New In 2024, Discover the Best Top 10 Free MP4 Video Editing Tools

New In 2024, Discover the Best Top 10 Free MP4 Video Editing Tools

Amelia Lv12

Discover the Best: Top 10 Free MP4 Video Editing Tools

Top 10 Best MP4 Video Editors

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

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

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

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

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

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

See also: Best Video Editing for Windows


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

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

1. Windows Movie Maker

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

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

free mp4 video editor

Pros:

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

Cons:

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

Learn more details about Windows Movie Maker

2. iMovie

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

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

free mp4 video editor

Pros:

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

Cons:

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

Learn more details about iMovie video editing tips

3. Avidemux

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

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

free mp4 video editor

Pros:

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

Cons:

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

4. Lightworks

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

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

free mp4 video editor

Pros:

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

Cons:

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

5. VSDC Free Video Editor

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

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

top mp4 video editor

Pros:

  • Provides various useful filters;
  • Different output options.

Cons:

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

6. VEGAS Pro MP4

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

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

vegas pro mp4 video editor

Pros:

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

Cons:

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

7. OpenShot MP4 Video Editor

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

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

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

openshot mp4 video editor

Pros:

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

Cons:

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

8. Clipchamp MP4 Editor Online

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

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

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

clipchamp edit mp4

Pros:

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

Cons:

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

9. Freemake MP4 Video Editor

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

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

freemake mp4 video editor

Pros:

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

Cons:

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

10. MiniTool MovieMaker

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

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

minitool mp4 video editor

Pros:

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

Cons:

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

FAQs About MP4 Video Editing

1. How Do I Shorten an MP4 Video?

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

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

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

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

Conclusion

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

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

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

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

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

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

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

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

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

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

See also: Best Video Editing for Windows


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

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

1. Windows Movie Maker

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

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

free mp4 video editor

Pros:

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

Cons:

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

Learn more details about Windows Movie Maker

2. iMovie

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

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

free mp4 video editor

Pros:

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

Cons:

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

Learn more details about iMovie video editing tips

3. Avidemux

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

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

free mp4 video editor

Pros:

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

Cons:

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

4. Lightworks

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

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

free mp4 video editor

Pros:

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

Cons:

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

5. VSDC Free Video Editor

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

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

top mp4 video editor

Pros:

  • Provides various useful filters;
  • Different output options.

Cons:

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

6. VEGAS Pro MP4

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

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

vegas pro mp4 video editor

Pros:

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

Cons:

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

7. OpenShot MP4 Video Editor

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

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

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

openshot mp4 video editor

Pros:

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

Cons:

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

8. Clipchamp MP4 Editor Online

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

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

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

clipchamp edit mp4

Pros:

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

Cons:

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

9. Freemake MP4 Video Editor

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

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

freemake mp4 video editor

Pros:

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

Cons:

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

10. MiniTool MovieMaker

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

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

minitool mp4 video editor

Pros:

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

Cons:

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

FAQs About MP4 Video Editing

1. How Do I Shorten an MP4 Video?

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

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

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

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

Conclusion

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

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

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

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

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

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

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

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

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

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

See also: Best Video Editing for Windows


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

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

1. Windows Movie Maker

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

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

free mp4 video editor

Pros:

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

Cons:

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

Learn more details about Windows Movie Maker

2. iMovie

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

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

free mp4 video editor

Pros:

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

Cons:

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

Learn more details about iMovie video editing tips

3. Avidemux

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

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

free mp4 video editor

Pros:

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

Cons:

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

4. Lightworks

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

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

free mp4 video editor

Pros:

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

Cons:

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

5. VSDC Free Video Editor

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

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

top mp4 video editor

Pros:

  • Provides various useful filters;
  • Different output options.

Cons:

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

6. VEGAS Pro MP4

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

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

vegas pro mp4 video editor

Pros:

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

Cons:

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

7. OpenShot MP4 Video Editor

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

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

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

openshot mp4 video editor

Pros:

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

Cons:

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

8. Clipchamp MP4 Editor Online

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

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

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

clipchamp edit mp4

Pros:

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

Cons:

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

9. Freemake MP4 Video Editor

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

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

freemake mp4 video editor

Pros:

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

Cons:

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

10. MiniTool MovieMaker

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

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

minitool mp4 video editor

Pros:

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

Cons:

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

FAQs About MP4 Video Editing

1. How Do I Shorten an MP4 Video?

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

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

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

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

Conclusion

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

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

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

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

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

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

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

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

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

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

See also: Best Video Editing for Windows


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

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

1. Windows Movie Maker

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

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

free mp4 video editor

Pros:

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

Cons:

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

Learn more details about Windows Movie Maker

2. iMovie

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

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

free mp4 video editor

Pros:

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

Cons:

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

Learn more details about iMovie video editing tips

3. Avidemux

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

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

free mp4 video editor

Pros:

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

Cons:

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

4. Lightworks

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

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

free mp4 video editor

Pros:

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

Cons:

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

5. VSDC Free Video Editor

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

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

top mp4 video editor

Pros:

  • Provides various useful filters;
  • Different output options.

Cons:

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

6. VEGAS Pro MP4

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

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

vegas pro mp4 video editor

Pros:

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

Cons:

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

7. OpenShot MP4 Video Editor

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

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

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

openshot mp4 video editor

Pros:

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

Cons:

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

8. Clipchamp MP4 Editor Online

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

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

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

clipchamp edit mp4

Pros:

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

Cons:

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

9. Freemake MP4 Video Editor

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

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

freemake mp4 video editor

Pros:

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

Cons:

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

10. MiniTool MovieMaker

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

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

minitool mp4 video editor

Pros:

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

Cons:

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

FAQs About MP4 Video Editing

1. How Do I Shorten an MP4 Video?

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

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

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

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

Conclusion

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

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

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

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

Follow @Ollie Mattison

From Shaky to Steady: 3 Proven Methods for AE Video Stabilization

Stabilize Shaky Videos After Recording Easily

Wondershare Filmora is one of the most popular video editing software among YouTubers , which provides the video stabilization tool to remove shake from videos within one-click. Download and have a try now.

Try It Free Try It Free

Video content is becoming increasingly popular; with the proliferation of online content, practically every product now needs its mini-documentary or video clip. Experienced filmmakers and VFX artists used to be the only ones who could get smooth footage. Those days, however, are over.

Adobe After Effects is an excellent tool for smoothing out video footage, in addition to being a great blending and motion animation software; although it’s usually preferable to maintain your film as seamless as possible on location, it’s not the end of the world if you take a seat to edit your video and decide it’s too shaky. In truth, there are several options available to you. In After Effects, there are three options for stabilizing footage. What are they – and how to use After Effects to stabilize footage? Let’s find out!

In this article

01 Stabilize Video with Built-in Warp Stabilizer in AE

02 Stabilize Shaky Video with Track Motion Feature in AE

03 Using Stabilization Plugins for Smoother Video in AE

Part 1: Stabilize Video with Built-in Warp Stabilizer in AE

The Warp Stabilizer effect is a new technique to cope with unsteady video. In this part, I will show you how to apply Warp Stabilizer to a layer, adjust the effect’s essential parameters, and demonstrate how they work briefly.

Step 1: The Warp Stabilizer is the most excellent built-in choice for After Effects. This may be found under the Distort tools section of the Effects & Presets panel. You may also go to the effects tab and look for “Warp“ in the search box.

after effects effects presets pane

Step 2: When you’ve identified Warp Stabilizer, you’ll have to add it to the layer you want to stabilize. You may accomplish this in one of three different ways. You may either drag and drop the filter into the chosen layer in the composing window, place it on the desired layer in the timeline, or double-tap on the effect while selecting your choice footage layer.

after effects warp stabilizer vfx

Step 3: Once you apply the warp stabilizer, it will start immediately. So now, all you have to do is lay back and let the stabilizer do its job.

(Note: The procedure should take no more than a few minutes, and a blue bar will appear across your composition window, indicating that the warp stabilizer is evaluating the film. The composition panel would then display an orange bar, indicating that the effect is applied).

Step 4: After stabilization, use the spacebar to begin a RAM peek. Choose the layer you added to and click to display the drop-down menu or go to the Effects Control panel whenever you need to tweak the stabilizing effect.

Part 2: Stabilize Shaky Video with Track Motion Feature in AE

Using Stabilize Motion feature to stabilize video is an old-school heritage function from the era of the Creative Suite, it will still be there in After Effects presently and performs admirably.

Step 1: The tracker panel is most likely open by default in your edition of After Effects, but if it isn’t, go to Window in the top menu to open it. Once you’ve arrived here, scroll to the bottom until you locate Tracker and double-check that it has a checkbox beside it.

after effects tracker pane

Step 2: Select Stabilize Motion from the drop-down menu whenever the tracker panel is open. You’ll see that a tracker box appears in your Layer Panel once you’ve done this.

(Note: You’ll need to identify a proper location in your film for the tracker to operate at this stage. We’re monitoring a vehicle using a camera operator’s drone in the instance below).

after effects tracker track motion

Step 3: Let’s press the Play button on the tracker panel once we’ve set up the tracker box. The tracker box should adhere to the location or item you chose when you do this.

(Note: When your tracking points start to go astray, use the Pause button, personally modify the tracking point, and then push play to resume the journey).

adobe effects track motion effects

Step 4: When the tracker is done and satisfied with the results, click Edit target to verify that the tracking data is transferred to the correct layer. Then proceed to the bottom of the page and click the Apply option.

(Note A dialogue window with choices for applying them. Usually, you’ll want to choose X and Y here).

edit target track motion feature

Hit the spacebar to evaluate how well the stabilize motion tracker performed now when you’re back in the composition window. When you’re not pleased with the outcomes, you might have to go back to try again. Although this approach is best used for photos with a clear point of focus that doesn’t go out of frame, it could still be helpful in some situations.

Part 3: Using Stabilization Plugins for Smoother Video in AE

As a graphic and motion designer, animator, or 3D artist, After Effects plugins may completely change the way you operate. Since it can handle so much right out of the box, Adobe After Effects CC is already a go-to motion graphic and compositing program for many artists.

However, as with any good program, third-party plugins could only help you take your work to the next level by adding new features or streamlining your process.

It should be unsurprising that After Effects has many plugins for a program that is over 30 years old. Here are the best stabilization plugins for smoother video in AE:

1. Orb

Orb is focused on generating realistic planets and includes a range of unique features to make planetary creation easy. It utilizes a similar 3D engine to Video Copilot’s great Element 3D plugin, and it employs a similar 3D engine to Video Copilot’s outstanding Element 3D plugin.

You would believe that making planets in 3D is simple —create a circle, add textures, and you’re done! Getting a world to ‘look’ properly, on the other hand, might be more complicated than it appears.

For example, how can the line between night and day be altered in a model of a populated planet such that cities may be visible at night but not during the day?

Although Orb doesn’t work for every planetary picture, this would function for 90% of them and is a helpful previs tool. This is particularly true when used in conjunction with other After Effects plugins or paired with a 3D lens from a 3D program, which may be brought into After Effects with background plates for things like spacecraft.

2. Depth of Field Generator PRO (DOF PRO)

Richard Rosenman’s renowned Photoshop depth of field generator plugin, DOF PRO (Depth of Field Generator PRO), is now downloadable for After Effects. DOF PRO has become the industry’s professional option for an unprecedented and complex depth of field effects rapidly and effectively as a post-process.

This is thanks to almost a decade of discovery and application since the first launch in 2005. DOF PRO’s cutting-edge characteristics offer new and advanced technologies not found anywhere else, resulting in one of the industry’s most potent and sophisticated depth of field processors.

Capability for chromatic and achromatic aberration, focal plane bokeh distinction, astigmatism and vignetting effects, bespoke aperture maps, and noise recovery are among the advanced features.

There will also be compatibility with the alpha channel and transparency, 32-bit floating-point color, correct aperture displays, and an iris array display. A feature comparison between the plugin and After Effects’ Camera Lens Blur effect can be found here.

3. ReelSteady

ReelSteady for After Effects is a recent addition to the stabilization marketplace. ReelSteady is similar to After Effects’ warp stabilizer plugin. However, the stabilization in ReelSteady is far superior.

ReelSteady also has several other features that make it ideal for creating next-level tunes. Users may design filters to block off specific sections of your frame. This is useful for removing a subject that travels around the frame a lot.

In terms of performance, the After Effects plugin is pretty similar to the warp stabilizer but with a few more features. To begin with, ReelSteady includes a built-in rolling shutter repair tool that operates in tandem with its built-in stabilizer.

The ReelSteady effect is a two-pass effect. For instance, after the effect has been executed for the first time, you will likely wish to level out certain places. You’ll successfully isolate specific parts in the effect to “iron out” sections of the footage.

You would like to record your film at a more excellent resolution than your expected outcome to get the most out of ReelSteady. If you wish to output your video in 4K, you might capture it in 4.6K or 5K. You’ll have some leeway for ReelSteady to work its magic.

ReelSteady’s sole flaw is its high price ($399). ReelSteady is not available in After Effects, unlike some of the other choices on this list. ReelSteady, on the other hand, is the way to go if you would like the smoothest footage imaginable.

Conclusion

Shaky video footage would be the last thing any video creator wants unless it’s done intentionally for artistic or creative reasons. As a result, they employ methods and equipment to keep the camera safe from any undesired movement.

However, occasionally those tools aren’t available, and the outcome is questionable. That is why we decided to compile this article to add to the knowledge of our readers how they can use After Effects to stabilize videos to enhance their video content!

Try It Free Try It Free

Video content is becoming increasingly popular; with the proliferation of online content, practically every product now needs its mini-documentary or video clip. Experienced filmmakers and VFX artists used to be the only ones who could get smooth footage. Those days, however, are over.

Adobe After Effects is an excellent tool for smoothing out video footage, in addition to being a great blending and motion animation software; although it’s usually preferable to maintain your film as seamless as possible on location, it’s not the end of the world if you take a seat to edit your video and decide it’s too shaky. In truth, there are several options available to you. In After Effects, there are three options for stabilizing footage. What are they – and how to use After Effects to stabilize footage? Let’s find out!

In this article

01 Stabilize Video with Built-in Warp Stabilizer in AE

02 Stabilize Shaky Video with Track Motion Feature in AE

03 Using Stabilization Plugins for Smoother Video in AE

Part 1: Stabilize Video with Built-in Warp Stabilizer in AE

The Warp Stabilizer effect is a new technique to cope with unsteady video. In this part, I will show you how to apply Warp Stabilizer to a layer, adjust the effect’s essential parameters, and demonstrate how they work briefly.

Step 1: The Warp Stabilizer is the most excellent built-in choice for After Effects. This may be found under the Distort tools section of the Effects & Presets panel. You may also go to the effects tab and look for “Warp“ in the search box.

after effects effects presets pane

Step 2: When you’ve identified Warp Stabilizer, you’ll have to add it to the layer you want to stabilize. You may accomplish this in one of three different ways. You may either drag and drop the filter into the chosen layer in the composing window, place it on the desired layer in the timeline, or double-tap on the effect while selecting your choice footage layer.

after effects warp stabilizer vfx

Step 3: Once you apply the warp stabilizer, it will start immediately. So now, all you have to do is lay back and let the stabilizer do its job.

(Note: The procedure should take no more than a few minutes, and a blue bar will appear across your composition window, indicating that the warp stabilizer is evaluating the film. The composition panel would then display an orange bar, indicating that the effect is applied).

Step 4: After stabilization, use the spacebar to begin a RAM peek. Choose the layer you added to and click to display the drop-down menu or go to the Effects Control panel whenever you need to tweak the stabilizing effect.

Part 2: Stabilize Shaky Video with Track Motion Feature in AE

Using Stabilize Motion feature to stabilize video is an old-school heritage function from the era of the Creative Suite, it will still be there in After Effects presently and performs admirably.

Step 1: The tracker panel is most likely open by default in your edition of After Effects, but if it isn’t, go to Window in the top menu to open it. Once you’ve arrived here, scroll to the bottom until you locate Tracker and double-check that it has a checkbox beside it.

after effects tracker pane

Step 2: Select Stabilize Motion from the drop-down menu whenever the tracker panel is open. You’ll see that a tracker box appears in your Layer Panel once you’ve done this.

(Note: You’ll need to identify a proper location in your film for the tracker to operate at this stage. We’re monitoring a vehicle using a camera operator’s drone in the instance below).

after effects tracker track motion

Step 3: Let’s press the Play button on the tracker panel once we’ve set up the tracker box. The tracker box should adhere to the location or item you chose when you do this.

(Note: When your tracking points start to go astray, use the Pause button, personally modify the tracking point, and then push play to resume the journey).

adobe effects track motion effects

Step 4: When the tracker is done and satisfied with the results, click Edit target to verify that the tracking data is transferred to the correct layer. Then proceed to the bottom of the page and click the Apply option.

(Note A dialogue window with choices for applying them. Usually, you’ll want to choose X and Y here).

edit target track motion feature

Hit the spacebar to evaluate how well the stabilize motion tracker performed now when you’re back in the composition window. When you’re not pleased with the outcomes, you might have to go back to try again. Although this approach is best used for photos with a clear point of focus that doesn’t go out of frame, it could still be helpful in some situations.

Part 3: Using Stabilization Plugins for Smoother Video in AE

As a graphic and motion designer, animator, or 3D artist, After Effects plugins may completely change the way you operate. Since it can handle so much right out of the box, Adobe After Effects CC is already a go-to motion graphic and compositing program for many artists.

However, as with any good program, third-party plugins could only help you take your work to the next level by adding new features or streamlining your process.

It should be unsurprising that After Effects has many plugins for a program that is over 30 years old. Here are the best stabilization plugins for smoother video in AE:

1. Orb

Orb is focused on generating realistic planets and includes a range of unique features to make planetary creation easy. It utilizes a similar 3D engine to Video Copilot’s great Element 3D plugin, and it employs a similar 3D engine to Video Copilot’s outstanding Element 3D plugin.

You would believe that making planets in 3D is simple —create a circle, add textures, and you’re done! Getting a world to ‘look’ properly, on the other hand, might be more complicated than it appears.

For example, how can the line between night and day be altered in a model of a populated planet such that cities may be visible at night but not during the day?

Although Orb doesn’t work for every planetary picture, this would function for 90% of them and is a helpful previs tool. This is particularly true when used in conjunction with other After Effects plugins or paired with a 3D lens from a 3D program, which may be brought into After Effects with background plates for things like spacecraft.

2. Depth of Field Generator PRO (DOF PRO)

Richard Rosenman’s renowned Photoshop depth of field generator plugin, DOF PRO (Depth of Field Generator PRO), is now downloadable for After Effects. DOF PRO has become the industry’s professional option for an unprecedented and complex depth of field effects rapidly and effectively as a post-process.

This is thanks to almost a decade of discovery and application since the first launch in 2005. DOF PRO’s cutting-edge characteristics offer new and advanced technologies not found anywhere else, resulting in one of the industry’s most potent and sophisticated depth of field processors.

Capability for chromatic and achromatic aberration, focal plane bokeh distinction, astigmatism and vignetting effects, bespoke aperture maps, and noise recovery are among the advanced features.

There will also be compatibility with the alpha channel and transparency, 32-bit floating-point color, correct aperture displays, and an iris array display. A feature comparison between the plugin and After Effects’ Camera Lens Blur effect can be found here.

3. ReelSteady

ReelSteady for After Effects is a recent addition to the stabilization marketplace. ReelSteady is similar to After Effects’ warp stabilizer plugin. However, the stabilization in ReelSteady is far superior.

ReelSteady also has several other features that make it ideal for creating next-level tunes. Users may design filters to block off specific sections of your frame. This is useful for removing a subject that travels around the frame a lot.

In terms of performance, the After Effects plugin is pretty similar to the warp stabilizer but with a few more features. To begin with, ReelSteady includes a built-in rolling shutter repair tool that operates in tandem with its built-in stabilizer.

The ReelSteady effect is a two-pass effect. For instance, after the effect has been executed for the first time, you will likely wish to level out certain places. You’ll successfully isolate specific parts in the effect to “iron out” sections of the footage.

You would like to record your film at a more excellent resolution than your expected outcome to get the most out of ReelSteady. If you wish to output your video in 4K, you might capture it in 4.6K or 5K. You’ll have some leeway for ReelSteady to work its magic.

ReelSteady’s sole flaw is its high price ($399). ReelSteady is not available in After Effects, unlike some of the other choices on this list. ReelSteady, on the other hand, is the way to go if you would like the smoothest footage imaginable.

Conclusion

Shaky video footage would be the last thing any video creator wants unless it’s done intentionally for artistic or creative reasons. As a result, they employ methods and equipment to keep the camera safe from any undesired movement.

However, occasionally those tools aren’t available, and the outcome is questionable. That is why we decided to compile this article to add to the knowledge of our readers how they can use After Effects to stabilize videos to enhance their video content!

Try It Free Try It Free

Video content is becoming increasingly popular; with the proliferation of online content, practically every product now needs its mini-documentary or video clip. Experienced filmmakers and VFX artists used to be the only ones who could get smooth footage. Those days, however, are over.

Adobe After Effects is an excellent tool for smoothing out video footage, in addition to being a great blending and motion animation software; although it’s usually preferable to maintain your film as seamless as possible on location, it’s not the end of the world if you take a seat to edit your video and decide it’s too shaky. In truth, there are several options available to you. In After Effects, there are three options for stabilizing footage. What are they – and how to use After Effects to stabilize footage? Let’s find out!

In this article

01 Stabilize Video with Built-in Warp Stabilizer in AE

02 Stabilize Shaky Video with Track Motion Feature in AE

03 Using Stabilization Plugins for Smoother Video in AE

Part 1: Stabilize Video with Built-in Warp Stabilizer in AE

The Warp Stabilizer effect is a new technique to cope with unsteady video. In this part, I will show you how to apply Warp Stabilizer to a layer, adjust the effect’s essential parameters, and demonstrate how they work briefly.

Step 1: The Warp Stabilizer is the most excellent built-in choice for After Effects. This may be found under the Distort tools section of the Effects & Presets panel. You may also go to the effects tab and look for “Warp“ in the search box.

after effects effects presets pane

Step 2: When you’ve identified Warp Stabilizer, you’ll have to add it to the layer you want to stabilize. You may accomplish this in one of three different ways. You may either drag and drop the filter into the chosen layer in the composing window, place it on the desired layer in the timeline, or double-tap on the effect while selecting your choice footage layer.

after effects warp stabilizer vfx

Step 3: Once you apply the warp stabilizer, it will start immediately. So now, all you have to do is lay back and let the stabilizer do its job.

(Note: The procedure should take no more than a few minutes, and a blue bar will appear across your composition window, indicating that the warp stabilizer is evaluating the film. The composition panel would then display an orange bar, indicating that the effect is applied).

Step 4: After stabilization, use the spacebar to begin a RAM peek. Choose the layer you added to and click to display the drop-down menu or go to the Effects Control panel whenever you need to tweak the stabilizing effect.

Part 2: Stabilize Shaky Video with Track Motion Feature in AE

Using Stabilize Motion feature to stabilize video is an old-school heritage function from the era of the Creative Suite, it will still be there in After Effects presently and performs admirably.

Step 1: The tracker panel is most likely open by default in your edition of After Effects, but if it isn’t, go to Window in the top menu to open it. Once you’ve arrived here, scroll to the bottom until you locate Tracker and double-check that it has a checkbox beside it.

after effects tracker pane

Step 2: Select Stabilize Motion from the drop-down menu whenever the tracker panel is open. You’ll see that a tracker box appears in your Layer Panel once you’ve done this.

(Note: You’ll need to identify a proper location in your film for the tracker to operate at this stage. We’re monitoring a vehicle using a camera operator’s drone in the instance below).

after effects tracker track motion

Step 3: Let’s press the Play button on the tracker panel once we’ve set up the tracker box. The tracker box should adhere to the location or item you chose when you do this.

(Note: When your tracking points start to go astray, use the Pause button, personally modify the tracking point, and then push play to resume the journey).

adobe effects track motion effects

Step 4: When the tracker is done and satisfied with the results, click Edit target to verify that the tracking data is transferred to the correct layer. Then proceed to the bottom of the page and click the Apply option.

(Note A dialogue window with choices for applying them. Usually, you’ll want to choose X and Y here).

edit target track motion feature

Hit the spacebar to evaluate how well the stabilize motion tracker performed now when you’re back in the composition window. When you’re not pleased with the outcomes, you might have to go back to try again. Although this approach is best used for photos with a clear point of focus that doesn’t go out of frame, it could still be helpful in some situations.

Part 3: Using Stabilization Plugins for Smoother Video in AE

As a graphic and motion designer, animator, or 3D artist, After Effects plugins may completely change the way you operate. Since it can handle so much right out of the box, Adobe After Effects CC is already a go-to motion graphic and compositing program for many artists.

However, as with any good program, third-party plugins could only help you take your work to the next level by adding new features or streamlining your process.

It should be unsurprising that After Effects has many plugins for a program that is over 30 years old. Here are the best stabilization plugins for smoother video in AE:

1. Orb

Orb is focused on generating realistic planets and includes a range of unique features to make planetary creation easy. It utilizes a similar 3D engine to Video Copilot’s great Element 3D plugin, and it employs a similar 3D engine to Video Copilot’s outstanding Element 3D plugin.

You would believe that making planets in 3D is simple —create a circle, add textures, and you’re done! Getting a world to ‘look’ properly, on the other hand, might be more complicated than it appears.

For example, how can the line between night and day be altered in a model of a populated planet such that cities may be visible at night but not during the day?

Although Orb doesn’t work for every planetary picture, this would function for 90% of them and is a helpful previs tool. This is particularly true when used in conjunction with other After Effects plugins or paired with a 3D lens from a 3D program, which may be brought into After Effects with background plates for things like spacecraft.

2. Depth of Field Generator PRO (DOF PRO)

Richard Rosenman’s renowned Photoshop depth of field generator plugin, DOF PRO (Depth of Field Generator PRO), is now downloadable for After Effects. DOF PRO has become the industry’s professional option for an unprecedented and complex depth of field effects rapidly and effectively as a post-process.

This is thanks to almost a decade of discovery and application since the first launch in 2005. DOF PRO’s cutting-edge characteristics offer new and advanced technologies not found anywhere else, resulting in one of the industry’s most potent and sophisticated depth of field processors.

Capability for chromatic and achromatic aberration, focal plane bokeh distinction, astigmatism and vignetting effects, bespoke aperture maps, and noise recovery are among the advanced features.

There will also be compatibility with the alpha channel and transparency, 32-bit floating-point color, correct aperture displays, and an iris array display. A feature comparison between the plugin and After Effects’ Camera Lens Blur effect can be found here.

3. ReelSteady

ReelSteady for After Effects is a recent addition to the stabilization marketplace. ReelSteady is similar to After Effects’ warp stabilizer plugin. However, the stabilization in ReelSteady is far superior.

ReelSteady also has several other features that make it ideal for creating next-level tunes. Users may design filters to block off specific sections of your frame. This is useful for removing a subject that travels around the frame a lot.

In terms of performance, the After Effects plugin is pretty similar to the warp stabilizer but with a few more features. To begin with, ReelSteady includes a built-in rolling shutter repair tool that operates in tandem with its built-in stabilizer.

The ReelSteady effect is a two-pass effect. For instance, after the effect has been executed for the first time, you will likely wish to level out certain places. You’ll successfully isolate specific parts in the effect to “iron out” sections of the footage.

You would like to record your film at a more excellent resolution than your expected outcome to get the most out of ReelSteady. If you wish to output your video in 4K, you might capture it in 4.6K or 5K. You’ll have some leeway for ReelSteady to work its magic.

ReelSteady’s sole flaw is its high price ($399). ReelSteady is not available in After Effects, unlike some of the other choices on this list. ReelSteady, on the other hand, is the way to go if you would like the smoothest footage imaginable.

Conclusion

Shaky video footage would be the last thing any video creator wants unless it’s done intentionally for artistic or creative reasons. As a result, they employ methods and equipment to keep the camera safe from any undesired movement.

However, occasionally those tools aren’t available, and the outcome is questionable. That is why we decided to compile this article to add to the knowledge of our readers how they can use After Effects to stabilize videos to enhance their video content!

Try It Free Try It Free

Video content is becoming increasingly popular; with the proliferation of online content, practically every product now needs its mini-documentary or video clip. Experienced filmmakers and VFX artists used to be the only ones who could get smooth footage. Those days, however, are over.

Adobe After Effects is an excellent tool for smoothing out video footage, in addition to being a great blending and motion animation software; although it’s usually preferable to maintain your film as seamless as possible on location, it’s not the end of the world if you take a seat to edit your video and decide it’s too shaky. In truth, there are several options available to you. In After Effects, there are three options for stabilizing footage. What are they – and how to use After Effects to stabilize footage? Let’s find out!

In this article

01 Stabilize Video with Built-in Warp Stabilizer in AE

02 Stabilize Shaky Video with Track Motion Feature in AE

03 Using Stabilization Plugins for Smoother Video in AE

Part 1: Stabilize Video with Built-in Warp Stabilizer in AE

The Warp Stabilizer effect is a new technique to cope with unsteady video. In this part, I will show you how to apply Warp Stabilizer to a layer, adjust the effect’s essential parameters, and demonstrate how they work briefly.

Step 1: The Warp Stabilizer is the most excellent built-in choice for After Effects. This may be found under the Distort tools section of the Effects & Presets panel. You may also go to the effects tab and look for “Warp“ in the search box.

after effects effects presets pane

Step 2: When you’ve identified Warp Stabilizer, you’ll have to add it to the layer you want to stabilize. You may accomplish this in one of three different ways. You may either drag and drop the filter into the chosen layer in the composing window, place it on the desired layer in the timeline, or double-tap on the effect while selecting your choice footage layer.

after effects warp stabilizer vfx

Step 3: Once you apply the warp stabilizer, it will start immediately. So now, all you have to do is lay back and let the stabilizer do its job.

(Note: The procedure should take no more than a few minutes, and a blue bar will appear across your composition window, indicating that the warp stabilizer is evaluating the film. The composition panel would then display an orange bar, indicating that the effect is applied).

Step 4: After stabilization, use the spacebar to begin a RAM peek. Choose the layer you added to and click to display the drop-down menu or go to the Effects Control panel whenever you need to tweak the stabilizing effect.

Part 2: Stabilize Shaky Video with Track Motion Feature in AE

Using Stabilize Motion feature to stabilize video is an old-school heritage function from the era of the Creative Suite, it will still be there in After Effects presently and performs admirably.

Step 1: The tracker panel is most likely open by default in your edition of After Effects, but if it isn’t, go to Window in the top menu to open it. Once you’ve arrived here, scroll to the bottom until you locate Tracker and double-check that it has a checkbox beside it.

after effects tracker pane

Step 2: Select Stabilize Motion from the drop-down menu whenever the tracker panel is open. You’ll see that a tracker box appears in your Layer Panel once you’ve done this.

(Note: You’ll need to identify a proper location in your film for the tracker to operate at this stage. We’re monitoring a vehicle using a camera operator’s drone in the instance below).

after effects tracker track motion

Step 3: Let’s press the Play button on the tracker panel once we’ve set up the tracker box. The tracker box should adhere to the location or item you chose when you do this.

(Note: When your tracking points start to go astray, use the Pause button, personally modify the tracking point, and then push play to resume the journey).

adobe effects track motion effects

Step 4: When the tracker is done and satisfied with the results, click Edit target to verify that the tracking data is transferred to the correct layer. Then proceed to the bottom of the page and click the Apply option.

(Note A dialogue window with choices for applying them. Usually, you’ll want to choose X and Y here).

edit target track motion feature

Hit the spacebar to evaluate how well the stabilize motion tracker performed now when you’re back in the composition window. When you’re not pleased with the outcomes, you might have to go back to try again. Although this approach is best used for photos with a clear point of focus that doesn’t go out of frame, it could still be helpful in some situations.

Part 3: Using Stabilization Plugins for Smoother Video in AE

As a graphic and motion designer, animator, or 3D artist, After Effects plugins may completely change the way you operate. Since it can handle so much right out of the box, Adobe After Effects CC is already a go-to motion graphic and compositing program for many artists.

However, as with any good program, third-party plugins could only help you take your work to the next level by adding new features or streamlining your process.

It should be unsurprising that After Effects has many plugins for a program that is over 30 years old. Here are the best stabilization plugins for smoother video in AE:

1. Orb

Orb is focused on generating realistic planets and includes a range of unique features to make planetary creation easy. It utilizes a similar 3D engine to Video Copilot’s great Element 3D plugin, and it employs a similar 3D engine to Video Copilot’s outstanding Element 3D plugin.

You would believe that making planets in 3D is simple —create a circle, add textures, and you’re done! Getting a world to ‘look’ properly, on the other hand, might be more complicated than it appears.

For example, how can the line between night and day be altered in a model of a populated planet such that cities may be visible at night but not during the day?

Although Orb doesn’t work for every planetary picture, this would function for 90% of them and is a helpful previs tool. This is particularly true when used in conjunction with other After Effects plugins or paired with a 3D lens from a 3D program, which may be brought into After Effects with background plates for things like spacecraft.

2. Depth of Field Generator PRO (DOF PRO)

Richard Rosenman’s renowned Photoshop depth of field generator plugin, DOF PRO (Depth of Field Generator PRO), is now downloadable for After Effects. DOF PRO has become the industry’s professional option for an unprecedented and complex depth of field effects rapidly and effectively as a post-process.

This is thanks to almost a decade of discovery and application since the first launch in 2005. DOF PRO’s cutting-edge characteristics offer new and advanced technologies not found anywhere else, resulting in one of the industry’s most potent and sophisticated depth of field processors.

Capability for chromatic and achromatic aberration, focal plane bokeh distinction, astigmatism and vignetting effects, bespoke aperture maps, and noise recovery are among the advanced features.

There will also be compatibility with the alpha channel and transparency, 32-bit floating-point color, correct aperture displays, and an iris array display. A feature comparison between the plugin and After Effects’ Camera Lens Blur effect can be found here.

3. ReelSteady

ReelSteady for After Effects is a recent addition to the stabilization marketplace. ReelSteady is similar to After Effects’ warp stabilizer plugin. However, the stabilization in ReelSteady is far superior.

ReelSteady also has several other features that make it ideal for creating next-level tunes. Users may design filters to block off specific sections of your frame. This is useful for removing a subject that travels around the frame a lot.

In terms of performance, the After Effects plugin is pretty similar to the warp stabilizer but with a few more features. To begin with, ReelSteady includes a built-in rolling shutter repair tool that operates in tandem with its built-in stabilizer.

The ReelSteady effect is a two-pass effect. For instance, after the effect has been executed for the first time, you will likely wish to level out certain places. You’ll successfully isolate specific parts in the effect to “iron out” sections of the footage.

You would like to record your film at a more excellent resolution than your expected outcome to get the most out of ReelSteady. If you wish to output your video in 4K, you might capture it in 4.6K or 5K. You’ll have some leeway for ReelSteady to work its magic.

ReelSteady’s sole flaw is its high price ($399). ReelSteady is not available in After Effects, unlike some of the other choices on this list. ReelSteady, on the other hand, is the way to go if you would like the smoothest footage imaginable.

Conclusion

Shaky video footage would be the last thing any video creator wants unless it’s done intentionally for artistic or creative reasons. As a result, they employ methods and equipment to keep the camera safe from any undesired movement.

However, occasionally those tools aren’t available, and the outcome is questionable. That is why we decided to compile this article to add to the knowledge of our readers how they can use After Effects to stabilize videos to enhance their video content!

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

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

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

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

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

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

How to Create PIP Effect with FCP

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

Step 1: Add Background video

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

add pip video

Step 2: Add PIP videos

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

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

transform button

Step 3: Apply PIP effect

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

adjust pip effect

Step 4: Adjust PIP Effect

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

Step 5: Follow precise Adjustment

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

precise adjustment

Step 6: Apply Cross- Dissolve

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

dissolve effect

Check this video tutorial to know more details:

Picture in Picture Plug-ins for Final Cut Pro

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

1. Tokyo PiPintor

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

2. ProPIP

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

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

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

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

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

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

How to Create PIP Effect with FCP

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

Step 1: Add Background video

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

add pip video

Step 2: Add PIP videos

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

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

transform button

Step 3: Apply PIP effect

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

adjust pip effect

Step 4: Adjust PIP Effect

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

Step 5: Follow precise Adjustment

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

precise adjustment

Step 6: Apply Cross- Dissolve

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

dissolve effect

Check this video tutorial to know more details:

Picture in Picture Plug-ins for Final Cut Pro

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

1. Tokyo PiPintor

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

2. ProPIP

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

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

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

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

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

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

How to Create PIP Effect with FCP

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

Step 1: Add Background video

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

add pip video

Step 2: Add PIP videos

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

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

transform button

Step 3: Apply PIP effect

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

adjust pip effect

Step 4: Adjust PIP Effect

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

Step 5: Follow precise Adjustment

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

precise adjustment

Step 6: Apply Cross- Dissolve

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

dissolve effect

Check this video tutorial to know more details:

Picture in Picture Plug-ins for Final Cut Pro

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

1. Tokyo PiPintor

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

2. ProPIP

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

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

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Benjamin Arango

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

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Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

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

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

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

How to Create PIP Effect with FCP

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

Step 1: Add Background video

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

add pip video

Step 2: Add PIP videos

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

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

transform button

Step 3: Apply PIP effect

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

adjust pip effect

Step 4: Adjust PIP Effect

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

Step 5: Follow precise Adjustment

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

precise adjustment

Step 6: Apply Cross- Dissolve

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

dissolve effect

Check this video tutorial to know more details:

Picture in Picture Plug-ins for Final Cut Pro

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

1. Tokyo PiPintor

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

2. ProPIP

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

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

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

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

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Also read:

  • Title: New In 2024, Discover the Best Top 10 Free MP4 Video Editing Tools
  • Author: Amelia
  • Created at : 2024-04-29 19:43:21
  • Updated at : 2024-04-30 19:43:21
  • Link: https://ai-driven-video-production.techidaily.com/new-in-2024-discover-the-best-top-10-free-mp4-video-editing-tools/
  • License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
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New In 2024, Discover the Best Top 10 Free MP4 Video Editing Tools