your creativity and export 1080P videos without a watermark.

minitool mp4 video editor

Pros:

  • It is friendly for beginners. Thanks to the simple and intuitive interface.
  • It offers plenty of templates, filters, themes, and stickers.

Cons:

  • It has limited editing features compared to top-grade tools like Filmora.
  • The free version is ad-laden and has a forced watermark on the exported file.

FAQs About MP4 Video Editing

1. How Do I Shorten an MP4 Video?

In this article, we have listed 10 free MP4 video editors, but Filmora is one the best tool for shortening mp4 videos. It comes with Auto Scene Detection tool, Instant cutter tool & the Trim feature. The Instant Cutter tool allows you to trim MP4 videos quickly without re-encoding. On the timeline, drag the trim icon to the right or left to remove the video’s beginning and end parts, respectively, and trim your video to shorten an MP4 video easily. The instant cutter tool is totally free to use and there is no watermark.

2. How Can I Split MP4 Files Into Parts for Free?

With the instant cutter tool in Filmora, you can easily split mp4 videos into parts for free as you require. Click Import with Instant Cutter Tool and then open the file, move the playhead to the start position of the video part that you want to keep, and then click the Set In icon. Repeat the process to find the ending point, and then click the Add Segment button to split the video and save it as a new one. You can split several clips from the original footage.

A more accessible alternative to this approach is using the Auto Scene Detection tool . It splits your video into multiple strategic segments automatically based on scene changes. You then end up with multiple split parts of the original video which you can selectively delete and then add to the timeline.

Conclusion

This article has highlighted some of the best MP4 converters worth trying. However, not every tool works for you. Choosing a tool that meets your needs and gives you desired MP4 editing experience is important.

Fortunately, the all-in-one Video editor-Filmora Video Editor, ticks all the boxes and easily becomes the best choice. This MP4 editor offers an unmatchable video and audio editing experience within your budget. Try Filmora today and take your MP4 editing experience to another level.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

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

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Also read:

  • Title: 2024 Approved Take Your Videos to the Next Level 3 Creative Transition Ideas in FCP
  • Author: Ava
  • Created at : 2024-05-19 14:41:31
  • Updated at : 2024-05-20 14:41:31
  • Link: https://video-content-creator.techidaily.com/2024-approved-take-your-videos-to-the-next-level-3-creative-transition-ideas-in-fcp/
  • License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
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