In this new list of PC programs we discover the best free video editors that is, those software that allow you to manipulate videos, cut them, improve them and unify different videos by making video montages as would (more or less) the editor of a film.Edit videos and edit them today it is no longer just a hobby for enthusiasts and thanks to the simplicity of some programs and Web applications it is now possible to create new videos that can be published on the internet on Youtube, on Youreporter or on Facebook to show them to friends.
Since now all mobile phones and smartphones are equipped with a camera to shoot videos, it becomes useful to have a video editing program that allows you to fix it, improve it and cut it with a few clicks.
The best programs to edit videos for free
The programs for making video-montages and for editing main videos are very powerful but also very expensive (several thousand euros) paid suites. For example, programs such as Adobe Premiere and Sony Vegas or Pinnacle Studio, a much easier to use suite, are very popular, especially among professionals. These are programs for those who are willing to buy powerful video editing software, rich in effects and above all easy to use, intuitive or at most usable after a short time by reading the manuals in in your languagen. Those who want a free solution, sacrificing some advanced features or for occasional video editing jobs, can free download one of these programs to edit videos for free. These programs are great for all home scenarios, while also offering advanced features for those who want some professional tools (don't overdo it!).1) Openshot
One of the best programs we can use to edit videos is Openshot, downloadable from here -> Opportunity.
All tools are just a click away, including the timeline bar at the bottom to properly edit the videos for use.
We can learn more about OpenShot by reading the dedicated guide here -> Openshot for Windows and Mac simple and professional video editing program.
2) Hitfilm Express
Hitfilm Express is a professional and free program for making movies like those on TV, relatively easily and with a modern interface. We can download it for free from here -> Hitfilm Express.
3) DaVinci Solves
DaVinci Resolve is a program similar to Hitfilm, known as one of the most advanced free video editors for Windows 10, with tons of 2D and 3D video editing tools that can be downloaded from here -> DaVinci Resolve.
With an intuitive interface, Da Vinci Resolve is considered the industry's leading color correction tool.
4) ShotCut
ShotCut is the best modern open source program you can find, powerful and completely free for Windows, Linux and Mac; we can download it from here -> ShotCut.
This program offers a large variety of features to quickly edit homemade videos and recordings.
You can encode a video up to 1080p and use all the options from one simple interface. The video editor allows you to trim any clips by changing the start and end points, add filters and change audio settings.
5) VirtualDub
VirtualDub used to be the best and most popular open source video editor program even if it is no longer updated it can be downloaded from here -> VirtualDub.
VirtualDub is software that has been around for many years and, like Gimp and Audacity, was first developed by a student.
As an editor it is relatively simple and basic even if, with a somewhat spartan interface, it may not be so intuitive for the less experienced. VirtualDub is optimized for editing AVI files, although it can also open MPEG-1 streams (not DVD MOVs and MP4s). With Virtualdub it's quite easy work on videos to cut them, choosing which frames to delete precisely.
There are also around 60 audio and video filters to perform tasks such as: resizing a movie, sampling a soundtrack, adding a logo, cropping portions of video, enhancing audio, rotating, color balancing. and much more.
What you can't do is apply animations and special effects to videos. An important advantage is that, being a very popular program, on the internet there are guides to do anything and several plugins have been developed to add functions.
We talked about VirtualDub in several guide articles including:
- Replace audio on video synchronously
- Remove the superimposed logo from a video
- Compress Avi video files and Divx movies
- Stabilize a shaky video shot with a cell phone or camera
6) Windows Live Movie Maker
Windows Live Movie Maker is Microsoft's program for editing videos and, although no longer supported, it still is now among the best and easiest free video editors, both to create new videos merging photos, videos and music, both for edit movies.We can also download it for Windows 10 using the link here -> Windows Live Movie Maker.
The great thing about Windows Movie Maker are animations and video montage effects really beautiful to look at and of great quality.
Being a Microsoft program, the interface to use each tool is easy to use with mouse clicks and dragging.
Movie Maker does not offer some of the advanced features of VirtualDub also because it is a different program, more suitable for improving and fixing rather than modifying. I personally believe that Windows Live Movie maker should be the first program to download and use before the others, especially if you are a beginner. I talked about Windows Live Movie Maker in the article Windows Movie Maker to mount video from camera to computer and in the guide Rotate videos if you see them upside down or crooked.
7) Lightworks
Lightworks is the most serious editor and is part of the professional ones even if it is offered in a free version.We can download it from here -> Lightworks.
This is a non-linear editor, not easy for beginners, with tons of effects and advanced features. The free version, unfortunately, has some limitations, such as the ability to create videos at a maximum resolution of 720p.
8) VSDC Free Video Editor
VSDC Free Video Editor is another semi-professional program that you can download for free from here -> VSDC Free Video Editor.
This program is not very easy to use, but not too complex like Lightworks, with many video and audio effects for color correction, blur reduction and volume adjustment. With this Video Editor you can create projects in Full HD, save them in MP4, MKV, AVI, MOV, XVID, DIVX, FLV and MPG, include visual and audio effects and create movies that can be seen on DVD or smartphone.
9) SolveigMM AVI Trimmer + MKV
SolveigMM AVI Trimmer + MKV only serves to cut AVI and MKV files, which is also possible with Avidemux and Virtualdub, but it allows you to do it automatically and without quality loss. We can download it for free from here -> SolveigMM AVI Trimmer +.
10) Avidemux
Avidemux competes with Shotcut for the palm of best free video editing software on Windows, Linux and Mac. We can download this program for free from here -> Avidemux.
Avidemux has a 'very clear interface and more intuitive by immediately showing all the basic settings.
After uploading a video, you can use all the various configuration options and filters to apply the desired changes.
There are tools to resize, crop or rotate a movie, adjust colors, reduce noise, trim video, embed subtitles and much more. Since the various tools are divided into categories, it is quite easy to find the filter you need and preview the effect that is also briefly described. Avidemux also allows you to save videos in different formats even for iPhone, DVD, Sony PlayStation and so on. Avidemux could be defined as a more modern VirtualDub and compatible with current standards.
I used Avidemux to write the guides:
- Trim a video by eliminating borders
- Trim and merge videos
- Convert MKV video to AVI
- Create 3D Video to Watch with Red Blue Lens Glasses
- Modify AVI, DiVX, MPEG, MKV and DVD video
11) VideoPad
VideoPad is a fairly easy-to-use program that manages to achieve professional results thanks to tools such as background replacement, advanced audio and video effects, and the transitions and blends library. Another feature that makes VideoPad one of the best free video editors to use in Windows is that it allows you to post edited videos directly to streaming video services like YouTube or upload videos directly to the cloud in Dropbox or Google Drive.12) ThunderSoft Video Editor
ThunderSoft Video Editor is an easy-to-use video editor for Windows 10 to easily split, cut and merge videos, use effortless editing effects and add music, titles, etc. It supports all standard and HD videos including MP4, AVI, H261, H264, FLV, MKV, M4V, 3GP, MOV, MPG, MPEG, VOB, RMVB, TS, M2TS, WMV, ASF and many more. With this tool, you can also add a logo or watermark on the videos.13) Kdenlive
Kdenlive is an open source video editing program, for Windows and Linux, which is perfect for those who want simple things, but at the same time also have professional tools. It has a multi-track timeline, to edit several movies and edit audio and video at the same time. It can import various file formats like AVI, WMV, MPEG, etc. and is considered to be one of the best video editors for Windows 10.12) Other programs
- Filmora is a modern program for PC, which can be used in free version or paid version without limitation, very powerful, with many tools to improve videos and stabilization controls, brightness, contrast, hue and saturation, overlays, animated graphics and graphics templates.
- IvsEdits can be considered as one of the best free video editors to use in Windows to edit videos with HD quality and 4K resolution. Its use requires prior learning in order to master its interface and its functions.
- Jahshaka is a free Adobe After Effects alternative for its ability to create special effects for videos, with video editing tools as well.
Other guides dedicated to editing and managing videos
Video editing can often become a tedious and difficult job if you don't have the right skills and tools.Before using one of these programs, it might be a better idea to rely on web applications which, in automatic mode, allow you to edit online videos with remixes and special effects, sometimes worthy of the best film productions, as if they were trailers or commercials.
Another category of programs for videos are those for create videos with slideshows of digital photos, images, music and effects.
Best programs to edit videos for free
