Mastering Video Import and Export in Adobe Premiere Pro

How to Import and Export Videos in Adobe Premiere

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

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

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

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

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

---

Importing

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

1. Import Command

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

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

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

2. Media Browser

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

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

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

File Types

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

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

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

Exporting

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

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

Which opens the media export dialogue.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Benjamin Arango

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

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

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

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

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

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

---

Importing

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

1. Import Command

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

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

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

2. Media Browser

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

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

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

File Types

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

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

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

Exporting

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

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

Which opens the media export dialogue.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Benjamin Arango

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

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

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

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

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

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

---

Importing

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

1. Import Command

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

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

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

2. Media Browser

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

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

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

File Types

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

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

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

Exporting

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

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

Which opens the media export dialogue.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Benjamin Arango

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

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

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

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

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

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

---

Importing

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

1. Import Command

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

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

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

2. Media Browser

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

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

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

File Types

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

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

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

Exporting

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

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

Which opens the media export dialogue.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Benjamin Arango

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

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Unleash Your Creativity: Top PowerDirector Alternatives for Android and iOS

Best PowerDirector Alternatives for Android and iOS

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Video editing was once exclusively the realm of the PC, but with the power of modern smartphones and tablets even professionals are more frequently editing on the go. This should come as no surprise as most of our photos and footage are stored on mobile devices, while apps like PowerDirector give the full functionality of a professional editing suite on mobile technology.

Currently PowerDirector is only available on Android, but if you’re using an iOS device you’re sadly missing out. Luckily there are several alternative apps that allow you to edit your footage from a mobile device; see our reviews below.

Best PowerDirector Alternatives for Android and iOS

1. Kinemaster - £2.91 per month

System: Android, iOS

Kinemaster is an impressive app that brings simplicity to complex professional editing tools, making it easy to use even on a small screen. It supports multiple layers including unlimited text, handwriting and sticker layers, as well as up to two video layers and four additional audio tracks. The precision editing features allow you edit frame by frame and it’s easy to quickly import extra footage and add additional effects. With a host of other features we haven’t mentioned it’s amazing how simple this app is. The only downside is the pricing model; instead of a one-off payment you’re saddled with £2.91 per month, an investment that could end up exceeding the value of the app.

2. LumaFX - £2.99

System: iOS

LumaFX is a treasure trove of editing effects and goodies, allowing you to completely change the look of your video. The colour and FX sections of the app have a variety of filters and presets that allow you to do anything from fixing annoying colours to transforming your video into a psychedelic cartoon. The versatility of crop tools is also incredibly impressive, allowing you to crop your clip to different aspect ratios that can then be can be flipped and rotated, slowed down, reversed, and trimmed. Even if you decide on another more powerful editing app, the low cost and range of features of LumaFX makes it ideal for using in conjunction with your app of choice to produce the ultimate video content.

3. iMovie – Free

System: iOS

Every iOS user should be familiar with iMovie as it comes bundled on every apple device. Costing nothing is a big upside, especially when the technology handles as intuitively as it does. Splicing footage becomes laughably easy. On the audio side you can add music and personalised voiceovers to your videos and if you’re in the mood for something a little silly there are plenty of over the top TV templates and movie style themes. Accessibility is a big plus for iMovie, but it’s definitely geared to more casual users – professionals will find high end features lacking and should consider a more powerful paid alternative.

4. Adobe Premiere Clip - Free

System: Android, iOS

Another free offering, Adobe Premiere Clip shares many of both the benefits and flaws of iMovie. For the casual user its ideal, offering a straightforward means of arranging clips that’s predominantly designed for speed. The creative cloud allows you to continue editing on the desktop Premiere Pro making it a handy extension for existing Adobe customers. It’s also a much more compact download than iMovie; 91 MB compared to 600. There’s a standard array of editing features including trimming and a basic title editor, as well as the option to export options to social sharing sites of your choice, but unless you already work within the creative cloud there’s limited reasons to choose this over the superior iMovie.

There really is no beating PowerDirector for Android, but iOS users should be able to find an app or combination of apps to allow them to continue editing on the move.

Liza Brown

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

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Video editing was once exclusively the realm of the PC, but with the power of modern smartphones and tablets even professionals are more frequently editing on the go. This should come as no surprise as most of our photos and footage are stored on mobile devices, while apps like PowerDirector give the full functionality of a professional editing suite on mobile technology.

Currently PowerDirector is only available on Android, but if you’re using an iOS device you’re sadly missing out. Luckily there are several alternative apps that allow you to edit your footage from a mobile device; see our reviews below.

Best PowerDirector Alternatives for Android and iOS

1. Kinemaster - £2.91 per month

System: Android, iOS

Kinemaster is an impressive app that brings simplicity to complex professional editing tools, making it easy to use even on a small screen. It supports multiple layers including unlimited text, handwriting and sticker layers, as well as up to two video layers and four additional audio tracks. The precision editing features allow you edit frame by frame and it’s easy to quickly import extra footage and add additional effects. With a host of other features we haven’t mentioned it’s amazing how simple this app is. The only downside is the pricing model; instead of a one-off payment you’re saddled with £2.91 per month, an investment that could end up exceeding the value of the app.

2. LumaFX - £2.99

System: iOS

LumaFX is a treasure trove of editing effects and goodies, allowing you to completely change the look of your video. The colour and FX sections of the app have a variety of filters and presets that allow you to do anything from fixing annoying colours to transforming your video into a psychedelic cartoon. The versatility of crop tools is also incredibly impressive, allowing you to crop your clip to different aspect ratios that can then be can be flipped and rotated, slowed down, reversed, and trimmed. Even if you decide on another more powerful editing app, the low cost and range of features of LumaFX makes it ideal for using in conjunction with your app of choice to produce the ultimate video content.

3. iMovie – Free

System: iOS

Every iOS user should be familiar with iMovie as it comes bundled on every apple device. Costing nothing is a big upside, especially when the technology handles as intuitively as it does. Splicing footage becomes laughably easy. On the audio side you can add music and personalised voiceovers to your videos and if you’re in the mood for something a little silly there are plenty of over the top TV templates and movie style themes. Accessibility is a big plus for iMovie, but it’s definitely geared to more casual users – professionals will find high end features lacking and should consider a more powerful paid alternative.

4. Adobe Premiere Clip - Free

System: Android, iOS

Another free offering, Adobe Premiere Clip shares many of both the benefits and flaws of iMovie. For the casual user its ideal, offering a straightforward means of arranging clips that’s predominantly designed for speed. The creative cloud allows you to continue editing on the desktop Premiere Pro making it a handy extension for existing Adobe customers. It’s also a much more compact download than iMovie; 91 MB compared to 600. There’s a standard array of editing features including trimming and a basic title editor, as well as the option to export options to social sharing sites of your choice, but unless you already work within the creative cloud there’s limited reasons to choose this over the superior iMovie.

There really is no beating PowerDirector for Android, but iOS users should be able to find an app or combination of apps to allow them to continue editing on the move.

Liza Brown

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

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Video editing was once exclusively the realm of the PC, but with the power of modern smartphones and tablets even professionals are more frequently editing on the go. This should come as no surprise as most of our photos and footage are stored on mobile devices, while apps like PowerDirector give the full functionality of a professional editing suite on mobile technology.

Currently PowerDirector is only available on Android, but if you’re using an iOS device you’re sadly missing out. Luckily there are several alternative apps that allow you to edit your footage from a mobile device; see our reviews below.

Best PowerDirector Alternatives for Android and iOS

1. Kinemaster - £2.91 per month

System: Android, iOS

Kinemaster is an impressive app that brings simplicity to complex professional editing tools, making it easy to use even on a small screen. It supports multiple layers including unlimited text, handwriting and sticker layers, as well as up to two video layers and four additional audio tracks. The precision editing features allow you edit frame by frame and it’s easy to quickly import extra footage and add additional effects. With a host of other features we haven’t mentioned it’s amazing how simple this app is. The only downside is the pricing model; instead of a one-off payment you’re saddled with £2.91 per month, an investment that could end up exceeding the value of the app.

2. LumaFX - £2.99

System: iOS

LumaFX is a treasure trove of editing effects and goodies, allowing you to completely change the look of your video. The colour and FX sections of the app have a variety of filters and presets that allow you to do anything from fixing annoying colours to transforming your video into a psychedelic cartoon. The versatility of crop tools is also incredibly impressive, allowing you to crop your clip to different aspect ratios that can then be can be flipped and rotated, slowed down, reversed, and trimmed. Even if you decide on another more powerful editing app, the low cost and range of features of LumaFX makes it ideal for using in conjunction with your app of choice to produce the ultimate video content.

3. iMovie – Free

System: iOS

Every iOS user should be familiar with iMovie as it comes bundled on every apple device. Costing nothing is a big upside, especially when the technology handles as intuitively as it does. Splicing footage becomes laughably easy. On the audio side you can add music and personalised voiceovers to your videos and if you’re in the mood for something a little silly there are plenty of over the top TV templates and movie style themes. Accessibility is a big plus for iMovie, but it’s definitely geared to more casual users – professionals will find high end features lacking and should consider a more powerful paid alternative.

4. Adobe Premiere Clip - Free

System: Android, iOS

Another free offering, Adobe Premiere Clip shares many of both the benefits and flaws of iMovie. For the casual user its ideal, offering a straightforward means of arranging clips that’s predominantly designed for speed. The creative cloud allows you to continue editing on the desktop Premiere Pro making it a handy extension for existing Adobe customers. It’s also a much more compact download than iMovie; 91 MB compared to 600. There’s a standard array of editing features including trimming and a basic title editor, as well as the option to export options to social sharing sites of your choice, but unless you already work within the creative cloud there’s limited reasons to choose this over the superior iMovie.

There really is no beating PowerDirector for Android, but iOS users should be able to find an app or combination of apps to allow them to continue editing on the move.

Liza Brown

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

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Video editing was once exclusively the realm of the PC, but with the power of modern smartphones and tablets even professionals are more frequently editing on the go. This should come as no surprise as most of our photos and footage are stored on mobile devices, while apps like PowerDirector give the full functionality of a professional editing suite on mobile technology.

Currently PowerDirector is only available on Android, but if you’re using an iOS device you’re sadly missing out. Luckily there are several alternative apps that allow you to edit your footage from a mobile device; see our reviews below.

Best PowerDirector Alternatives for Android and iOS

1. Kinemaster - £2.91 per month

System: Android, iOS

Kinemaster is an impressive app that brings simplicity to complex professional editing tools, making it easy to use even on a small screen. It supports multiple layers including unlimited text, handwriting and sticker layers, as well as up to two video layers and four additional audio tracks. The precision editing features allow you edit frame by frame and it’s easy to quickly import extra footage and add additional effects. With a host of other features we haven’t mentioned it’s amazing how simple this app is. The only downside is the pricing model; instead of a one-off payment you’re saddled with £2.91 per month, an investment that could end up exceeding the value of the app.

2. LumaFX - £2.99

System: iOS

LumaFX is a treasure trove of editing effects and goodies, allowing you to completely change the look of your video. The colour and FX sections of the app have a variety of filters and presets that allow you to do anything from fixing annoying colours to transforming your video into a psychedelic cartoon. The versatility of crop tools is also incredibly impressive, allowing you to crop your clip to different aspect ratios that can then be can be flipped and rotated, slowed down, reversed, and trimmed. Even if you decide on another more powerful editing app, the low cost and range of features of LumaFX makes it ideal for using in conjunction with your app of choice to produce the ultimate video content.

3. iMovie – Free

System: iOS

Every iOS user should be familiar with iMovie as it comes bundled on every apple device. Costing nothing is a big upside, especially when the technology handles as intuitively as it does. Splicing footage becomes laughably easy. On the audio side you can add music and personalised voiceovers to your videos and if you’re in the mood for something a little silly there are plenty of over the top TV templates and movie style themes. Accessibility is a big plus for iMovie, but it’s definitely geared to more casual users – professionals will find high end features lacking and should consider a more powerful paid alternative.

4. Adobe Premiere Clip - Free

System: Android, iOS

Another free offering, Adobe Premiere Clip shares many of both the benefits and flaws of iMovie. For the casual user its ideal, offering a straightforward means of arranging clips that’s predominantly designed for speed. The creative cloud allows you to continue editing on the desktop Premiere Pro making it a handy extension for existing Adobe customers. It’s also a much more compact download than iMovie; 91 MB compared to 600. There’s a standard array of editing features including trimming and a basic title editor, as well as the option to export options to social sharing sites of your choice, but unless you already work within the creative cloud there’s limited reasons to choose this over the superior iMovie.

There really is no beating PowerDirector for Android, but iOS users should be able to find an app or combination of apps to allow them to continue editing on the move.

Liza Brown

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

Follow @Liza Brown

Zero-Cost Video Editing Solutions for Beginners

Best Video Editor for Beginners on Windows and Mac

Wondershare Filmora is one of the most popular video editing software among YouTubers , download and have a try.

Try It Free Try It Free

Video content creation is becoming the trend because it retains human attention longer than images or writings do. As a beginner who is not so familiar with video editors, getting free video editing software for beginners might prove difficult.

In this article, you will learn the best free video editing software for beginners, its features, and its pros and cons. Also, you’ll learn some extra tips that will make your video editing seamless.

In this article

01 Best Free Desktop Video Editing Software for Beginners in 2024

02 Best Free Online Video Editors for Beginners in 2024

03 Best Free Video Editing Apps for Beginners on iPhone and Android

04 What to Look for in Choosing the Best Video editors As Beginners

Part 1: Best Free Desktop Video Editing Software for Beginners in 2024

1. Apple iMovie

Apple iMovie is a free video editing software for beginners; it comes pre-installed on Mac devices. It is known for having a simple interface that makes it user-friendly.

Supported on: Mac

Apple iMovie Main Features are:

• Chromakeying: With iMovie, you can change the background of a video from blue/ green to an image of your favorite place.
• Sound Integration: iMovie lets you record voiceovers, add music from iTunes and add special sound effects.
• Video tools: Add filters, titles, animations, and photos to the video.
• Speed control: fast track and add slow-mo effects to the video.

Pros

• It supports 4K videos.
• Professional standards.
• Chromakeying feature.

Cons

• It does not support Multicam and 360 video editing.
• Exported files take up a lot of space.
• Available for Mac and iOS users only.

2. Microsoft Photo App

Microsoft Photos app is a free photo and video editor for beginners. It was created to replace the Windows movie maker. Many might not know about the existence of the app and its ability to edit videos and photos.

Go to the search bar and type photos, and then select the Photos app to bring a menu where you can create albums, edit photos and videos. To edit videos, click on video projects to create a video from scratch or create video automatically.

Supported on: Windows 8, Windows 10, Windows 11

Microsoft Photos app main features for video editing are;

• Motion graphics, 3D effects, and animations.
• It allows the addition of background music or audio from the computer.
• It allows the addition of title cards and text backgrounds.
• Change of photo or video durations and speed

Pros

• It is free and readily installed in Windows 8 and above
• Easy to use
• Face detection
• Album collection and arrangement

Cons

• No essential video editing tools like transitioning and layering
• You can’t use it professionally.
• Does not allow video preview before exporting

3. VSDC Free Video Editor

VSDC is a free video editing software for beginners that can edit 4K UHD, 3D, and VR 360 videos. VSDC is one of the best video editors for beginners to edit complex videos. VSDC has a busy interface, making it less user-friendly than the other free video editing software for beginners.

Supported on: Windows

VSDC’s video editor has;

• Non-linear video editing tools
• Social media support features; VSDC has Instagram-like filters and lets you share edited videos directly to your social media.
• Audio Effects; The 360 editor has many audio effects like equalizer, audio delay, and volume correction.
• Video editing tools; VSDC has color-correction tools and tools to hide and replace unwanted elements. You can also transform videos with their subpixel resolution.
• Numerous 3D templates you can choose from.

Pros

• It supports many audio and video formats.
• 4K and HD exports

Cons

• Reduces video quality after editing
• Professional tools like stabilization, beat syncing, and motion graphics are only available in the pro version.

Part 2: Best Free Online Video Editors for Beginners in 2024

1. Clipchamp

Clipchamp is an online free video editor for beginners. Clipchamp can create social media videos, ads videos, presentations, and other short videos. It has a unique feature that allows teams to collaborate and edit videos projects.

Clipchamp has basic video editing features like:

• Text-to-speech feature; This feature allows you to add text that will become voiceovers in the video. You can choose the gender and nationality of the voice.
• Thousand of templates to choose from
• Video transitioning and layering.

Pros

• It allows auto-captioning capabilities on the mobile app.
• Video compression
• Allows Screen recording
• It can convert videos to WMV, which you can use in PowerPoint presentations.

Cons

• Not available on Android devices
• It uses selective browsers like Chrome and Microsoft Edge.
• It is not optimized for touchpad screens.
• The best quality video requires registration for the premium version.

2. Hippo Video

Hippo Video is one of the best video editors for beginners free online. You can use it on Mac, Windows, Android, iPhones, and iPads. Hippo is an all-in-one platform to create, record, edit, and share videos across different social media platforms.

Hippo video can;

• Create GIFs from videos.
• Trim, cut, and add emojis and tags to a video.
• Hide or blur unwanted objects in the video.

Pros

• It has other marketing features like email marketing, campaign management, and social media sharing.
• It can be added as a chrome extension to be used for screen capturing and recording.

Cons

• Watermarked in free version
• Limited video quality download in free version
• Long load time for video in between uploads.

3. Kapwing

Kapwing is an online free video editing software for beginners. The video editor is made for creators to create, edit and subtitle video content. Kapwing can convert MP4 videos to any file format as well as save the edited file in the cloud.

Primary Features

• It supports text overlay and drag-and-drop function
• Cut, resize, merge, split and trim videos.
• Supports HD resolution
• Lots of editable social media templates
• Convert video to any form (GIF, JPG, MP4)

Pros

• It does not add its watermark; instead, you can add your logo to create the video. Kapwingis
• Auto-generated subtitles.
• Background removal function
• It backs up videos on the cloud.

Cons

• It cannot export a video longer than 60 minutes
• On-site technical glitches
• To export files above 250MB or 7 minutes, you have to upgrade to the premium version.
• Only available online

4. Online Video Cutter/ 123 apps video editor

Online Video Cutter is an online-based video editor used to edit videos. It is used primarily for trimming videos to desirable sizes. Online video cutter is one of 123 apps to edit and convert different file formats. The video editor can trim, crop, rotate and resize videos.

With Online Video Cutter, you can;

• Frame the video or change the frame proportions of the videos.
• Change the angle of a video up to 270 degrees; this comes in handy when you want to change a video’s view from landscape to portrait.
• Flip, resize, change volume and add texts and images to your video.
• Trim, equalize, and record sounds to be added to the video.

Pros

• Supports all video format
• Privacy is guaranteed as you are the only one with access to the video.
• It works well in most browsers.
• It does not require sign up before use
• Converts files to any format
• Can upload files larger than 4GB in size

Cons

• It takes up a lot of time to upload files
• Decreases the video quality
• Cannot upload a file of more than 700MB in the free version

5. FlexClip

Flexclip is an online video creator and editor with essential editing tools. Flexclip has numerous templates and presets that let you create videos in a short time. You can create your video from scratch, templates, and previously saved videos.

Main Feature

• Audio effects: you can record voices and add background music to the video.
• Video tools: trim, merge, compress and convert videos.
• Customization: you can add your logo or watermark to the video.
• Allows video transition and GIF production
• Allows you to increase video brightness and add filters to video.

Pros

• It has more than 4 million pictures and pictures to add to videos.
• Allows preview of videos before exporting.
• It supports different video resolutions.
• Templates for various events are available.

Cons

• Limited video resolution download in free version
• The free version can only create a 1-minute video and hold 12 projects.

Part 3: Best Free Video Editing Apps for Beginners on iPhone and Android

1. CapCut

Cap C ut is a free video editing software for beginners suitable for TikTok content creators. It was formerly known as Viamaker. Cap cut is easy to use for beginners, and it can create spectacular videos automatically by cutting, reordering, and merging recorded videos.

Supported on: Android and iOS

Cap cut allows you to:

• Split, merge, and reverse videos.
• Control the video speed
• Add filter, special effects, stickers, and texts to videos.
• Overlay and add sounds to the videos

Pros

• You can export directly to Tiktok.
• It has a vast music library, including copyrighted songs.
• Exported videos are of high quality.

Cons

• It does not support Multicam and 360 video editing.
• Effectiveness depends on the phone’s processor and features.
• Limited editing features.
• Video cannot exceed 15 minutes.
• You can only add a music track per video.

2. Quik

Quik is a free video editor for beginners produced by the makers of GoPro. Quik is an auto-video maker that puts together pictures, videos, and music with a few selections.

Supported on: Android and iOS

Main features

• Auto-video: Quik will create a video with transitions and soundtrack when you select several pictures and videos.
• Video editing tools: you can adjust the brightness, add texts and stickers, and add filters to a video.
• Adjust video speed: you can add slo-mo and freeze effects to the video.
• It allows direct sharing to social media pages.

Pros

• Allows HD video download
• Video styles template for new users.
• Unlimited cloud backup.
• Changes video ratio to suit different social media

Cons

• Limited editing features in the free version.
• Not suitable for videos longer than 60 seconds
• Limited font styles

Part 4: What to Look for in Choosing the Best Video editors As Beginners

When trying to choose a video editor as a beginner, you should look out for:

What video editor has the most commonly used editing tools and intuitive interface

Some essential video editing tools should be available in a video editor. These include Video tools (cropping, rotating, merging, cutting, and splitting of videos), effects and animations, audio effects, the addition of texts, and other features necessary to the purpose of the video you are editing.

Templates for different occasions to create videos quickly

As a beginner video editor, you might not be creative enough to edit professional videos. Video editors that have ready-made templates will come in handy when you want to create a video quickly.

Ready-made templates give a guide to a beginner video editor to create professional-looking videos.

Tutorials and Supports

The best video editors for beginners are user-friendly, and they provide free tutorials to guide new users on their video editing journey. Some video editing software targets digital marketers and video content creators, so they release tutorial videos every week to help them improve their skills.

Are you a creator, influencer, or marketer, and you need to join the trend of creating video content that converts. Check out the list to know which free video editing software best suits your niche.

These are beginner-friendly video editing software that you can use to create professional-looking video content. Watch tutorials and get to work. The more videos you edit, the better you get at it.

Try It Free Try It Free

Video content creation is becoming the trend because it retains human attention longer than images or writings do. As a beginner who is not so familiar with video editors, getting free video editing software for beginners might prove difficult.

In this article, you will learn the best free video editing software for beginners, its features, and its pros and cons. Also, you’ll learn some extra tips that will make your video editing seamless.

In this article

01 Best Free Desktop Video Editing Software for Beginners in 2024

02 Best Free Online Video Editors for Beginners in 2024

03 Best Free Video Editing Apps for Beginners on iPhone and Android

04 What to Look for in Choosing the Best Video editors As Beginners

Part 1: Best Free Desktop Video Editing Software for Beginners in 2024

1. Apple iMovie

Apple iMovie is a free video editing software for beginners; it comes pre-installed on Mac devices. It is known for having a simple interface that makes it user-friendly.

Supported on: Mac

Apple iMovie Main Features are:

• Chromakeying: With iMovie, you can change the background of a video from blue/ green to an image of your favorite place.
• Sound Integration: iMovie lets you record voiceovers, add music from iTunes and add special sound effects.
• Video tools: Add filters, titles, animations, and photos to the video.
• Speed control: fast track and add slow-mo effects to the video.

Pros

• It supports 4K videos.
• Professional standards.
• Chromakeying feature.

Cons

• It does not support Multicam and 360 video editing.
• Exported files take up a lot of space.
• Available for Mac and iOS users only.

2. Microsoft Photo App

Microsoft Photos app is a free photo and video editor for beginners. It was created to replace the Windows movie maker. Many might not know about the existence of the app and its ability to edit videos and photos.

Go to the search bar and type photos, and then select the Photos app to bring a menu where you can create albums, edit photos and videos. To edit videos, click on video projects to create a video from scratch or create video automatically.

Supported on: Windows 8, Windows 10, Windows 11

Microsoft Photos app main features for video editing are;

• Motion graphics, 3D effects, and animations.
• It allows the addition of background music or audio from the computer.
• It allows the addition of title cards and text backgrounds.
• Change of photo or video durations and speed

Pros

• It is free and readily installed in Windows 8 and above
• Easy to use
• Face detection
• Album collection and arrangement

Cons

• No essential video editing tools like transitioning and layering
• You can’t use it professionally.
• Does not allow video preview before exporting

3. VSDC Free Video Editor

VSDC is a free video editing software for beginners that can edit 4K UHD, 3D, and VR 360 videos. VSDC is one of the best video editors for beginners to edit complex videos. VSDC has a busy interface, making it less user-friendly than the other free video editing software for beginners.

Supported on: Windows

VSDC’s video editor has;

• Non-linear video editing tools
• Social media support features; VSDC has Instagram-like filters and lets you share edited videos directly to your social media.
• Audio Effects; The 360 editor has many audio effects like equalizer, audio delay, and volume correction.
• Video editing tools; VSDC has color-correction tools and tools to hide and replace unwanted elements. You can also transform videos with their subpixel resolution.
• Numerous 3D templates you can choose from.

Pros

• It supports many audio and video formats.
• 4K and HD exports

Cons

• Reduces video quality after editing
• Professional tools like stabilization, beat syncing, and motion graphics are only available in the pro version.

Part 2: Best Free Online Video Editors for Beginners in 2024

1. Clipchamp

Clipchamp is an online free video editor for beginners. Clipchamp can create social media videos, ads videos, presentations, and other short videos. It has a unique feature that allows teams to collaborate and edit videos projects.

Clipchamp has basic video editing features like:

• Text-to-speech feature; This feature allows you to add text that will become voiceovers in the video. You can choose the gender and nationality of the voice.
• Thousand of templates to choose from
• Video transitioning and layering.

Pros

• It allows auto-captioning capabilities on the mobile app.
• Video compression
• Allows Screen recording
• It can convert videos to WMV, which you can use in PowerPoint presentations.

Cons

• Not available on Android devices
• It uses selective browsers like Chrome and Microsoft Edge.
• It is not optimized for touchpad screens.
• The best quality video requires registration for the premium version.

2. Hippo Video

Hippo Video is one of the best video editors for beginners free online. You can use it on Mac, Windows, Android, iPhones, and iPads. Hippo is an all-in-one platform to create, record, edit, and share videos across different social media platforms.

Hippo video can;

• Create GIFs from videos.
• Trim, cut, and add emojis and tags to a video.
• Hide or blur unwanted objects in the video.

Pros

• It has other marketing features like email marketing, campaign management, and social media sharing.
• It can be added as a chrome extension to be used for screen capturing and recording.

Cons

• Watermarked in free version
• Limited video quality download in free version
• Long load time for video in between uploads.

3. Kapwing

Kapwing is an online free video editing software for beginners. The video editor is made for creators to create, edit and subtitle video content. Kapwing can convert MP4 videos to any file format as well as save the edited file in the cloud.

Primary Features

• It supports text overlay and drag-and-drop function
• Cut, resize, merge, split and trim videos.
• Supports HD resolution
• Lots of editable social media templates
• Convert video to any form (GIF, JPG, MP4)

Pros

• It does not add its watermark; instead, you can add your logo to create the video. Kapwingis
• Auto-generated subtitles.
• Background removal function
• It backs up videos on the cloud.

Cons

• It cannot export a video longer than 60 minutes
• On-site technical glitches
• To export files above 250MB or 7 minutes, you have to upgrade to the premium version.
• Only available online

4. Online Video Cutter/ 123 apps video editor

Online Video Cutter is an online-based video editor used to edit videos. It is used primarily for trimming videos to desirable sizes. Online video cutter is one of 123 apps to edit and convert different file formats. The video editor can trim, crop, rotate and resize videos.

With Online Video Cutter, you can;

• Frame the video or change the frame proportions of the videos.
• Change the angle of a video up to 270 degrees; this comes in handy when you want to change a video’s view from landscape to portrait.
• Flip, resize, change volume and add texts and images to your video.
• Trim, equalize, and record sounds to be added to the video.

Pros

• Supports all video format
• Privacy is guaranteed as you are the only one with access to the video.
• It works well in most browsers.
• It does not require sign up before use
• Converts files to any format
• Can upload files larger than 4GB in size

Cons

• It takes up a lot of time to upload files
• Decreases the video quality
• Cannot upload a file of more than 700MB in the free version

5. FlexClip

Flexclip is an online video creator and editor with essential editing tools. Flexclip has numerous templates and presets that let you create videos in a short time. You can create your video from scratch, templates, and previously saved videos.

Main Feature

• Audio effects: you can record voices and add background music to the video.
• Video tools: trim, merge, compress and convert videos.
• Customization: you can add your logo or watermark to the video.
• Allows video transition and GIF production
• Allows you to increase video brightness and add filters to video.

Pros

• It has more than 4 million pictures and pictures to add to videos.
• Allows preview of videos before exporting.
• It supports different video resolutions.
• Templates for various events are available.

Cons

• Limited video resolution download in free version
• The free version can only create a 1-minute video and hold 12 projects.

Part 3: Best Free Video Editing Apps for Beginners on iPhone and Android

1. CapCut

Cap C ut is a free video editing software for beginners suitable for TikTok content creators. It was formerly known as Viamaker. Cap cut is easy to use for beginners, and it can create spectacular videos automatically by cutting, reordering, and merging recorded videos.

Supported on: Android and iOS

Cap cut allows you to:

• Split, merge, and reverse videos.
• Control the video speed
• Add filter, special effects, stickers, and texts to videos.
• Overlay and add sounds to the videos

Pros

• You can export directly to Tiktok.
• It has a vast music library, including copyrighted songs.
• Exported videos are of high quality.

Cons

• It does not support Multicam and 360 video editing.
• Effectiveness depends on the phone’s processor and features.
• Limited editing features.
• Video cannot exceed 15 minutes.
• You can only add a music track per video.

2. Quik

Quik is a free video editor for beginners produced by the makers of GoPro. Quik is an auto-video maker that puts together pictures, videos, and music with a few selections.

Supported on: Android and iOS

Main features

• Auto-video: Quik will create a video with transitions and soundtrack when you select several pictures and videos.
• Video editing tools: you can adjust the brightness, add texts and stickers, and add filters to a video.
• Adjust video speed: you can add slo-mo and freeze effects to the video.
• It allows direct sharing to social media pages.

Pros

• Allows HD video download
• Video styles template for new users.
• Unlimited cloud backup.
• Changes video ratio to suit different social media

Cons

• Limited editing features in the free version.
• Not suitable for videos longer than 60 seconds
• Limited font styles

Part 4: What to Look for in Choosing the Best Video editors As Beginners

When trying to choose a video editor as a beginner, you should look out for:

What video editor has the most commonly used editing tools and intuitive interface

Some essential video editing tools should be available in a video editor. These include Video tools (cropping, rotating, merging, cutting, and splitting of videos), effects and animations, audio effects, the addition of texts, and other features necessary to the purpose of the video you are editing.

Templates for different occasions to create videos quickly

As a beginner video editor, you might not be creative enough to edit professional videos. Video editors that have ready-made templates will come in handy when you want to create a video quickly.

Ready-made templates give a guide to a beginner video editor to create professional-looking videos.

Tutorials and Supports

The best video editors for beginners are user-friendly, and they provide free tutorials to guide new users on their video editing journey. Some video editing software targets digital marketers and video content creators, so they release tutorial videos every week to help them improve their skills.

Are you a creator, influencer, or marketer, and you need to join the trend of creating video content that converts. Check out the list to know which free video editing software best suits your niche.

These are beginner-friendly video editing software that you can use to create professional-looking video content. Watch tutorials and get to work. The more videos you edit, the better you get at it.

Try It Free Try It Free

Video content creation is becoming the trend because it retains human attention longer than images or writings do. As a beginner who is not so familiar with video editors, getting free video editing software for beginners might prove difficult.

In this article, you will learn the best free video editing software for beginners, its features, and its pros and cons. Also, you’ll learn some extra tips that will make your video editing seamless.

In this article

01 Best Free Desktop Video Editing Software for Beginners in 2024

02 Best Free Online Video Editors for Beginners in 2024

03 Best Free Video Editing Apps for Beginners on iPhone and Android

04 What to Look for in Choosing the Best Video editors As Beginners

Part 1: Best Free Desktop Video Editing Software for Beginners in 2024

1. Apple iMovie

Apple iMovie is a free video editing software for beginners; it comes pre-installed on Mac devices. It is known for having a simple interface that makes it user-friendly.

Supported on: Mac

Apple iMovie Main Features are:

• Chromakeying: With iMovie, you can change the background of a video from blue/ green to an image of your favorite place.
• Sound Integration: iMovie lets you record voiceovers, add music from iTunes and add special sound effects.
• Video tools: Add filters, titles, animations, and photos to the video.
• Speed control: fast track and add slow-mo effects to the video.

Pros

• It supports 4K videos.
• Professional standards.
• Chromakeying feature.

Cons

• It does not support Multicam and 360 video editing.
• Exported files take up a lot of space.
• Available for Mac and iOS users only.

2. Microsoft Photo App

Microsoft Photos app is a free photo and video editor for beginners. It was created to replace the Windows movie maker. Many might not know about the existence of the app and its ability to edit videos and photos.

Go to the search bar and type photos, and then select the Photos app to bring a menu where you can create albums, edit photos and videos. To edit videos, click on video projects to create a video from scratch or create video automatically.

Supported on: Windows 8, Windows 10, Windows 11

Microsoft Photos app main features for video editing are;

• Motion graphics, 3D effects, and animations.
• It allows the addition of background music or audio from the computer.
• It allows the addition of title cards and text backgrounds.
• Change of photo or video durations and speed

Pros

• It is free and readily installed in Windows 8 and above
• Easy to use
• Face detection
• Album collection and arrangement

Cons

• No essential video editing tools like transitioning and layering
• You can’t use it professionally.
• Does not allow video preview before exporting

3. VSDC Free Video Editor

VSDC is a free video editing software for beginners that can edit 4K UHD, 3D, and VR 360 videos. VSDC is one of the best video editors for beginners to edit complex videos. VSDC has a busy interface, making it less user-friendly than the other free video editing software for beginners.

Supported on: Windows

VSDC’s video editor has;

• Non-linear video editing tools
• Social media support features; VSDC has Instagram-like filters and lets you share edited videos directly to your social media.
• Audio Effects; The 360 editor has many audio effects like equalizer, audio delay, and volume correction.
• Video editing tools; VSDC has color-correction tools and tools to hide and replace unwanted elements. You can also transform videos with their subpixel resolution.
• Numerous 3D templates you can choose from.

Pros

• It supports many audio and video formats.
• 4K and HD exports

Cons

• Reduces video quality after editing
• Professional tools like stabilization, beat syncing, and motion graphics are only available in the pro version.

Part 2: Best Free Online Video Editors for Beginners in 2024

1. Clipchamp

Clipchamp is an online free video editor for beginners. Clipchamp can create social media videos, ads videos, presentations, and other short videos. It has a unique feature that allows teams to collaborate and edit videos projects.

Clipchamp has basic video editing features like:

• Text-to-speech feature; This feature allows you to add text that will become voiceovers in the video. You can choose the gender and nationality of the voice.
• Thousand of templates to choose from
• Video transitioning and layering.

Pros

• It allows auto-captioning capabilities on the mobile app.
• Video compression
• Allows Screen recording
• It can convert videos to WMV, which you can use in PowerPoint presentations.

Cons

• Not available on Android devices
• It uses selective browsers like Chrome and Microsoft Edge.
• It is not optimized for touchpad screens.
• The best quality video requires registration for the premium version.

2. Hippo Video

Hippo Video is one of the best video editors for beginners free online. You can use it on Mac, Windows, Android, iPhones, and iPads. Hippo is an all-in-one platform to create, record, edit, and share videos across different social media platforms.

Hippo video can;

• Create GIFs from videos.
• Trim, cut, and add emojis and tags to a video.
• Hide or blur unwanted objects in the video.

Pros

• It has other marketing features like email marketing, campaign management, and social media sharing.
• It can be added as a chrome extension to be used for screen capturing and recording.

Cons

• Watermarked in free version
• Limited video quality download in free version
• Long load time for video in between uploads.

3. Kapwing

Kapwing is an online free video editing software for beginners. The video editor is made for creators to create, edit and subtitle video content. Kapwing can convert MP4 videos to any file format as well as save the edited file in the cloud.

Primary Features

• It supports text overlay and drag-and-drop function
• Cut, resize, merge, split and trim videos.
• Supports HD resolution
• Lots of editable social media templates
• Convert video to any form (GIF, JPG, MP4)

Pros

• It does not add its watermark; instead, you can add your logo to create the video. Kapwingis
• Auto-generated subtitles.
• Background removal function
• It backs up videos on the cloud.

Cons

• It cannot export a video longer than 60 minutes
• On-site technical glitches
• To export files above 250MB or 7 minutes, you have to upgrade to the premium version.
• Only available online

4. Online Video Cutter/ 123 apps video editor

Online Video Cutter is an online-based video editor used to edit videos. It is used primarily for trimming videos to desirable sizes. Online video cutter is one of 123 apps to edit and convert different file formats. The video editor can trim, crop, rotate and resize videos.

With Online Video Cutter, you can;

• Frame the video or change the frame proportions of the videos.
• Change the angle of a video up to 270 degrees; this comes in handy when you want to change a video’s view from landscape to portrait.
• Flip, resize, change volume and add texts and images to your video.
• Trim, equalize, and record sounds to be added to the video.

Pros

• Supports all video format
• Privacy is guaranteed as you are the only one with access to the video.
• It works well in most browsers.
• It does not require sign up before use
• Converts files to any format
• Can upload files larger than 4GB in size

Cons

• It takes up a lot of time to upload files
• Decreases the video quality
• Cannot upload a file of more than 700MB in the free version

5. FlexClip

Flexclip is an online video creator and editor with essential editing tools. Flexclip has numerous templates and presets that let you create videos in a short time. You can create your video from scratch, templates, and previously saved videos.

Main Feature

• Audio effects: you can record voices and add background music to the video.
• Video tools: trim, merge, compress and convert videos.
• Customization: you can add your logo or watermark to the video.
• Allows video transition and GIF production
• Allows you to increase video brightness and add filters to video.

Pros

• It has more than 4 million pictures and pictures to add to videos.
• Allows preview of videos before exporting.
• It supports different video resolutions.
• Templates for various events are available.

Cons

• Limited video resolution download in free version
• The free version can only create a 1-minute video and hold 12 projects.

Part 3: Best Free Video Editing Apps for Beginners on iPhone and Android

1. CapCut

Cap C ut is a free video editing software for beginners suitable for TikTok content creators. It was formerly known as Viamaker. Cap cut is easy to use for beginners, and it can create spectacular videos automatically by cutting, reordering, and merging recorded videos.

Supported on: Android and iOS

Cap cut allows you to:

• Split, merge, and reverse videos.
• Control the video speed
• Add filter, special effects, stickers, and texts to videos.
• Overlay and add sounds to the videos

Pros

• You can export directly to Tiktok.
• It has a vast music library, including copyrighted songs.
• Exported videos are of high quality.

Cons

• It does not support Multicam and 360 video editing.
• Effectiveness depends on the phone’s processor and features.
• Limited editing features.
• Video cannot exceed 15 minutes.
• You can only add a music track per video.

2. Quik

Quik is a free video editor for beginners produced by the makers of GoPro. Quik is an auto-video maker that puts together pictures, videos, and music with a few selections.

Supported on: Android and iOS

Main features

• Auto-video: Quik will create a video with transitions and soundtrack when you select several pictures and videos.
• Video editing tools: you can adjust the brightness, add texts and stickers, and add filters to a video.
• Adjust video speed: you can add slo-mo and freeze effects to the video.
• It allows direct sharing to social media pages.

Pros

• Allows HD video download
• Video styles template for new users.
• Unlimited cloud backup.
• Changes video ratio to suit different social media

Cons

• Limited editing features in the free version.
• Not suitable for videos longer than 60 seconds
• Limited font styles

Part 4: What to Look for in Choosing the Best Video editors As Beginners

When trying to choose a video editor as a beginner, you should look out for:

What video editor has the most commonly used editing tools and intuitive interface

Some essential video editing tools should be available in a video editor. These include Video tools (cropping, rotating, merging, cutting, and splitting of videos), effects and animations, audio effects, the addition of texts, and other features necessary to the purpose of the video you are editing.

Templates for different occasions to create videos quickly

As a beginner video editor, you might not be creative enough to edit professional videos. Video editors that have ready-made templates will come in handy when you want to create a video quickly.

Ready-made templates give a guide to a beginner video editor to create professional-looking videos.

Tutorials and Supports

The best video editors for beginners are user-friendly, and they provide free tutorials to guide new users on their video editing journey. Some video editing software targets digital marketers and video content creators, so they release tutorial videos every week to help them improve their skills.

Are you a creator, influencer, or marketer, and you need to join the trend of creating video content that converts. Check out the list to know which free video editing software best suits your niche.

These are beginner-friendly video editing software that you can use to create professional-looking video content. Watch tutorials and get to work. The more videos you edit, the better you get at it.

Try It Free Try It Free

Video content creation is becoming the trend because it retains human attention longer than images or writings do. As a beginner who is not so familiar with video editors, getting free video editing software for beginners might prove difficult.

In this article, you will learn the best free video editing software for beginners, its features, and its pros and cons. Also, you’ll learn some extra tips that will make your video editing seamless.

In this article

01 Best Free Desktop Video Editing Software for Beginners in 2024

02 Best Free Online Video Editors for Beginners in 2024

03 Best Free Video Editing Apps for Beginners on iPhone and Android

04 What to Look for in Choosing the Best Video editors As Beginners

Part 1: Best Free Desktop Video Editing Software for Beginners in 2024

1. Apple iMovie

Apple iMovie is a free video editing software for beginners; it comes pre-installed on Mac devices. It is known for having a simple interface that makes it user-friendly.

Supported on: Mac

Apple iMovie Main Features are:

• Chromakeying: With iMovie, you can change the background of a video from blue/ green to an image of your favorite place.
• Sound Integration: iMovie lets you record voiceovers, add music from iTunes and add special sound effects.
• Video tools: Add filters, titles, animations, and photos to the video.
• Speed control: fast track and add slow-mo effects to the video.

Pros

• It supports 4K videos.
• Professional standards.
• Chromakeying feature.

Cons

• It does not support Multicam and 360 video editing.
• Exported files take up a lot of space.
• Available for Mac and iOS users only.

2. Microsoft Photo App

Microsoft Photos app is a free photo and video editor for beginners. It was created to replace the Windows movie maker. Many might not know about the existence of the app and its ability to edit videos and photos.

Go to the search bar and type photos, and then select the Photos app to bring a menu where you can create albums, edit photos and videos. To edit videos, click on video projects to create a video from scratch or create video automatically.

Supported on: Windows 8, Windows 10, Windows 11

Microsoft Photos app main features for video editing are;

• Motion graphics, 3D effects, and animations.
• It allows the addition of background music or audio from the computer.
• It allows the addition of title cards and text backgrounds.
• Change of photo or video durations and speed

Pros

• It is free and readily installed in Windows 8 and above
• Easy to use
• Face detection
• Album collection and arrangement

Cons

• No essential video editing tools like transitioning and layering
• You can’t use it professionally.
• Does not allow video preview before exporting

3. VSDC Free Video Editor

VSDC is a free video editing software for beginners that can edit 4K UHD, 3D, and VR 360 videos. VSDC is one of the best video editors for beginners to edit complex videos. VSDC has a busy interface, making it less user-friendly than the other free video editing software for beginners.

Supported on: Windows

VSDC’s video editor has;

• Non-linear video editing tools
• Social media support features; VSDC has Instagram-like filters and lets you share edited videos directly to your social media.
• Audio Effects; The 360 editor has many audio effects like equalizer, audio delay, and volume correction.
• Video editing tools; VSDC has color-correction tools and tools to hide and replace unwanted elements. You can also transform videos with their subpixel resolution.
• Numerous 3D templates you can choose from.

Pros

• It supports many audio and video formats.
• 4K and HD exports

Cons

• Reduces video quality after editing
• Professional tools like stabilization, beat syncing, and motion graphics are only available in the pro version.

Part 2: Best Free Online Video Editors for Beginners in 2024

1. Clipchamp

Clipchamp is an online free video editor for beginners. Clipchamp can create social media videos, ads videos, presentations, and other short videos. It has a unique feature that allows teams to collaborate and edit videos projects.

Clipchamp has basic video editing features like:

• Text-to-speech feature; This feature allows you to add text that will become voiceovers in the video. You can choose the gender and nationality of the voice.
• Thousand of templates to choose from
• Video transitioning and layering.

Pros

• It allows auto-captioning capabilities on the mobile app.
• Video compression
• Allows Screen recording
• It can convert videos to WMV, which you can use in PowerPoint presentations.

Cons

• Not available on Android devices
• It uses selective browsers like Chrome and Microsoft Edge.
• It is not optimized for touchpad screens.
• The best quality video requires registration for the premium version.

2. Hippo Video

Hippo Video is one of the best video editors for beginners free online. You can use it on Mac, Windows, Android, iPhones, and iPads. Hippo is an all-in-one platform to create, record, edit, and share videos across different social media platforms.

Hippo video can;

• Create GIFs from videos.
• Trim, cut, and add emojis and tags to a video.
• Hide or blur unwanted objects in the video.

Pros

• It has other marketing features like email marketing, campaign management, and social media sharing.
• It can be added as a chrome extension to be used for screen capturing and recording.

Cons

• Watermarked in free version
• Limited video quality download in free version
• Long load time for video in between uploads.

3. Kapwing

Kapwing is an online free video editing software for beginners. The video editor is made for creators to create, edit and subtitle video content. Kapwing can convert MP4 videos to any file format as well as save the edited file in the cloud.

Primary Features

• It supports text overlay and drag-and-drop function
• Cut, resize, merge, split and trim videos.
• Supports HD resolution
• Lots of editable social media templates
• Convert video to any form (GIF, JPG, MP4)

Pros

• It does not add its watermark; instead, you can add your logo to create the video. Kapwingis
• Auto-generated subtitles.
• Background removal function
• It backs up videos on the cloud.

Cons

• It cannot export a video longer than 60 minutes
• On-site technical glitches
• To export files above 250MB or 7 minutes, you have to upgrade to the premium version.
• Only available online

4. Online Video Cutter/ 123 apps video editor

Online Video Cutter is an online-based video editor used to edit videos. It is used primarily for trimming videos to desirable sizes. Online video cutter is one of 123 apps to edit and convert different file formats. The video editor can trim, crop, rotate and resize videos.

With Online Video Cutter, you can;

• Frame the video or change the frame proportions of the videos.
• Change the angle of a video up to 270 degrees; this comes in handy when you want to change a video’s view from landscape to portrait.
• Flip, resize, change volume and add texts and images to your video.
• Trim, equalize, and record sounds to be added to the video.

Pros

• Supports all video format
• Privacy is guaranteed as you are the only one with access to the video.
• It works well in most browsers.
• It does not require sign up before use
• Converts files to any format
• Can upload files larger than 4GB in size

Cons

• It takes up a lot of time to upload files
• Decreases the video quality
• Cannot upload a file of more than 700MB in the free version

5. FlexClip

Flexclip is an online video creator and editor with essential editing tools. Flexclip has numerous templates and presets that let you create videos in a short time. You can create your video from scratch, templates, and previously saved videos.

Main Feature

• Audio effects: you can record voices and add background music to the video.
• Video tools: trim, merge, compress and convert videos.
• Customization: you can add your logo or watermark to the video.
• Allows video transition and GIF production
• Allows you to increase video brightness and add filters to video.

Pros

• It has more than 4 million pictures and pictures to add to videos.
• Allows preview of videos before exporting.
• It supports different video resolutions.
• Templates for various events are available.

Cons

• Limited video resolution download in free version
• The free version can only create a 1-minute video and hold 12 projects.

Part 3: Best Free Video Editing Apps for Beginners on iPhone and Android

1. CapCut

Cap C ut is a free video editing software for beginners suitable for TikTok content creators. It was formerly known as Viamaker. Cap cut is easy to use for beginners, and it can create spectacular videos automatically by cutting, reordering, and merging recorded videos.

Supported on: Android and iOS

Cap cut allows you to:

• Split, merge, and reverse videos.
• Control the video speed
• Add filter, special effects, stickers, and texts to videos.
• Overlay and add sounds to the videos

Pros

• You can export directly to Tiktok.
• It has a vast music library, including copyrighted songs.
• Exported videos are of high quality.

Cons

• It does not support Multicam and 360 video editing.
• Effectiveness depends on the phone’s processor and features.
• Limited editing features.
• Video cannot exceed 15 minutes.
• You can only add a music track per video.

2. Quik

Quik is a free video editor for beginners produced by the makers of GoPro. Quik is an auto-video maker that puts together pictures, videos, and music with a few selections.

Supported on: Android and iOS

Main features

• Auto-video: Quik will create a video with transitions and soundtrack when you select several pictures and videos.
• Video editing tools: you can adjust the brightness, add texts and stickers, and add filters to a video.
• Adjust video speed: you can add slo-mo and freeze effects to the video.
• It allows direct sharing to social media pages.

Pros

• Allows HD video download
• Video styles template for new users.
• Unlimited cloud backup.
• Changes video ratio to suit different social media

Cons

• Limited editing features in the free version.
• Not suitable for videos longer than 60 seconds
• Limited font styles

Part 4: What to Look for in Choosing the Best Video editors As Beginners

When trying to choose a video editor as a beginner, you should look out for:

What video editor has the most commonly used editing tools and intuitive interface

Some essential video editing tools should be available in a video editor. These include Video tools (cropping, rotating, merging, cutting, and splitting of videos), effects and animations, audio effects, the addition of texts, and other features necessary to the purpose of the video you are editing.

Templates for different occasions to create videos quickly

As a beginner video editor, you might not be creative enough to edit professional videos. Video editors that have ready-made templates will come in handy when you want to create a video quickly.

Ready-made templates give a guide to a beginner video editor to create professional-looking videos.

Tutorials and Supports

The best video editors for beginners are user-friendly, and they provide free tutorials to guide new users on their video editing journey. Some video editing software targets digital marketers and video content creators, so they release tutorial videos every week to help them improve their skills.

Are you a creator, influencer, or marketer, and you need to join the trend of creating video content that converts. Check out the list to know which free video editing software best suits your niche.

These are beginner-friendly video editing software that you can use to create professional-looking video content. Watch tutorials and get to work. The more videos you edit, the better you get at it.

Free Home Security Camera Software: The Top 10 Options Reviewed

10 Best Free Security Camera Software

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Figuring out which is the best security camera software is never easy. This is because most of the software you find online says it is free…until you download their software and it tries to charge you.

Here is a review of the best security camera software, and every single one has a free option. Share this article on social media if you find the right camera software for you.

But if you are new in this field, then you might want to know some basic technique terms introduced following, before we jump to choose the best security camera software.

What Is an IP Camera?

When people say, “IP camera,” they usually mean a camera that uses the Internet in some way so that it may do its job. A typical CCTV camera connects a camera to a computer via a wire. An IP camera can connect over the Internet.

Sometimes, the connection is remote. This means that the camera may be in one location and still be connected to another computer that is miles away.

However, many IP cameras are installed in a home and only travel a few feet/meters to the nearest computer. In short, an IP camera doesn’t need a local recording device because the signal can be sent over the Internet or with a Wi-Fi connection.

What Is Camera Software Used for?

Most people and businesses use camera software to connect their cameras to their computers or their Smartphones. This is often cheaper than buying dedicated recording hardware. The camera and its software are usually used to monitor camera feeds that are life, and to records them onto a hard drive or to the Cloud.

How Do You Pick the Best Security Camera Software?

In most cases, the best software is simply the software that works with your cameras, and that offers all the functions you need. Compatibility is the first concern, but you also want it to work well with your device. For example, if your cameras have a zoom function, but your software doesn’t allow zooming, then that piece of software is not the best one for you.

For example, if you are using Linux, then you want Linux security camera software. And, some people insist that their software allows them to monitor their cameras from their Smartphones. The great thing about free security camera software is that you can test it out first without the risk of losing your money.

If You Need to Edit Your Videos , Which Is the Best Video Editor?

Exporting or downloading content from your camera software is a messy job. You often need a good video editor and trimmer to make your video clips usable.

This is especially true when video recordings can go on for as long as 90 days at a time. If you are looking for a high-quality and flexible video editor, then Filmora is your only real and viable choice. Learn more from Wondershare Video Community .

Filmora takes users’ needs into consideration and comes up with a variety of useful features to make editing easy for people of different levels. Let’s have a look at the useful features of Filmora to better understand how powerful Filmora is.

• Auto Synchronization: This allows you to sync video and audio easily.
• Plenty of transitions, effects, elements make your videos more interesting.
• Audio Ducking: Automatically reduce the volume of the background music to make the dialogue stand out.
• Wondershare Drive: Upload video or project to Wondershare Drive and download it to complete anywhere you want.
• Motion Tracking: Attach an element to a moving object in your video easily with auto motion tracking.
• Keyframing: Customize animation by adding keyframes to change the position, rotation, scale, and opacity of a clip.
• Color Match: Match the color of selected clips to another frame from another clip.

10 Best Free Security Camera Software

Now let’s have a look at the 10 best free security camera software with very comprehensive choosing details.

1. NetCam Studio

There is a free version of NetCam Studio, but if you want something more powerful, then you can buy one of their licenses. These licenses allow you to use the software for as long as you like, and they will update the software for up to two years after purchase.

After the two-year period, you can keep the software running as normal, but if you want upgrades, then you will have to buy them. Upgrades shouldn’t be needed unless you buy a new piece of camera hardware and it requires a new type of camera software.

The NetCam Studio Features

If you go for the free version of NetCam Studio, then you get to use a camera feed from two sources. There is a watermark added to the camera images, and you get five-day notifications. There is also community support.

The paid features include up to 64 sources, no watermarks, 250-day notifications, and you get priority support. After the 250 days is up, you may buy upgrades in order to keep the notification system going.

Pros

The free version does not expire in any way besides the notifications

You are able to use this software with a wide variety of camera brands

Updates are frequent enough to tackle most system-breaking bugs

Cons

The interface needs updating to make it more user friendly

They need to better explain the “Add Source” procedure

Troubleshooting audio problems is very difficult

2. Security Eye

The reason Security Eye ranks so highly is that it is a professional piece of software that somebody decided should be free. It is not open source security camera software, but the developers have decided that it should be free. There used to be a free version where you would get 2 hours of free surveillance per day for free, but in 2019 the company removed its payment system. Will they keep it up or go back to paid subscriptions? Who knows, but you should get it while it is still free (if you can).

Security Eye Features

You can use a timer to determine when the video feed should start. You can capture images as JPEGs and then compress them. The system also allows you to receive alerts via a loudspeaker. It works with motion-detection devices too.

Pros

It comes with the Xvid MPEG-4 Codec

The full version has no nag screen or recording limit

The Security Eye interface is pretty modern for what is essentially a free piece of software

Cons

Demands 1GB of RAM and 2GB of HHD space

Requires at least an Intel Pentium 1.8 processor

The icons should be more intuitive

3. Perfect Surveillance

There are three types of free security camera software for you to choose from. There is one for IP cameras, one for web cameras, and there is a piece of viewing software that people may use if they do not have something like VLC video viewer installed.

Perfect Surveillance Features

Simple icons and a clear interface is a great benefits. Determine when the cameras start monitoring and set up your own layouts to suit your viewing style.

Pros

A simple program that works in a very uncomplicated manner

Most of its icons are intuitive to where you can guess what they do

The Perfect Surveillance system has motion detection and allows you to monitor up to 64 devices

Cons

Installing seems overly long and bloated

There are not enough instructions on how to get your cameras connected

They do not explain how to capture and export screenshots

4. iVideon

There are times when a piece of free software simply does its job good enough to warrant no complaints, and that is exactly what iVideon offers. There are plenty of ways it can be improved, but there is nothing about it that demands harsh criticism.

iVideon Features

One of its most advertised features is facial recognition, but it is not very accurate. It does allow for very good mobile usage. You can view live and recorded footage on your desktop or mobile device. It is also available for Mac OS X and Linux.

Pros

Online home use and access is completely full-featured and freeware

It has smart notifications and has its own desktop and mobile apps

it doesn’t take long to learn how to use the iVideon interface

Cons

Seems rather light on features

Installing and connecting cameras requires a better tutorial

Embedding live video on your website is trickier than it first seems

5. Xeoma

This program has plenty of features, but most of them are locked off to free users. It takes over too long to learn how to use the system, but it may be worth it if you have many cameras. The paid version has all sorts of perks from SMS texts to system health monitoring.

Xeoma Features

The lite version is the free version. It allows you to add four cameras with up to six modules in each chain. You can test out and use the lite version as long as you like, or you can get a free trial of the larger fully-featured program.

Pros

Record and monitor from four cameras

Updates are very frequent

This software works with mostly every type of camera

Cons

Around 90% of features are locked off to free users.

Xeoma is difficult to learn and set up

Connecting many cameras is difficult because the system is difficult to learn as a whole

6. Genius Vision

The Genius Vision system is a fairly advanced piece of software that is probably best used for businesses. If used at home, then there are many features that may never be used. It also works on mobile devices too.

Genius Vision Features

There are plenty of features to play with, including a massive array of settings to fit the many types of camera that this program can be used with. You can even support the company through Patreon and get more extensions on the program.

Pros

Works in-depth with many types of camera

The tools are very sophisticated and accurate

The drop-down menus are complicated while also being thoughtfully laid out

Cons

Getting paid upgrades is trickier than just buying on their website

Setting up the remote features is difficult

You have to figure out most of how to use the program based on which camera you have connected

7. Deskshare IP Camera Viewer

The Deskshare IP Camera Viewer company has a great piece of security camera software that they repackage into many different names and then give away on their website. They do this because the software comes with lots of unwanted bloatware that the company is paid to promote. The sad part is that many other websites will replace this bloatware with Trojan viruses, which means it is difficult to get a clean version of this program.

Deskshare IP Camera Viewer Features

Live recording, playback, and split-screen is all available. You can use up to 4 cameras at a time, and it works with 2200 different camera models. If your hardware allows it, then you can pan, tilt and zoom your camera.

Pros

It is compatible with many types of camera brand

You can set up floating surveillance windows if you want

Adjust the properties of each camera individually

Cons

Installing is very difficult to do correctly

Comes with bloatware and/or unwanted content

The IP software has the least features of all the Deskshare camera software

8. Anycam

The Anycam system is a very average piece of software, but it works with most any type of camera. The interface is basic but easy to use and easy to set up. You will discover that the free version is only limited in terms of record time, you can still use all its features.

Anycam Features

Anycam is mostly featureless. It works with motion-detection cameras. It allows for video recording and playback. Plus, you can watch a live feed. Other than that, there is very little you can do with this basic-but-effective piece of software.

Pros

The program seems to work with any type of camera

Anycam has a paid version where you only make a one-time payment and get free lifetime updates

Installing and setup is very easy

Cons

Trying to find specific events on the timeline is very fiddly

The free version only allows two cameras to be linked

The recording is very limited with the free version

9. ContaCam

In the strictest terms, this piece of software is not free. The developers ask you for a donation, but there is nothing forcing you to give them one. Plus, you can try the software, and then if it turns out to be brilliant, then you can always go back and donate to them.

ContaCam Features

Despite seeming very complicated, the interface is actually very self-explanatory. At first glance, it looks overly condensed and full of features, but each explains itself very well. You can configure the cameras very precisely to the point where you can even specify within which seconds it starts and stops.

Pros

A rather advanced piece of software

The interface layout is very condensed without being confusing

You can use web servers, the Internet, or intranet to receive live feeds

Cons

The interface has no aesthetic decoration at all

ContaCam takes a long time to learn through trial and error testing

The developers say this will never work with mobile devices

10. Agent DVR

The great thing about Agent DVR is that it is completely free because it is freeware. The sad part is that it was created by a developer who went on to finer things and left the program lodged on a few high-use servers. It is now being passed around freeware websites, which means it is sometimes difficult to find a clean version. Nevertheless, it is a fine piece of camera software that still works for many types of cameras.

Agent DVR Features

The Agent DVR software allows for video surveillance with a live feed, and for recording. You can use it with motion-detection software, and it still works for many different types of cameras. It uses a reliable SSL algorithm for its signal encryption, and it is very lightweight, which means it is not a big drain on your device’s CPU.

Pros

A very simple and lightweight piece of software

Works all the way back to Windows 7

It still works with motion detection systems

Cons

Agent DVR will become more obsolete as newer cameras appear over the coming years

Updates will never occur beyond Windows 10

The interface looks very dated compared to the modern camera software

Conclusion

As you can tell by this article, getting good security camera software is difficult because there is so much to choose from. Plus, installing is often an issue, as is companies trying to nag-free users into paying. There is also the issue of connecting cameras and the problem with tagged-on viruses and bloatware.

Nevertheless, there is plenty to try without having to pay, so that is a positive. What do you think?

Have any of these worked for you? Ask your friends on social media, start a discussion, and share this article to help others discover the best free security camera software.

Benjamin Arango

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

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Figuring out which is the best security camera software is never easy. This is because most of the software you find online says it is free…until you download their software and it tries to charge you.

Here is a review of the best security camera software, and every single one has a free option. Share this article on social media if you find the right camera software for you.

But if you are new in this field, then you might want to know some basic technique terms introduced following, before we jump to choose the best security camera software.

What Is an IP Camera?

When people say, “IP camera,” they usually mean a camera that uses the Internet in some way so that it may do its job. A typical CCTV camera connects a camera to a computer via a wire. An IP camera can connect over the Internet.

Sometimes, the connection is remote. This means that the camera may be in one location and still be connected to another computer that is miles away.

However, many IP cameras are installed in a home and only travel a few feet/meters to the nearest computer. In short, an IP camera doesn’t need a local recording device because the signal can be sent over the Internet or with a Wi-Fi connection.

What Is Camera Software Used for?

Most people and businesses use camera software to connect their cameras to their computers or their Smartphones. This is often cheaper than buying dedicated recording hardware. The camera and its software are usually used to monitor camera feeds that are life, and to records them onto a hard drive or to the Cloud.

How Do You Pick the Best Security Camera Software?

In most cases, the best software is simply the software that works with your cameras, and that offers all the functions you need. Compatibility is the first concern, but you also want it to work well with your device. For example, if your cameras have a zoom function, but your software doesn’t allow zooming, then that piece of software is not the best one for you.

For example, if you are using Linux, then you want Linux security camera software. And, some people insist that their software allows them to monitor their cameras from their Smartphones. The great thing about free security camera software is that you can test it out first without the risk of losing your money.

If You Need to Edit Your Videos , Which Is the Best Video Editor?

Exporting or downloading content from your camera software is a messy job. You often need a good video editor and trimmer to make your video clips usable.

This is especially true when video recordings can go on for as long as 90 days at a time. If you are looking for a high-quality and flexible video editor, then Filmora is your only real and viable choice. Learn more from Wondershare Video Community .

Filmora takes users’ needs into consideration and comes up with a variety of useful features to make editing easy for people of different levels. Let’s have a look at the useful features of Filmora to better understand how powerful Filmora is.

• Auto Synchronization: This allows you to sync video and audio easily.
• Plenty of transitions, effects, elements make your videos more interesting.
• Audio Ducking: Automatically reduce the volume of the background music to make the dialogue stand out.
• Wondershare Drive: Upload video or project to Wondershare Drive and download it to complete anywhere you want.
• Motion Tracking: Attach an element to a moving object in your video easily with auto motion tracking.
• Keyframing: Customize animation by adding keyframes to change the position, rotation, scale, and opacity of a clip.
• Color Match: Match the color of selected clips to another frame from another clip.

10 Best Free Security Camera Software

Now let’s have a look at the 10 best free security camera software with very comprehensive choosing details.

1. NetCam Studio

There is a free version of NetCam Studio, but if you want something more powerful, then you can buy one of their licenses. These licenses allow you to use the software for as long as you like, and they will update the software for up to two years after purchase.

After the two-year period, you can keep the software running as normal, but if you want upgrades, then you will have to buy them. Upgrades shouldn’t be needed unless you buy a new piece of camera hardware and it requires a new type of camera software.

The NetCam Studio Features

If you go for the free version of NetCam Studio, then you get to use a camera feed from two sources. There is a watermark added to the camera images, and you get five-day notifications. There is also community support.

The paid features include up to 64 sources, no watermarks, 250-day notifications, and you get priority support. After the 250 days is up, you may buy upgrades in order to keep the notification system going.

Pros

The free version does not expire in any way besides the notifications

You are able to use this software with a wide variety of camera brands

Updates are frequent enough to tackle most system-breaking bugs

Cons

The interface needs updating to make it more user friendly

They need to better explain the “Add Source” procedure

Troubleshooting audio problems is very difficult

2. Security Eye

The reason Security Eye ranks so highly is that it is a professional piece of software that somebody decided should be free. It is not open source security camera software, but the developers have decided that it should be free. There used to be a free version where you would get 2 hours of free surveillance per day for free, but in 2019 the company removed its payment system. Will they keep it up or go back to paid subscriptions? Who knows, but you should get it while it is still free (if you can).

Security Eye Features

You can use a timer to determine when the video feed should start. You can capture images as JPEGs and then compress them. The system also allows you to receive alerts via a loudspeaker. It works with motion-detection devices too.

Pros

It comes with the Xvid MPEG-4 Codec

The full version has no nag screen or recording limit

The Security Eye interface is pretty modern for what is essentially a free piece of software

Cons

Demands 1GB of RAM and 2GB of HHD space

Requires at least an Intel Pentium 1.8 processor

The icons should be more intuitive

3. Perfect Surveillance

There are three types of free security camera software for you to choose from. There is one for IP cameras, one for web cameras, and there is a piece of viewing software that people may use if they do not have something like VLC video viewer installed.

Perfect Surveillance Features

Simple icons and a clear interface is a great benefits. Determine when the cameras start monitoring and set up your own layouts to suit your viewing style.

Pros

A simple program that works in a very uncomplicated manner

Most of its icons are intuitive to where you can guess what they do

The Perfect Surveillance system has motion detection and allows you to monitor up to 64 devices

Cons

Installing seems overly long and bloated

There are not enough instructions on how to get your cameras connected

They do not explain how to capture and export screenshots

4. iVideon

There are times when a piece of free software simply does its job good enough to warrant no complaints, and that is exactly what iVideon offers. There are plenty of ways it can be improved, but there is nothing about it that demands harsh criticism.

iVideon Features

One of its most advertised features is facial recognition, but it is not very accurate. It does allow for very good mobile usage. You can view live and recorded footage on your desktop or mobile device. It is also available for Mac OS X and Linux.

Pros

Online home use and access is completely full-featured and freeware

It has smart notifications and has its own desktop and mobile apps

it doesn’t take long to learn how to use the iVideon interface

Cons

Seems rather light on features

Installing and connecting cameras requires a better tutorial

Embedding live video on your website is trickier than it first seems

5. Xeoma

This program has plenty of features, but most of them are locked off to free users. It takes over too long to learn how to use the system, but it may be worth it if you have many cameras. The paid version has all sorts of perks from SMS texts to system health monitoring.

Xeoma Features

The lite version is the free version. It allows you to add four cameras with up to six modules in each chain. You can test out and use the lite version as long as you like, or you can get a free trial of the larger fully-featured program.

Pros

Record and monitor from four cameras

Updates are very frequent

This software works with mostly every type of camera

Cons

Around 90% of features are locked off to free users.

Xeoma is difficult to learn and set up

Connecting many cameras is difficult because the system is difficult to learn as a whole

6. Genius Vision

The Genius Vision system is a fairly advanced piece of software that is probably best used for businesses. If used at home, then there are many features that may never be used. It also works on mobile devices too.

Genius Vision Features

There are plenty of features to play with, including a massive array of settings to fit the many types of camera that this program can be used with. You can even support the company through Patreon and get more extensions on the program.

Pros

Works in-depth with many types of camera

The tools are very sophisticated and accurate

The drop-down menus are complicated while also being thoughtfully laid out

Cons

Getting paid upgrades is trickier than just buying on their website

Setting up the remote features is difficult

You have to figure out most of how to use the program based on which camera you have connected

7. Deskshare IP Camera Viewer

The Deskshare IP Camera Viewer company has a great piece of security camera software that they repackage into many different names and then give away on their website. They do this because the software comes with lots of unwanted bloatware that the company is paid to promote. The sad part is that many other websites will replace this bloatware with Trojan viruses, which means it is difficult to get a clean version of this program.

Deskshare IP Camera Viewer Features

Live recording, playback, and split-screen is all available. You can use up to 4 cameras at a time, and it works with 2200 different camera models. If your hardware allows it, then you can pan, tilt and zoom your camera.

Pros

It is compatible with many types of camera brand

You can set up floating surveillance windows if you want

Adjust the properties of each camera individually

Cons

Installing is very difficult to do correctly

Comes with bloatware and/or unwanted content

The IP software has the least features of all the Deskshare camera software

8. Anycam

The Anycam system is a very average piece of software, but it works with most any type of camera. The interface is basic but easy to use and easy to set up. You will discover that the free version is only limited in terms of record time, you can still use all its features.

Anycam Features

Anycam is mostly featureless. It works with motion-detection cameras. It allows for video recording and playback. Plus, you can watch a live feed. Other than that, there is very little you can do with this basic-but-effective piece of software.

Pros

The program seems to work with any type of camera

Anycam has a paid version where you only make a one-time payment and get free lifetime updates

Installing and setup is very easy

Cons

Trying to find specific events on the timeline is very fiddly

The free version only allows two cameras to be linked

The recording is very limited with the free version

9. ContaCam

In the strictest terms, this piece of software is not free. The developers ask you for a donation, but there is nothing forcing you to give them one. Plus, you can try the software, and then if it turns out to be brilliant, then you can always go back and donate to them.

ContaCam Features

Despite seeming very complicated, the interface is actually very self-explanatory. At first glance, it looks overly condensed and full of features, but each explains itself very well. You can configure the cameras very precisely to the point where you can even specify within which seconds it starts and stops.

Pros

A rather advanced piece of software

The interface layout is very condensed without being confusing

You can use web servers, the Internet, or intranet to receive live feeds

Cons

The interface has no aesthetic decoration at all

ContaCam takes a long time to learn through trial and error testing

The developers say this will never work with mobile devices

10. Agent DVR

The great thing about Agent DVR is that it is completely free because it is freeware. The sad part is that it was created by a developer who went on to finer things and left the program lodged on a few high-use servers. It is now being passed around freeware websites, which means it is sometimes difficult to find a clean version. Nevertheless, it is a fine piece of camera software that still works for many types of cameras.

Agent DVR Features

The Agent DVR software allows for video surveillance with a live feed, and for recording. You can use it with motion-detection software, and it still works for many different types of cameras. It uses a reliable SSL algorithm for its signal encryption, and it is very lightweight, which means it is not a big drain on your device’s CPU.

Pros

A very simple and lightweight piece of software

Works all the way back to Windows 7

It still works with motion detection systems

Cons

Agent DVR will become more obsolete as newer cameras appear over the coming years

Updates will never occur beyond Windows 10

The interface looks very dated compared to the modern camera software

Conclusion

As you can tell by this article, getting good security camera software is difficult because there is so much to choose from. Plus, installing is often an issue, as is companies trying to nag-free users into paying. There is also the issue of connecting cameras and the problem with tagged-on viruses and bloatware.

Nevertheless, there is plenty to try without having to pay, so that is a positive. What do you think?

Have any of these worked for you? Ask your friends on social media, start a discussion, and share this article to help others discover the best free security camera software.

Benjamin Arango

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

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Figuring out which is the best security camera software is never easy. This is because most of the software you find online says it is free…until you download their software and it tries to charge you.

Here is a review of the best security camera software, and every single one has a free option. Share this article on social media if you find the right camera software for you.

But if you are new in this field, then you might want to know some basic technique terms introduced following, before we jump to choose the best security camera software.

What Is an IP Camera?

When people say, “IP camera,” they usually mean a camera that uses the Internet in some way so that it may do its job. A typical CCTV camera connects a camera to a computer via a wire. An IP camera can connect over the Internet.

Sometimes, the connection is remote. This means that the camera may be in one location and still be connected to another computer that is miles away.

However, many IP cameras are installed in a home and only travel a few feet/meters to the nearest computer. In short, an IP camera doesn’t need a local recording device because the signal can be sent over the Internet or with a Wi-Fi connection.

What Is Camera Software Used for?

Most people and businesses use camera software to connect their cameras to their computers or their Smartphones. This is often cheaper than buying dedicated recording hardware. The camera and its software are usually used to monitor camera feeds that are life, and to records them onto a hard drive or to the Cloud.

How Do You Pick the Best Security Camera Software?

In most cases, the best software is simply the software that works with your cameras, and that offers all the functions you need. Compatibility is the first concern, but you also want it to work well with your device. For example, if your cameras have a zoom function, but your software doesn’t allow zooming, then that piece of software is not the best one for you.

For example, if you are using Linux, then you want Linux security camera software. And, some people insist that their software allows them to monitor their cameras from their Smartphones. The great thing about free security camera software is that you can test it out first without the risk of losing your money.

If You Need to Edit Your Videos , Which Is the Best Video Editor?

Exporting or downloading content from your camera software is a messy job. You often need a good video editor and trimmer to make your video clips usable.

This is especially true when video recordings can go on for as long as 90 days at a time. If you are looking for a high-quality and flexible video editor, then Filmora is your only real and viable choice. Learn more from Wondershare Video Community .

Filmora takes users’ needs into consideration and comes up with a variety of useful features to make editing easy for people of different levels. Let’s have a look at the useful features of Filmora to better understand how powerful Filmora is.

• Auto Synchronization: This allows you to sync video and audio easily.
• Plenty of transitions, effects, elements make your videos more interesting.
• Audio Ducking: Automatically reduce the volume of the background music to make the dialogue stand out.
• Wondershare Drive: Upload video or project to Wondershare Drive and download it to complete anywhere you want.
• Motion Tracking: Attach an element to a moving object in your video easily with auto motion tracking.
• Keyframing: Customize animation by adding keyframes to change the position, rotation, scale, and opacity of a clip.
• Color Match: Match the color of selected clips to another frame from another clip.

10 Best Free Security Camera Software

Now let’s have a look at the 10 best free security camera software with very comprehensive choosing details.

1. NetCam Studio

There is a free version of NetCam Studio, but if you want something more powerful, then you can buy one of their licenses. These licenses allow you to use the software for as long as you like, and they will update the software for up to two years after purchase.

After the two-year period, you can keep the software running as normal, but if you want upgrades, then you will have to buy them. Upgrades shouldn’t be needed unless you buy a new piece of camera hardware and it requires a new type of camera software.

The NetCam Studio Features

If you go for the free version of NetCam Studio, then you get to use a camera feed from two sources. There is a watermark added to the camera images, and you get five-day notifications. There is also community support.

The paid features include up to 64 sources, no watermarks, 250-day notifications, and you get priority support. After the 250 days is up, you may buy upgrades in order to keep the notification system going.

Pros

The free version does not expire in any way besides the notifications

You are able to use this software with a wide variety of camera brands

Updates are frequent enough to tackle most system-breaking bugs

Cons

The interface needs updating to make it more user friendly

They need to better explain the “Add Source” procedure

Troubleshooting audio problems is very difficult

2. Security Eye

The reason Security Eye ranks so highly is that it is a professional piece of software that somebody decided should be free. It is not open source security camera software, but the developers have decided that it should be free. There used to be a free version where you would get 2 hours of free surveillance per day for free, but in 2019 the company removed its payment system. Will they keep it up or go back to paid subscriptions? Who knows, but you should get it while it is still free (if you can).

Security Eye Features

You can use a timer to determine when the video feed should start. You can capture images as JPEGs and then compress them. The system also allows you to receive alerts via a loudspeaker. It works with motion-detection devices too.

Pros

It comes with the Xvid MPEG-4 Codec

The full version has no nag screen or recording limit

The Security Eye interface is pretty modern for what is essentially a free piece of software

Cons

Demands 1GB of RAM and 2GB of HHD space

Requires at least an Intel Pentium 1.8 processor

The icons should be more intuitive

3. Perfect Surveillance

There are three types of free security camera software for you to choose from. There is one for IP cameras, one for web cameras, and there is a piece of viewing software that people may use if they do not have something like VLC video viewer installed.

Perfect Surveillance Features

Simple icons and a clear interface is a great benefits. Determine when the cameras start monitoring and set up your own layouts to suit your viewing style.

Pros

A simple program that works in a very uncomplicated manner

Most of its icons are intuitive to where you can guess what they do

The Perfect Surveillance system has motion detection and allows you to monitor up to 64 devices

Cons

Installing seems overly long and bloated

There are not enough instructions on how to get your cameras connected

They do not explain how to capture and export screenshots

4. iVideon

There are times when a piece of free software simply does its job good enough to warrant no complaints, and that is exactly what iVideon offers. There are plenty of ways it can be improved, but there is nothing about it that demands harsh criticism.

iVideon Features

One of its most advertised features is facial recognition, but it is not very accurate. It does allow for very good mobile usage. You can view live and recorded footage on your desktop or mobile device. It is also available for Mac OS X and Linux.

Pros

Online home use and access is completely full-featured and freeware

It has smart notifications and has its own desktop and mobile apps

it doesn’t take long to learn how to use the iVideon interface

Cons

Seems rather light on features

Installing and connecting cameras requires a better tutorial

Embedding live video on your website is trickier than it first seems

5. Xeoma

This program has plenty of features, but most of them are locked off to free users. It takes over too long to learn how to use the system, but it may be worth it if you have many cameras. The paid version has all sorts of perks from SMS texts to system health monitoring.

Xeoma Features

The lite version is the free version. It allows you to add four cameras with up to six modules in each chain. You can test out and use the lite version as long as you like, or you can get a free trial of the larger fully-featured program.

Pros

Record and monitor from four cameras

Updates are very frequent

This software works with mostly every type of camera

Cons

Around 90% of features are locked off to free users.

Xeoma is difficult to learn and set up

Connecting many cameras is difficult because the system is difficult to learn as a whole

6. Genius Vision

The Genius Vision system is a fairly advanced piece of software that is probably best used for businesses. If used at home, then there are many features that may never be used. It also works on mobile devices too.

Genius Vision Features

There are plenty of features to play with, including a massive array of settings to fit the many types of camera that this program can be used with. You can even support the company through Patreon and get more extensions on the program.

Pros

Works in-depth with many types of camera

The tools are very sophisticated and accurate

The drop-down menus are complicated while also being thoughtfully laid out

Cons

Getting paid upgrades is trickier than just buying on their website

Setting up the remote features is difficult

You have to figure out most of how to use the program based on which camera you have connected

7. Deskshare IP Camera Viewer

The Deskshare IP Camera Viewer company has a great piece of security camera software that they repackage into many different names and then give away on their website. They do this because the software comes with lots of unwanted bloatware that the company is paid to promote. The sad part is that many other websites will replace this bloatware with Trojan viruses, which means it is difficult to get a clean version of this program.

Deskshare IP Camera Viewer Features

Live recording, playback, and split-screen is all available. You can use up to 4 cameras at a time, and it works with 2200 different camera models. If your hardware allows it, then you can pan, tilt and zoom your camera.

Pros

It is compatible with many types of camera brand

You can set up floating surveillance windows if you want

Adjust the properties of each camera individually

Cons

Installing is very difficult to do correctly

Comes with bloatware and/or unwanted content

The IP software has the least features of all the Deskshare camera software

8. Anycam

The Anycam system is a very average piece of software, but it works with most any type of camera. The interface is basic but easy to use and easy to set up. You will discover that the free version is only limited in terms of record time, you can still use all its features.

Anycam Features

Anycam is mostly featureless. It works with motion-detection cameras. It allows for video recording and playback. Plus, you can watch a live feed. Other than that, there is very little you can do with this basic-but-effective piece of software.

Pros

The program seems to work with any type of camera

Anycam has a paid version where you only make a one-time payment and get free lifetime updates

Installing and setup is very easy

Cons

Trying to find specific events on the timeline is very fiddly

The free version only allows two cameras to be linked

The recording is very limited with the free version

9. ContaCam

In the strictest terms, this piece of software is not free. The developers ask you for a donation, but there is nothing forcing you to give them one. Plus, you can try the software, and then if it turns out to be brilliant, then you can always go back and donate to them.

ContaCam Features

Despite seeming very complicated, the interface is actually very self-explanatory. At first glance, it looks overly condensed and full of features, but each explains itself very well. You can configure the cameras very precisely to the point where you can even specify within which seconds it starts and stops.

Pros

A rather advanced piece of software

The interface layout is very condensed without being confusing

You can use web servers, the Internet, or intranet to receive live feeds

Cons

The interface has no aesthetic decoration at all

ContaCam takes a long time to learn through trial and error testing

The developers say this will never work with mobile devices

10. Agent DVR

The great thing about Agent DVR is that it is completely free because it is freeware. The sad part is that it was created by a developer who went on to finer things and left the program lodged on a few high-use servers. It is now being passed around freeware websites, which means it is sometimes difficult to find a clean version. Nevertheless, it is a fine piece of camera software that still works for many types of cameras.

Agent DVR Features

The Agent DVR software allows for video surveillance with a live feed, and for recording. You can use it with motion-detection software, and it still works for many different types of cameras. It uses a reliable SSL algorithm for its signal encryption, and it is very lightweight, which means it is not a big drain on your device’s CPU.

Pros

A very simple and lightweight piece of software

Works all the way back to Windows 7

It still works with motion detection systems

Cons

Agent DVR will become more obsolete as newer cameras appear over the coming years

Updates will never occur beyond Windows 10

The interface looks very dated compared to the modern camera software

Conclusion

As you can tell by this article, getting good security camera software is difficult because there is so much to choose from. Plus, installing is often an issue, as is companies trying to nag-free users into paying. There is also the issue of connecting cameras and the problem with tagged-on viruses and bloatware.

Nevertheless, there is plenty to try without having to pay, so that is a positive. What do you think?

Have any of these worked for you? Ask your friends on social media, start a discussion, and share this article to help others discover the best free security camera software.

Benjamin Arango

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

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Figuring out which is the best security camera software is never easy. This is because most of the software you find online says it is free…until you download their software and it tries to charge you.

Here is a review of the best security camera software, and every single one has a free option. Share this article on social media if you find the right camera software for you.

But if you are new in this field, then you might want to know some basic technique terms introduced following, before we jump to choose the best security camera software.

What Is an IP Camera?

When people say, “IP camera,” they usually mean a camera that uses the Internet in some way so that it may do its job. A typical CCTV camera connects a camera to a computer via a wire. An IP camera can connect over the Internet.

Sometimes, the connection is remote. This means that the camera may be in one location and still be connected to another computer that is miles away.

However, many IP cameras are installed in a home and only travel a few feet/meters to the nearest computer. In short, an IP camera doesn’t need a local recording device because the signal can be sent over the Internet or with a Wi-Fi connection.

What Is Camera Software Used for?

Most people and businesses use camera software to connect their cameras to their computers or their Smartphones. This is often cheaper than buying dedicated recording hardware. The camera and its software are usually used to monitor camera feeds that are life, and to records them onto a hard drive or to the Cloud.

How Do You Pick the Best Security Camera Software?

In most cases, the best software is simply the software that works with your cameras, and that offers all the functions you need. Compatibility is the first concern, but you also want it to work well with your device. For example, if your cameras have a zoom function, but your software doesn’t allow zooming, then that piece of software is not the best one for you.

For example, if you are using Linux, then you want Linux security camera software. And, some people insist that their software allows them to monitor their cameras from their Smartphones. The great thing about free security camera software is that you can test it out first without the risk of losing your money.

If You Need to Edit Your Videos , Which Is the Best Video Editor?

Exporting or downloading content from your camera software is a messy job. You often need a good video editor and trimmer to make your video clips usable.

This is especially true when video recordings can go on for as long as 90 days at a time. If you are looking for a high-quality and flexible video editor, then Filmora is your only real and viable choice. Learn more from Wondershare Video Community .

Filmora takes users’ needs into consideration and comes up with a variety of useful features to make editing easy for people of different levels. Let’s have a look at the useful features of Filmora to better understand how powerful Filmora is.

• Auto Synchronization: This allows you to sync video and audio easily.
• Plenty of transitions, effects, elements make your videos more interesting.
• Audio Ducking: Automatically reduce the volume of the background music to make the dialogue stand out.
• Wondershare Drive: Upload video or project to Wondershare Drive and download it to complete anywhere you want.
• Motion Tracking: Attach an element to a moving object in your video easily with auto motion tracking.
• Keyframing: Customize animation by adding keyframes to change the position, rotation, scale, and opacity of a clip.
• Color Match: Match the color of selected clips to another frame from another clip.

10 Best Free Security Camera Software

Now let’s have a look at the 10 best free security camera software with very comprehensive choosing details.

1. NetCam Studio

There is a free version of NetCam Studio, but if you want something more powerful, then you can buy one of their licenses. These licenses allow you to use the software for as long as you like, and they will update the software for up to two years after purchase.

After the two-year period, you can keep the software running as normal, but if you want upgrades, then you will have to buy them. Upgrades shouldn’t be needed unless you buy a new piece of camera hardware and it requires a new type of camera software.

The NetCam Studio Features

If you go for the free version of NetCam Studio, then you get to use a camera feed from two sources. There is a watermark added to the camera images, and you get five-day notifications. There is also community support.

The paid features include up to 64 sources, no watermarks, 250-day notifications, and you get priority support. After the 250 days is up, you may buy upgrades in order to keep the notification system going.

Pros

The free version does not expire in any way besides the notifications

You are able to use this software with a wide variety of camera brands

Updates are frequent enough to tackle most system-breaking bugs

Cons

The interface needs updating to make it more user friendly

They need to better explain the “Add Source” procedure

Troubleshooting audio problems is very difficult

2. Security Eye

The reason Security Eye ranks so highly is that it is a professional piece of software that somebody decided should be free. It is not open source security camera software, but the developers have decided that it should be free. There used to be a free version where you would get 2 hours of free surveillance per day for free, but in 2019 the company removed its payment system. Will they keep it up or go back to paid subscriptions? Who knows, but you should get it while it is still free (if you can).

Security Eye Features

You can use a timer to determine when the video feed should start. You can capture images as JPEGs and then compress them. The system also allows you to receive alerts via a loudspeaker. It works with motion-detection devices too.

Pros

It comes with the Xvid MPEG-4 Codec

The full version has no nag screen or recording limit

The Security Eye interface is pretty modern for what is essentially a free piece of software

Cons

Demands 1GB of RAM and 2GB of HHD space

Requires at least an Intel Pentium 1.8 processor

The icons should be more intuitive

3. Perfect Surveillance

There are three types of free security camera software for you to choose from. There is one for IP cameras, one for web cameras, and there is a piece of viewing software that people may use if they do not have something like VLC video viewer installed.

Perfect Surveillance Features

Simple icons and a clear interface is a great benefits. Determine when the cameras start monitoring and set up your own layouts to suit your viewing style.

Pros

A simple program that works in a very uncomplicated manner

Most of its icons are intuitive to where you can guess what they do

The Perfect Surveillance system has motion detection and allows you to monitor up to 64 devices

Cons

Installing seems overly long and bloated

There are not enough instructions on how to get your cameras connected

They do not explain how to capture and export screenshots

4. iVideon

There are times when a piece of free software simply does its job good enough to warrant no complaints, and that is exactly what iVideon offers. There are plenty of ways it can be improved, but there is nothing about it that demands harsh criticism.

iVideon Features

One of its most advertised features is facial recognition, but it is not very accurate. It does allow for very good mobile usage. You can view live and recorded footage on your desktop or mobile device. It is also available for Mac OS X and Linux.

Pros

Online home use and access is completely full-featured and freeware

It has smart notifications and has its own desktop and mobile apps

it doesn’t take long to learn how to use the iVideon interface

Cons

Seems rather light on features

Installing and connecting cameras requires a better tutorial

Embedding live video on your website is trickier than it first seems

5. Xeoma

This program has plenty of features, but most of them are locked off to free users. It takes over too long to learn how to use the system, but it may be worth it if you have many cameras. The paid version has all sorts of perks from SMS texts to system health monitoring.

Xeoma Features

The lite version is the free version. It allows you to add four cameras with up to six modules in each chain. You can test out and use the lite version as long as you like, or you can get a free trial of the larger fully-featured program.

Pros

Record and monitor from four cameras

Updates are very frequent

This software works with mostly every type of camera

Cons

Around 90% of features are locked off to free users.

Xeoma is difficult to learn and set up

Connecting many cameras is difficult because the system is difficult to learn as a whole

6. Genius Vision

The Genius Vision system is a fairly advanced piece of software that is probably best used for businesses. If used at home, then there are many features that may never be used. It also works on mobile devices too.

Genius Vision Features

There are plenty of features to play with, including a massive array of settings to fit the many types of camera that this program can be used with. You can even support the company through Patreon and get more extensions on the program.

Pros

Works in-depth with many types of camera

The tools are very sophisticated and accurate

The drop-down menus are complicated while also being thoughtfully laid out

Cons

Getting paid upgrades is trickier than just buying on their website

Setting up the remote features is difficult

You have to figure out most of how to use the program based on which camera you have connected

7. Deskshare IP Camera Viewer

The Deskshare IP Camera Viewer company has a great piece of security camera software that they repackage into many different names and then give away on their website. They do this because the software comes with lots of unwanted bloatware that the company is paid to promote. The sad part is that many other websites will replace this bloatware with Trojan viruses, which means it is difficult to get a clean version of this program.

Deskshare IP Camera Viewer Features

Live recording, playback, and split-screen is all available. You can use up to 4 cameras at a time, and it works with 2200 different camera models. If your hardware allows it, then you can pan, tilt and zoom your camera.

Pros

It is compatible with many types of camera brand

You can set up floating surveillance windows if you want

Adjust the properties of each camera individually

Cons

Installing is very difficult to do correctly

Comes with bloatware and/or unwanted content

The IP software has the least features of all the Deskshare camera software

8. Anycam

The Anycam system is a very average piece of software, but it works with most any type of camera. The interface is basic but easy to use and easy to set up. You will discover that the free version is only limited in terms of record time, you can still use all its features.

Anycam Features

Anycam is mostly featureless. It works with motion-detection cameras. It allows for video recording and playback. Plus, you can watch a live feed. Other than that, there is very little you can do with this basic-but-effective piece of software.

Pros

The program seems to work with any type of camera

Anycam has a paid version where you only make a one-time payment and get free lifetime updates

Installing and setup is very easy

Cons

Trying to find specific events on the timeline is very fiddly

The free version only allows two cameras to be linked

The recording is very limited with the free version

9. ContaCam

In the strictest terms, this piece of software is not free. The developers ask you for a donation, but there is nothing forcing you to give them one. Plus, you can try the software, and then if it turns out to be brilliant, then you can always go back and donate to them.

ContaCam Features

Despite seeming very complicated, the interface is actually very self-explanatory. At first glance, it looks overly condensed and full of features, but each explains itself very well. You can configure the cameras very precisely to the point where you can even specify within which seconds it starts and stops.

Pros

A rather advanced piece of software

The interface layout is very condensed without being confusing

You can use web servers, the Internet, or intranet to receive live feeds

Cons

The interface has no aesthetic decoration at all

ContaCam takes a long time to learn through trial and error testing

The developers say this will never work with mobile devices

10. Agent DVR

The great thing about Agent DVR is that it is completely free because it is freeware. The sad part is that it was created by a developer who went on to finer things and left the program lodged on a few high-use servers. It is now being passed around freeware websites, which means it is sometimes difficult to find a clean version. Nevertheless, it is a fine piece of camera software that still works for many types of cameras.

Agent DVR Features

The Agent DVR software allows for video surveillance with a live feed, and for recording. You can use it with motion-detection software, and it still works for many different types of cameras. It uses a reliable SSL algorithm for its signal encryption, and it is very lightweight, which means it is not a big drain on your device’s CPU.

Pros

A very simple and lightweight piece of software

Works all the way back to Windows 7

It still works with motion detection systems

Cons

Agent DVR will become more obsolete as newer cameras appear over the coming years

Updates will never occur beyond Windows 10

The interface looks very dated compared to the modern camera software

Conclusion

As you can tell by this article, getting good security camera software is difficult because there is so much to choose from. Plus, installing is often an issue, as is companies trying to nag-free users into paying. There is also the issue of connecting cameras and the problem with tagged-on viruses and bloatware.

Nevertheless, there is plenty to try without having to pay, so that is a positive. What do you think?

Have any of these worked for you? Ask your friends on social media, start a discussion, and share this article to help others discover the best free security camera software.

Benjamin Arango

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

Follow @Benjamin Arango

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