Free video editors have come a long way since the glory days of Windows Movie Maker. Today's freebies are packed with professional level features and are astonishingly easy to use.
Perhaps your needs are very basic and you simply want to trim unwanted sections out of a clip. Alternatively, you might want to get more adventurous – splicing clips together, adding transitions and special effects, applying video and audio effects, and using chroma-keying to replace backgrounds.
We've got both scenarios covered, and all the video editors featured here are free to download and use.
Have we missed your favorite free video editor? Let us know in the comments below
1. Lightworks
Lightworks is far much more than a simple tool for cutting clips – the pro version has been used to create big-name movies including The King's Speech and Road to Perdition.
As you would expect for such a powerful video editor, you won't be able to master it overnight, but that's certainly not something you could hold against it.
Lightworks is described as the professional video editor for everyone, and we reckon that's a fair summary. Despite its power, it will run well on fairly modest hardware, and it handles video capture and advanced editing with aplomb.
If you've tried other free video editors you'll probably find that the interface is a little different to anything you're used to, but you can arrange the various controls and windows to create something that suits your way of working.
Download here: Lightworks
2. VideoPad Video Editor
Free video editors have a tendency to be either simple to use and limited in terms of features, or powerful and time-consuming to learn. VideoPad Video Editor does an excellent job of avoiding both pitfalls – a powerful editor that you can easily navigate, even if you've never used anything similar in the past.
This ease of use plays a big part in VideoPad's appeal, but it also comes highly recommended because of the sheer range of tools it has on offer. It may not be quite as feature-packed as Lightworks, but it's much easier to just jump straight into.
You can work with video footage that's already on your hard drive, or capture from your connected camcorder. You then have access to a plethora of video and audio editing tools (effects, transitions, sequencing and more), the likes of which would not be out of place in a premium video editor.
Download here: VideoPad Video Editor
3. Shotcut
Shotcut is another professional-feeling free video editor that requires a little patience if you are achieve the results it is so capable of delivering. The slightly unusual interface can be put down to the fact that this started life as a Linux application, and little has changed in its conversion to Windows.
To start with, the interface may seem a little stark. You will need to not only load a video, but also choose which editing mode you would like to work in and which tools you'd like to use.
There's no getting away from the fact that Shotcut has a steep learning curve. It's possible to achieve some impressive results by simply applying one of its many filters to your video, but the real rewards will only be reaped by those willing to invest the time and energy in fully getting to grips with what's on offer.
Download here: Shotcut
4. VSDC Free Video Editor
VSDC Free Video Editor provides a huge array of effects and filters to enhance your footage, with both wizards and manual options to suit beginners or more advanced users.
VSDC is highly capable, and can yield superb results. As a non-linear editor, it works in rather a different way to many other similar tools, letting you position clips and other elements on the timeline wherever you like and edit them there.
With the ability to not only work with multiple scenes and transitions, but also to add sprites and text to videos, you can create a professional-quality movie if you're willing to stick with VSDC's slightly odd way of working and unusual interface.
Download here: VSDC Free Video Editor
5. Avidemux
One thing to understand about Avidemux from the outset is that it is not going to help you create the next Star Wars or to become a master movie producer. Rather, it's a set of essential tools for everyday video editing, covering all of the basics such as converting formats, trimming footage, appending one clip to another, and applying filters and effects.
While Avidemux isn't offer the most powerful free video editor, it's not a pared-back Windows Movie Maker style affair either. You might have to go hunting for some of the more advanced options, but spend a little time perusing the menus and you'll be impressed.
There's also a handy quickstart guide to get you rolling if you're totally new to video editing. If you can't see a tool you need, Avidemux is also expandable via plugins that add features like subtitles and watermarks.
Download here: Avidemux
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