Updated In 2024, Video Editing on a Budget Top Free Options for Beginners Desktop/Online/Mobile

Updated In 2024, Video Editing on a Budget Top Free Options for Beginners Desktop/Online/Mobile

Isabella Lv12

Video Editing on a Budget: Top Free Options for Beginners [Desktop/Online/Mobile]

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.

123 app online video editor tools

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.

123 app online video editor tools

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.

123 app online video editor tools

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.

123 app online video editor tools

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.

FCPX Skin Retouching: A Plugin-Free Guide to Flawless Skin

Full Guide: How to Add a Skin Smoother Effect with Final Cut Pro

author avatar

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

It’s quite common for vloggers to try to show the best of their states. However, makeup, weather, and the shooting equipment may disagree. So, how to tackle this problem?

skin-smoother

Fortunately, we have the best solutions to fix the skin tone issue by using FCPX’s built-in tools or smooth skin plugins. You will learn how to strategically adjust your footage’s look for stylistic purposes and impress your audience with your video-editing skills. Now, let’s understand what a skin smoother effect is before learning how to add it in FCPX.

Part 1: How to Add a Skin Smoother Effect without Plugins in Final Cut Pro?

Smoothening the skin in Final Cut Pro is very simple. Simply select the video, choose Video effects to be applied, and adjust the percentages from the Inspector pane. You will get wrinkle-free skin with an astonishing look. While multiple plugins are also available to apply a skin smoother effect, you can use the built-in features of Final Cut Pro to smoothen the skin and decrease the amount of contrast.

Here’s how you can do this:

step1Choose the starting image and edit the clip into the timeline. Press Option and make a connected copy of the clip by dragging it up. The start and end points should match for syncing. In the Effects Browser, drag Blur > Gaussian Blur to apply the blur effect on the upper clip.

Skin_Smoother_Effect_1

step2Open the Inspector pan and select Compositing from its bottom. Switch the Blend Mode to Lighten and adjust the Opacity slider as per your desired glow. Usually, 40 to 45% is ideal.

Skin_Smoother_Effect_2

step3Now, go to the top of the Inspector and turn on the blue checkbox next to Gaussian. Adjust the blurring effect until you achieve your desired level of skin softening. It is highly recommended to blur using the horizontal setting to soften the skin while keeping the eyes sharp. Here, the glow is controlled by Opacity while skin softening is controlled by the Blue Amount.

Skin_Smoother_Effect_3

For better results, add a Vignette by selecting and combining the two clips into a Compound Clip. From the Effects Browser, select Stylize > Vignette and adjust drag the vignette. Now, customize the compound clip settings in the Inspector pane until you achieve your desired look. Compare the results between two images before and after editing

Part 2: Where to Find Good Skin Smoother Plugins?

Plugins make it easy for beginners and users with limited expertise to add a skin smoother effect in Final Cut Pro X. You can find both free and paid skin smoother plugins for FCPX online. Given below are some popular skin smoothening plugins for Final Cut Pro X.

  1. Skin Smoother 2

Skin Smoother 2 is a powerful and easy-to-use plugin that allows you to smooth out unwanted skin details and enhance your facial appearance.

Price: $19.99 (One-time Charges)

Software Requirements: FCP 10.2 or later

Features:

  • Enhanced control over facial adjustments with fine-tuning giving more natural results;
  • Precise color sampling without a need to match up with present skin tones; and
  • 3 to 5 times faster rendering.
  1. Color Finale

Color Finale is a user-friendly, fine-tuned, and fully-featured professional skin smoother plugin purpose bit for FCP.

color-finale-2

Price: $152

Software Requirements: FCP 10.4.8 - 10.5.1

Features:

  • Color wheels, curves, and LUT utilities;
  • A complete professional color toolset for videographers, colorists, and editors; and
  • Allows personal preference on the interface.
  1. Universe

A comprehensive FCP tool with 89 individual plugins to apply the next-generation skin smoothening and facial improvement effects.

Price: $199/year

Software Requirements: FCPX 10.5 or later

Features:

  • Advanced transitions and effects and motion graphics tools;
  • A variety of cool presents and text generators; and
  • Number counters, chromatic aberration, VHS looks, camera shake, glitch effects.

Part 3: How to adopt Skin Smoothing Plugins into FCPX?

Follow these steps to use the Skin Smooth 2 Plugin for Final Cut Pro X:

  1. Purchase and download the Skin Smoother 2 plugin. Go to downloads, unzip the folder containing the plugin and install it on your computer.
  2. Open the FCPX, go to Effects, and click on Skin Smoother 2. A list of options will appear. Import the image or video you want to edit.Skin_Smoother_Effect_4
  3. To apply the skin-smoothing effect, click on Add Color Mask, and select the areas of the face where the color mask has to be added.Skin_Smoother_Effect_5
  4. Adjust the Skin Smoothing, Smoothing Mix, and the Softness of the color mask as per your requirements.Skin_Smoother_Effect_6
  5. Finally, click on Add Shape Mask, two circles will appear on the image. Adjust the covering area of both circles for Shape Mask 1 to add a smiling face.Skin_Smoother_Effect_7

Part 4: How to Smooth Skin in Filmora?

Wondershare Filmora features advanced tuning tools and a variety of video filters and overlays. Learn how to smooth skin or beautify your face in the video with this advanced video-editing software.

Download Win Version Download Mac Version

  1. Open Filmora, open New Project and click Import to load your videos to the timeline.
  2. Double click on the video to open the editing window. Open the Color panel and adjust parameters according to your preference such as white balance, tone, and 3D LUT, etc.
  3. Open the toolbar, click the Advanced Color Tuning icon, go to the advanced color tuning window, and adjust the white balance, color tint and temperature, HSL, 3D LUT, Vignette, and Light. If you are a beginner, try applying the present templates.
  4. To set a specific tone or beautify your video, open the Tools tab and click the Color Correction option to change the color tones.
  5. Open Effects and Transitions and select the skin smooth filter. Hover the cursor over the filter and click the plus icon in the middle to add that effect. You can also apply the effect to the whole clip by dragging and dropping it directly onto the video clip.

Part 5: How to smooth skin in Adobe Pro?

Given below are simple steps to create a face matter, control the skin smoothing, adjust color correction, and correct the skin glow in Adobe Pro by using the Beauty Studio Effect:

  1. Applying the Beauty Studio effect smoothens all parts of the image including the background. However, it will make your footage look artificial, which is not desired. Hence, turn on the Pixel Chooser, pick two colors with the eye dropper tool. Color A for the darker area and Color B for the lighter area.
  2. Underneath the Mocha Matte, use the eyedropper tool to select colors on the skin of the subject in your footage.
  3. Now, click on View Matte/Mask to visualize the image areas where you are applying the skin smoothing effect. The Beauty Studio will affect the smoothing effect in the white area while the black area will remain unsmoothed.
  4. Adjust the Saturation, Hue, and Luma softness to enhance the appearance of the skin, eyes, and mouth.
  5. To prevent the rest of the image from getting affected, create a Mocha mask around the face by clicking on the Mocha logo and drawing a mask with the X-Spline tool. Make sure the mask moves as the subject is moved after your track forward and back.
  6. Beauty Studio offers four levels of skin smoothing. You can adjust these levels as per your situation by lowering the smoothing amount for each level. For better results, adjust the levels at 70 or below.
  7. For the final touch, adjust the sharpening between 10-20 points, add saturation between 3 to 8 points for color correction, and add 5 to 10 points of glow. Your image is ready, compare the results before and after applying the effect.

Conclusion

Smooth skin with clear facial expressions attracts everyone. You can apply a skin smooth effect in your video by using advanced video editing tools like Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premium, and Wondershare Filmora.

There are two methods to add a skin smooth effect with FCPX: By using in-built software settings, or by using plugins like Skin Smoother 2, Color Finale, and Universe. Use Beauty Studio Effect in Adobe Pro to smooth skin and improve facial appearance. Finally, you can beautify the face in your video by adding transitions, making color adjustments, and applying different effects with Wondershare Filmora.

author avatar

Liza Brown

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

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

It’s quite common for vloggers to try to show the best of their states. However, makeup, weather, and the shooting equipment may disagree. So, how to tackle this problem?

skin-smoother

Fortunately, we have the best solutions to fix the skin tone issue by using FCPX’s built-in tools or smooth skin plugins. You will learn how to strategically adjust your footage’s look for stylistic purposes and impress your audience with your video-editing skills. Now, let’s understand what a skin smoother effect is before learning how to add it in FCPX.

Part 1: How to Add a Skin Smoother Effect without Plugins in Final Cut Pro?

Smoothening the skin in Final Cut Pro is very simple. Simply select the video, choose Video effects to be applied, and adjust the percentages from the Inspector pane. You will get wrinkle-free skin with an astonishing look. While multiple plugins are also available to apply a skin smoother effect, you can use the built-in features of Final Cut Pro to smoothen the skin and decrease the amount of contrast.

Here’s how you can do this:

step1Choose the starting image and edit the clip into the timeline. Press Option and make a connected copy of the clip by dragging it up. The start and end points should match for syncing. In the Effects Browser, drag Blur > Gaussian Blur to apply the blur effect on the upper clip.

Skin_Smoother_Effect_1

step2Open the Inspector pan and select Compositing from its bottom. Switch the Blend Mode to Lighten and adjust the Opacity slider as per your desired glow. Usually, 40 to 45% is ideal.

Skin_Smoother_Effect_2

step3Now, go to the top of the Inspector and turn on the blue checkbox next to Gaussian. Adjust the blurring effect until you achieve your desired level of skin softening. It is highly recommended to blur using the horizontal setting to soften the skin while keeping the eyes sharp. Here, the glow is controlled by Opacity while skin softening is controlled by the Blue Amount.

Skin_Smoother_Effect_3

For better results, add a Vignette by selecting and combining the two clips into a Compound Clip. From the Effects Browser, select Stylize > Vignette and adjust drag the vignette. Now, customize the compound clip settings in the Inspector pane until you achieve your desired look. Compare the results between two images before and after editing

Part 2: Where to Find Good Skin Smoother Plugins?

Plugins make it easy for beginners and users with limited expertise to add a skin smoother effect in Final Cut Pro X. You can find both free and paid skin smoother plugins for FCPX online. Given below are some popular skin smoothening plugins for Final Cut Pro X.

  1. Skin Smoother 2

Skin Smoother 2 is a powerful and easy-to-use plugin that allows you to smooth out unwanted skin details and enhance your facial appearance.

Price: $19.99 (One-time Charges)

Software Requirements: FCP 10.2 or later

Features:

  • Enhanced control over facial adjustments with fine-tuning giving more natural results;
  • Precise color sampling without a need to match up with present skin tones; and
  • 3 to 5 times faster rendering.
  1. Color Finale

Color Finale is a user-friendly, fine-tuned, and fully-featured professional skin smoother plugin purpose bit for FCP.

color-finale-2

Price: $152

Software Requirements: FCP 10.4.8 - 10.5.1

Features:

  • Color wheels, curves, and LUT utilities;
  • A complete professional color toolset for videographers, colorists, and editors; and
  • Allows personal preference on the interface.
  1. Universe

A comprehensive FCP tool with 89 individual plugins to apply the next-generation skin smoothening and facial improvement effects.

Price: $199/year

Software Requirements: FCPX 10.5 or later

Features:

  • Advanced transitions and effects and motion graphics tools;
  • A variety of cool presents and text generators; and
  • Number counters, chromatic aberration, VHS looks, camera shake, glitch effects.

Part 3: How to adopt Skin Smoothing Plugins into FCPX?

Follow these steps to use the Skin Smooth 2 Plugin for Final Cut Pro X:

  1. Purchase and download the Skin Smoother 2 plugin. Go to downloads, unzip the folder containing the plugin and install it on your computer.
  2. Open the FCPX, go to Effects, and click on Skin Smoother 2. A list of options will appear. Import the image or video you want to edit.Skin_Smoother_Effect_4
  3. To apply the skin-smoothing effect, click on Add Color Mask, and select the areas of the face where the color mask has to be added.Skin_Smoother_Effect_5
  4. Adjust the Skin Smoothing, Smoothing Mix, and the Softness of the color mask as per your requirements.Skin_Smoother_Effect_6
  5. Finally, click on Add Shape Mask, two circles will appear on the image. Adjust the covering area of both circles for Shape Mask 1 to add a smiling face.Skin_Smoother_Effect_7

Part 4: How to Smooth Skin in Filmora?

Wondershare Filmora features advanced tuning tools and a variety of video filters and overlays. Learn how to smooth skin or beautify your face in the video with this advanced video-editing software.

Download Win Version Download Mac Version

  1. Open Filmora, open New Project and click Import to load your videos to the timeline.
  2. Double click on the video to open the editing window. Open the Color panel and adjust parameters according to your preference such as white balance, tone, and 3D LUT, etc.
  3. Open the toolbar, click the Advanced Color Tuning icon, go to the advanced color tuning window, and adjust the white balance, color tint and temperature, HSL, 3D LUT, Vignette, and Light. If you are a beginner, try applying the present templates.
  4. To set a specific tone or beautify your video, open the Tools tab and click the Color Correction option to change the color tones.
  5. Open Effects and Transitions and select the skin smooth filter. Hover the cursor over the filter and click the plus icon in the middle to add that effect. You can also apply the effect to the whole clip by dragging and dropping it directly onto the video clip.

Part 5: How to smooth skin in Adobe Pro?

Given below are simple steps to create a face matter, control the skin smoothing, adjust color correction, and correct the skin glow in Adobe Pro by using the Beauty Studio Effect:

  1. Applying the Beauty Studio effect smoothens all parts of the image including the background. However, it will make your footage look artificial, which is not desired. Hence, turn on the Pixel Chooser, pick two colors with the eye dropper tool. Color A for the darker area and Color B for the lighter area.
  2. Underneath the Mocha Matte, use the eyedropper tool to select colors on the skin of the subject in your footage.
  3. Now, click on View Matte/Mask to visualize the image areas where you are applying the skin smoothing effect. The Beauty Studio will affect the smoothing effect in the white area while the black area will remain unsmoothed.
  4. Adjust the Saturation, Hue, and Luma softness to enhance the appearance of the skin, eyes, and mouth.
  5. To prevent the rest of the image from getting affected, create a Mocha mask around the face by clicking on the Mocha logo and drawing a mask with the X-Spline tool. Make sure the mask moves as the subject is moved after your track forward and back.
  6. Beauty Studio offers four levels of skin smoothing. You can adjust these levels as per your situation by lowering the smoothing amount for each level. For better results, adjust the levels at 70 or below.
  7. For the final touch, adjust the sharpening between 10-20 points, add saturation between 3 to 8 points for color correction, and add 5 to 10 points of glow. Your image is ready, compare the results before and after applying the effect.

Conclusion

Smooth skin with clear facial expressions attracts everyone. You can apply a skin smooth effect in your video by using advanced video editing tools like Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premium, and Wondershare Filmora.

There are two methods to add a skin smooth effect with FCPX: By using in-built software settings, or by using plugins like Skin Smoother 2, Color Finale, and Universe. Use Beauty Studio Effect in Adobe Pro to smooth skin and improve facial appearance. Finally, you can beautify the face in your video by adding transitions, making color adjustments, and applying different effects with Wondershare Filmora.

author avatar

Liza Brown

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

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

It’s quite common for vloggers to try to show the best of their states. However, makeup, weather, and the shooting equipment may disagree. So, how to tackle this problem?

skin-smoother

Fortunately, we have the best solutions to fix the skin tone issue by using FCPX’s built-in tools or smooth skin plugins. You will learn how to strategically adjust your footage’s look for stylistic purposes and impress your audience with your video-editing skills. Now, let’s understand what a skin smoother effect is before learning how to add it in FCPX.

Part 1: How to Add a Skin Smoother Effect without Plugins in Final Cut Pro?

Smoothening the skin in Final Cut Pro is very simple. Simply select the video, choose Video effects to be applied, and adjust the percentages from the Inspector pane. You will get wrinkle-free skin with an astonishing look. While multiple plugins are also available to apply a skin smoother effect, you can use the built-in features of Final Cut Pro to smoothen the skin and decrease the amount of contrast.

Here’s how you can do this:

step1Choose the starting image and edit the clip into the timeline. Press Option and make a connected copy of the clip by dragging it up. The start and end points should match for syncing. In the Effects Browser, drag Blur > Gaussian Blur to apply the blur effect on the upper clip.

Skin_Smoother_Effect_1

step2Open the Inspector pan and select Compositing from its bottom. Switch the Blend Mode to Lighten and adjust the Opacity slider as per your desired glow. Usually, 40 to 45% is ideal.

Skin_Smoother_Effect_2

step3Now, go to the top of the Inspector and turn on the blue checkbox next to Gaussian. Adjust the blurring effect until you achieve your desired level of skin softening. It is highly recommended to blur using the horizontal setting to soften the skin while keeping the eyes sharp. Here, the glow is controlled by Opacity while skin softening is controlled by the Blue Amount.

Skin_Smoother_Effect_3

For better results, add a Vignette by selecting and combining the two clips into a Compound Clip. From the Effects Browser, select Stylize > Vignette and adjust drag the vignette. Now, customize the compound clip settings in the Inspector pane until you achieve your desired look. Compare the results between two images before and after editing

Part 2: Where to Find Good Skin Smoother Plugins?

Plugins make it easy for beginners and users with limited expertise to add a skin smoother effect in Final Cut Pro X. You can find both free and paid skin smoother plugins for FCPX online. Given below are some popular skin smoothening plugins for Final Cut Pro X.

  1. Skin Smoother 2

Skin Smoother 2 is a powerful and easy-to-use plugin that allows you to smooth out unwanted skin details and enhance your facial appearance.

Price: $19.99 (One-time Charges)

Software Requirements: FCP 10.2 or later

Features:

  • Enhanced control over facial adjustments with fine-tuning giving more natural results;
  • Precise color sampling without a need to match up with present skin tones; and
  • 3 to 5 times faster rendering.
  1. Color Finale

Color Finale is a user-friendly, fine-tuned, and fully-featured professional skin smoother plugin purpose bit for FCP.

color-finale-2

Price: $152

Software Requirements: FCP 10.4.8 - 10.5.1

Features:

  • Color wheels, curves, and LUT utilities;
  • A complete professional color toolset for videographers, colorists, and editors; and
  • Allows personal preference on the interface.
  1. Universe

A comprehensive FCP tool with 89 individual plugins to apply the next-generation skin smoothening and facial improvement effects.

Price: $199/year

Software Requirements: FCPX 10.5 or later

Features:

  • Advanced transitions and effects and motion graphics tools;
  • A variety of cool presents and text generators; and
  • Number counters, chromatic aberration, VHS looks, camera shake, glitch effects.

Part 3: How to adopt Skin Smoothing Plugins into FCPX?

Follow these steps to use the Skin Smooth 2 Plugin for Final Cut Pro X:

  1. Purchase and download the Skin Smoother 2 plugin. Go to downloads, unzip the folder containing the plugin and install it on your computer.
  2. Open the FCPX, go to Effects, and click on Skin Smoother 2. A list of options will appear. Import the image or video you want to edit.Skin_Smoother_Effect_4
  3. To apply the skin-smoothing effect, click on Add Color Mask, and select the areas of the face where the color mask has to be added.Skin_Smoother_Effect_5
  4. Adjust the Skin Smoothing, Smoothing Mix, and the Softness of the color mask as per your requirements.Skin_Smoother_Effect_6
  5. Finally, click on Add Shape Mask, two circles will appear on the image. Adjust the covering area of both circles for Shape Mask 1 to add a smiling face.Skin_Smoother_Effect_7

Part 4: How to Smooth Skin in Filmora?

Wondershare Filmora features advanced tuning tools and a variety of video filters and overlays. Learn how to smooth skin or beautify your face in the video with this advanced video-editing software.

Download Win Version Download Mac Version

  1. Open Filmora, open New Project and click Import to load your videos to the timeline.
  2. Double click on the video to open the editing window. Open the Color panel and adjust parameters according to your preference such as white balance, tone, and 3D LUT, etc.
  3. Open the toolbar, click the Advanced Color Tuning icon, go to the advanced color tuning window, and adjust the white balance, color tint and temperature, HSL, 3D LUT, Vignette, and Light. If you are a beginner, try applying the present templates.
  4. To set a specific tone or beautify your video, open the Tools tab and click the Color Correction option to change the color tones.
  5. Open Effects and Transitions and select the skin smooth filter. Hover the cursor over the filter and click the plus icon in the middle to add that effect. You can also apply the effect to the whole clip by dragging and dropping it directly onto the video clip.

Part 5: How to smooth skin in Adobe Pro?

Given below are simple steps to create a face matter, control the skin smoothing, adjust color correction, and correct the skin glow in Adobe Pro by using the Beauty Studio Effect:

  1. Applying the Beauty Studio effect smoothens all parts of the image including the background. However, it will make your footage look artificial, which is not desired. Hence, turn on the Pixel Chooser, pick two colors with the eye dropper tool. Color A for the darker area and Color B for the lighter area.
  2. Underneath the Mocha Matte, use the eyedropper tool to select colors on the skin of the subject in your footage.
  3. Now, click on View Matte/Mask to visualize the image areas where you are applying the skin smoothing effect. The Beauty Studio will affect the smoothing effect in the white area while the black area will remain unsmoothed.
  4. Adjust the Saturation, Hue, and Luma softness to enhance the appearance of the skin, eyes, and mouth.
  5. To prevent the rest of the image from getting affected, create a Mocha mask around the face by clicking on the Mocha logo and drawing a mask with the X-Spline tool. Make sure the mask moves as the subject is moved after your track forward and back.
  6. Beauty Studio offers four levels of skin smoothing. You can adjust these levels as per your situation by lowering the smoothing amount for each level. For better results, adjust the levels at 70 or below.
  7. For the final touch, adjust the sharpening between 10-20 points, add saturation between 3 to 8 points for color correction, and add 5 to 10 points of glow. Your image is ready, compare the results before and after applying the effect.

Conclusion

Smooth skin with clear facial expressions attracts everyone. You can apply a skin smooth effect in your video by using advanced video editing tools like Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premium, and Wondershare Filmora.

There are two methods to add a skin smooth effect with FCPX: By using in-built software settings, or by using plugins like Skin Smoother 2, Color Finale, and Universe. Use Beauty Studio Effect in Adobe Pro to smooth skin and improve facial appearance. Finally, you can beautify the face in your video by adding transitions, making color adjustments, and applying different effects with Wondershare Filmora.

author avatar

Liza Brown

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

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

It’s quite common for vloggers to try to show the best of their states. However, makeup, weather, and the shooting equipment may disagree. So, how to tackle this problem?

skin-smoother

Fortunately, we have the best solutions to fix the skin tone issue by using FCPX’s built-in tools or smooth skin plugins. You will learn how to strategically adjust your footage’s look for stylistic purposes and impress your audience with your video-editing skills. Now, let’s understand what a skin smoother effect is before learning how to add it in FCPX.

Part 1: How to Add a Skin Smoother Effect without Plugins in Final Cut Pro?

Smoothening the skin in Final Cut Pro is very simple. Simply select the video, choose Video effects to be applied, and adjust the percentages from the Inspector pane. You will get wrinkle-free skin with an astonishing look. While multiple plugins are also available to apply a skin smoother effect, you can use the built-in features of Final Cut Pro to smoothen the skin and decrease the amount of contrast.

Here’s how you can do this:

step1Choose the starting image and edit the clip into the timeline. Press Option and make a connected copy of the clip by dragging it up. The start and end points should match for syncing. In the Effects Browser, drag Blur > Gaussian Blur to apply the blur effect on the upper clip.

Skin_Smoother_Effect_1

step2Open the Inspector pan and select Compositing from its bottom. Switch the Blend Mode to Lighten and adjust the Opacity slider as per your desired glow. Usually, 40 to 45% is ideal.

Skin_Smoother_Effect_2

step3Now, go to the top of the Inspector and turn on the blue checkbox next to Gaussian. Adjust the blurring effect until you achieve your desired level of skin softening. It is highly recommended to blur using the horizontal setting to soften the skin while keeping the eyes sharp. Here, the glow is controlled by Opacity while skin softening is controlled by the Blue Amount.

Skin_Smoother_Effect_3

For better results, add a Vignette by selecting and combining the two clips into a Compound Clip. From the Effects Browser, select Stylize > Vignette and adjust drag the vignette. Now, customize the compound clip settings in the Inspector pane until you achieve your desired look. Compare the results between two images before and after editing

Part 2: Where to Find Good Skin Smoother Plugins?

Plugins make it easy for beginners and users with limited expertise to add a skin smoother effect in Final Cut Pro X. You can find both free and paid skin smoother plugins for FCPX online. Given below are some popular skin smoothening plugins for Final Cut Pro X.

  1. Skin Smoother 2

Skin Smoother 2 is a powerful and easy-to-use plugin that allows you to smooth out unwanted skin details and enhance your facial appearance.

Price: $19.99 (One-time Charges)

Software Requirements: FCP 10.2 or later

Features:

  • Enhanced control over facial adjustments with fine-tuning giving more natural results;
  • Precise color sampling without a need to match up with present skin tones; and
  • 3 to 5 times faster rendering.
  1. Color Finale

Color Finale is a user-friendly, fine-tuned, and fully-featured professional skin smoother plugin purpose bit for FCP.

color-finale-2

Price: $152

Software Requirements: FCP 10.4.8 - 10.5.1

Features:

  • Color wheels, curves, and LUT utilities;
  • A complete professional color toolset for videographers, colorists, and editors; and
  • Allows personal preference on the interface.
  1. Universe

A comprehensive FCP tool with 89 individual plugins to apply the next-generation skin smoothening and facial improvement effects.

Price: $199/year

Software Requirements: FCPX 10.5 or later

Features:

  • Advanced transitions and effects and motion graphics tools;
  • A variety of cool presents and text generators; and
  • Number counters, chromatic aberration, VHS looks, camera shake, glitch effects.

Part 3: How to adopt Skin Smoothing Plugins into FCPX?

Follow these steps to use the Skin Smooth 2 Plugin for Final Cut Pro X:

  1. Purchase and download the Skin Smoother 2 plugin. Go to downloads, unzip the folder containing the plugin and install it on your computer.
  2. Open the FCPX, go to Effects, and click on Skin Smoother 2. A list of options will appear. Import the image or video you want to edit.Skin_Smoother_Effect_4
  3. To apply the skin-smoothing effect, click on Add Color Mask, and select the areas of the face where the color mask has to be added.Skin_Smoother_Effect_5
  4. Adjust the Skin Smoothing, Smoothing Mix, and the Softness of the color mask as per your requirements.Skin_Smoother_Effect_6
  5. Finally, click on Add Shape Mask, two circles will appear on the image. Adjust the covering area of both circles for Shape Mask 1 to add a smiling face.Skin_Smoother_Effect_7

Part 4: How to Smooth Skin in Filmora?

Wondershare Filmora features advanced tuning tools and a variety of video filters and overlays. Learn how to smooth skin or beautify your face in the video with this advanced video-editing software.

Download Win Version Download Mac Version

  1. Open Filmora, open New Project and click Import to load your videos to the timeline.
  2. Double click on the video to open the editing window. Open the Color panel and adjust parameters according to your preference such as white balance, tone, and 3D LUT, etc.
  3. Open the toolbar, click the Advanced Color Tuning icon, go to the advanced color tuning window, and adjust the white balance, color tint and temperature, HSL, 3D LUT, Vignette, and Light. If you are a beginner, try applying the present templates.
  4. To set a specific tone or beautify your video, open the Tools tab and click the Color Correction option to change the color tones.
  5. Open Effects and Transitions and select the skin smooth filter. Hover the cursor over the filter and click the plus icon in the middle to add that effect. You can also apply the effect to the whole clip by dragging and dropping it directly onto the video clip.

Part 5: How to smooth skin in Adobe Pro?

Given below are simple steps to create a face matter, control the skin smoothing, adjust color correction, and correct the skin glow in Adobe Pro by using the Beauty Studio Effect:

  1. Applying the Beauty Studio effect smoothens all parts of the image including the background. However, it will make your footage look artificial, which is not desired. Hence, turn on the Pixel Chooser, pick two colors with the eye dropper tool. Color A for the darker area and Color B for the lighter area.
  2. Underneath the Mocha Matte, use the eyedropper tool to select colors on the skin of the subject in your footage.
  3. Now, click on View Matte/Mask to visualize the image areas where you are applying the skin smoothing effect. The Beauty Studio will affect the smoothing effect in the white area while the black area will remain unsmoothed.
  4. Adjust the Saturation, Hue, and Luma softness to enhance the appearance of the skin, eyes, and mouth.
  5. To prevent the rest of the image from getting affected, create a Mocha mask around the face by clicking on the Mocha logo and drawing a mask with the X-Spline tool. Make sure the mask moves as the subject is moved after your track forward and back.
  6. Beauty Studio offers four levels of skin smoothing. You can adjust these levels as per your situation by lowering the smoothing amount for each level. For better results, adjust the levels at 70 or below.
  7. For the final touch, adjust the sharpening between 10-20 points, add saturation between 3 to 8 points for color correction, and add 5 to 10 points of glow. Your image is ready, compare the results before and after applying the effect.

Conclusion

Smooth skin with clear facial expressions attracts everyone. You can apply a skin smooth effect in your video by using advanced video editing tools like Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premium, and Wondershare Filmora.

There are two methods to add a skin smooth effect with FCPX: By using in-built software settings, or by using plugins like Skin Smoother 2, Color Finale, and Universe. Use Beauty Studio Effect in Adobe Pro to smooth skin and improve facial appearance. Finally, you can beautify the face in your video by adding transitions, making color adjustments, and applying different effects with Wondershare Filmora.

author avatar

Liza Brown

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

Follow @Liza Brown

Top Animation Tools: Expert-Approved Software for Mac and Windows

Professional Animation Software: 8 Best Creator for Mac and Windows

author avatar

Shanoon Cox

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

If you are not satisfied with some free animation options available on Windows and Mac, you may need to invest some money in a great program.

Those who want their animations to have a professional quality will need to find professional animation software. It will let you make a professional animated video to your heart’s content.

While these programs do come with an upfront cost, you are paying for the best features, troubleshooting, support, and graphical quality.

Those who create animation for business reasons will have much use for such software. Here are 8 of the best professional animation software options for Windows and Mac.

Part1: Professional Animation Software for Mac

1. Blender

The beauty of blender is that it is a free program that still gives you all the features you would expect from a professional package.

It is a free, open-source and one of the best options for 3D animating. Whether you want to model, rig, animate, simulate, map, render or motion tracking, you can do it with Blender

Features:

  • The rendering, modeling, and animation features are top of the line. They are comparable with expensive software.
  • You have the ability to create VFX, simulations, and integrate pipeline tools.
  • You can create games, edit videos, and create scripts all within the program.

2. ZBrush

Hoping to create high-class 3D objects that are going to wow your audience? If you need to create 3D objects for a business video or to promote your personal brand, ZBrush is a terrific option.

It has some of the best features for digital sculpting that you will find in any program.

Features:

  • Unlike other programs, you are not restricted by polygon distribution. Sculpt all you want!
  • Options for single user or volume licenses - useful for businesses!
  • Rated as one of the best programs for sculpting in 2018.

ZBrush

3. Maya

Maya is one of the top options for 3D animation, modeling, rendering, and simulation. It works with all modern Mac computers and will allow you to create animations, terrains, backgrounds, motion graphics, and VR content.

Features:

  • The UV editor interface is very intuitive and easy to use. It also gives you so many options through the UV Toolkit. Editing your animations has never been easier.
  • It comes with a clump modifier that lets you interactively groom your animations.
  • Features a link to Adobe After Effects so you can make adjustments on the fly.

Maya

4. Harmony

Harmony is a professional 2D subscription-based software that will allow you to create animations and backgrounds with ease.

Whether you want to animate, render, or simulate different graphics and backgrounds, you can get it all done with Harmony. It is fully compatible with Macs.

Features:

  • Three subscription options: Premium, Advanced, and Essentials.
  • Essential feature vector drawing, while the other two also include Bitmap.
  • Render quality can go from HD to 8K depending on your subscription.
  • Includes recoloring, rotoscoping, advanced vector pencil lines, multiplayer, and 3D environment support.

Harmony

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

Part2: Professional Animation Software for Windows

1. Adobe Animate CC

Want to design interactive vector animations? Whether you are hoping to use them for games, apps, or your website, you can create them using Adobe Animate CC.

With the might of Adobe, you know that you are getting a quality product that will get frequent updates and enhancements.

Features:

  • Some newer enhancements include the ability to layer depth and add camera enhancements.
  • Advanced code wizard allows you to add actions to events using the HTML5 canvas.
  • The Animation Timeline is more powerful than ever. You can also use presets for managing the speed of your animations.
  • HiDPI support.

Adobe Animate CC

2. Poser Pro

The best tool for a digital artist who wants to create 3D character animations and illustrations, the Poser Pro 11.1 is available for a one-time purchase.

It may not be necessary for beginners to spend big money on animation software.

But professionals who want the best quality characters and background will be delighted with the features on offer.

Features:

  • SuperFly delivers the power of physically based rendering to Poser. You can render light in the way that it is meant to look.
  • The Realtime Comic Book preview feature is even better on this version of the program. Now you can get full access to your animations, while you can edit them using the convenient toolbars.
  • The actor selection feature makes it so easy to go back and forth between the different characters you create.

Poser Pro

3. DigiCel FlipBook

Beginners who are struggling to understand some features of other programs will love FlipBook.

It is the simplest 2D animation software you will find online. But the best part is that despite its simplicity, it gives you the power and flexibility of other programs.

Features:

  • Drawing, scanning, importing, and painting is very easy with this program.
  • The intuitive interface means that if you want to make changes to your animations, you can do it within minutes.
  • Using it with a tablet is very helpful, as you can draw straight onto the program.
  • Add music and sync it with your animations.

FlipBook

4. iClone

Touted as the fastest 3D-animation software available, iClone will let you produce animations that have a professional quality, but you can do it in a quick time. When you have a deadline, or you need to render many images, this program is so useful.

Features:

  • Advanced tools that allow you to curve edit, incorporate PhysX simulating, and create organic morphs.
  • Delivers artistic real-time 3D visuals.
  • Unlimited plugin expansion and support.
  • On-demand community content and accessories.

iClone

Conclusion

With the above eight programs, you may many options when you make professional animated videos. You can create high-quality 3D background, terrain, objects, and characters.

And when you are finished with your animations, you may be thinking about editing the files or creating a larger story out of them.

Using Filmora will help you a lot with the editing process. It is an all-in-one video and animation file editor for both Windows and Mac computers.

Download Filmora9 Win Version Download Filmora9 Mac Version

Download Filmora9 Mac Version

author avatar

Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

If you are not satisfied with some free animation options available on Windows and Mac, you may need to invest some money in a great program.

Those who want their animations to have a professional quality will need to find professional animation software. It will let you make a professional animated video to your heart’s content.

While these programs do come with an upfront cost, you are paying for the best features, troubleshooting, support, and graphical quality.

Those who create animation for business reasons will have much use for such software. Here are 8 of the best professional animation software options for Windows and Mac.

Part1: Professional Animation Software for Mac

1. Blender

The beauty of blender is that it is a free program that still gives you all the features you would expect from a professional package.

It is a free, open-source and one of the best options for 3D animating. Whether you want to model, rig, animate, simulate, map, render or motion tracking, you can do it with Blender

Features:

  • The rendering, modeling, and animation features are top of the line. They are comparable with expensive software.
  • You have the ability to create VFX, simulations, and integrate pipeline tools.
  • You can create games, edit videos, and create scripts all within the program.

2. ZBrush

Hoping to create high-class 3D objects that are going to wow your audience? If you need to create 3D objects for a business video or to promote your personal brand, ZBrush is a terrific option.

It has some of the best features for digital sculpting that you will find in any program.

Features:

  • Unlike other programs, you are not restricted by polygon distribution. Sculpt all you want!
  • Options for single user or volume licenses - useful for businesses!
  • Rated as one of the best programs for sculpting in 2018.

ZBrush

3. Maya

Maya is one of the top options for 3D animation, modeling, rendering, and simulation. It works with all modern Mac computers and will allow you to create animations, terrains, backgrounds, motion graphics, and VR content.

Features:

  • The UV editor interface is very intuitive and easy to use. It also gives you so many options through the UV Toolkit. Editing your animations has never been easier.
  • It comes with a clump modifier that lets you interactively groom your animations.
  • Features a link to Adobe After Effects so you can make adjustments on the fly.

Maya

4. Harmony

Harmony is a professional 2D subscription-based software that will allow you to create animations and backgrounds with ease.

Whether you want to animate, render, or simulate different graphics and backgrounds, you can get it all done with Harmony. It is fully compatible with Macs.

Features:

  • Three subscription options: Premium, Advanced, and Essentials.
  • Essential feature vector drawing, while the other two also include Bitmap.
  • Render quality can go from HD to 8K depending on your subscription.
  • Includes recoloring, rotoscoping, advanced vector pencil lines, multiplayer, and 3D environment support.

Harmony

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

Part2: Professional Animation Software for Windows

1. Adobe Animate CC

Want to design interactive vector animations? Whether you are hoping to use them for games, apps, or your website, you can create them using Adobe Animate CC.

With the might of Adobe, you know that you are getting a quality product that will get frequent updates and enhancements.

Features:

  • Some newer enhancements include the ability to layer depth and add camera enhancements.
  • Advanced code wizard allows you to add actions to events using the HTML5 canvas.
  • The Animation Timeline is more powerful than ever. You can also use presets for managing the speed of your animations.
  • HiDPI support.

Adobe Animate CC

2. Poser Pro

The best tool for a digital artist who wants to create 3D character animations and illustrations, the Poser Pro 11.1 is available for a one-time purchase.

It may not be necessary for beginners to spend big money on animation software.

But professionals who want the best quality characters and background will be delighted with the features on offer.

Features:

  • SuperFly delivers the power of physically based rendering to Poser. You can render light in the way that it is meant to look.
  • The Realtime Comic Book preview feature is even better on this version of the program. Now you can get full access to your animations, while you can edit them using the convenient toolbars.
  • The actor selection feature makes it so easy to go back and forth between the different characters you create.

Poser Pro

3. DigiCel FlipBook

Beginners who are struggling to understand some features of other programs will love FlipBook.

It is the simplest 2D animation software you will find online. But the best part is that despite its simplicity, it gives you the power and flexibility of other programs.

Features:

  • Drawing, scanning, importing, and painting is very easy with this program.
  • The intuitive interface means that if you want to make changes to your animations, you can do it within minutes.
  • Using it with a tablet is very helpful, as you can draw straight onto the program.
  • Add music and sync it with your animations.

FlipBook

4. iClone

Touted as the fastest 3D-animation software available, iClone will let you produce animations that have a professional quality, but you can do it in a quick time. When you have a deadline, or you need to render many images, this program is so useful.

Features:

  • Advanced tools that allow you to curve edit, incorporate PhysX simulating, and create organic morphs.
  • Delivers artistic real-time 3D visuals.
  • Unlimited plugin expansion and support.
  • On-demand community content and accessories.

iClone

Conclusion

With the above eight programs, you may many options when you make professional animated videos. You can create high-quality 3D background, terrain, objects, and characters.

And when you are finished with your animations, you may be thinking about editing the files or creating a larger story out of them.

Using Filmora will help you a lot with the editing process. It is an all-in-one video and animation file editor for both Windows and Mac computers.

Download Filmora9 Win Version Download Filmora9 Mac Version

Download Filmora9 Mac Version

author avatar

Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

If you are not satisfied with some free animation options available on Windows and Mac, you may need to invest some money in a great program.

Those who want their animations to have a professional quality will need to find professional animation software. It will let you make a professional animated video to your heart’s content.

While these programs do come with an upfront cost, you are paying for the best features, troubleshooting, support, and graphical quality.

Those who create animation for business reasons will have much use for such software. Here are 8 of the best professional animation software options for Windows and Mac.

Part1: Professional Animation Software for Mac

1. Blender

The beauty of blender is that it is a free program that still gives you all the features you would expect from a professional package.

It is a free, open-source and one of the best options for 3D animating. Whether you want to model, rig, animate, simulate, map, render or motion tracking, you can do it with Blender

Features:

  • The rendering, modeling, and animation features are top of the line. They are comparable with expensive software.
  • You have the ability to create VFX, simulations, and integrate pipeline tools.
  • You can create games, edit videos, and create scripts all within the program.

2. ZBrush

Hoping to create high-class 3D objects that are going to wow your audience? If you need to create 3D objects for a business video or to promote your personal brand, ZBrush is a terrific option.

It has some of the best features for digital sculpting that you will find in any program.

Features:

  • Unlike other programs, you are not restricted by polygon distribution. Sculpt all you want!
  • Options for single user or volume licenses - useful for businesses!
  • Rated as one of the best programs for sculpting in 2018.

ZBrush

3. Maya

Maya is one of the top options for 3D animation, modeling, rendering, and simulation. It works with all modern Mac computers and will allow you to create animations, terrains, backgrounds, motion graphics, and VR content.

Features:

  • The UV editor interface is very intuitive and easy to use. It also gives you so many options through the UV Toolkit. Editing your animations has never been easier.
  • It comes with a clump modifier that lets you interactively groom your animations.
  • Features a link to Adobe After Effects so you can make adjustments on the fly.

Maya

4. Harmony

Harmony is a professional 2D subscription-based software that will allow you to create animations and backgrounds with ease.

Whether you want to animate, render, or simulate different graphics and backgrounds, you can get it all done with Harmony. It is fully compatible with Macs.

Features:

  • Three subscription options: Premium, Advanced, and Essentials.
  • Essential feature vector drawing, while the other two also include Bitmap.
  • Render quality can go from HD to 8K depending on your subscription.
  • Includes recoloring, rotoscoping, advanced vector pencil lines, multiplayer, and 3D environment support.

Harmony

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

Part2: Professional Animation Software for Windows

1. Adobe Animate CC

Want to design interactive vector animations? Whether you are hoping to use them for games, apps, or your website, you can create them using Adobe Animate CC.

With the might of Adobe, you know that you are getting a quality product that will get frequent updates and enhancements.

Features:

  • Some newer enhancements include the ability to layer depth and add camera enhancements.
  • Advanced code wizard allows you to add actions to events using the HTML5 canvas.
  • The Animation Timeline is more powerful than ever. You can also use presets for managing the speed of your animations.
  • HiDPI support.

Adobe Animate CC

2. Poser Pro

The best tool for a digital artist who wants to create 3D character animations and illustrations, the Poser Pro 11.1 is available for a one-time purchase.

It may not be necessary for beginners to spend big money on animation software.

But professionals who want the best quality characters and background will be delighted with the features on offer.

Features:

  • SuperFly delivers the power of physically based rendering to Poser. You can render light in the way that it is meant to look.
  • The Realtime Comic Book preview feature is even better on this version of the program. Now you can get full access to your animations, while you can edit them using the convenient toolbars.
  • The actor selection feature makes it so easy to go back and forth between the different characters you create.

Poser Pro

3. DigiCel FlipBook

Beginners who are struggling to understand some features of other programs will love FlipBook.

It is the simplest 2D animation software you will find online. But the best part is that despite its simplicity, it gives you the power and flexibility of other programs.

Features:

  • Drawing, scanning, importing, and painting is very easy with this program.
  • The intuitive interface means that if you want to make changes to your animations, you can do it within minutes.
  • Using it with a tablet is very helpful, as you can draw straight onto the program.
  • Add music and sync it with your animations.

FlipBook

4. iClone

Touted as the fastest 3D-animation software available, iClone will let you produce animations that have a professional quality, but you can do it in a quick time. When you have a deadline, or you need to render many images, this program is so useful.

Features:

  • Advanced tools that allow you to curve edit, incorporate PhysX simulating, and create organic morphs.
  • Delivers artistic real-time 3D visuals.
  • Unlimited plugin expansion and support.
  • On-demand community content and accessories.

iClone

Conclusion

With the above eight programs, you may many options when you make professional animated videos. You can create high-quality 3D background, terrain, objects, and characters.

And when you are finished with your animations, you may be thinking about editing the files or creating a larger story out of them.

Using Filmora will help you a lot with the editing process. It is an all-in-one video and animation file editor for both Windows and Mac computers.

Download Filmora9 Win Version Download Filmora9 Mac Version

Download Filmora9 Mac Version

author avatar

Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

If you are not satisfied with some free animation options available on Windows and Mac, you may need to invest some money in a great program.

Those who want their animations to have a professional quality will need to find professional animation software. It will let you make a professional animated video to your heart’s content.

While these programs do come with an upfront cost, you are paying for the best features, troubleshooting, support, and graphical quality.

Those who create animation for business reasons will have much use for such software. Here are 8 of the best professional animation software options for Windows and Mac.

Part1: Professional Animation Software for Mac

1. Blender

The beauty of blender is that it is a free program that still gives you all the features you would expect from a professional package.

It is a free, open-source and one of the best options for 3D animating. Whether you want to model, rig, animate, simulate, map, render or motion tracking, you can do it with Blender

Features:

  • The rendering, modeling, and animation features are top of the line. They are comparable with expensive software.
  • You have the ability to create VFX, simulations, and integrate pipeline tools.
  • You can create games, edit videos, and create scripts all within the program.

2. ZBrush

Hoping to create high-class 3D objects that are going to wow your audience? If you need to create 3D objects for a business video or to promote your personal brand, ZBrush is a terrific option.

It has some of the best features for digital sculpting that you will find in any program.

Features:

  • Unlike other programs, you are not restricted by polygon distribution. Sculpt all you want!
  • Options for single user or volume licenses - useful for businesses!
  • Rated as one of the best programs for sculpting in 2018.

ZBrush

3. Maya

Maya is one of the top options for 3D animation, modeling, rendering, and simulation. It works with all modern Mac computers and will allow you to create animations, terrains, backgrounds, motion graphics, and VR content.

Features:

  • The UV editor interface is very intuitive and easy to use. It also gives you so many options through the UV Toolkit. Editing your animations has never been easier.
  • It comes with a clump modifier that lets you interactively groom your animations.
  • Features a link to Adobe After Effects so you can make adjustments on the fly.

Maya

4. Harmony

Harmony is a professional 2D subscription-based software that will allow you to create animations and backgrounds with ease.

Whether you want to animate, render, or simulate different graphics and backgrounds, you can get it all done with Harmony. It is fully compatible with Macs.

Features:

  • Three subscription options: Premium, Advanced, and Essentials.
  • Essential feature vector drawing, while the other two also include Bitmap.
  • Render quality can go from HD to 8K depending on your subscription.
  • Includes recoloring, rotoscoping, advanced vector pencil lines, multiplayer, and 3D environment support.

Harmony

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

Part2: Professional Animation Software for Windows

1. Adobe Animate CC

Want to design interactive vector animations? Whether you are hoping to use them for games, apps, or your website, you can create them using Adobe Animate CC.

With the might of Adobe, you know that you are getting a quality product that will get frequent updates and enhancements.

Features:

  • Some newer enhancements include the ability to layer depth and add camera enhancements.
  • Advanced code wizard allows you to add actions to events using the HTML5 canvas.
  • The Animation Timeline is more powerful than ever. You can also use presets for managing the speed of your animations.
  • HiDPI support.

Adobe Animate CC

2. Poser Pro

The best tool for a digital artist who wants to create 3D character animations and illustrations, the Poser Pro 11.1 is available for a one-time purchase.

It may not be necessary for beginners to spend big money on animation software.

But professionals who want the best quality characters and background will be delighted with the features on offer.

Features:

  • SuperFly delivers the power of physically based rendering to Poser. You can render light in the way that it is meant to look.
  • The Realtime Comic Book preview feature is even better on this version of the program. Now you can get full access to your animations, while you can edit them using the convenient toolbars.
  • The actor selection feature makes it so easy to go back and forth between the different characters you create.

Poser Pro

3. DigiCel FlipBook

Beginners who are struggling to understand some features of other programs will love FlipBook.

It is the simplest 2D animation software you will find online. But the best part is that despite its simplicity, it gives you the power and flexibility of other programs.

Features:

  • Drawing, scanning, importing, and painting is very easy with this program.
  • The intuitive interface means that if you want to make changes to your animations, you can do it within minutes.
  • Using it with a tablet is very helpful, as you can draw straight onto the program.
  • Add music and sync it with your animations.

FlipBook

4. iClone

Touted as the fastest 3D-animation software available, iClone will let you produce animations that have a professional quality, but you can do it in a quick time. When you have a deadline, or you need to render many images, this program is so useful.

Features:

  • Advanced tools that allow you to curve edit, incorporate PhysX simulating, and create organic morphs.
  • Delivers artistic real-time 3D visuals.
  • Unlimited plugin expansion and support.
  • On-demand community content and accessories.

iClone

Conclusion

With the above eight programs, you may many options when you make professional animated videos. You can create high-quality 3D background, terrain, objects, and characters.

And when you are finished with your animations, you may be thinking about editing the files or creating a larger story out of them.

Using Filmora will help you a lot with the editing process. It is an all-in-one video and animation file editor for both Windows and Mac computers.

Download Filmora9 Win Version Download Filmora9 Mac Version

Download Filmora9 Mac Version

author avatar

Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Streamline Your Workflow: Top Adobe Premiere Shortcuts You Need

Top 20 Adobe Premiere Shortcuts You Will Use When Editing Video Files

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Whilst the conventional mouse control allows you to perform any task that Premiere is capable of, for efficient workflow the keyboard shortcuts cannot be beaten. We all work a little differently, and thankfully Adobe understands that, so although here we will be concentrating on the standard keyboard layout, the keyboard shortcuts can be customized to be anything you want and saved as a custom profile, there are even presets already included for Avid Media Composer and Final Cut Pro for those who are maybe transitioning from those packages or just prefer the way they work.


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

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


This is achieved by going through the path edit > keyboard shortcuts as below:

Adobe Premiere Shortcut

Before we step into the most useful shortcuts, a brief note here on the different platforms, although I’m sure most readers are aware. The PC and Mac versions of the software do share the same basic shortcuts with the one caveat that where the PC uses the Control and Alt keys, the Mac has Command and Option keys instead. Other than that the functionality is the same. I’ll include the shortcuts for both platforms with each to make referencing easier.

1Select Window

I’m starting with this one simply because I find it the most used of all, especially if like me you prefer a custom layout for all your windows. If your program monitor is hidden for instance, you can just press shift+4 and there it is. The shortcuts are the same for both platforms here.

  • Audio Clip Mixer Shift+9
  • Audio Track Mixer Shift+6
  • Effect Controls Shift+5
  • Effects Shift+7
  • Media Browser Shift+8
  • Program Monitor Shift+4
  • Project Shift+1
  • Source Monitor Shift+2
  • Timelines Shift+3

2 Import

Whilst the shortcuts for editing and manipulating clips are extremely important for efficient workflow, it should be remembered that those relating to the basic operation of the program are just as useful, as we see here. Using Control and I (Command and I on Mac) brings up the import media dialogue box instantly.

Adobe Premiere Shortcut

3Capture Panel

There are multiple shortcuts that can be used within the capture panel, but because this is such an intrinsic aspect of the Premiere workflow, being the entry into a project for all media, I think the available shortcuts are all as valuable as each other here.

  • Navigate Through Fields - Tab
  • Cancel Capture - Esc
  • Fast Forward - F
  • Rewind - R
  • Go to In Point - Q
  • Go to Out Point - W
  • Record - G
  • Stop - S
  • Step Back - Left Arrow
  • Step Forward - Right Arrow

Adobe Premiere Shortcut

4 Timeline Panel

In a similar vein to the Capture Panel, the Timeline Panel has a set of shortcuts specific to all its basic operations, and are essential for a faster workflow.

  • Clear Ins and Outs - G
  • Clear In Point - D
  • Clear Out Point - F
  • Go to In Point- Q
  • Go to Out Point - W
  • Match Frame - M
  • Start and Stop - Spacebar
  • Play Normal Speed - L
  • Play Reverse Normal Speed - J
  • Set In Point - I
  • Set Out Point - o
  • Shuttle Stop - K
  • Trim - T
  • Arc Tool - A
  • Ellipse Tool – E

Adobe Premiere Shortcut

5 Navigation within a clip

This one works within the program monitor/timeline or source monitor windows, ensure the desired one is active first of course. You can move to a specific time code within the clip, or go forwards or backwards a set number of frames using the number pad. To go to a specific time code simply type that on the number pad. To travel a set number of frames simply type + or – (to signify direction) and the number of frames.

6Marking Clips

By far the simplest way to mark clips is to use the keyboard shortcut.

For marking clips use X , whilst marking a selection is / .

7 In and Out

In addition to marking clips via shortcuts, it is also far easier to mark In and Out points this way.

  • To Mark In use I , whilst to mark Out use O .
  • To Clear In the shortcut is Control+Shift+I for PC and Option+I for Mac.
  • To Clear Out Control+Shift+O for PC, Option+O for Mac.

8Playing Clips

Going hand in hand with the shortcuts for marking, are the keyboard commands for playing clips. These are:

  • Play In to Out: Control+Shift+Space (PC) and Option+K for Mac
  • Clear In and Out: Control+Shift+X (PC) and Option+X for Mac
  • Play Around: The same for both platforms and is Shift+K.

To get the best from this it is necessary to set some options beforehand, as Play Around plays the portion of the timeline around the Playhead, and where it plays is dependent on the options set. This is done through the menu via edit > preferences > playback, here I have preroll and postroll set to 4 seconds, meaning that it plays 4 seconds prior and following the point where the playhead is placed.

Adobe Premiere Shortcut

In addition, turning on looping for this can help to fine tune edits.

9Toggle Audio During Scrubbing

There are times you may want to hear audio when scrubbing, however turning it off can have beneficial effects on performance for lower end computers. The shortcut makes it an easy process to turn off and on as required.

The shortcut is Shift+S for both platforms.

10Slide a clip within the sequence

There are a couple of options available here from the shortcuts, slide one frame or 5 frames.

  • To slide one frame to the left is Alt+, for PC or Option+, for Mac. To increase to five frames add Shift to either shortcut.
  • To slide one frame to the right is Alt+. for PC and Option+. for Mac. Again, to increase to five frames add Shift.

11Slip within a sequence

As with the slide options, the choice is one frame or five frames.

  • To slip one frame to the left is Control+Alt+Left for PC or Option+Command+Left for Mac. To increase to five frames add Shift to either shortcut.
  • To slip one frame to the right is Control+Alt+Right for PC and Option+Command+Right for Mac. Again, to increase to five frames add Shift.

12Nudging

You can move a clip up or down simply by using the Up and Down arrow keys, whilst holding Alt or Option at the same time allows you to select just the video or audio to move.

13Multi Camera Selection

This is a tool that allows you to work with multiple camera angles of the same subject or scene. To switch between different cameras quickly is extremely useful and accomplished with the numerical keys.

Numbers 1 through 9 select the corresponding camera.

14Add an edit

This option cuts the track (or tracks) that are targeted. The shortcut for this is Control+K or Command+K.

You can view all added edits within a sequence by selecting show through edits within the sequence menu.

Adobe Premiere Shortcut

15Add the default Transition

This option applies the default transition to all selected media. To do this use Shift+D.

16 Match Frame

Locating a specific frame within the sequence for adding in a second clip is very useful, the shortcut is M, a great timesaver.

17Zoom to sequence

Being able to zoom in is great, it makes working in the sequence panel much easier, at least for me, however the one drawback I find is that I tend to get lost when looking for a particular clip. Using / enable you to quickly zoom out for navigation and back in again to work

18Jump to Edit

Navigating from edit to edit is a very simple process with the shortcuts available to you.

Page up takes you to the previous edit point, whilst page down takes you to the next.

With practice these shortcuts become second nature and you will find your workflow becomes not only faster but a smoother operation as well.

19Toggle the type of Trim used

Quickly shift between Standard, Ripple and Roll trim types.

Shift+T for PC, Control+T for Mac

20Ripple Trim

This enables you to trim the head or tail of the clip very quickly, making an extremely efficient workflow. To trim the next edit from the Playhead use W, for the previous edit from the playhead use Q.

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

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

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Whilst the conventional mouse control allows you to perform any task that Premiere is capable of, for efficient workflow the keyboard shortcuts cannot be beaten. We all work a little differently, and thankfully Adobe understands that, so although here we will be concentrating on the standard keyboard layout, the keyboard shortcuts can be customized to be anything you want and saved as a custom profile, there are even presets already included for Avid Media Composer and Final Cut Pro for those who are maybe transitioning from those packages or just prefer the way they work.


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

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


This is achieved by going through the path edit > keyboard shortcuts as below:

Adobe Premiere Shortcut

Before we step into the most useful shortcuts, a brief note here on the different platforms, although I’m sure most readers are aware. The PC and Mac versions of the software do share the same basic shortcuts with the one caveat that where the PC uses the Control and Alt keys, the Mac has Command and Option keys instead. Other than that the functionality is the same. I’ll include the shortcuts for both platforms with each to make referencing easier.

1Select Window

I’m starting with this one simply because I find it the most used of all, especially if like me you prefer a custom layout for all your windows. If your program monitor is hidden for instance, you can just press shift+4 and there it is. The shortcuts are the same for both platforms here.

  • Audio Clip Mixer Shift+9
  • Audio Track Mixer Shift+6
  • Effect Controls Shift+5
  • Effects Shift+7
  • Media Browser Shift+8
  • Program Monitor Shift+4
  • Project Shift+1
  • Source Monitor Shift+2
  • Timelines Shift+3

2 Import

Whilst the shortcuts for editing and manipulating clips are extremely important for efficient workflow, it should be remembered that those relating to the basic operation of the program are just as useful, as we see here. Using Control and I (Command and I on Mac) brings up the import media dialogue box instantly.

Adobe Premiere Shortcut

3Capture Panel

There are multiple shortcuts that can be used within the capture panel, but because this is such an intrinsic aspect of the Premiere workflow, being the entry into a project for all media, I think the available shortcuts are all as valuable as each other here.

  • Navigate Through Fields - Tab
  • Cancel Capture - Esc
  • Fast Forward - F
  • Rewind - R
  • Go to In Point - Q
  • Go to Out Point - W
  • Record - G
  • Stop - S
  • Step Back - Left Arrow
  • Step Forward - Right Arrow

Adobe Premiere Shortcut

4 Timeline Panel

In a similar vein to the Capture Panel, the Timeline Panel has a set of shortcuts specific to all its basic operations, and are essential for a faster workflow.

  • Clear Ins and Outs - G
  • Clear In Point - D
  • Clear Out Point - F
  • Go to In Point- Q
  • Go to Out Point - W
  • Match Frame - M
  • Start and Stop - Spacebar
  • Play Normal Speed - L
  • Play Reverse Normal Speed - J
  • Set In Point - I
  • Set Out Point - o
  • Shuttle Stop - K
  • Trim - T
  • Arc Tool - A
  • Ellipse Tool – E

Adobe Premiere Shortcut

5 Navigation within a clip

This one works within the program monitor/timeline or source monitor windows, ensure the desired one is active first of course. You can move to a specific time code within the clip, or go forwards or backwards a set number of frames using the number pad. To go to a specific time code simply type that on the number pad. To travel a set number of frames simply type + or – (to signify direction) and the number of frames.

6Marking Clips

By far the simplest way to mark clips is to use the keyboard shortcut.

For marking clips use X , whilst marking a selection is / .

7 In and Out

In addition to marking clips via shortcuts, it is also far easier to mark In and Out points this way.

  • To Mark In use I , whilst to mark Out use O .
  • To Clear In the shortcut is Control+Shift+I for PC and Option+I for Mac.
  • To Clear Out Control+Shift+O for PC, Option+O for Mac.

8Playing Clips

Going hand in hand with the shortcuts for marking, are the keyboard commands for playing clips. These are:

  • Play In to Out: Control+Shift+Space (PC) and Option+K for Mac
  • Clear In and Out: Control+Shift+X (PC) and Option+X for Mac
  • Play Around: The same for both platforms and is Shift+K.

To get the best from this it is necessary to set some options beforehand, as Play Around plays the portion of the timeline around the Playhead, and where it plays is dependent on the options set. This is done through the menu via edit > preferences > playback, here I have preroll and postroll set to 4 seconds, meaning that it plays 4 seconds prior and following the point where the playhead is placed.

Adobe Premiere Shortcut

In addition, turning on looping for this can help to fine tune edits.

9Toggle Audio During Scrubbing

There are times you may want to hear audio when scrubbing, however turning it off can have beneficial effects on performance for lower end computers. The shortcut makes it an easy process to turn off and on as required.

The shortcut is Shift+S for both platforms.

10Slide a clip within the sequence

There are a couple of options available here from the shortcuts, slide one frame or 5 frames.

  • To slide one frame to the left is Alt+, for PC or Option+, for Mac. To increase to five frames add Shift to either shortcut.
  • To slide one frame to the right is Alt+. for PC and Option+. for Mac. Again, to increase to five frames add Shift.

11Slip within a sequence

As with the slide options, the choice is one frame or five frames.

  • To slip one frame to the left is Control+Alt+Left for PC or Option+Command+Left for Mac. To increase to five frames add Shift to either shortcut.
  • To slip one frame to the right is Control+Alt+Right for PC and Option+Command+Right for Mac. Again, to increase to five frames add Shift.

12Nudging

You can move a clip up or down simply by using the Up and Down arrow keys, whilst holding Alt or Option at the same time allows you to select just the video or audio to move.

13Multi Camera Selection

This is a tool that allows you to work with multiple camera angles of the same subject or scene. To switch between different cameras quickly is extremely useful and accomplished with the numerical keys.

Numbers 1 through 9 select the corresponding camera.

14Add an edit

This option cuts the track (or tracks) that are targeted. The shortcut for this is Control+K or Command+K.

You can view all added edits within a sequence by selecting show through edits within the sequence menu.

Adobe Premiere Shortcut

15Add the default Transition

This option applies the default transition to all selected media. To do this use Shift+D.

16 Match Frame

Locating a specific frame within the sequence for adding in a second clip is very useful, the shortcut is M, a great timesaver.

17Zoom to sequence

Being able to zoom in is great, it makes working in the sequence panel much easier, at least for me, however the one drawback I find is that I tend to get lost when looking for a particular clip. Using / enable you to quickly zoom out for navigation and back in again to work

18Jump to Edit

Navigating from edit to edit is a very simple process with the shortcuts available to you.

Page up takes you to the previous edit point, whilst page down takes you to the next.

With practice these shortcuts become second nature and you will find your workflow becomes not only faster but a smoother operation as well.

19Toggle the type of Trim used

Quickly shift between Standard, Ripple and Roll trim types.

Shift+T for PC, Control+T for Mac

20Ripple Trim

This enables you to trim the head or tail of the clip very quickly, making an extremely efficient workflow. To trim the next edit from the Playhead use W, for the previous edit from the playhead use Q.

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

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

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Whilst the conventional mouse control allows you to perform any task that Premiere is capable of, for efficient workflow the keyboard shortcuts cannot be beaten. We all work a little differently, and thankfully Adobe understands that, so although here we will be concentrating on the standard keyboard layout, the keyboard shortcuts can be customized to be anything you want and saved as a custom profile, there are even presets already included for Avid Media Composer and Final Cut Pro for those who are maybe transitioning from those packages or just prefer the way they work.


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

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


This is achieved by going through the path edit > keyboard shortcuts as below:

Adobe Premiere Shortcut

Before we step into the most useful shortcuts, a brief note here on the different platforms, although I’m sure most readers are aware. The PC and Mac versions of the software do share the same basic shortcuts with the one caveat that where the PC uses the Control and Alt keys, the Mac has Command and Option keys instead. Other than that the functionality is the same. I’ll include the shortcuts for both platforms with each to make referencing easier.

1Select Window

I’m starting with this one simply because I find it the most used of all, especially if like me you prefer a custom layout for all your windows. If your program monitor is hidden for instance, you can just press shift+4 and there it is. The shortcuts are the same for both platforms here.

  • Audio Clip Mixer Shift+9
  • Audio Track Mixer Shift+6
  • Effect Controls Shift+5
  • Effects Shift+7
  • Media Browser Shift+8
  • Program Monitor Shift+4
  • Project Shift+1
  • Source Monitor Shift+2
  • Timelines Shift+3

2 Import

Whilst the shortcuts for editing and manipulating clips are extremely important for efficient workflow, it should be remembered that those relating to the basic operation of the program are just as useful, as we see here. Using Control and I (Command and I on Mac) brings up the import media dialogue box instantly.

Adobe Premiere Shortcut

3Capture Panel

There are multiple shortcuts that can be used within the capture panel, but because this is such an intrinsic aspect of the Premiere workflow, being the entry into a project for all media, I think the available shortcuts are all as valuable as each other here.

  • Navigate Through Fields - Tab
  • Cancel Capture - Esc
  • Fast Forward - F
  • Rewind - R
  • Go to In Point - Q
  • Go to Out Point - W
  • Record - G
  • Stop - S
  • Step Back - Left Arrow
  • Step Forward - Right Arrow

Adobe Premiere Shortcut

4 Timeline Panel

In a similar vein to the Capture Panel, the Timeline Panel has a set of shortcuts specific to all its basic operations, and are essential for a faster workflow.

  • Clear Ins and Outs - G
  • Clear In Point - D
  • Clear Out Point - F
  • Go to In Point- Q
  • Go to Out Point - W
  • Match Frame - M
  • Start and Stop - Spacebar
  • Play Normal Speed - L
  • Play Reverse Normal Speed - J
  • Set In Point - I
  • Set Out Point - o
  • Shuttle Stop - K
  • Trim - T
  • Arc Tool - A
  • Ellipse Tool – E

Adobe Premiere Shortcut

5 Navigation within a clip

This one works within the program monitor/timeline or source monitor windows, ensure the desired one is active first of course. You can move to a specific time code within the clip, or go forwards or backwards a set number of frames using the number pad. To go to a specific time code simply type that on the number pad. To travel a set number of frames simply type + or – (to signify direction) and the number of frames.

6Marking Clips

By far the simplest way to mark clips is to use the keyboard shortcut.

For marking clips use X , whilst marking a selection is / .

7 In and Out

In addition to marking clips via shortcuts, it is also far easier to mark In and Out points this way.

  • To Mark In use I , whilst to mark Out use O .
  • To Clear In the shortcut is Control+Shift+I for PC and Option+I for Mac.
  • To Clear Out Control+Shift+O for PC, Option+O for Mac.

8Playing Clips

Going hand in hand with the shortcuts for marking, are the keyboard commands for playing clips. These are:

  • Play In to Out: Control+Shift+Space (PC) and Option+K for Mac
  • Clear In and Out: Control+Shift+X (PC) and Option+X for Mac
  • Play Around: The same for both platforms and is Shift+K.

To get the best from this it is necessary to set some options beforehand, as Play Around plays the portion of the timeline around the Playhead, and where it plays is dependent on the options set. This is done through the menu via edit > preferences > playback, here I have preroll and postroll set to 4 seconds, meaning that it plays 4 seconds prior and following the point where the playhead is placed.

Adobe Premiere Shortcut

In addition, turning on looping for this can help to fine tune edits.

9Toggle Audio During Scrubbing

There are times you may want to hear audio when scrubbing, however turning it off can have beneficial effects on performance for lower end computers. The shortcut makes it an easy process to turn off and on as required.

The shortcut is Shift+S for both platforms.

10Slide a clip within the sequence

There are a couple of options available here from the shortcuts, slide one frame or 5 frames.

  • To slide one frame to the left is Alt+, for PC or Option+, for Mac. To increase to five frames add Shift to either shortcut.
  • To slide one frame to the right is Alt+. for PC and Option+. for Mac. Again, to increase to five frames add Shift.

11Slip within a sequence

As with the slide options, the choice is one frame or five frames.

  • To slip one frame to the left is Control+Alt+Left for PC or Option+Command+Left for Mac. To increase to five frames add Shift to either shortcut.
  • To slip one frame to the right is Control+Alt+Right for PC and Option+Command+Right for Mac. Again, to increase to five frames add Shift.

12Nudging

You can move a clip up or down simply by using the Up and Down arrow keys, whilst holding Alt or Option at the same time allows you to select just the video or audio to move.

13Multi Camera Selection

This is a tool that allows you to work with multiple camera angles of the same subject or scene. To switch between different cameras quickly is extremely useful and accomplished with the numerical keys.

Numbers 1 through 9 select the corresponding camera.

14Add an edit

This option cuts the track (or tracks) that are targeted. The shortcut for this is Control+K or Command+K.

You can view all added edits within a sequence by selecting show through edits within the sequence menu.

Adobe Premiere Shortcut

15Add the default Transition

This option applies the default transition to all selected media. To do this use Shift+D.

16 Match Frame

Locating a specific frame within the sequence for adding in a second clip is very useful, the shortcut is M, a great timesaver.

17Zoom to sequence

Being able to zoom in is great, it makes working in the sequence panel much easier, at least for me, however the one drawback I find is that I tend to get lost when looking for a particular clip. Using / enable you to quickly zoom out for navigation and back in again to work

18Jump to Edit

Navigating from edit to edit is a very simple process with the shortcuts available to you.

Page up takes you to the previous edit point, whilst page down takes you to the next.

With practice these shortcuts become second nature and you will find your workflow becomes not only faster but a smoother operation as well.

19Toggle the type of Trim used

Quickly shift between Standard, Ripple and Roll trim types.

Shift+T for PC, Control+T for Mac

20Ripple Trim

This enables you to trim the head or tail of the clip very quickly, making an extremely efficient workflow. To trim the next edit from the Playhead use W, for the previous edit from the playhead use Q.

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

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

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Whilst the conventional mouse control allows you to perform any task that Premiere is capable of, for efficient workflow the keyboard shortcuts cannot be beaten. We all work a little differently, and thankfully Adobe understands that, so although here we will be concentrating on the standard keyboard layout, the keyboard shortcuts can be customized to be anything you want and saved as a custom profile, there are even presets already included for Avid Media Composer and Final Cut Pro for those who are maybe transitioning from those packages or just prefer the way they work.


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This is achieved by going through the path edit > keyboard shortcuts as below:

Adobe Premiere Shortcut

Before we step into the most useful shortcuts, a brief note here on the different platforms, although I’m sure most readers are aware. The PC and Mac versions of the software do share the same basic shortcuts with the one caveat that where the PC uses the Control and Alt keys, the Mac has Command and Option keys instead. Other than that the functionality is the same. I’ll include the shortcuts for both platforms with each to make referencing easier.

1Select Window

I’m starting with this one simply because I find it the most used of all, especially if like me you prefer a custom layout for all your windows. If your program monitor is hidden for instance, you can just press shift+4 and there it is. The shortcuts are the same for both platforms here.

  • Audio Clip Mixer Shift+9
  • Audio Track Mixer Shift+6
  • Effect Controls Shift+5
  • Effects Shift+7
  • Media Browser Shift+8
  • Program Monitor Shift+4
  • Project Shift+1
  • Source Monitor Shift+2
  • Timelines Shift+3

2 Import

Whilst the shortcuts for editing and manipulating clips are extremely important for efficient workflow, it should be remembered that those relating to the basic operation of the program are just as useful, as we see here. Using Control and I (Command and I on Mac) brings up the import media dialogue box instantly.

Adobe Premiere Shortcut

3Capture Panel

There are multiple shortcuts that can be used within the capture panel, but because this is such an intrinsic aspect of the Premiere workflow, being the entry into a project for all media, I think the available shortcuts are all as valuable as each other here.

  • Navigate Through Fields - Tab
  • Cancel Capture - Esc
  • Fast Forward - F
  • Rewind - R
  • Go to In Point - Q
  • Go to Out Point - W
  • Record - G
  • Stop - S
  • Step Back - Left Arrow
  • Step Forward - Right Arrow

Adobe Premiere Shortcut

4 Timeline Panel

In a similar vein to the Capture Panel, the Timeline Panel has a set of shortcuts specific to all its basic operations, and are essential for a faster workflow.

  • Clear Ins and Outs - G
  • Clear In Point - D
  • Clear Out Point - F
  • Go to In Point- Q
  • Go to Out Point - W
  • Match Frame - M
  • Start and Stop - Spacebar
  • Play Normal Speed - L
  • Play Reverse Normal Speed - J
  • Set In Point - I
  • Set Out Point - o
  • Shuttle Stop - K
  • Trim - T
  • Arc Tool - A
  • Ellipse Tool – E

Adobe Premiere Shortcut

5 Navigation within a clip

This one works within the program monitor/timeline or source monitor windows, ensure the desired one is active first of course. You can move to a specific time code within the clip, or go forwards or backwards a set number of frames using the number pad. To go to a specific time code simply type that on the number pad. To travel a set number of frames simply type + or – (to signify direction) and the number of frames.

6Marking Clips

By far the simplest way to mark clips is to use the keyboard shortcut.

For marking clips use X , whilst marking a selection is / .

7 In and Out

In addition to marking clips via shortcuts, it is also far easier to mark In and Out points this way.

  • To Mark In use I , whilst to mark Out use O .
  • To Clear In the shortcut is Control+Shift+I for PC and Option+I for Mac.
  • To Clear Out Control+Shift+O for PC, Option+O for Mac.

8Playing Clips

Going hand in hand with the shortcuts for marking, are the keyboard commands for playing clips. These are:

  • Play In to Out: Control+Shift+Space (PC) and Option+K for Mac
  • Clear In and Out: Control+Shift+X (PC) and Option+X for Mac
  • Play Around: The same for both platforms and is Shift+K.

To get the best from this it is necessary to set some options beforehand, as Play Around plays the portion of the timeline around the Playhead, and where it plays is dependent on the options set. This is done through the menu via edit > preferences > playback, here I have preroll and postroll set to 4 seconds, meaning that it plays 4 seconds prior and following the point where the playhead is placed.

Adobe Premiere Shortcut

In addition, turning on looping for this can help to fine tune edits.

9Toggle Audio During Scrubbing

There are times you may want to hear audio when scrubbing, however turning it off can have beneficial effects on performance for lower end computers. The shortcut makes it an easy process to turn off and on as required.

The shortcut is Shift+S for both platforms.

10Slide a clip within the sequence

There are a couple of options available here from the shortcuts, slide one frame or 5 frames.

  • To slide one frame to the left is Alt+, for PC or Option+, for Mac. To increase to five frames add Shift to either shortcut.
  • To slide one frame to the right is Alt+. for PC and Option+. for Mac. Again, to increase to five frames add Shift.

11Slip within a sequence

As with the slide options, the choice is one frame or five frames.

  • To slip one frame to the left is Control+Alt+Left for PC or Option+Command+Left for Mac. To increase to five frames add Shift to either shortcut.
  • To slip one frame to the right is Control+Alt+Right for PC and Option+Command+Right for Mac. Again, to increase to five frames add Shift.

12Nudging

You can move a clip up or down simply by using the Up and Down arrow keys, whilst holding Alt or Option at the same time allows you to select just the video or audio to move.

13Multi Camera Selection

This is a tool that allows you to work with multiple camera angles of the same subject or scene. To switch between different cameras quickly is extremely useful and accomplished with the numerical keys.

Numbers 1 through 9 select the corresponding camera.

14Add an edit

This option cuts the track (or tracks) that are targeted. The shortcut for this is Control+K or Command+K.

You can view all added edits within a sequence by selecting show through edits within the sequence menu.

Adobe Premiere Shortcut

15Add the default Transition

This option applies the default transition to all selected media. To do this use Shift+D.

16 Match Frame

Locating a specific frame within the sequence for adding in a second clip is very useful, the shortcut is M, a great timesaver.

17Zoom to sequence

Being able to zoom in is great, it makes working in the sequence panel much easier, at least for me, however the one drawback I find is that I tend to get lost when looking for a particular clip. Using / enable you to quickly zoom out for navigation and back in again to work

18Jump to Edit

Navigating from edit to edit is a very simple process with the shortcuts available to you.

Page up takes you to the previous edit point, whilst page down takes you to the next.

With practice these shortcuts become second nature and you will find your workflow becomes not only faster but a smoother operation as well.

19Toggle the type of Trim used

Quickly shift between Standard, Ripple and Roll trim types.

Shift+T for PC, Control+T for Mac

20Ripple Trim

This enables you to trim the head or tail of the clip very quickly, making an extremely efficient workflow. To trim the next edit from the Playhead use W, for the previous edit from the playhead use Q.

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

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

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Also read:

  • Title: Updated In 2024, Video Editing on a Budget Top Free Options for Beginners Desktop/Online/Mobile
  • Author: Isabella
  • Created at : 2024-04-29 12:49:42
  • Updated at : 2024-04-30 12:49:42
  • Link: https://video-creation-software.techidaily.com/updated-in-2024-video-editing-on-a-budget-top-free-options-for-beginners-desktoponlinemobile/
  • License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
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Updated In 2024, Video Editing on a Budget Top Free Options for Beginners Desktop/Online/Mobile