Slow Down the Action: A Step-by-Step Guide to VLC’s Slow Motion Feature

While the files of the most common formats like MP4, WAV, etc. may look identical, they might be compiled using varied codecs which may or may not support any random player that you install on your PC. The reason why VLC media player is used by the majority of users worldwide is the versatility in the codecs that it supports natively.

Furthermore, the app is available for almost every platform, i.e., Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, and Android, and is absolutely free to download and use.

With that said, the following sections explain how to manage the playback speed of a video while using VLC media player to add a slow motion effect to video. Here you will learn how to play slow motion on VLC on Windows, Mac, and iOS/Android, and also how to set the default speed for the app so that every time a video is played, the speed remains according to your preference.

In this article

01 How to Play Video in Slow Motion Effects on Windows with VLC?

02 How to Play Slow Motion Effects on Mac with VLC?

03 How to Control Playback Speed in VLC Media Player on Android and iOS?

04 How to Set up the Default Playback Speed on VLC?

Part 1: How to Play Video in Slow Motion Effects on Windows with VLC?

VLC is one of the best media players to play videos in slow motion . You can follow the instructions that are given below to learn how to play a video in slow motion in VLC on a Windows PC:

Step 1: Start Video Playback

Launch VLC on your Windows computer (a Windows 11 PC is used here for illustrations), click Media from the menu bar at the top, click Open File from the menu, and locate and open a video that you want to watch in slow motion. If VLC is your default media player, simply double-clicking the clip automatically opens the file in the app.

Step 2: Reduce the Playback Speed (In Decrements of 0.10x)

Once the playback begins, press the Spacebar on the keyboard to pause the video. Next, go to the Playback menu from the top, go to Speed, and click Slower (fine) once. This will reduce the speed to 0.90x. Clicking Slower (fine) again will further slow down the video to 0.80x speed. You can repeat this process until you reduce the speed to your desired level. Press Spacebar again to resume the playback in slow motion.

Note: The lowest speed that you can go to using this process is 0.03x.

Step 3: Reduce the Playback Speed (In Decrements in Percentage)

Pause the playback and go to Playback > Speed as explained in the previous step. From the list that comes up, click Slower (the last option). This will reduce the speed to 0.67x. Click Slower again and the speed will further go down to 0.50x. You can repeat this process until you reach your desired playback speed. Press Spacebar to resume the playback in slow motion. With this method, you can reduce the speed to as low as 0.02x.

Note: You can click Normal from the Speed submenu to play the video at normal speed.

Step 4: Using the Shortcut Keys (Optional)

You can press the left square bracket ‘[‘ on your keyboard to reduce the speed in decrements of 0.10x. To get back to the normal speed, press the equals to ‘=’ key. Likewise, pressing the right square bracket ‘]’ increases the speed by 0.10x.

Note: As it is with the Slower (fine) and Slower options, you can use Faster (fine) to add 0.10x increments to the speed, and Faster to increase percentage-wise. Also, if Faster (fine) is clicked repeatedly or its shortcut key is used multiple times, the speed can be increased up to 31.25x. On the other hand, by using the Faster option repeatedly, the speed can be increased to more than 100x.

Part 2: How to Play Slow Motion Effects on Mac with VLC?

The process of slowing down the video playback in VLC on a Mac computer is almost identical to that in Windows. You can learn how to get this done by following the steps that are given below:

Step 1: Open and Pause the Video

Locate and right-click the video that you want to play in slow motion, go to Open With from the context menu, and click VLC from the submenu. Once the clip opens, click the Pause button from the bottom as explained in the previous section.

Step 2: Reduce the Playback Speed

Click Playback from the menu bar at the top, and drag the Playback Speed slider to the left to reduce the speed of the video.

Step 3: Resume the Playback

Click anywhere on the screen to close the Playback menu, and then click the Play button from the bottom to resume the video playback in slow motion.

Part 3: How to Control Playback Speed in VLC Media Player on Android and iOS?

Although the playback speed of a video on both Android and iOS devices can be controlled with a slider, the location where the controller is placed on the two platforms varies, and so does the process of reaching there. Both the methods are explained below for your convenience:

Play Video in Slow Motion on Android with VLC

Step 1: Pause the Playback

Launch VLC on your Android phone (Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ is used here for illustrations), locate and open the video in VLC, tap anywhere on the screen, and tap the Pause button from the bottom to pause the playback.

Step 2: Set a Slower Playback Speed

Tap the More icon from the bottom-right corner, tap Playback speed from the menu that appears, and drag the slider that is present at the bottom to the left to reduce the speed. Alternatively, you can also repeatedly tap the down arrow that is present at the right of the slider to slow down the speed in the decrements of 0.05x.

Step 3: Resume the Playback

Tap anywhere on the screen, and when the Playback speed slider disappears, tap the screen one more time. Now, tap the Play icon from the bottom to resume the video playback.

Play Video in Slow Motion on iPhone with VLC

Step 1: Pause the Playback

Assuming that you have already added the video to the VLC library by connecting it to iTunes, launch the app on your iOS device (iPhone 13 Pro Max is used here for illustrations). Tap the video that you want to play in slow motion, and then tap the Pause icon from the bottom.

Step 2: Reduce the Playback Speed

Tap anywhere on the screen, and tap the Clock icon from the lower-left corner. Next, drag the Playback speed slider to the left to reduce the playback speed.

Step 3: Resume the Playback

Right after decreasing the speed, tap the Play icon from the bottom to resume the playback. If the controllers disappear, you can tap anywhere on the screen again, and then tap the Play icon.

Part 4: How to Set up the Default Playback Speed on VLC?

The processes of setting up default playback speed on different platforms and devices vary. For your convenience, all of them are explained below:

Set up Default Playback Speed in VLC on Windows

1. Go to Tools > Preferences in VLC media player, and then click the All button from the Show settings section at the bottom.
2. Select Input / Codecs from the left pane of the Advanced Preferences box, and then specify your preferred speed in the Playback speed field that is present under the Playback control section on the right window
3. Click Save to save the changes

Set up Default Playback Speed in VLC on Mac

• Launch VLC, and go to VLC media player from the menu bar, and then click Preferences; and then click Show All from the bottom of the Preferences box to display all preferences setting options;

• Click the Input / Codecs from the left pane, and then define your preferred speed in the Playback speed field under the Playback control section in the right window, and then click Save to save the changes.

How to Change VLC Media Player Default Speed on Android

Note: At the time of this writing, the Android version of VLC doesn’t allow you to set a global default playback speed. However, you can set it on a per video basis. This means that every time that video is played, the playback speed will remain what you set for it. You must do this for each video in your VLC library individually.

• Launch VLC, and then tap More from the bottom-right corner; next, tap SETTINGS from the upper-left area;
• Tap Video from the Extra settings section, and then check the Save Playback Speed box

How to Change VLC Media Player Default Speed on iOS and iPhone

• Tap Settings from the Home screen, and then scroll down and tap VLC
• Tap Default playback speed from the GENERIC section, and then tap to select a playback speed from the available list to set it as the default.

Conclusion

It is pretty convenient to reduce the playback speed in VLC media player regardless of the platform or device you are using. While the processes of getting the job might be different, the principle behind it remains the same. When on Windows, the playback speed can be decreased to 0.02x and can be increased to more than 100x. This facility is not available on Mac, iOS, or Android platforms. Also, if you want, you can set the default playback speed for the videos so that every time a clip is played, the pace remains what you specified as default.

02 How to Play Slow Motion Effects on Mac with VLC?

03 How to Control Playback Speed in VLC Media Player on Android and iOS?

04 How to Set up the Default Playback Speed on VLC?

Part 1: How to Play Video in Slow Motion Effects on Windows with VLC?

VLC is one of the best media players to play videos in slow motion . You can follow the instructions that are given below to learn how to play a video in slow motion in VLC on a Windows PC:

Step 1: Start Video Playback

Launch VLC on your Windows computer (a Windows 11 PC is used here for illustrations), click Media from the menu bar at the top, click Open File from the menu, and locate and open a video that you want to watch in slow motion. If VLC is your default media player, simply double-clicking the clip automatically opens the file in the app.

Step 2: Reduce the Playback Speed (In Decrements of 0.10x)

Once the playback begins, press the Spacebar on the keyboard to pause the video. Next, go to the Playback menu from the top, go to Speed, and click Slower (fine) once. This will reduce the speed to 0.90x. Clicking Slower (fine) again will further slow down the video to 0.80x speed. You can repeat this process until you reduce the speed to your desired level. Press Spacebar again to resume the playback in slow motion.

Note: The lowest speed that you can go to using this process is 0.03x.

Step 3: Reduce the Playback Speed (In Decrements in Percentage)

Pause the playback and go to Playback > Speed as explained in the previous step. From the list that comes up, click Slower (the last option). This will reduce the speed to 0.67x. Click Slower again and the speed will further go down to 0.50x. You can repeat this process until you reach your desired playback speed. Press Spacebar to resume the playback in slow motion. With this method, you can reduce the speed to as low as 0.02x.

Note: You can click Normal from the Speed submenu to play the video at normal speed.

Step 4: Using the Shortcut Keys (Optional)

You can press the left square bracket ‘[‘ on your keyboard to reduce the speed in decrements of 0.10x. To get back to the normal speed, press the equals to ‘=’ key. Likewise, pressing the right square bracket ‘]’ increases the speed by 0.10x.

Note: As it is with the Slower (fine) and Slower options, you can use Faster (fine) to add 0.10x increments to the speed, and Faster to increase percentage-wise. Also, if Faster (fine) is clicked repeatedly or its shortcut key is used multiple times, the speed can be increased up to 31.25x. On the other hand, by using the Faster option repeatedly, the speed can be increased to more than 100x.

Part 2: How to Play Slow Motion Effects on Mac with VLC?

The process of slowing down the video playback in VLC on a Mac computer is almost identical to that in Windows. You can learn how to get this done by following the steps that are given below:

Step 1: Open and Pause the Video

Locate and right-click the video that you want to play in slow motion, go to Open With from the context menu, and click VLC from the submenu. Once the clip opens, click the Pause button from the bottom as explained in the previous section.

Step 2: Reduce the Playback Speed

Click Playback from the menu bar at the top, and drag the Playback Speed slider to the left to reduce the speed of the video.

Step 3: Resume the Playback

Click anywhere on the screen to close the Playback menu, and then click the Play button from the bottom to resume the video playback in slow motion.

Part 3: How to Control Playback Speed in VLC Media Player on Android and iOS?

Although the playback speed of a video on both Android and iOS devices can be controlled with a slider, the location where the controller is placed on the two platforms varies, and so does the process of reaching there. Both the methods are explained below for your convenience:

Play Video in Slow Motion on Android with VLC

Step 1: Pause the Playback

Launch VLC on your Android phone (Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ is used here for illustrations), locate and open the video in VLC, tap anywhere on the screen, and tap the Pause button from the bottom to pause the playback.

Step 2: Set a Slower Playback Speed

Tap the More icon from the bottom-right corner, tap Playback speed from the menu that appears, and drag the slider that is present at the bottom to the left to reduce the speed. Alternatively, you can also repeatedly tap the down arrow that is present at the right of the slider to slow down the speed in the decrements of 0.05x.

Step 3: Resume the Playback

Tap anywhere on the screen, and when the Playback speed slider disappears, tap the screen one more time. Now, tap the Play icon from the bottom to resume the video playback.

Play Video in Slow Motion on iPhone with VLC

Step 1: Pause the Playback

Assuming that you have already added the video to the VLC library by connecting it to iTunes, launch the app on your iOS device (iPhone 13 Pro Max is used here for illustrations). Tap the video that you want to play in slow motion, and then tap the Pause icon from the bottom.

Step 2: Reduce the Playback Speed

Tap anywhere on the screen, and tap the Clock icon from the lower-left corner. Next, drag the Playback speed slider to the left to reduce the playback speed.

Step 3: Resume the Playback

Right after decreasing the speed, tap the Play icon from the bottom to resume the playback. If the controllers disappear, you can tap anywhere on the screen again, and then tap the Play icon.

Part 4: How to Set up the Default Playback Speed on VLC?

The processes of setting up default playback speed on different platforms and devices vary. For your convenience, all of them are explained below:

Set up Default Playback Speed in VLC on Windows

1. Go to Tools > Preferences in VLC media player, and then click the All button from the Show settings section at the bottom.
2. Select Input / Codecs from the left pane of the Advanced Preferences box, and then specify your preferred speed in the Playback speed field that is present under the Playback control section on the right window
3. Click Save to save the changes

Set up Default Playback Speed in VLC on Mac

• Launch VLC, and go to VLC media player from the menu bar, and then click Preferences; and then click Show All from the bottom of the Preferences box to display all preferences setting options;

• Click the Input / Codecs from the left pane, and then define your preferred speed in the Playback speed field under the Playback control section in the right window, and then click Save to save the changes.

How to Change VLC Media Player Default Speed on Android

Note: At the time of this writing, the Android version of VLC doesn’t allow you to set a global default playback speed. However, you can set it on a per video basis. This means that every time that video is played, the playback speed will remain what you set for it. You must do this for each video in your VLC library individually.

• Launch VLC, and then tap More from the bottom-right corner; next, tap SETTINGS from the upper-left area;
• Tap Video from the Extra settings section, and then check the Save Playback Speed box

How to Change VLC Media Player Default Speed on iOS and iPhone

• Tap Settings from the Home screen, and then scroll down and tap VLC
• Tap Default playback speed from the GENERIC section, and then tap to select a playback speed from the available list to set it as the default.

Conclusion

It is pretty convenient to reduce the playback speed in VLC media player regardless of the platform or device you are using. While the processes of getting the job might be different, the principle behind it remains the same. When on Windows, the playback speed can be decreased to 0.02x and can be increased to more than 100x. This facility is not available on Mac, iOS, or Android platforms. Also, if you want, you can set the default playback speed for the videos so that every time a clip is played, the pace remains what you specified as default.

02 How to Play Slow Motion Effects on Mac with VLC?

03 How to Control Playback Speed in VLC Media Player on Android and iOS?

04 How to Set up the Default Playback Speed on VLC?

Part 1: How to Play Video in Slow Motion Effects on Windows with VLC?

VLC is one of the best media players to play videos in slow motion . You can follow the instructions that are given below to learn how to play a video in slow motion in VLC on a Windows PC:

Step 1: Start Video Playback

Launch VLC on your Windows computer (a Windows 11 PC is used here for illustrations), click Media from the menu bar at the top, click Open File from the menu, and locate and open a video that you want to watch in slow motion. If VLC is your default media player, simply double-clicking the clip automatically opens the file in the app.

Step 2: Reduce the Playback Speed (In Decrements of 0.10x)

Once the playback begins, press the Spacebar on the keyboard to pause the video. Next, go to the Playback menu from the top, go to Speed, and click Slower (fine) once. This will reduce the speed to 0.90x. Clicking Slower (fine) again will further slow down the video to 0.80x speed. You can repeat this process until you reduce the speed to your desired level. Press Spacebar again to resume the playback in slow motion.

Note: The lowest speed that you can go to using this process is 0.03x.

Step 3: Reduce the Playback Speed (In Decrements in Percentage)

Pause the playback and go to Playback > Speed as explained in the previous step. From the list that comes up, click Slower (the last option). This will reduce the speed to 0.67x. Click Slower again and the speed will further go down to 0.50x. You can repeat this process until you reach your desired playback speed. Press Spacebar to resume the playback in slow motion. With this method, you can reduce the speed to as low as 0.02x.

Note: You can click Normal from the Speed submenu to play the video at normal speed.

Step 4: Using the Shortcut Keys (Optional)

You can press the left square bracket ‘[‘ on your keyboard to reduce the speed in decrements of 0.10x. To get back to the normal speed, press the equals to ‘=’ key. Likewise, pressing the right square bracket ‘]’ increases the speed by 0.10x.

Note: As it is with the Slower (fine) and Slower options, you can use Faster (fine) to add 0.10x increments to the speed, and Faster to increase percentage-wise. Also, if Faster (fine) is clicked repeatedly or its shortcut key is used multiple times, the speed can be increased up to 31.25x. On the other hand, by using the Faster option repeatedly, the speed can be increased to more than 100x.

Part 2: How to Play Slow Motion Effects on Mac with VLC?

The process of slowing down the video playback in VLC on a Mac computer is almost identical to that in Windows. You can learn how to get this done by following the steps that are given below:

Step 1: Open and Pause the Video

Locate and right-click the video that you want to play in slow motion, go to Open With from the context menu, and click VLC from the submenu. Once the clip opens, click the Pause button from the bottom as explained in the previous section.

Step 2: Reduce the Playback Speed

Click Playback from the menu bar at the top, and drag the Playback Speed slider to the left to reduce the speed of the video.

Step 3: Resume the Playback

Click anywhere on the screen to close the Playback menu, and then click the Play button from the bottom to resume the video playback in slow motion.

Part 3: How to Control Playback Speed in VLC Media Player on Android and iOS?

Although the playback speed of a video on both Android and iOS devices can be controlled with a slider, the location where the controller is placed on the two platforms varies, and so does the process of reaching there. Both the methods are explained below for your convenience:

Play Video in Slow Motion on Android with VLC

Step 1: Pause the Playback

Launch VLC on your Android phone (Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ is used here for illustrations), locate and open the video in VLC, tap anywhere on the screen, and tap the Pause button from the bottom to pause the playback.

Step 2: Set a Slower Playback Speed

Tap the More icon from the bottom-right corner, tap Playback speed from the menu that appears, and drag the slider that is present at the bottom to the left to reduce the speed. Alternatively, you can also repeatedly tap the down arrow that is present at the right of the slider to slow down the speed in the decrements of 0.05x.

Step 3: Resume the Playback

Tap anywhere on the screen, and when the Playback speed slider disappears, tap the screen one more time. Now, tap the Play icon from the bottom to resume the video playback.

Play Video in Slow Motion on iPhone with VLC

Step 1: Pause the Playback

Assuming that you have already added the video to the VLC library by connecting it to iTunes, launch the app on your iOS device (iPhone 13 Pro Max is used here for illustrations). Tap the video that you want to play in slow motion, and then tap the Pause icon from the bottom.

Step 2: Reduce the Playback Speed

Tap anywhere on the screen, and tap the Clock icon from the lower-left corner. Next, drag the Playback speed slider to the left to reduce the playback speed.

Step 3: Resume the Playback

Right after decreasing the speed, tap the Play icon from the bottom to resume the playback. If the controllers disappear, you can tap anywhere on the screen again, and then tap the Play icon.

Part 4: How to Set up the Default Playback Speed on VLC?

The processes of setting up default playback speed on different platforms and devices vary. For your convenience, all of them are explained below:

Set up Default Playback Speed in VLC on Windows

1. Go to Tools > Preferences in VLC media player, and then click the All button from the Show settings section at the bottom.
2. Select Input / Codecs from the left pane of the Advanced Preferences box, and then specify your preferred speed in the Playback speed field that is present under the Playback control section on the right window
3. Click Save to save the changes

Set up Default Playback Speed in VLC on Mac

• Launch VLC, and go to VLC media player from the menu bar, and then click Preferences; and then click Show All from the bottom of the Preferences box to display all preferences setting options;

• Click the Input / Codecs from the left pane, and then define your preferred speed in the Playback speed field under the Playback control section in the right window, and then click Save to save the changes.

How to Change VLC Media Player Default Speed on Android

Note: At the time of this writing, the Android version of VLC doesn’t allow you to set a global default playback speed. However, you can set it on a per video basis. This means that every time that video is played, the playback speed will remain what you set for it. You must do this for each video in your VLC library individually.

• Launch VLC, and then tap More from the bottom-right corner; next, tap SETTINGS from the upper-left area;
• Tap Video from the Extra settings section, and then check the Save Playback Speed box

How to Change VLC Media Player Default Speed on iOS and iPhone

• Tap Settings from the Home screen, and then scroll down and tap VLC
• Tap Default playback speed from the GENERIC section, and then tap to select a playback speed from the available list to set it as the default.

Conclusion

It is pretty convenient to reduce the playback speed in VLC media player regardless of the platform or device you are using. While the processes of getting the job might be different, the principle behind it remains the same. When on Windows, the playback speed can be decreased to 0.02x and can be increased to more than 100x. This facility is not available on Mac, iOS, or Android platforms. Also, if you want, you can set the default playback speed for the videos so that every time a clip is played, the pace remains what you specified as default.

02 How to Play Slow Motion Effects on Mac with VLC?

03 How to Control Playback Speed in VLC Media Player on Android and iOS?

04 How to Set up the Default Playback Speed on VLC?

Part 1: How to Play Video in Slow Motion Effects on Windows with VLC?

VLC is one of the best media players to play videos in slow motion . You can follow the instructions that are given below to learn how to play a video in slow motion in VLC on a Windows PC:

Step 1: Start Video Playback

Launch VLC on your Windows computer (a Windows 11 PC is used here for illustrations), click Media from the menu bar at the top, click Open File from the menu, and locate and open a video that you want to watch in slow motion. If VLC is your default media player, simply double-clicking the clip automatically opens the file in the app.

Step 2: Reduce the Playback Speed (In Decrements of 0.10x)

Once the playback begins, press the Spacebar on the keyboard to pause the video. Next, go to the Playback menu from the top, go to Speed, and click Slower (fine) once. This will reduce the speed to 0.90x. Clicking Slower (fine) again will further slow down the video to 0.80x speed. You can repeat this process until you reduce the speed to your desired level. Press Spacebar again to resume the playback in slow motion.

Note: The lowest speed that you can go to using this process is 0.03x.

Step 3: Reduce the Playback Speed (In Decrements in Percentage)

Pause the playback and go to Playback > Speed as explained in the previous step. From the list that comes up, click Slower (the last option). This will reduce the speed to 0.67x. Click Slower again and the speed will further go down to 0.50x. You can repeat this process until you reach your desired playback speed. Press Spacebar to resume the playback in slow motion. With this method, you can reduce the speed to as low as 0.02x.

Note: You can click Normal from the Speed submenu to play the video at normal speed.

Step 4: Using the Shortcut Keys (Optional)

You can press the left square bracket ‘[‘ on your keyboard to reduce the speed in decrements of 0.10x. To get back to the normal speed, press the equals to ‘=’ key. Likewise, pressing the right square bracket ‘]’ increases the speed by 0.10x.

Note: As it is with the Slower (fine) and Slower options, you can use Faster (fine) to add 0.10x increments to the speed, and Faster to increase percentage-wise. Also, if Faster (fine) is clicked repeatedly or its shortcut key is used multiple times, the speed can be increased up to 31.25x. On the other hand, by using the Faster option repeatedly, the speed can be increased to more than 100x.

Part 2: How to Play Slow Motion Effects on Mac with VLC?

The process of slowing down the video playback in VLC on a Mac computer is almost identical to that in Windows. You can learn how to get this done by following the steps that are given below:

Step 1: Open and Pause the Video

Locate and right-click the video that you want to play in slow motion, go to Open With from the context menu, and click VLC from the submenu. Once the clip opens, click the Pause button from the bottom as explained in the previous section.

Step 2: Reduce the Playback Speed

Click Playback from the menu bar at the top, and drag the Playback Speed slider to the left to reduce the speed of the video.

Step 3: Resume the Playback

Click anywhere on the screen to close the Playback menu, and then click the Play button from the bottom to resume the video playback in slow motion.

Part 3: How to Control Playback Speed in VLC Media Player on Android and iOS?

Although the playback speed of a video on both Android and iOS devices can be controlled with a slider, the location where the controller is placed on the two platforms varies, and so does the process of reaching there. Both the methods are explained below for your convenience:

Play Video in Slow Motion on Android with VLC

Step 1: Pause the Playback

Launch VLC on your Android phone (Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ is used here for illustrations), locate and open the video in VLC, tap anywhere on the screen, and tap the Pause button from the bottom to pause the playback.

Step 2: Set a Slower Playback Speed

Tap the More icon from the bottom-right corner, tap Playback speed from the menu that appears, and drag the slider that is present at the bottom to the left to reduce the speed. Alternatively, you can also repeatedly tap the down arrow that is present at the right of the slider to slow down the speed in the decrements of 0.05x.

Step 3: Resume the Playback

Tap anywhere on the screen, and when the Playback speed slider disappears, tap the screen one more time. Now, tap the Play icon from the bottom to resume the video playback.

Play Video in Slow Motion on iPhone with VLC

Step 1: Pause the Playback

Assuming that you have already added the video to the VLC library by connecting it to iTunes, launch the app on your iOS device (iPhone 13 Pro Max is used here for illustrations). Tap the video that you want to play in slow motion, and then tap the Pause icon from the bottom.

Step 2: Reduce the Playback Speed

Tap anywhere on the screen, and tap the Clock icon from the lower-left corner. Next, drag the Playback speed slider to the left to reduce the playback speed.

Step 3: Resume the Playback

Right after decreasing the speed, tap the Play icon from the bottom to resume the playback. If the controllers disappear, you can tap anywhere on the screen again, and then tap the Play icon.

Part 4: How to Set up the Default Playback Speed on VLC?

The processes of setting up default playback speed on different platforms and devices vary. For your convenience, all of them are explained below:

Set up Default Playback Speed in VLC on Windows

1. Go to Tools > Preferences in VLC media player, and then click the All button from the Show settings section at the bottom.
2. Select Input / Codecs from the left pane of the Advanced Preferences box, and then specify your preferred speed in the Playback speed field that is present under the Playback control section on the right window
3. Click Save to save the changes

Set up Default Playback Speed in VLC on Mac

• Launch VLC, and go to VLC media player from the menu bar, and then click Preferences; and then click Show All from the bottom of the Preferences box to display all preferences setting options;

• Click the Input / Codecs from the left pane, and then define your preferred speed in the Playback speed field under the Playback control section in the right window, and then click Save to save the changes.

How to Change VLC Media Player Default Speed on Android

Note: At the time of this writing, the Android version of VLC doesn’t allow you to set a global default playback speed. However, you can set it on a per video basis. This means that every time that video is played, the playback speed will remain what you set for it. You must do this for each video in your VLC library individually.

• Launch VLC, and then tap More from the bottom-right corner; next, tap SETTINGS from the upper-left area;
• Tap Video from the Extra settings section, and then check the Save Playback Speed box

How to Change VLC Media Player Default Speed on iOS and iPhone

• Tap Settings from the Home screen, and then scroll down and tap VLC
• Tap Default playback speed from the GENERIC section, and then tap to select a playback speed from the available list to set it as the default.

Conclusion

It is pretty convenient to reduce the playback speed in VLC media player regardless of the platform or device you are using. While the processes of getting the job might be different, the principle behind it remains the same. When on Windows, the playback speed can be decreased to 0.02x and can be increased to more than 100x. This facility is not available on Mac, iOS, or Android platforms. Also, if you want, you can set the default playback speed for the videos so that every time a clip is played, the pace remains what you specified as default.

Education Animation Is Useful for Parents, Teachers and Students. Check It for You

8 Best Educational Animation Software for School

Shanoon Cox

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

The use of educational animation software in schools is one of the most exciting progressions that have taken place in education technology.

With free to use animation software , helps the students in being creative and allows them to design their own movies, comic strips, and more that is endlessly creative.

Some animation for educational purposes also makes a class lively, lets the students absorb knowledge faster, encourages a child to explore a subject with full enthusiasm.

So in this article, I will walk you through the 8 best educational animation software. I hope it is helpful.

• Part 1: Why You Need to Use Educational Animation
• Part 2: 8 Best Animation for Educational Purposes
• Part 3: FAQ about Education Animation Software

You might also like: 10 Classical Animated Cartoon Types With Examples

Part 1: Why You Need to Use Educational Animation

1. Improve Students’ Presentation Skill

With the use of educational animation, the students are cheered to deliver engaging and interesting presentations. The animation is one of the best ways to encourage the students to put bigger and better efforts into their project works or presentations, slideshow creations, or visual concept explanations. Animation, being visually appealing helps to connect with audiences and helps the students learn a great skill for the future.

2. An Animation Is a Versatile Tool

The term multi-sensory method is often heard in various professional development sessions and meets. It is another strength of educational animation. The use of animation for educational purposes helps the students to witness and hear their favorite characters in difficult situations. They narrate the same story to their teachers and friends. Definitely, writing or reading or doing maths is important but the use of a multi-sensory educational animation tool helps to increase the critical thinking ability of a student and is extremely effective.

3. Teach Students How to Cooperate

Sharing an animated creation with friends across the globe helps the students in learning how to cooperate. There are various websites that allow you to create an animated movie or explanatory lessons and share it with a group of friends, not necessarily someone from your known circle. Anyone using the same tool can view your movie irrespective of language barriers. It gives the student a platform not only to connect and cooperate but also to the exposure.

Part 2: 8 Best Animation for Educational Purposes

1. iKITMovie

Do you love animation and wish to create one? The iKITMovie software is a great educational animation tool for adults as well as children. It helps in creating wonderful animated movies easily and quickly. Whether home or school, iKITMovie animation for educational purposes is used by students all across the globe. The features are-

• Overlay – explosions
• Updated new tutorials and tips and tricks
• 2,200+ Sound F/X
• Compatible with the school network
• Direct animation video upload on YouTube
• Addition of face to your characters
• Smoke or fire addition to your animated clip
• Voiceover, music, or sound addition to the animated scene

2. CLIP STUDIO

ClipStudio is the global leader in comic and manga creation software. It provides great and effective art tools for all comic artists or manga lovers. This educational animation software is perfect for both artists looking forward to paper and pen graphics as well as for artists looking for creating cartoons digitally. The features of ClipStudio includes-

• Supports frame by frame animation
• Amazing control over display and timing adjustments for creating animation
• Offer table light function
• Check several cels at one go with onion skinning technique
• Pencil, pen and advanced brushes tool to create original sketches
• Supports 3D figures and objects

3. Moovly

Moovly is one of the best educational animation tools for creating videos easily by the teachers and the students. Whether delivering presentations or classroom assignments, school marketing, or video journalism, Moovly helps in creating the best animation for educational purposes. The features of this software are-

• Access unlimitedly to over 500,000 illustrations, videos, music, sound, and photos
• Publish unlimitedly to Moovly Gallery
• Personal library storage up to 1GB
• Unlimited access to the Moovly Studio editor
• Free automatic education plan to the users from educational email domains known by Moovly

4. Harmony

This tool is used by users across the globe and lets you create any style of animation quickly. Harmony offers all tools that you require for paperless cut-out and the fusion animation creations. The features of Harmony includes-

• Occlusion and 3D camera moves
• Any style of animation, effects application, and 3D composition
• Blend the 3D imported models with 2D for hybrid productions
• Create art with vector tools
• Use Z-depth for creating multiplane scenes

5. Synfig Studio

A free 2D animation software, Synfig Studio is powerfully designed for creating film-quality animation using a vector and bitmap artwork. You don’t need to create a frame by frame animation with Synfig Studio. With less manpower and resources, create animation for educational purposes easily with the Synfig Studio software. The features are-

• Multiple layer support
• Create cutout animation using bitmap images
• Create smooth motion with automatic animation keyframes
• Greater range of dynamic imaging
• Pressure sensitivity based drawing tools

6. Blender

Blender is a 3D animation tool that can be used to create educational animation presentations or clips quite easily. The features of Blender are-

• Built-in path tracer engine renders stunning animations
• Real-time viewport preview
• High definition range lighting support
• A comprehensive range of modeling tools
• 3D painting with textured brushes and masking

7. GoAnimate

It is a great app that makes classroom studies more interesting where students can learn with the help of fascinating animated instructions. With GoAnimate, you can try your hand at creating animated videos at back-to-school nights, open houses, staff meetings, assemblies, and other various events. The features are-

• Make reports, presentations, and stories with animated videos
• Text-to-speech technology
• Special students engagement with animated videos
• Characters, props, backgrounds, etc. are apt for a K-12 audience
• Great tools at the click of the mouse

8. Animaker

Save your studio expense with Animaker educational animation tool. Now, you can create studio-like animation for educational purposes easily with Animaker. Make your own animated videos at home or in school. The features of Animaker are-

• 6 Popular Video Styles
• 720 different types of animated videos
• Create tutorial or funny videos and share

Part 2: FAQ about Education Animation Software

1. How do you make an educational animation video?

If you have set out to make an animation as a teaching aid, then you need the correct type of educational animation software to get you started. Up there with the greats are Renderforest, who let you make tutorials in child-friendly, fun fashion, and Filmora which features all sorts of other plugins to allow you to tailor the suite that you need.

Using Filmora you can replace After Effects, work with a Mac to edit footage, or create animations. There are limitless possibilities with this program – but it does let you create educational animation software pieces that will satisfy even the perfectionists out there.

2. Why is the animation used in education?

The Institute of Progressive Education estimates several reasons why animation helps children learn better. At an early age, the bright color and bold shapes of cartoons help us develop recognition, understand words, and even tell time.

As we grow up, animation triggers the centers of the brain that work best for visual learning. When we insert a moral into a cartoon, it is also more often remembered because of the visuals. It is like the difference between seeing a film and reading a summary of the film.

Educational Animation Software is the tool we use to help create educational animations. It is playing more and more of a role in the teaching world, the deeper we go into the digital age.

3. What are the benefits of using animation in teaching and learning of science subjects?

Animation allows students to develop their understanding by applying rational thinking to their imagination.

Educational Animation software has an especially important place in the teaching of science because it will enable children to understand what is going on at a microscopic level.

It does this by recreating things that cannot be seen by the naked eye. There was a study into this in the Journal of Life Science Education, which focused on cell biology education.

By showing cell mitosis in a cartoon, the teachers can communicate actions that they would never get to see.

4. What makes a good educational video?

Instructive recordings have become a significant piece of advanced education, giving a significant substance conveyance device in many flipped, mixed, and online classes.

Successful utilization of video as an instructive device is improved when educators think about three components: how to deal with a psychological heap of the video, how to boost understudy commitment with the video, and how to advance dynamic gaining from the video.

This exposition audits writing applicable to every one of these standards and proposes viable ways educators can utilize these standards when using video as an instructive device.

All three components together answer the question of how to make animated educational videos.

5. Which animation software is best for beginners?

Irrespective of whether these are just your initial steps in the field of animation, it is important to experiment.

So, knowing about alternative software or better ones from what you are using now is much required. You can also look for software that may bring in more versatility to your work. There are always different ways of improving what you are already doing.

Some of the best animation software includes Adobe character animator, Cartoon Animator 4, Stop Motion Studio, DigiCel FlipBook, Moho Pro, and Moho Debut, Toon Boom Harmony, Blender, Pencil2D, Synfig Studio, Animaker, Vyond, Moovly, Wideo, and more.

Conclusion

There are a plethora of educational animation apps and sites that help the students to make their video presentations interesting and exciting. They do not just enjoy creating animation for educational purposes but also use it as a tool to enhance their creative ability and share their creations on the global platform.

Shanoon Cox

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

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

The use of educational animation software in schools is one of the most exciting progressions that have taken place in education technology.

With free to use animation software , helps the students in being creative and allows them to design their own movies, comic strips, and more that is endlessly creative.

Some animation for educational purposes also makes a class lively, lets the students absorb knowledge faster, encourages a child to explore a subject with full enthusiasm.

So in this article, I will walk you through the 8 best educational animation software. I hope it is helpful.

• Part 1: Why You Need to Use Educational Animation
• Part 2: 8 Best Animation for Educational Purposes
• Part 3: FAQ about Education Animation Software

You might also like: 10 Classical Animated Cartoon Types With Examples

Part 1: Why You Need to Use Educational Animation

1. Improve Students’ Presentation Skill

With the use of educational animation, the students are cheered to deliver engaging and interesting presentations. The animation is one of the best ways to encourage the students to put bigger and better efforts into their project works or presentations, slideshow creations, or visual concept explanations. Animation, being visually appealing helps to connect with audiences and helps the students learn a great skill for the future.

2. An Animation Is a Versatile Tool

The term multi-sensory method is often heard in various professional development sessions and meets. It is another strength of educational animation. The use of animation for educational purposes helps the students to witness and hear their favorite characters in difficult situations. They narrate the same story to their teachers and friends. Definitely, writing or reading or doing maths is important but the use of a multi-sensory educational animation tool helps to increase the critical thinking ability of a student and is extremely effective.

3. Teach Students How to Cooperate

Sharing an animated creation with friends across the globe helps the students in learning how to cooperate. There are various websites that allow you to create an animated movie or explanatory lessons and share it with a group of friends, not necessarily someone from your known circle. Anyone using the same tool can view your movie irrespective of language barriers. It gives the student a platform not only to connect and cooperate but also to the exposure.

Part 2: 8 Best Animation for Educational Purposes

1. iKITMovie

Do you love animation and wish to create one? The iKITMovie software is a great educational animation tool for adults as well as children. It helps in creating wonderful animated movies easily and quickly. Whether home or school, iKITMovie animation for educational purposes is used by students all across the globe. The features are-

• Overlay – explosions
• Updated new tutorials and tips and tricks
• 2,200+ Sound F/X
• Compatible with the school network
• Direct animation video upload on YouTube
• Addition of face to your characters
• Smoke or fire addition to your animated clip
• Voiceover, music, or sound addition to the animated scene

2. CLIP STUDIO

ClipStudio is the global leader in comic and manga creation software. It provides great and effective art tools for all comic artists or manga lovers. This educational animation software is perfect for both artists looking forward to paper and pen graphics as well as for artists looking for creating cartoons digitally. The features of ClipStudio includes-

• Supports frame by frame animation
• Amazing control over display and timing adjustments for creating animation
• Offer table light function
• Check several cels at one go with onion skinning technique
• Pencil, pen and advanced brushes tool to create original sketches
• Supports 3D figures and objects

3. Moovly

Moovly is one of the best educational animation tools for creating videos easily by the teachers and the students. Whether delivering presentations or classroom assignments, school marketing, or video journalism, Moovly helps in creating the best animation for educational purposes. The features of this software are-

• Access unlimitedly to over 500,000 illustrations, videos, music, sound, and photos
• Publish unlimitedly to Moovly Gallery
• Personal library storage up to 1GB
• Unlimited access to the Moovly Studio editor
• Free automatic education plan to the users from educational email domains known by Moovly

4. Harmony

This tool is used by users across the globe and lets you create any style of animation quickly. Harmony offers all tools that you require for paperless cut-out and the fusion animation creations. The features of Harmony includes-

• Occlusion and 3D camera moves
• Any style of animation, effects application, and 3D composition
• Blend the 3D imported models with 2D for hybrid productions
• Create art with vector tools
• Use Z-depth for creating multiplane scenes

5. Synfig Studio

A free 2D animation software, Synfig Studio is powerfully designed for creating film-quality animation using a vector and bitmap artwork. You don’t need to create a frame by frame animation with Synfig Studio. With less manpower and resources, create animation for educational purposes easily with the Synfig Studio software. The features are-

• Multiple layer support
• Create cutout animation using bitmap images
• Create smooth motion with automatic animation keyframes
• Greater range of dynamic imaging
• Pressure sensitivity based drawing tools

6. Blender

Blender is a 3D animation tool that can be used to create educational animation presentations or clips quite easily. The features of Blender are-

• Built-in path tracer engine renders stunning animations
• Real-time viewport preview
• High definition range lighting support
• A comprehensive range of modeling tools
• 3D painting with textured brushes and masking

7. GoAnimate

It is a great app that makes classroom studies more interesting where students can learn with the help of fascinating animated instructions. With GoAnimate, you can try your hand at creating animated videos at back-to-school nights, open houses, staff meetings, assemblies, and other various events. The features are-

• Make reports, presentations, and stories with animated videos
• Text-to-speech technology
• Special students engagement with animated videos
• Characters, props, backgrounds, etc. are apt for a K-12 audience
• Great tools at the click of the mouse

8. Animaker

Save your studio expense with Animaker educational animation tool. Now, you can create studio-like animation for educational purposes easily with Animaker. Make your own animated videos at home or in school. The features of Animaker are-

• 6 Popular Video Styles
• 720 different types of animated videos
• Create tutorial or funny videos and share

Part 2: FAQ about Education Animation Software

1. How do you make an educational animation video?

If you have set out to make an animation as a teaching aid, then you need the correct type of educational animation software to get you started. Up there with the greats are Renderforest, who let you make tutorials in child-friendly, fun fashion, and Filmora which features all sorts of other plugins to allow you to tailor the suite that you need.

Using Filmora you can replace After Effects, work with a Mac to edit footage, or create animations. There are limitless possibilities with this program – but it does let you create educational animation software pieces that will satisfy even the perfectionists out there.

2. Why is the animation used in education?

The Institute of Progressive Education estimates several reasons why animation helps children learn better. At an early age, the bright color and bold shapes of cartoons help us develop recognition, understand words, and even tell time.

As we grow up, animation triggers the centers of the brain that work best for visual learning. When we insert a moral into a cartoon, it is also more often remembered because of the visuals. It is like the difference between seeing a film and reading a summary of the film.

Educational Animation Software is the tool we use to help create educational animations. It is playing more and more of a role in the teaching world, the deeper we go into the digital age.

3. What are the benefits of using animation in teaching and learning of science subjects?

Animation allows students to develop their understanding by applying rational thinking to their imagination.

Educational Animation software has an especially important place in the teaching of science because it will enable children to understand what is going on at a microscopic level.

It does this by recreating things that cannot be seen by the naked eye. There was a study into this in the Journal of Life Science Education, which focused on cell biology education.

By showing cell mitosis in a cartoon, the teachers can communicate actions that they would never get to see.

4. What makes a good educational video?

Instructive recordings have become a significant piece of advanced education, giving a significant substance conveyance device in many flipped, mixed, and online classes.

Successful utilization of video as an instructive device is improved when educators think about three components: how to deal with a psychological heap of the video, how to boost understudy commitment with the video, and how to advance dynamic gaining from the video.

This exposition audits writing applicable to every one of these standards and proposes viable ways educators can utilize these standards when using video as an instructive device.

All three components together answer the question of how to make animated educational videos.

5. Which animation software is best for beginners?

Irrespective of whether these are just your initial steps in the field of animation, it is important to experiment.

So, knowing about alternative software or better ones from what you are using now is much required. You can also look for software that may bring in more versatility to your work. There are always different ways of improving what you are already doing.

Some of the best animation software includes Adobe character animator, Cartoon Animator 4, Stop Motion Studio, DigiCel FlipBook, Moho Pro, and Moho Debut, Toon Boom Harmony, Blender, Pencil2D, Synfig Studio, Animaker, Vyond, Moovly, Wideo, and more.

Conclusion

There are a plethora of educational animation apps and sites that help the students to make their video presentations interesting and exciting. They do not just enjoy creating animation for educational purposes but also use it as a tool to enhance their creative ability and share their creations on the global platform.

Shanoon Cox

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

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

The use of educational animation software in schools is one of the most exciting progressions that have taken place in education technology.

With free to use animation software , helps the students in being creative and allows them to design their own movies, comic strips, and more that is endlessly creative.

Some animation for educational purposes also makes a class lively, lets the students absorb knowledge faster, encourages a child to explore a subject with full enthusiasm.

So in this article, I will walk you through the 8 best educational animation software. I hope it is helpful.

• Part 1: Why You Need to Use Educational Animation
• Part 2: 8 Best Animation for Educational Purposes
• Part 3: FAQ about Education Animation Software

You might also like: 10 Classical Animated Cartoon Types With Examples

Part 1: Why You Need to Use Educational Animation

1. Improve Students’ Presentation Skill

With the use of educational animation, the students are cheered to deliver engaging and interesting presentations. The animation is one of the best ways to encourage the students to put bigger and better efforts into their project works or presentations, slideshow creations, or visual concept explanations. Animation, being visually appealing helps to connect with audiences and helps the students learn a great skill for the future.

2. An Animation Is a Versatile Tool

The term multi-sensory method is often heard in various professional development sessions and meets. It is another strength of educational animation. The use of animation for educational purposes helps the students to witness and hear their favorite characters in difficult situations. They narrate the same story to their teachers and friends. Definitely, writing or reading or doing maths is important but the use of a multi-sensory educational animation tool helps to increase the critical thinking ability of a student and is extremely effective.

3. Teach Students How to Cooperate

Sharing an animated creation with friends across the globe helps the students in learning how to cooperate. There are various websites that allow you to create an animated movie or explanatory lessons and share it with a group of friends, not necessarily someone from your known circle. Anyone using the same tool can view your movie irrespective of language barriers. It gives the student a platform not only to connect and cooperate but also to the exposure.

Part 2: 8 Best Animation for Educational Purposes

1. iKITMovie

Do you love animation and wish to create one? The iKITMovie software is a great educational animation tool for adults as well as children. It helps in creating wonderful animated movies easily and quickly. Whether home or school, iKITMovie animation for educational purposes is used by students all across the globe. The features are-

• Overlay – explosions
• Updated new tutorials and tips and tricks
• 2,200+ Sound F/X
• Compatible with the school network
• Direct animation video upload on YouTube
• Addition of face to your characters
• Smoke or fire addition to your animated clip
• Voiceover, music, or sound addition to the animated scene

2. CLIP STUDIO

ClipStudio is the global leader in comic and manga creation software. It provides great and effective art tools for all comic artists or manga lovers. This educational animation software is perfect for both artists looking forward to paper and pen graphics as well as for artists looking for creating cartoons digitally. The features of ClipStudio includes-

• Supports frame by frame animation
• Amazing control over display and timing adjustments for creating animation
• Offer table light function
• Check several cels at one go with onion skinning technique
• Pencil, pen and advanced brushes tool to create original sketches
• Supports 3D figures and objects

3. Moovly

Moovly is one of the best educational animation tools for creating videos easily by the teachers and the students. Whether delivering presentations or classroom assignments, school marketing, or video journalism, Moovly helps in creating the best animation for educational purposes. The features of this software are-

• Access unlimitedly to over 500,000 illustrations, videos, music, sound, and photos
• Publish unlimitedly to Moovly Gallery
• Personal library storage up to 1GB
• Unlimited access to the Moovly Studio editor
• Free automatic education plan to the users from educational email domains known by Moovly

4. Harmony

This tool is used by users across the globe and lets you create any style of animation quickly. Harmony offers all tools that you require for paperless cut-out and the fusion animation creations. The features of Harmony includes-

• Occlusion and 3D camera moves
• Any style of animation, effects application, and 3D composition
• Blend the 3D imported models with 2D for hybrid productions
• Create art with vector tools
• Use Z-depth for creating multiplane scenes

5. Synfig Studio

A free 2D animation software, Synfig Studio is powerfully designed for creating film-quality animation using a vector and bitmap artwork. You don’t need to create a frame by frame animation with Synfig Studio. With less manpower and resources, create animation for educational purposes easily with the Synfig Studio software. The features are-

• Multiple layer support
• Create cutout animation using bitmap images
• Create smooth motion with automatic animation keyframes
• Greater range of dynamic imaging
• Pressure sensitivity based drawing tools

6. Blender

Blender is a 3D animation tool that can be used to create educational animation presentations or clips quite easily. The features of Blender are-

• Built-in path tracer engine renders stunning animations
• Real-time viewport preview
• High definition range lighting support
• A comprehensive range of modeling tools
• 3D painting with textured brushes and masking

7. GoAnimate

It is a great app that makes classroom studies more interesting where students can learn with the help of fascinating animated instructions. With GoAnimate, you can try your hand at creating animated videos at back-to-school nights, open houses, staff meetings, assemblies, and other various events. The features are-

• Make reports, presentations, and stories with animated videos
• Text-to-speech technology
• Special students engagement with animated videos
• Characters, props, backgrounds, etc. are apt for a K-12 audience
• Great tools at the click of the mouse

8. Animaker

Save your studio expense with Animaker educational animation tool. Now, you can create studio-like animation for educational purposes easily with Animaker. Make your own animated videos at home or in school. The features of Animaker are-

• 6 Popular Video Styles
• 720 different types of animated videos
• Create tutorial or funny videos and share

Part 2: FAQ about Education Animation Software

1. How do you make an educational animation video?

If you have set out to make an animation as a teaching aid, then you need the correct type of educational animation software to get you started. Up there with the greats are Renderforest, who let you make tutorials in child-friendly, fun fashion, and Filmora which features all sorts of other plugins to allow you to tailor the suite that you need.

Using Filmora you can replace After Effects, work with a Mac to edit footage, or create animations. There are limitless possibilities with this program – but it does let you create educational animation software pieces that will satisfy even the perfectionists out there.

2. Why is the animation used in education?

The Institute of Progressive Education estimates several reasons why animation helps children learn better. At an early age, the bright color and bold shapes of cartoons help us develop recognition, understand words, and even tell time.

As we grow up, animation triggers the centers of the brain that work best for visual learning. When we insert a moral into a cartoon, it is also more often remembered because of the visuals. It is like the difference between seeing a film and reading a summary of the film.

Educational Animation Software is the tool we use to help create educational animations. It is playing more and more of a role in the teaching world, the deeper we go into the digital age.

3. What are the benefits of using animation in teaching and learning of science subjects?

Animation allows students to develop their understanding by applying rational thinking to their imagination.

Educational Animation software has an especially important place in the teaching of science because it will enable children to understand what is going on at a microscopic level.

It does this by recreating things that cannot be seen by the naked eye. There was a study into this in the Journal of Life Science Education, which focused on cell biology education.

By showing cell mitosis in a cartoon, the teachers can communicate actions that they would never get to see.

4. What makes a good educational video?

Instructive recordings have become a significant piece of advanced education, giving a significant substance conveyance device in many flipped, mixed, and online classes.

Successful utilization of video as an instructive device is improved when educators think about three components: how to deal with a psychological heap of the video, how to boost understudy commitment with the video, and how to advance dynamic gaining from the video.

This exposition audits writing applicable to every one of these standards and proposes viable ways educators can utilize these standards when using video as an instructive device.

All three components together answer the question of how to make animated educational videos.

5. Which animation software is best for beginners?

Irrespective of whether these are just your initial steps in the field of animation, it is important to experiment.

So, knowing about alternative software or better ones from what you are using now is much required. You can also look for software that may bring in more versatility to your work. There are always different ways of improving what you are already doing.

Some of the best animation software includes Adobe character animator, Cartoon Animator 4, Stop Motion Studio, DigiCel FlipBook, Moho Pro, and Moho Debut, Toon Boom Harmony, Blender, Pencil2D, Synfig Studio, Animaker, Vyond, Moovly, Wideo, and more.

Conclusion

There are a plethora of educational animation apps and sites that help the students to make their video presentations interesting and exciting. They do not just enjoy creating animation for educational purposes but also use it as a tool to enhance their creative ability and share their creations on the global platform.

Shanoon Cox

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

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

The use of educational animation software in schools is one of the most exciting progressions that have taken place in education technology.

With free to use animation software , helps the students in being creative and allows them to design their own movies, comic strips, and more that is endlessly creative.

Some animation for educational purposes also makes a class lively, lets the students absorb knowledge faster, encourages a child to explore a subject with full enthusiasm.

So in this article, I will walk you through the 8 best educational animation software. I hope it is helpful.

• Part 1: Why You Need to Use Educational Animation
• Part 2: 8 Best Animation for Educational Purposes
• Part 3: FAQ about Education Animation Software

You might also like: 10 Classical Animated Cartoon Types With Examples

Part 1: Why You Need to Use Educational Animation

1. Improve Students’ Presentation Skill

With the use of educational animation, the students are cheered to deliver engaging and interesting presentations. The animation is one of the best ways to encourage the students to put bigger and better efforts into their project works or presentations, slideshow creations, or visual concept explanations. Animation, being visually appealing helps to connect with audiences and helps the students learn a great skill for the future.

2. An Animation Is a Versatile Tool

The term multi-sensory method is often heard in various professional development sessions and meets. It is another strength of educational animation. The use of animation for educational purposes helps the students to witness and hear their favorite characters in difficult situations. They narrate the same story to their teachers and friends. Definitely, writing or reading or doing maths is important but the use of a multi-sensory educational animation tool helps to increase the critical thinking ability of a student and is extremely effective.

3. Teach Students How to Cooperate

Sharing an animated creation with friends across the globe helps the students in learning how to cooperate. There are various websites that allow you to create an animated movie or explanatory lessons and share it with a group of friends, not necessarily someone from your known circle. Anyone using the same tool can view your movie irrespective of language barriers. It gives the student a platform not only to connect and cooperate but also to the exposure.

Part 2: 8 Best Animation for Educational Purposes

1. iKITMovie

Do you love animation and wish to create one? The iKITMovie software is a great educational animation tool for adults as well as children. It helps in creating wonderful animated movies easily and quickly. Whether home or school, iKITMovie animation for educational purposes is used by students all across the globe. The features are-

• Overlay – explosions
• Updated new tutorials and tips and tricks
• 2,200+ Sound F/X
• Compatible with the school network
• Direct animation video upload on YouTube
• Addition of face to your characters
• Smoke or fire addition to your animated clip
• Voiceover, music, or sound addition to the animated scene

2. CLIP STUDIO

ClipStudio is the global leader in comic and manga creation software. It provides great and effective art tools for all comic artists or manga lovers. This educational animation software is perfect for both artists looking forward to paper and pen graphics as well as for artists looking for creating cartoons digitally. The features of ClipStudio includes-

• Supports frame by frame animation
• Amazing control over display and timing adjustments for creating animation
• Offer table light function
• Check several cels at one go with onion skinning technique
• Pencil, pen and advanced brushes tool to create original sketches
• Supports 3D figures and objects

3. Moovly

Moovly is one of the best educational animation tools for creating videos easily by the teachers and the students. Whether delivering presentations or classroom assignments, school marketing, or video journalism, Moovly helps in creating the best animation for educational purposes. The features of this software are-

• Access unlimitedly to over 500,000 illustrations, videos, music, sound, and photos
• Publish unlimitedly to Moovly Gallery
• Personal library storage up to 1GB
• Unlimited access to the Moovly Studio editor
• Free automatic education plan to the users from educational email domains known by Moovly

4. Harmony

This tool is used by users across the globe and lets you create any style of animation quickly. Harmony offers all tools that you require for paperless cut-out and the fusion animation creations. The features of Harmony includes-

• Occlusion and 3D camera moves
• Any style of animation, effects application, and 3D composition
• Blend the 3D imported models with 2D for hybrid productions
• Create art with vector tools
• Use Z-depth for creating multiplane scenes

5. Synfig Studio

A free 2D animation software, Synfig Studio is powerfully designed for creating film-quality animation using a vector and bitmap artwork. You don’t need to create a frame by frame animation with Synfig Studio. With less manpower and resources, create animation for educational purposes easily with the Synfig Studio software. The features are-

• Multiple layer support
• Create cutout animation using bitmap images
• Create smooth motion with automatic animation keyframes
• Greater range of dynamic imaging
• Pressure sensitivity based drawing tools

6. Blender

Blender is a 3D animation tool that can be used to create educational animation presentations or clips quite easily. The features of Blender are-

• Built-in path tracer engine renders stunning animations
• Real-time viewport preview
• High definition range lighting support
• A comprehensive range of modeling tools
• 3D painting with textured brushes and masking

7. GoAnimate

It is a great app that makes classroom studies more interesting where students can learn with the help of fascinating animated instructions. With GoAnimate, you can try your hand at creating animated videos at back-to-school nights, open houses, staff meetings, assemblies, and other various events. The features are-

• Make reports, presentations, and stories with animated videos
• Text-to-speech technology
• Special students engagement with animated videos
• Characters, props, backgrounds, etc. are apt for a K-12 audience
• Great tools at the click of the mouse

8. Animaker

Save your studio expense with Animaker educational animation tool. Now, you can create studio-like animation for educational purposes easily with Animaker. Make your own animated videos at home or in school. The features of Animaker are-

• 6 Popular Video Styles
• 720 different types of animated videos
• Create tutorial or funny videos and share

Part 2: FAQ about Education Animation Software

1. How do you make an educational animation video?

If you have set out to make an animation as a teaching aid, then you need the correct type of educational animation software to get you started. Up there with the greats are Renderforest, who let you make tutorials in child-friendly, fun fashion, and Filmora which features all sorts of other plugins to allow you to tailor the suite that you need.

Using Filmora you can replace After Effects, work with a Mac to edit footage, or create animations. There are limitless possibilities with this program – but it does let you create educational animation software pieces that will satisfy even the perfectionists out there.

2. Why is the animation used in education?

The Institute of Progressive Education estimates several reasons why animation helps children learn better. At an early age, the bright color and bold shapes of cartoons help us develop recognition, understand words, and even tell time.

As we grow up, animation triggers the centers of the brain that work best for visual learning. When we insert a moral into a cartoon, it is also more often remembered because of the visuals. It is like the difference between seeing a film and reading a summary of the film.

Educational Animation Software is the tool we use to help create educational animations. It is playing more and more of a role in the teaching world, the deeper we go into the digital age.

3. What are the benefits of using animation in teaching and learning of science subjects?

Animation allows students to develop their understanding by applying rational thinking to their imagination.

Educational Animation software has an especially important place in the teaching of science because it will enable children to understand what is going on at a microscopic level.

It does this by recreating things that cannot be seen by the naked eye. There was a study into this in the Journal of Life Science Education, which focused on cell biology education.

By showing cell mitosis in a cartoon, the teachers can communicate actions that they would never get to see.

4. What makes a good educational video?

Instructive recordings have become a significant piece of advanced education, giving a significant substance conveyance device in many flipped, mixed, and online classes.

Successful utilization of video as an instructive device is improved when educators think about three components: how to deal with a psychological heap of the video, how to boost understudy commitment with the video, and how to advance dynamic gaining from the video.

This exposition audits writing applicable to every one of these standards and proposes viable ways educators can utilize these standards when using video as an instructive device.

All three components together answer the question of how to make animated educational videos.

5. Which animation software is best for beginners?

Irrespective of whether these are just your initial steps in the field of animation, it is important to experiment.

So, knowing about alternative software or better ones from what you are using now is much required. You can also look for software that may bring in more versatility to your work. There are always different ways of improving what you are already doing.

Some of the best animation software includes Adobe character animator, Cartoon Animator 4, Stop Motion Studio, DigiCel FlipBook, Moho Pro, and Moho Debut, Toon Boom Harmony, Blender, Pencil2D, Synfig Studio, Animaker, Vyond, Moovly, Wideo, and more.

Conclusion

There are a plethora of educational animation apps and sites that help the students to make their video presentations interesting and exciting. They do not just enjoy creating animation for educational purposes but also use it as a tool to enhance their creative ability and share their creations on the global platform.

Shanoon Cox

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

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Solved: Final Cut Pro X Keeps Crashing

Solved: Final Cut Pro X Keeps Crashing

Benjamin Arango

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

Apple launched an advanced video editing tool, Final Cut Pro, back in 1999 and it didn’t take very long to get popular and gain recognition among the photographers and videographers. Later in 2003, Final cut pro beats Final Cut Express, click to learn why . One of the best features that help it stand out from the rest of the video editors is that it is supported by all Mac systems and has permitted Apple to make it fully enhanced in terms of efficiency and speed, enabling it to edit even 4K UND footage without any rendering issues.

Along with such exciting advantages, the video editing tool comes with several disadvantages too. It is complex to understand especially for beginners and most importantly it keeps crashing, corrupting the file even if it is saved properly on your Mac system, which can lead to your entire work being lost. Several Final Cut Pro X users complain that their work gets corrupted as the video editing tool keeps crashing after intervals.

If you can relate to this scenario, you will find this blog post helpful as we have listed some methods that can possibly fix the crashing problem and save your hours of video editing efforts. Keep reading to know the steps that can prevent your video editor from crashing.

Why Does Final Cut Pro X Keep Crashing?

According to Final Cut Pro X users, the video editor is a reliable and solid program, but it can be really frustrating for them when it keeps crashing. If your Final Cut Pro X video editor and program tool also keep acting up, it can probably be because of the corrupted preferences file.

A corrupted preferences file occurs when you do not reset your preferences and settings in the first place. Not resetting the preferences can corrupt the file and end up crashing the video editing tool, damaging the whole video. All those who want to troubleshoot and require methods to fix the crashing issue should take a few steps to resolve the problem which leads us to our second section.

What to Do if Final Cut Pro X Keeps Crashing on Your Mac System?

One of the major issues in Final Cut Pro X is the crashing problem on the Mac system. If you encounter this problem and learn to isolate, troubleshoot, and fix this issue following the below methods, you will likely resolve the crashing problem on your own. However, you should always ensure keeping a back-up of your Final Cut Pro X media, libraries, and applications as a whole in order to keep the data before following the below steps.

Method 1: Resetting Final Cut Pro X Preferences and Settings

As mentioned above, resetting the preferences and settings can help in resolving the crashing issue. Resetting preferences will not affect your projects, libraries, or media. With resetting, we mean that you should change the custom preference settings to the default settings. Before you take the plunge to reset your preferences, you should choose Final Cut Pro over Preferences and note all the specific settings that you have to make.

Follow the below steps to reset the preferences in Final Cut Pro X:

Step 1: Quit working on Final Cut Pro.

Step 2: Hold down the option and command keys, then open the Final Cut Pro.

Step 3: Click on the delete preferences option.

Step 4: In the last step, recreate the issue that you were having during video editing. If the problem is resolved, you should open Final Cut Pro preferences and apply the custom settings again.

Step 5: And, it’s done!

This method will reset all your preferences to default settings and this way it will empty the list of the recent libraries and media. Though the entire libraries are not erased, you will be able to find them in the specified location when you first created them. But they will only be there if you have created a back-up of your data. That is why we mentioned in the beginning to create a back-up of your Final Cut Pro data in the first place.

With the help of fixing the Final Cut Pro X preferences, you will be able to fix a lot of your problems especially the crashing one. The preferences are deeply embedded into the program operation even if we cannot directly amend most of them.

Method 2: Restart Your Mac

If you find that there is a major crashing problem, another way to fix the problem is to restart the computer and by resetting the Final Cut Pro-related system resources. Here are the steps that you should follow to restart your Mac system:

Step 1: Choose the Apple menu.

Step 2: Reopen the Final Cut Pro.

Step 3: Reproduce the issue and see if the problem still exists.

If your Final Cut Pro X acts up on your Mac system, you should try restarting the system following the aforementioned steps. In case, restarting doesn’t fix the issue, you should apply the first method.

Always remember to leave some extra space for software like FCPX to run freely. Click to see more tips on free up space in FCPX and Mac.

The Best Easy-to-use Alternative to Final Cut Pro X for Beginners

If you often face crashing issues on your Final Cut Pro X video editing program, you should consider downloading one of the best and easy-to-use alternatives to it, i.e. Wondershare Filmora. It is a professional video editing and very simple professional tool that can assist you in editing the desired video flawlessly.

In addition to basic video editing, users can use this application on the Mac system utilizing its modern editing features including audio compressor, automatic audio sync, ranger markers, audio noise reduction, and color correction with plentiful presents, auto-corrections, and color wheels. It also supports animation and motion tracking. It has a very simple and easy-to-use interface and low system requirements which can be helpful for both beginners and experienced video editors.

Final Thoughts

If you usually experience crashing issues in Final Cut Pro X, you should follow the aforementioned methods which would likely fix the problem. But if that doesn’t help, you can download Wondershare Filmora today. Best for beginners and experienced users, this video editing tool is free of cost and has a user-friendly interface, letting you effortlessly edit your videos incorporating the advanced features and effects in no time.

Benjamin Arango

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

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

Apple launched an advanced video editing tool, Final Cut Pro, back in 1999 and it didn’t take very long to get popular and gain recognition among the photographers and videographers. Later in 2003, Final cut pro beats Final Cut Express, click to learn why . One of the best features that help it stand out from the rest of the video editors is that it is supported by all Mac systems and has permitted Apple to make it fully enhanced in terms of efficiency and speed, enabling it to edit even 4K UND footage without any rendering issues.

Along with such exciting advantages, the video editing tool comes with several disadvantages too. It is complex to understand especially for beginners and most importantly it keeps crashing, corrupting the file even if it is saved properly on your Mac system, which can lead to your entire work being lost. Several Final Cut Pro X users complain that their work gets corrupted as the video editing tool keeps crashing after intervals.

If you can relate to this scenario, you will find this blog post helpful as we have listed some methods that can possibly fix the crashing problem and save your hours of video editing efforts. Keep reading to know the steps that can prevent your video editor from crashing.

Why Does Final Cut Pro X Keep Crashing?

According to Final Cut Pro X users, the video editor is a reliable and solid program, but it can be really frustrating for them when it keeps crashing. If your Final Cut Pro X video editor and program tool also keep acting up, it can probably be because of the corrupted preferences file.

A corrupted preferences file occurs when you do not reset your preferences and settings in the first place. Not resetting the preferences can corrupt the file and end up crashing the video editing tool, damaging the whole video. All those who want to troubleshoot and require methods to fix the crashing issue should take a few steps to resolve the problem which leads us to our second section.

What to Do if Final Cut Pro X Keeps Crashing on Your Mac System?

One of the major issues in Final Cut Pro X is the crashing problem on the Mac system. If you encounter this problem and learn to isolate, troubleshoot, and fix this issue following the below methods, you will likely resolve the crashing problem on your own. However, you should always ensure keeping a back-up of your Final Cut Pro X media, libraries, and applications as a whole in order to keep the data before following the below steps.

Method 1: Resetting Final Cut Pro X Preferences and Settings

As mentioned above, resetting the preferences and settings can help in resolving the crashing issue. Resetting preferences will not affect your projects, libraries, or media. With resetting, we mean that you should change the custom preference settings to the default settings. Before you take the plunge to reset your preferences, you should choose Final Cut Pro over Preferences and note all the specific settings that you have to make.

Follow the below steps to reset the preferences in Final Cut Pro X:

Step 1: Quit working on Final Cut Pro.

Step 2: Hold down the option and command keys, then open the Final Cut Pro.

Step 3: Click on the delete preferences option.

Step 4: In the last step, recreate the issue that you were having during video editing. If the problem is resolved, you should open Final Cut Pro preferences and apply the custom settings again.

Step 5: And, it’s done!

This method will reset all your preferences to default settings and this way it will empty the list of the recent libraries and media. Though the entire libraries are not erased, you will be able to find them in the specified location when you first created them. But they will only be there if you have created a back-up of your data. That is why we mentioned in the beginning to create a back-up of your Final Cut Pro data in the first place.

With the help of fixing the Final Cut Pro X preferences, you will be able to fix a lot of your problems especially the crashing one. The preferences are deeply embedded into the program operation even if we cannot directly amend most of them.

Method 2: Restart Your Mac

If you find that there is a major crashing problem, another way to fix the problem is to restart the computer and by resetting the Final Cut Pro-related system resources. Here are the steps that you should follow to restart your Mac system:

Step 1: Choose the Apple menu.

Step 2: Reopen the Final Cut Pro.

Step 3: Reproduce the issue and see if the problem still exists.

If your Final Cut Pro X acts up on your Mac system, you should try restarting the system following the aforementioned steps. In case, restarting doesn’t fix the issue, you should apply the first method.

Always remember to leave some extra space for software like FCPX to run freely. Click to see more tips on free up space in FCPX and Mac.

The Best Easy-to-use Alternative to Final Cut Pro X for Beginners

If you often face crashing issues on your Final Cut Pro X video editing program, you should consider downloading one of the best and easy-to-use alternatives to it, i.e. Wondershare Filmora. It is a professional video editing and very simple professional tool that can assist you in editing the desired video flawlessly.

In addition to basic video editing, users can use this application on the Mac system utilizing its modern editing features including audio compressor, automatic audio sync, ranger markers, audio noise reduction, and color correction with plentiful presents, auto-corrections, and color wheels. It also supports animation and motion tracking. It has a very simple and easy-to-use interface and low system requirements which can be helpful for both beginners and experienced video editors.

Final Thoughts

If you usually experience crashing issues in Final Cut Pro X, you should follow the aforementioned methods which would likely fix the problem. But if that doesn’t help, you can download Wondershare Filmora today. Best for beginners and experienced users, this video editing tool is free of cost and has a user-friendly interface, letting you effortlessly edit your videos incorporating the advanced features and effects in no time.

Benjamin Arango

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

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

Apple launched an advanced video editing tool, Final Cut Pro, back in 1999 and it didn’t take very long to get popular and gain recognition among the photographers and videographers. Later in 2003, Final cut pro beats Final Cut Express, click to learn why . One of the best features that help it stand out from the rest of the video editors is that it is supported by all Mac systems and has permitted Apple to make it fully enhanced in terms of efficiency and speed, enabling it to edit even 4K UND footage without any rendering issues.

Along with such exciting advantages, the video editing tool comes with several disadvantages too. It is complex to understand especially for beginners and most importantly it keeps crashing, corrupting the file even if it is saved properly on your Mac system, which can lead to your entire work being lost. Several Final Cut Pro X users complain that their work gets corrupted as the video editing tool keeps crashing after intervals.

If you can relate to this scenario, you will find this blog post helpful as we have listed some methods that can possibly fix the crashing problem and save your hours of video editing efforts. Keep reading to know the steps that can prevent your video editor from crashing.

Why Does Final Cut Pro X Keep Crashing?

According to Final Cut Pro X users, the video editor is a reliable and solid program, but it can be really frustrating for them when it keeps crashing. If your Final Cut Pro X video editor and program tool also keep acting up, it can probably be because of the corrupted preferences file.

A corrupted preferences file occurs when you do not reset your preferences and settings in the first place. Not resetting the preferences can corrupt the file and end up crashing the video editing tool, damaging the whole video. All those who want to troubleshoot and require methods to fix the crashing issue should take a few steps to resolve the problem which leads us to our second section.

What to Do if Final Cut Pro X Keeps Crashing on Your Mac System?

One of the major issues in Final Cut Pro X is the crashing problem on the Mac system. If you encounter this problem and learn to isolate, troubleshoot, and fix this issue following the below methods, you will likely resolve the crashing problem on your own. However, you should always ensure keeping a back-up of your Final Cut Pro X media, libraries, and applications as a whole in order to keep the data before following the below steps.

Method 1: Resetting Final Cut Pro X Preferences and Settings

As mentioned above, resetting the preferences and settings can help in resolving the crashing issue. Resetting preferences will not affect your projects, libraries, or media. With resetting, we mean that you should change the custom preference settings to the default settings. Before you take the plunge to reset your preferences, you should choose Final Cut Pro over Preferences and note all the specific settings that you have to make.

Follow the below steps to reset the preferences in Final Cut Pro X:

Step 1: Quit working on Final Cut Pro.

Step 2: Hold down the option and command keys, then open the Final Cut Pro.

Step 3: Click on the delete preferences option.

Step 4: In the last step, recreate the issue that you were having during video editing. If the problem is resolved, you should open Final Cut Pro preferences and apply the custom settings again.

Step 5: And, it’s done!

This method will reset all your preferences to default settings and this way it will empty the list of the recent libraries and media. Though the entire libraries are not erased, you will be able to find them in the specified location when you first created them. But they will only be there if you have created a back-up of your data. That is why we mentioned in the beginning to create a back-up of your Final Cut Pro data in the first place.

With the help of fixing the Final Cut Pro X preferences, you will be able to fix a lot of your problems especially the crashing one. The preferences are deeply embedded into the program operation even if we cannot directly amend most of them.

Method 2: Restart Your Mac

If you find that there is a major crashing problem, another way to fix the problem is to restart the computer and by resetting the Final Cut Pro-related system resources. Here are the steps that you should follow to restart your Mac system:

Step 1: Choose the Apple menu.

Step 2: Reopen the Final Cut Pro.

Step 3: Reproduce the issue and see if the problem still exists.

If your Final Cut Pro X acts up on your Mac system, you should try restarting the system following the aforementioned steps. In case, restarting doesn’t fix the issue, you should apply the first method.

Always remember to leave some extra space for software like FCPX to run freely. Click to see more tips on free up space in FCPX and Mac.

The Best Easy-to-use Alternative to Final Cut Pro X for Beginners

If you often face crashing issues on your Final Cut Pro X video editing program, you should consider downloading one of the best and easy-to-use alternatives to it, i.e. Wondershare Filmora. It is a professional video editing and very simple professional tool that can assist you in editing the desired video flawlessly.

In addition to basic video editing, users can use this application on the Mac system utilizing its modern editing features including audio compressor, automatic audio sync, ranger markers, audio noise reduction, and color correction with plentiful presents, auto-corrections, and color wheels. It also supports animation and motion tracking. It has a very simple and easy-to-use interface and low system requirements which can be helpful for both beginners and experienced video editors.

Final Thoughts

If you usually experience crashing issues in Final Cut Pro X, you should follow the aforementioned methods which would likely fix the problem. But if that doesn’t help, you can download Wondershare Filmora today. Best for beginners and experienced users, this video editing tool is free of cost and has a user-friendly interface, letting you effortlessly edit your videos incorporating the advanced features and effects in no time.

Benjamin Arango

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

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

Apple launched an advanced video editing tool, Final Cut Pro, back in 1999 and it didn’t take very long to get popular and gain recognition among the photographers and videographers. Later in 2003, Final cut pro beats Final Cut Express, click to learn why . One of the best features that help it stand out from the rest of the video editors is that it is supported by all Mac systems and has permitted Apple to make it fully enhanced in terms of efficiency and speed, enabling it to edit even 4K UND footage without any rendering issues.

Along with such exciting advantages, the video editing tool comes with several disadvantages too. It is complex to understand especially for beginners and most importantly it keeps crashing, corrupting the file even if it is saved properly on your Mac system, which can lead to your entire work being lost. Several Final Cut Pro X users complain that their work gets corrupted as the video editing tool keeps crashing after intervals.

If you can relate to this scenario, you will find this blog post helpful as we have listed some methods that can possibly fix the crashing problem and save your hours of video editing efforts. Keep reading to know the steps that can prevent your video editor from crashing.

Why Does Final Cut Pro X Keep Crashing?

According to Final Cut Pro X users, the video editor is a reliable and solid program, but it can be really frustrating for them when it keeps crashing. If your Final Cut Pro X video editor and program tool also keep acting up, it can probably be because of the corrupted preferences file.

A corrupted preferences file occurs when you do not reset your preferences and settings in the first place. Not resetting the preferences can corrupt the file and end up crashing the video editing tool, damaging the whole video. All those who want to troubleshoot and require methods to fix the crashing issue should take a few steps to resolve the problem which leads us to our second section.

What to Do if Final Cut Pro X Keeps Crashing on Your Mac System?

One of the major issues in Final Cut Pro X is the crashing problem on the Mac system. If you encounter this problem and learn to isolate, troubleshoot, and fix this issue following the below methods, you will likely resolve the crashing problem on your own. However, you should always ensure keeping a back-up of your Final Cut Pro X media, libraries, and applications as a whole in order to keep the data before following the below steps.

Method 1: Resetting Final Cut Pro X Preferences and Settings

As mentioned above, resetting the preferences and settings can help in resolving the crashing issue. Resetting preferences will not affect your projects, libraries, or media. With resetting, we mean that you should change the custom preference settings to the default settings. Before you take the plunge to reset your preferences, you should choose Final Cut Pro over Preferences and note all the specific settings that you have to make.

Follow the below steps to reset the preferences in Final Cut Pro X:

Step 1: Quit working on Final Cut Pro.

Step 2: Hold down the option and command keys, then open the Final Cut Pro.

Step 3: Click on the delete preferences option.

Step 4: In the last step, recreate the issue that you were having during video editing. If the problem is resolved, you should open Final Cut Pro preferences and apply the custom settings again.

Step 5: And, it’s done!

This method will reset all your preferences to default settings and this way it will empty the list of the recent libraries and media. Though the entire libraries are not erased, you will be able to find them in the specified location when you first created them. But they will only be there if you have created a back-up of your data. That is why we mentioned in the beginning to create a back-up of your Final Cut Pro data in the first place.

With the help of fixing the Final Cut Pro X preferences, you will be able to fix a lot of your problems especially the crashing one. The preferences are deeply embedded into the program operation even if we cannot directly amend most of them.

Method 2: Restart Your Mac

If you find that there is a major crashing problem, another way to fix the problem is to restart the computer and by resetting the Final Cut Pro-related system resources. Here are the steps that you should follow to restart your Mac system:

Step 1: Choose the Apple menu.

Step 2: Reopen the Final Cut Pro.

Step 3: Reproduce the issue and see if the problem still exists.

If your Final Cut Pro X acts up on your Mac system, you should try restarting the system following the aforementioned steps. In case, restarting doesn’t fix the issue, you should apply the first method.

Always remember to leave some extra space for software like FCPX to run freely. Click to see more tips on free up space in FCPX and Mac.

The Best Easy-to-use Alternative to Final Cut Pro X for Beginners

If you often face crashing issues on your Final Cut Pro X video editing program, you should consider downloading one of the best and easy-to-use alternatives to it, i.e. Wondershare Filmora. It is a professional video editing and very simple professional tool that can assist you in editing the desired video flawlessly.

In addition to basic video editing, users can use this application on the Mac system utilizing its modern editing features including audio compressor, automatic audio sync, ranger markers, audio noise reduction, and color correction with plentiful presents, auto-corrections, and color wheels. It also supports animation and motion tracking. It has a very simple and easy-to-use interface and low system requirements which can be helpful for both beginners and experienced video editors.

Final Thoughts

If you usually experience crashing issues in Final Cut Pro X, you should follow the aforementioned methods which would likely fix the problem. But if that doesn’t help, you can download Wondershare Filmora today. Best for beginners and experienced users, this video editing tool is free of cost and has a user-friendly interface, letting you effortlessly edit your videos incorporating the advanced features and effects in no time.

Benjamin Arango

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

Follow @Benjamin Arango

The Animator’s Guide to 2024: Top 10 Software for Bringing Your Ideas to Life

10 Best 2D Animation Software in 2024 [Free/Paid]

Shanoon Cox

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

When you are trying to make funny cartoons within seven steps , explainer videos, or informative shorts to post online, 2D animation software can come in handy. With access to a 2D animation maker, you can create intricate and interesting stories that will help you connect with your audience.

Whether you are turning photos into cartoons , teaching a group of kids , showing employees how to do their job, introducing a new product, or trying to elicit an emotional reaction from your audience, 2D cartoon animation can be very useful.

If you are new to the world of 2D animation as a beginner and want to be a professional animation maker, you will be interested in our review of the top 10 free download 2D animation software options that may prove useful to you.

• Part 1: Best Free 2D Animation Software for Beginners
• Part 2: Best Professional 2D Animation Software
• Part 3: How to Make 2D Animation
• Part 4: FAQ about Professional 2D Animation Software

Recommend free download animation maker Filmora

If you want to create a 2D animation video, we recommend using 2D animation software-Filmora.

It is a powerful and straightforward video maker for all levels from middle to advanced. With keyframing, you can make smooth 2D animation quickly. Auto color correction can save you a lot of time to make high-quality animation.

Now free download it on Windows and Mac to make 2D animated videos, and connect with other video creators in the Wondershare Video Community to get more creative ideas.

A cross-platform for making videos anywhere for all creators

Why your video editing isn’t good enough? How about some creative inspo?

• 100 Million+ Users
• 150+ Countries and Regions
• 4 Million+ Social Media Followers
• 5 Million+ Stock Media for Use

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Have a Quick Look at The Best 10 Free/Paid 2D Animation Software to Download

No.	Product Name	Supported OS	Price	Best for
1	Synfig	Windows, Linux, and OSX	Free	Beginners
2	Opentoonz	Windows and OSX	Free	Beginners
3	Maefloresta	iPhone and Android	Free	Beginners
4	Pencil 2D	Windows, Linux, and OSX	Free	Beginners
5	Toon Boom Harmony	Windows, Linux, and OSX	$109 per month	Professionals
6	CelAction2D	Windows, Linux, and OSX	$1300 for one single license	Professionals
7	Moho (Anime Studio) Pro	Windows and OSX	$399.99 for the full package	Professionals
8	Stop Motion Studio	Windows, OSX, Android, and iOS	$59.99 for the full package	Professionals
9	FlipBook	Windows and OSX	$19.99/$49.99/$149.99/$199.99	Professionals
10	Reallusion CrazyTalk Animator	Windows and OSX	$199 for the pipeline, $99 for pro	Professionals

Part 1 Best Free 2D Animation Software for Beginners

01 Synfig - Open Source 2D Animation Software for Beginners

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX

Pro: It offers more than 50 layers to make simple or advanced animation, so you don’t need to worry about its limitation though it is free to use.

Con: Few tutorials are available in the market to start making an animation for beginners.

Synfig Studio is an open-source, free 2D animation software that is the perfect place for beginners to learn about 2D animation. There are two versions available for free download - stable and testing.

The testing version has some experimental features if users want to try those ahead of their introduction into the stable release.

Features:

• Supports multiple layers of content
• The bone system allows for the creation of cutout animations from bitmap images
• Has sound support to allow for the addition and syncing of narration and/or music to the video

02 Opentoonz - Free-to-Use Effects for 2D Animation

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows and OSX

Pro: You can use a plug-in to make beautiful animation effects automatically without further editing.

Con: The UI design is outdated compared with other animation software, but it won’t affect user experience.

Based on the Toonz software, Opentoonz is the best free alternative that will help you create 2D animated content. Anyone can use the software, free of charge, and download it.

And users can modify the source code to add specific features to this simple animation software.

Features:

• GTS scanning tool
• Ability to change picture styles
• Add distortion and light effects
• Compatible with black and white and colored scans

03 Maefloresta - Easy-to-Use 2D Animation Software on Phone

Price: Free

Compatibility: iPhone and Android

Pro: It is free to use with easy to start introduction, even for kids.

Con: You need to email its staff to get the installer online, which is inconvenient sometimes.

The beauty of the Maefloresta app is that you can use your Android or iOS tablet and smartphone to create free 2D animated videos.

There is no need to pay for expensive software if you just want to create some fun videos to show your friends. It also offers school solutions for teachers and students.

Features:

• The free downloadable app that works on smartphones and tablets
• Easy animation software with tutorials
• Intuitive interface that beginners can use with ease

04 Pencil 2D - Cross-Platform Software with Intuitive Interface

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX

Pro: It offers English, Spanish, and Portuguese language tutorials to use.

Con: It doesn’t support the shapes tool. If you like to make shapes and draw something, you’d be disappointed.

Want an open-source and free 2D animation design software to help you create videos? Pencil2D animation is the type of program that can help beginners.

You can get to grips with how 2D animation works, and you can create some very fun and interesting videos along the way.

Features:

• Minimalist design to let you make animation easily
• Raster and vector workflow switching
• Cross-platform compatibility to free download

Part 2: Best Professional 2D Animation Software

05 Toon Boom Harmony - Leading Animation Software for Professional

Price: The first 21 days of using the product are free. After the 21 days are up, you will need to pay $109 per month.

Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX

Pro: You can make 2D and 3D animation, both with models.

Con: It may take some time to learn how to make 2D animation for beginners.

Whether you are trying to create an art piece, showcase a story through 2D images, or craft a unique message for your audience, Toon Boom Harmony will help you immensely.

This professional 2D animation software may take time to learn, but it is worth using. It has bitmap and vector tools for creating art, 3D imported models for hybrid productions, and the option to create multiplane scenes with Z-depth.

You can also check the Toon Boom Harmony Advanced Review from the TopTenReview website for more information.

Features:

• Revolutionary vector and bitmap drawing technology - Brush Engine
• Advanced color palettes and paint options
• 2D and 3D integration to make professional animation
• Cut-out animation tools
• Traditional paperless animation.

06 CelAction2D - Low System Requirement for Professional 2D Animation

Price: If you go with the Studio Edition, it costs $1,300 to obtain a single license to use the product for a lifetime. Studio Edition is $1300 for one single license

Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX

Pro: It is fast to use with low system requirements.

Con: You can draw animation in itself, so you need to import all words from third-party software.

Want to create unique and complex 2D animations for your upcoming projects? CelAction2D is the type of product that is going to help you create wonderful and professional animations.

While getting a full license is a financial commitment, you are getting a product that has all the features that you could need.

You can create a palette using up to 16 million colors, and you will have a very easy time getting to grips with the way the software works.

It is designed for beginners and intermediate users, but still has all the advanced features that a pro would want.

Features:

• Easy and fast to use for professional users
• Features ergonomic controls
• Easily handles complex projects with thousands of layers
• Works with all modern Windows machines - 32 and 64-bit Also work with Macs through Boot Camp
• The multiplane camera features let you have more controls

07 Moho (Anime Studio) Pro - All-In-One Professional 2D Animation Software

Price: $399.99 for the full package.

Compatibility: Windows and OSX

Pro: Its update is regular with advanced and newest features to use.

Con: It is not user-friendly for beginners as the functions are too advanced a little bit.

Anime Studio Pro is a fantastic option for anyone who is looking to get into professional 2D animation creation. It is affordable and designed for Flash-style animations.

While you cannot create frame-by-frame animations using this program, you will be able to create some fantastic videos nonetheless.

There is an Anime Studio Debut - simple animation software, which is targeted towards the beginner user and free download. But if you want all the features of a high-end 2D animation software, you will want to go with the Pro version.

Features:

• Enhanced freehand drawing tools
• Beizer handles to make it easier for you to design your videos the way that you want
• Smart warp feature helps create custom meshes to bend and twist your animations
• Realistic motion blur
• Animation for multiple layers at the same time

08 Stop Motion Studio - Fun and Well Designed 2D Animation Software

Price: $59.99 to download the software onto your PC.

Compatibility: Windows, OSX, Android, and iOS

Pro: You can use a built-in sound to make your animation unique. You can also record voice and use it in the video.

Con: You can only use it to make 2D stop motion animation.

Want to create fun, 2D animated videos? Hoping to impress your bosses with a 2D animated presentation to highlight a product’s features?

Using Stop Motion Studio will help you achieve all that you want in the world of 2D animation.

You can capture content with ease, whether you change up the focus, exposure, or white balance. There is DSLR support, so you can use your high-end camera in conjunction with this professional software.

And with a unique, frame-by-frame editor, you will be able to get the result that you want for your 2D stop animation movie.

Features:

• Onionskin allows you to view previous frames through a transparent overlay, which helps you create your next frame
• Comes with Chroma key and audio recording to better narrate and add voice effects to your videos
• Easy one-click uploading to YouTube and Facebook
• DSLR camera support for creating perfect 1080p recordings

09 FlipBook - Fun and Well Designed 2D Animation Software

Price: $19.99 for FlipBook Lite, $49.99 for FlipBook Studio, $149.99 for FlipBook Pro, $199.99 for FlipBook ProHD

Compatibility: Windows and OSX

Pro: From drawing, scanning to sound, this 2D animation software can make you powerful video.

Con: You can’t use it to make subtle changes as bone rigging is not available.

FlipBook is easy to use for beginners and pros who want to improve the editing experience. It is a powerful video editor that you can make 2D animation with various functions like syncing sound with animation, scanning cells, and more.

If you like to make a cartoon video like a pro, this 2D animation maker is best for you. It is free to download.

Features:

• Changes will be made while you change the animation, so FlipBook is fast to use
• You can use the shift key to make speed painting once you select one color
• Ten layers in animation for adding extra touches
• You can use a scanner to import images

10 Reallusion CrazyTalk Animator - Professional 2D Animation/Cartoon Software for Designers

Price: USD199 for the pipeline, USD99 for pro.

Compatibility: Windows and OSX

Pro: You can always find the feature you like for beginners and professionals. You can control characters even in expression levels.

Con: It integrates with PhotoShop to import and export video.

CrazyTalk is a 2D animation maker for professional users, so you can use this one if you don’t know which one to use. It supports controlling characters with your expression and lip-syncing. It is popular among YouTubers, educators and marketers.

Features:

• Capture real-time facial expression with precise changing
• Black magic to turn the image into a moving cartoon
• For advanced users, you can make 2D visual effects

Price: USD199 for the pipeline, USD99 for pro.

You may also like: Best Free Animated Logo Makers >>

Part 3: How to Make 2D Animation

Step 1 Put forward an idea

A story ides is priceless. It is always important to build an essential story frame. Sometimes it is in a blink to have come up with an idea.

It will help if you decide the gist of your 2D animation because the whole process of making animation is evolving. You may need to add or cut some scenes, but the overall concept and story ideas are always the same.

Step 2 Make a storyboard

After all the ideas are fixed, you need to make a storyboard for animation . You don’t need to produce every scene, but it is suggested to make a storyboard in some crucial scenes. Storyboarding is probably the best way to show 2D animation to other people and get feedback.

Thus, it is a step that you should not neglect during the preliminary.

Step 3 Produce materials

At this stage, you need to prepare all the 2D animation materials, including characters, background, and props. One thing you need to know is all the preparations in steps 2 and 3 should be ready before proceeding to step 3.

Step 4 Animation

After all, materials are ready, and you need to make animation alive. In this step, you need to make sure all the movements are natural. Stiff moves are not liked by the audience, so you need to think about how to design gestures, movements, and facial expressions.

Step 5 Animation editing

In this step, the software is the key to relive the 2D animation. Background audio is essential and needs to be added to the video. Color correction and grading are also necessary. Besides, scene transition, voiceover, and even text credit need to be added.

Above are the five 2D animation steps. If you think there are extra steps, you are free to add them according to your needs.

Bonus tip: Create an Animation Video with Anireel

Anireel provides a faster and smoother animated video creation experience with customizable elements to bring anyone’s imagination to life. All you have to do is choose your script, input the content, and Anireel will instantly match your script to rich animation explainer scenes, convert the text into voice-over, and generate a vivid, complete animation video.

Part 3 FAQ about Professional 2D Animation Software

01 What is the best 2D animation software?

It is hard to directly give you an answer and tell you which is the best 2D animation software. However, we can give you some recommendations based on your needs. If you are a beginner, Pencil 2D is a great start. You can use it to make minimalist animation to give you a quick-to-start 2D animation experience. If you are in the middle level, Stop Motion Studio is what we recommend. The interface is intuitive with powerful features like voiceover and Chroma key.

02 What is the best 2D animation software for beginners?

For 2D animation software for beginners, Pencil 2D would come to mind for many people. It is an excellent animation software for beginners. If you also want to try other tools, Synfig and FlipBook are also great choices. It is your call for the final decision.

03 Is there any free animation software?

For beginners, free animation software includes Synfig, Opentoonz, Maefloresta, and Pencil 2D. For advanced users, you can use Blender and Maya.

Conclusion

Creating a 2D animation video is a lot easier when you have the right software available to you. You already have a script and storyboard in mind, but now you can realize your vision in intricate and unique ways.

If you want to make 3D animation, there are also various 3D animation software options for you. If anyone of the products above will serve you well, you could use Filmora.

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

Shanoon Cox

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

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

When you are trying to make funny cartoons within seven steps , explainer videos, or informative shorts to post online, 2D animation software can come in handy. With access to a 2D animation maker, you can create intricate and interesting stories that will help you connect with your audience.

Whether you are turning photos into cartoons , teaching a group of kids , showing employees how to do their job, introducing a new product, or trying to elicit an emotional reaction from your audience, 2D cartoon animation can be very useful.

If you are new to the world of 2D animation as a beginner and want to be a professional animation maker, you will be interested in our review of the top 10 free download 2D animation software options that may prove useful to you.

• Part 1: Best Free 2D Animation Software for Beginners
• Part 2: Best Professional 2D Animation Software
• Part 3: How to Make 2D Animation
• Part 4: FAQ about Professional 2D Animation Software

Recommend free download animation maker Filmora

If you want to create a 2D animation video, we recommend using 2D animation software-Filmora.

It is a powerful and straightforward video maker for all levels from middle to advanced. With keyframing, you can make smooth 2D animation quickly. Auto color correction can save you a lot of time to make high-quality animation.

Now free download it on Windows and Mac to make 2D animated videos, and connect with other video creators in the Wondershare Video Community to get more creative ideas.

A cross-platform for making videos anywhere for all creators

Why your video editing isn’t good enough? How about some creative inspo?

• 100 Million+ Users
• 150+ Countries and Regions
• 4 Million+ Social Media Followers
• 5 Million+ Stock Media for Use

Try It Free Try It Free

Try It Free

Try It Free

* Secure Download

Have a Quick Look at The Best 10 Free/Paid 2D Animation Software to Download

No.	Product Name	Supported OS	Price	Best for
1	Synfig	Windows, Linux, and OSX	Free	Beginners
2	Opentoonz	Windows and OSX	Free	Beginners
3	Maefloresta	iPhone and Android	Free	Beginners
4	Pencil 2D	Windows, Linux, and OSX	Free	Beginners
5	Toon Boom Harmony	Windows, Linux, and OSX	$109 per month	Professionals
6	CelAction2D	Windows, Linux, and OSX	$1300 for one single license	Professionals
7	Moho (Anime Studio) Pro	Windows and OSX	$399.99 for the full package	Professionals
8	Stop Motion Studio	Windows, OSX, Android, and iOS	$59.99 for the full package	Professionals
9	FlipBook	Windows and OSX	$19.99/$49.99/$149.99/$199.99	Professionals
10	Reallusion CrazyTalk Animator	Windows and OSX	$199 for the pipeline, $99 for pro	Professionals

Part 1 Best Free 2D Animation Software for Beginners

01 Synfig - Open Source 2D Animation Software for Beginners

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX

Pro: It offers more than 50 layers to make simple or advanced animation, so you don’t need to worry about its limitation though it is free to use.

Con: Few tutorials are available in the market to start making an animation for beginners.

Synfig Studio is an open-source, free 2D animation software that is the perfect place for beginners to learn about 2D animation. There are two versions available for free download - stable and testing.

The testing version has some experimental features if users want to try those ahead of their introduction into the stable release.

Features:

• Supports multiple layers of content
• The bone system allows for the creation of cutout animations from bitmap images
• Has sound support to allow for the addition and syncing of narration and/or music to the video

02 Opentoonz - Free-to-Use Effects for 2D Animation

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows and OSX

Pro: You can use a plug-in to make beautiful animation effects automatically without further editing.

Con: The UI design is outdated compared with other animation software, but it won’t affect user experience.

Based on the Toonz software, Opentoonz is the best free alternative that will help you create 2D animated content. Anyone can use the software, free of charge, and download it.

And users can modify the source code to add specific features to this simple animation software.

Features:

• GTS scanning tool
• Ability to change picture styles
• Add distortion and light effects
• Compatible with black and white and colored scans

03 Maefloresta - Easy-to-Use 2D Animation Software on Phone

Price: Free

Compatibility: iPhone and Android

Pro: It is free to use with easy to start introduction, even for kids.

Con: You need to email its staff to get the installer online, which is inconvenient sometimes.

The beauty of the Maefloresta app is that you can use your Android or iOS tablet and smartphone to create free 2D animated videos.

There is no need to pay for expensive software if you just want to create some fun videos to show your friends. It also offers school solutions for teachers and students.

Features:

• The free downloadable app that works on smartphones and tablets
• Easy animation software with tutorials
• Intuitive interface that beginners can use with ease

04 Pencil 2D - Cross-Platform Software with Intuitive Interface

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX

Pro: It offers English, Spanish, and Portuguese language tutorials to use.

Con: It doesn’t support the shapes tool. If you like to make shapes and draw something, you’d be disappointed.

Want an open-source and free 2D animation design software to help you create videos? Pencil2D animation is the type of program that can help beginners.

You can get to grips with how 2D animation works, and you can create some very fun and interesting videos along the way.

Features:

• Minimalist design to let you make animation easily
• Raster and vector workflow switching
• Cross-platform compatibility to free download

Part 2: Best Professional 2D Animation Software

05 Toon Boom Harmony - Leading Animation Software for Professional

Price: The first 21 days of using the product are free. After the 21 days are up, you will need to pay $109 per month.

Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX

Pro: You can make 2D and 3D animation, both with models.

Con: It may take some time to learn how to make 2D animation for beginners.

Whether you are trying to create an art piece, showcase a story through 2D images, or craft a unique message for your audience, Toon Boom Harmony will help you immensely.

This professional 2D animation software may take time to learn, but it is worth using. It has bitmap and vector tools for creating art, 3D imported models for hybrid productions, and the option to create multiplane scenes with Z-depth.

You can also check the Toon Boom Harmony Advanced Review from the TopTenReview website for more information.

Features:

• Revolutionary vector and bitmap drawing technology - Brush Engine
• Advanced color palettes and paint options
• 2D and 3D integration to make professional animation
• Cut-out animation tools
• Traditional paperless animation.

06 CelAction2D - Low System Requirement for Professional 2D Animation

Price: If you go with the Studio Edition, it costs $1,300 to obtain a single license to use the product for a lifetime. Studio Edition is $1300 for one single license

Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX

Pro: It is fast to use with low system requirements.

Con: You can draw animation in itself, so you need to import all words from third-party software.

Want to create unique and complex 2D animations for your upcoming projects? CelAction2D is the type of product that is going to help you create wonderful and professional animations.

While getting a full license is a financial commitment, you are getting a product that has all the features that you could need.

You can create a palette using up to 16 million colors, and you will have a very easy time getting to grips with the way the software works.

It is designed for beginners and intermediate users, but still has all the advanced features that a pro would want.

Features:

• Easy and fast to use for professional users
• Features ergonomic controls
• Easily handles complex projects with thousands of layers
• Works with all modern Windows machines - 32 and 64-bit Also work with Macs through Boot Camp
• The multiplane camera features let you have more controls

07 Moho (Anime Studio) Pro - All-In-One Professional 2D Animation Software

Price: $399.99 for the full package.

Compatibility: Windows and OSX

Pro: Its update is regular with advanced and newest features to use.

Con: It is not user-friendly for beginners as the functions are too advanced a little bit.

Anime Studio Pro is a fantastic option for anyone who is looking to get into professional 2D animation creation. It is affordable and designed for Flash-style animations.

While you cannot create frame-by-frame animations using this program, you will be able to create some fantastic videos nonetheless.

There is an Anime Studio Debut - simple animation software, which is targeted towards the beginner user and free download. But if you want all the features of a high-end 2D animation software, you will want to go with the Pro version.

Features:

• Enhanced freehand drawing tools
• Beizer handles to make it easier for you to design your videos the way that you want
• Smart warp feature helps create custom meshes to bend and twist your animations
• Realistic motion blur
• Animation for multiple layers at the same time

08 Stop Motion Studio - Fun and Well Designed 2D Animation Software

Price: $59.99 to download the software onto your PC.

Compatibility: Windows, OSX, Android, and iOS

Pro: You can use a built-in sound to make your animation unique. You can also record voice and use it in the video.

Con: You can only use it to make 2D stop motion animation.

Want to create fun, 2D animated videos? Hoping to impress your bosses with a 2D animated presentation to highlight a product’s features?

Using Stop Motion Studio will help you achieve all that you want in the world of 2D animation.

You can capture content with ease, whether you change up the focus, exposure, or white balance. There is DSLR support, so you can use your high-end camera in conjunction with this professional software.

And with a unique, frame-by-frame editor, you will be able to get the result that you want for your 2D stop animation movie.

Features:

• Onionskin allows you to view previous frames through a transparent overlay, which helps you create your next frame
• Comes with Chroma key and audio recording to better narrate and add voice effects to your videos
• Easy one-click uploading to YouTube and Facebook
• DSLR camera support for creating perfect 1080p recordings

09 FlipBook - Fun and Well Designed 2D Animation Software

Price: $19.99 for FlipBook Lite, $49.99 for FlipBook Studio, $149.99 for FlipBook Pro, $199.99 for FlipBook ProHD

Compatibility: Windows and OSX

Pro: From drawing, scanning to sound, this 2D animation software can make you powerful video.

Con: You can’t use it to make subtle changes as bone rigging is not available.

FlipBook is easy to use for beginners and pros who want to improve the editing experience. It is a powerful video editor that you can make 2D animation with various functions like syncing sound with animation, scanning cells, and more.

If you like to make a cartoon video like a pro, this 2D animation maker is best for you. It is free to download.

Features:

• Changes will be made while you change the animation, so FlipBook is fast to use
• You can use the shift key to make speed painting once you select one color
• Ten layers in animation for adding extra touches
• You can use a scanner to import images

10 Reallusion CrazyTalk Animator - Professional 2D Animation/Cartoon Software for Designers

Price: USD199 for the pipeline, USD99 for pro.

Compatibility: Windows and OSX

Pro: You can always find the feature you like for beginners and professionals. You can control characters even in expression levels.

Con: It integrates with PhotoShop to import and export video.

CrazyTalk is a 2D animation maker for professional users, so you can use this one if you don’t know which one to use. It supports controlling characters with your expression and lip-syncing. It is popular among YouTubers, educators and marketers.

Features:

• Capture real-time facial expression with precise changing
• Black magic to turn the image into a moving cartoon
• For advanced users, you can make 2D visual effects

Price: USD199 for the pipeline, USD99 for pro.

You may also like: Best Free Animated Logo Makers >>

Part 3: How to Make 2D Animation

Step 1 Put forward an idea

A story ides is priceless. It is always important to build an essential story frame. Sometimes it is in a blink to have come up with an idea.

It will help if you decide the gist of your 2D animation because the whole process of making animation is evolving. You may need to add or cut some scenes, but the overall concept and story ideas are always the same.

Step 2 Make a storyboard

After all the ideas are fixed, you need to make a storyboard for animation . You don’t need to produce every scene, but it is suggested to make a storyboard in some crucial scenes. Storyboarding is probably the best way to show 2D animation to other people and get feedback.

Thus, it is a step that you should not neglect during the preliminary.

Step 3 Produce materials

At this stage, you need to prepare all the 2D animation materials, including characters, background, and props. One thing you need to know is all the preparations in steps 2 and 3 should be ready before proceeding to step 3.

Step 4 Animation

After all, materials are ready, and you need to make animation alive. In this step, you need to make sure all the movements are natural. Stiff moves are not liked by the audience, so you need to think about how to design gestures, movements, and facial expressions.

Step 5 Animation editing

In this step, the software is the key to relive the 2D animation. Background audio is essential and needs to be added to the video. Color correction and grading are also necessary. Besides, scene transition, voiceover, and even text credit need to be added.

Above are the five 2D animation steps. If you think there are extra steps, you are free to add them according to your needs.

Bonus tip: Create an Animation Video with Anireel

Anireel provides a faster and smoother animated video creation experience with customizable elements to bring anyone’s imagination to life. All you have to do is choose your script, input the content, and Anireel will instantly match your script to rich animation explainer scenes, convert the text into voice-over, and generate a vivid, complete animation video.

Part 3 FAQ about Professional 2D Animation Software

01 What is the best 2D animation software?

It is hard to directly give you an answer and tell you which is the best 2D animation software. However, we can give you some recommendations based on your needs. If you are a beginner, Pencil 2D is a great start. You can use it to make minimalist animation to give you a quick-to-start 2D animation experience. If you are in the middle level, Stop Motion Studio is what we recommend. The interface is intuitive with powerful features like voiceover and Chroma key.

02 What is the best 2D animation software for beginners?

For 2D animation software for beginners, Pencil 2D would come to mind for many people. It is an excellent animation software for beginners. If you also want to try other tools, Synfig and FlipBook are also great choices. It is your call for the final decision.

03 Is there any free animation software?

For beginners, free animation software includes Synfig, Opentoonz, Maefloresta, and Pencil 2D. For advanced users, you can use Blender and Maya.

Conclusion

Creating a 2D animation video is a lot easier when you have the right software available to you. You already have a script and storyboard in mind, but now you can realize your vision in intricate and unique ways.

If you want to make 3D animation, there are also various 3D animation software options for you. If anyone of the products above will serve you well, you could use Filmora.

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

Shanoon Cox

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

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

When you are trying to make funny cartoons within seven steps , explainer videos, or informative shorts to post online, 2D animation software can come in handy. With access to a 2D animation maker, you can create intricate and interesting stories that will help you connect with your audience.

Whether you are turning photos into cartoons , teaching a group of kids , showing employees how to do their job, introducing a new product, or trying to elicit an emotional reaction from your audience, 2D cartoon animation can be very useful.

If you are new to the world of 2D animation as a beginner and want to be a professional animation maker, you will be interested in our review of the top 10 free download 2D animation software options that may prove useful to you.

• Part 1: Best Free 2D Animation Software for Beginners
• Part 2: Best Professional 2D Animation Software
• Part 3: How to Make 2D Animation
• Part 4: FAQ about Professional 2D Animation Software

Recommend free download animation maker Filmora

If you want to create a 2D animation video, we recommend using 2D animation software-Filmora.

It is a powerful and straightforward video maker for all levels from middle to advanced. With keyframing, you can make smooth 2D animation quickly. Auto color correction can save you a lot of time to make high-quality animation.

Now free download it on Windows and Mac to make 2D animated videos, and connect with other video creators in the Wondershare Video Community to get more creative ideas.

A cross-platform for making videos anywhere for all creators

Why your video editing isn’t good enough? How about some creative inspo?

• 100 Million+ Users
• 150+ Countries and Regions
• 4 Million+ Social Media Followers
• 5 Million+ Stock Media for Use

Try It Free Try It Free

Try It Free

Try It Free

* Secure Download

Have a Quick Look at The Best 10 Free/Paid 2D Animation Software to Download

No.	Product Name	Supported OS	Price	Best for
1	Synfig	Windows, Linux, and OSX	Free	Beginners
2	Opentoonz	Windows and OSX	Free	Beginners
3	Maefloresta	iPhone and Android	Free	Beginners
4	Pencil 2D	Windows, Linux, and OSX	Free	Beginners
5	Toon Boom Harmony	Windows, Linux, and OSX	$109 per month	Professionals
6	CelAction2D	Windows, Linux, and OSX	$1300 for one single license	Professionals
7	Moho (Anime Studio) Pro	Windows and OSX	$399.99 for the full package	Professionals
8	Stop Motion Studio	Windows, OSX, Android, and iOS	$59.99 for the full package	Professionals
9	FlipBook	Windows and OSX	$19.99/$49.99/$149.99/$199.99	Professionals
10	Reallusion CrazyTalk Animator	Windows and OSX	$199 for the pipeline, $99 for pro	Professionals

Part 1 Best Free 2D Animation Software for Beginners

01 Synfig - Open Source 2D Animation Software for Beginners

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX

Pro: It offers more than 50 layers to make simple or advanced animation, so you don’t need to worry about its limitation though it is free to use.

Con: Few tutorials are available in the market to start making an animation for beginners.

Synfig Studio is an open-source, free 2D animation software that is the perfect place for beginners to learn about 2D animation. There are two versions available for free download - stable and testing.

The testing version has some experimental features if users want to try those ahead of their introduction into the stable release.

Features:

• Supports multiple layers of content
• The bone system allows for the creation of cutout animations from bitmap images
• Has sound support to allow for the addition and syncing of narration and/or music to the video

02 Opentoonz - Free-to-Use Effects for 2D Animation

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows and OSX

Pro: You can use a plug-in to make beautiful animation effects automatically without further editing.

Con: The UI design is outdated compared with other animation software, but it won’t affect user experience.

Based on the Toonz software, Opentoonz is the best free alternative that will help you create 2D animated content. Anyone can use the software, free of charge, and download it.

And users can modify the source code to add specific features to this simple animation software.

Features:

• GTS scanning tool
• Ability to change picture styles
• Add distortion and light effects
• Compatible with black and white and colored scans

03 Maefloresta - Easy-to-Use 2D Animation Software on Phone

Price: Free

Compatibility: iPhone and Android

Pro: It is free to use with easy to start introduction, even for kids.

Con: You need to email its staff to get the installer online, which is inconvenient sometimes.

The beauty of the Maefloresta app is that you can use your Android or iOS tablet and smartphone to create free 2D animated videos.

There is no need to pay for expensive software if you just want to create some fun videos to show your friends. It also offers school solutions for teachers and students.

Features:

• The free downloadable app that works on smartphones and tablets
• Easy animation software with tutorials
• Intuitive interface that beginners can use with ease

04 Pencil 2D - Cross-Platform Software with Intuitive Interface

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX

Pro: It offers English, Spanish, and Portuguese language tutorials to use.

Con: It doesn’t support the shapes tool. If you like to make shapes and draw something, you’d be disappointed.

Want an open-source and free 2D animation design software to help you create videos? Pencil2D animation is the type of program that can help beginners.

You can get to grips with how 2D animation works, and you can create some very fun and interesting videos along the way.

Features:

• Minimalist design to let you make animation easily
• Raster and vector workflow switching
• Cross-platform compatibility to free download

Part 2: Best Professional 2D Animation Software

05 Toon Boom Harmony - Leading Animation Software for Professional

Price: The first 21 days of using the product are free. After the 21 days are up, you will need to pay $109 per month.

Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX

Pro: You can make 2D and 3D animation, both with models.

Con: It may take some time to learn how to make 2D animation for beginners.

Whether you are trying to create an art piece, showcase a story through 2D images, or craft a unique message for your audience, Toon Boom Harmony will help you immensely.

This professional 2D animation software may take time to learn, but it is worth using. It has bitmap and vector tools for creating art, 3D imported models for hybrid productions, and the option to create multiplane scenes with Z-depth.

You can also check the Toon Boom Harmony Advanced Review from the TopTenReview website for more information.

Features:

• Revolutionary vector and bitmap drawing technology - Brush Engine
• Advanced color palettes and paint options
• 2D and 3D integration to make professional animation
• Cut-out animation tools
• Traditional paperless animation.

06 CelAction2D - Low System Requirement for Professional 2D Animation

Price: If you go with the Studio Edition, it costs $1,300 to obtain a single license to use the product for a lifetime. Studio Edition is $1300 for one single license

Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX

Pro: It is fast to use with low system requirements.

Con: You can draw animation in itself, so you need to import all words from third-party software.

Want to create unique and complex 2D animations for your upcoming projects? CelAction2D is the type of product that is going to help you create wonderful and professional animations.

While getting a full license is a financial commitment, you are getting a product that has all the features that you could need.

You can create a palette using up to 16 million colors, and you will have a very easy time getting to grips with the way the software works.

It is designed for beginners and intermediate users, but still has all the advanced features that a pro would want.

Features:

• Easy and fast to use for professional users
• Features ergonomic controls
• Easily handles complex projects with thousands of layers
• Works with all modern Windows machines - 32 and 64-bit Also work with Macs through Boot Camp
• The multiplane camera features let you have more controls

07 Moho (Anime Studio) Pro - All-In-One Professional 2D Animation Software

Price: $399.99 for the full package.

Compatibility: Windows and OSX

Pro: Its update is regular with advanced and newest features to use.

Con: It is not user-friendly for beginners as the functions are too advanced a little bit.

Anime Studio Pro is a fantastic option for anyone who is looking to get into professional 2D animation creation. It is affordable and designed for Flash-style animations.

While you cannot create frame-by-frame animations using this program, you will be able to create some fantastic videos nonetheless.

There is an Anime Studio Debut - simple animation software, which is targeted towards the beginner user and free download. But if you want all the features of a high-end 2D animation software, you will want to go with the Pro version.

Features:

• Enhanced freehand drawing tools
• Beizer handles to make it easier for you to design your videos the way that you want
• Smart warp feature helps create custom meshes to bend and twist your animations
• Realistic motion blur
• Animation for multiple layers at the same time

08 Stop Motion Studio - Fun and Well Designed 2D Animation Software

Price: $59.99 to download the software onto your PC.

Compatibility: Windows, OSX, Android, and iOS

Pro: You can use a built-in sound to make your animation unique. You can also record voice and use it in the video.

Con: You can only use it to make 2D stop motion animation.

Want to create fun, 2D animated videos? Hoping to impress your bosses with a 2D animated presentation to highlight a product’s features?

Using Stop Motion Studio will help you achieve all that you want in the world of 2D animation.

You can capture content with ease, whether you change up the focus, exposure, or white balance. There is DSLR support, so you can use your high-end camera in conjunction with this professional software.

And with a unique, frame-by-frame editor, you will be able to get the result that you want for your 2D stop animation movie.

Features:

• Onionskin allows you to view previous frames through a transparent overlay, which helps you create your next frame
• Comes with Chroma key and audio recording to better narrate and add voice effects to your videos
• Easy one-click uploading to YouTube and Facebook
• DSLR camera support for creating perfect 1080p recordings

09 FlipBook - Fun and Well Designed 2D Animation Software

Price: $19.99 for FlipBook Lite, $49.99 for FlipBook Studio, $149.99 for FlipBook Pro, $199.99 for FlipBook ProHD

Compatibility: Windows and OSX

Pro: From drawing, scanning to sound, this 2D animation software can make you powerful video.

Con: You can’t use it to make subtle changes as bone rigging is not available.

FlipBook is easy to use for beginners and pros who want to improve the editing experience. It is a powerful video editor that you can make 2D animation with various functions like syncing sound with animation, scanning cells, and more.

If you like to make a cartoon video like a pro, this 2D animation maker is best for you. It is free to download.

Features:

• Changes will be made while you change the animation, so FlipBook is fast to use
• You can use the shift key to make speed painting once you select one color
• Ten layers in animation for adding extra touches
• You can use a scanner to import images

10 Reallusion CrazyTalk Animator - Professional 2D Animation/Cartoon Software for Designers

Price: USD199 for the pipeline, USD99 for pro.

Compatibility: Windows and OSX

Pro: You can always find the feature you like for beginners and professionals. You can control characters even in expression levels.

Con: It integrates with PhotoShop to import and export video.

CrazyTalk is a 2D animation maker for professional users, so you can use this one if you don’t know which one to use. It supports controlling characters with your expression and lip-syncing. It is popular among YouTubers, educators and marketers.

Features:

• Capture real-time facial expression with precise changing
• Black magic to turn the image into a moving cartoon
• For advanced users, you can make 2D visual effects

Price: USD199 for the pipeline, USD99 for pro.

You may also like: Best Free Animated Logo Makers >>

Part 3: How to Make 2D Animation

Step 1 Put forward an idea

A story ides is priceless. It is always important to build an essential story frame. Sometimes it is in a blink to have come up with an idea.

It will help if you decide the gist of your 2D animation because the whole process of making animation is evolving. You may need to add or cut some scenes, but the overall concept and story ideas are always the same.

Step 2 Make a storyboard

After all the ideas are fixed, you need to make a storyboard for animation . You don’t need to produce every scene, but it is suggested to make a storyboard in some crucial scenes. Storyboarding is probably the best way to show 2D animation to other people and get feedback.

Thus, it is a step that you should not neglect during the preliminary.

Step 3 Produce materials

At this stage, you need to prepare all the 2D animation materials, including characters, background, and props. One thing you need to know is all the preparations in steps 2 and 3 should be ready before proceeding to step 3.

Step 4 Animation

After all, materials are ready, and you need to make animation alive. In this step, you need to make sure all the movements are natural. Stiff moves are not liked by the audience, so you need to think about how to design gestures, movements, and facial expressions.

Step 5 Animation editing

In this step, the software is the key to relive the 2D animation. Background audio is essential and needs to be added to the video. Color correction and grading are also necessary. Besides, scene transition, voiceover, and even text credit need to be added.

Above are the five 2D animation steps. If you think there are extra steps, you are free to add them according to your needs.

Bonus tip: Create an Animation Video with Anireel

Anireel provides a faster and smoother animated video creation experience with customizable elements to bring anyone’s imagination to life. All you have to do is choose your script, input the content, and Anireel will instantly match your script to rich animation explainer scenes, convert the text into voice-over, and generate a vivid, complete animation video.

Part 3 FAQ about Professional 2D Animation Software

01 What is the best 2D animation software?

It is hard to directly give you an answer and tell you which is the best 2D animation software. However, we can give you some recommendations based on your needs. If you are a beginner, Pencil 2D is a great start. You can use it to make minimalist animation to give you a quick-to-start 2D animation experience. If you are in the middle level, Stop Motion Studio is what we recommend. The interface is intuitive with powerful features like voiceover and Chroma key.

02 What is the best 2D animation software for beginners?

For 2D animation software for beginners, Pencil 2D would come to mind for many people. It is an excellent animation software for beginners. If you also want to try other tools, Synfig and FlipBook are also great choices. It is your call for the final decision.

03 Is there any free animation software?

For beginners, free animation software includes Synfig, Opentoonz, Maefloresta, and Pencil 2D. For advanced users, you can use Blender and Maya.

Conclusion

Creating a 2D animation video is a lot easier when you have the right software available to you. You already have a script and storyboard in mind, but now you can realize your vision in intricate and unique ways.

If you want to make 3D animation, there are also various 3D animation software options for you. If anyone of the products above will serve you well, you could use Filmora.

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

Shanoon Cox

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

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

When you are trying to make funny cartoons within seven steps , explainer videos, or informative shorts to post online, 2D animation software can come in handy. With access to a 2D animation maker, you can create intricate and interesting stories that will help you connect with your audience.

Whether you are turning photos into cartoons , teaching a group of kids , showing employees how to do their job, introducing a new product, or trying to elicit an emotional reaction from your audience, 2D cartoon animation can be very useful.

If you are new to the world of 2D animation as a beginner and want to be a professional animation maker, you will be interested in our review of the top 10 free download 2D animation software options that may prove useful to you.

• Part 1: Best Free 2D Animation Software for Beginners
• Part 2: Best Professional 2D Animation Software
• Part 3: How to Make 2D Animation
• Part 4: FAQ about Professional 2D Animation Software

Recommend free download animation maker Filmora

If you want to create a 2D animation video, we recommend using 2D animation software-Filmora.

It is a powerful and straightforward video maker for all levels from middle to advanced. With keyframing, you can make smooth 2D animation quickly. Auto color correction can save you a lot of time to make high-quality animation.

Now free download it on Windows and Mac to make 2D animated videos, and connect with other video creators in the Wondershare Video Community to get more creative ideas.

A cross-platform for making videos anywhere for all creators

Why your video editing isn’t good enough? How about some creative inspo?

• 100 Million+ Users
• 150+ Countries and Regions
• 4 Million+ Social Media Followers
• 5 Million+ Stock Media for Use

Try It Free Try It Free

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* Secure Download

Have a Quick Look at The Best 10 Free/Paid 2D Animation Software to Download

No.	Product Name	Supported OS	Price	Best for
1	Synfig	Windows, Linux, and OSX	Free	Beginners
2	Opentoonz	Windows and OSX	Free	Beginners
3	Maefloresta	iPhone and Android	Free	Beginners
4	Pencil 2D	Windows, Linux, and OSX	Free	Beginners
5	Toon Boom Harmony	Windows, Linux, and OSX	$109 per month	Professionals
6	CelAction2D	Windows, Linux, and OSX	$1300 for one single license	Professionals
7	Moho (Anime Studio) Pro	Windows and OSX	$399.99 for the full package	Professionals
8	Stop Motion Studio	Windows, OSX, Android, and iOS	$59.99 for the full package	Professionals
9	FlipBook	Windows and OSX	$19.99/$49.99/$149.99/$199.99	Professionals
10	Reallusion CrazyTalk Animator	Windows and OSX	$199 for the pipeline, $99 for pro	Professionals

Part 1 Best Free 2D Animation Software for Beginners

01 Synfig - Open Source 2D Animation Software for Beginners

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX

Pro: It offers more than 50 layers to make simple or advanced animation, so you don’t need to worry about its limitation though it is free to use.

Con: Few tutorials are available in the market to start making an animation for beginners.

Synfig Studio is an open-source, free 2D animation software that is the perfect place for beginners to learn about 2D animation. There are two versions available for free download - stable and testing.

The testing version has some experimental features if users want to try those ahead of their introduction into the stable release.

Features:

• Supports multiple layers of content
• The bone system allows for the creation of cutout animations from bitmap images
• Has sound support to allow for the addition and syncing of narration and/or music to the video

02 Opentoonz - Free-to-Use Effects for 2D Animation

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows and OSX

Pro: You can use a plug-in to make beautiful animation effects automatically without further editing.

Con: The UI design is outdated compared with other animation software, but it won’t affect user experience.

Based on the Toonz software, Opentoonz is the best free alternative that will help you create 2D animated content. Anyone can use the software, free of charge, and download it.

And users can modify the source code to add specific features to this simple animation software.

Features:

• GTS scanning tool
• Ability to change picture styles
• Add distortion and light effects
• Compatible with black and white and colored scans

03 Maefloresta - Easy-to-Use 2D Animation Software on Phone

Price: Free

Compatibility: iPhone and Android

Pro: It is free to use with easy to start introduction, even for kids.

Con: You need to email its staff to get the installer online, which is inconvenient sometimes.

The beauty of the Maefloresta app is that you can use your Android or iOS tablet and smartphone to create free 2D animated videos.

There is no need to pay for expensive software if you just want to create some fun videos to show your friends. It also offers school solutions for teachers and students.

Features:

• The free downloadable app that works on smartphones and tablets
• Easy animation software with tutorials
• Intuitive interface that beginners can use with ease

04 Pencil 2D - Cross-Platform Software with Intuitive Interface

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX

Pro: It offers English, Spanish, and Portuguese language tutorials to use.

Con: It doesn’t support the shapes tool. If you like to make shapes and draw something, you’d be disappointed.

Want an open-source and free 2D animation design software to help you create videos? Pencil2D animation is the type of program that can help beginners.

You can get to grips with how 2D animation works, and you can create some very fun and interesting videos along the way.

Features:

• Minimalist design to let you make animation easily
• Raster and vector workflow switching
• Cross-platform compatibility to free download

Part 2: Best Professional 2D Animation Software

05 Toon Boom Harmony - Leading Animation Software for Professional

Price: The first 21 days of using the product are free. After the 21 days are up, you will need to pay $109 per month.

Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX

Pro: You can make 2D and 3D animation, both with models.

Con: It may take some time to learn how to make 2D animation for beginners.

Whether you are trying to create an art piece, showcase a story through 2D images, or craft a unique message for your audience, Toon Boom Harmony will help you immensely.

This professional 2D animation software may take time to learn, but it is worth using. It has bitmap and vector tools for creating art, 3D imported models for hybrid productions, and the option to create multiplane scenes with Z-depth.

You can also check the Toon Boom Harmony Advanced Review from the TopTenReview website for more information.

Features:

• Revolutionary vector and bitmap drawing technology - Brush Engine
• Advanced color palettes and paint options
• 2D and 3D integration to make professional animation
• Cut-out animation tools
• Traditional paperless animation.

06 CelAction2D - Low System Requirement for Professional 2D Animation

Price: If you go with the Studio Edition, it costs $1,300 to obtain a single license to use the product for a lifetime. Studio Edition is $1300 for one single license

Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX

Pro: It is fast to use with low system requirements.

Con: You can draw animation in itself, so you need to import all words from third-party software.

Want to create unique and complex 2D animations for your upcoming projects? CelAction2D is the type of product that is going to help you create wonderful and professional animations.

While getting a full license is a financial commitment, you are getting a product that has all the features that you could need.

You can create a palette using up to 16 million colors, and you will have a very easy time getting to grips with the way the software works.

It is designed for beginners and intermediate users, but still has all the advanced features that a pro would want.

Features:

• Easy and fast to use for professional users
• Features ergonomic controls
• Easily handles complex projects with thousands of layers
• Works with all modern Windows machines - 32 and 64-bit Also work with Macs through Boot Camp
• The multiplane camera features let you have more controls

07 Moho (Anime Studio) Pro - All-In-One Professional 2D Animation Software

Price: $399.99 for the full package.

Compatibility: Windows and OSX

Pro: Its update is regular with advanced and newest features to use.

Con: It is not user-friendly for beginners as the functions are too advanced a little bit.

Anime Studio Pro is a fantastic option for anyone who is looking to get into professional 2D animation creation. It is affordable and designed for Flash-style animations.

While you cannot create frame-by-frame animations using this program, you will be able to create some fantastic videos nonetheless.

There is an Anime Studio Debut - simple animation software, which is targeted towards the beginner user and free download. But if you want all the features of a high-end 2D animation software, you will want to go with the Pro version.

Features:

• Enhanced freehand drawing tools
• Beizer handles to make it easier for you to design your videos the way that you want
• Smart warp feature helps create custom meshes to bend and twist your animations
• Realistic motion blur
• Animation for multiple layers at the same time

08 Stop Motion Studio - Fun and Well Designed 2D Animation Software

Price: $59.99 to download the software onto your PC.

Compatibility: Windows, OSX, Android, and iOS

Pro: You can use a built-in sound to make your animation unique. You can also record voice and use it in the video.

Con: You can only use it to make 2D stop motion animation.

Want to create fun, 2D animated videos? Hoping to impress your bosses with a 2D animated presentation to highlight a product’s features?

Using Stop Motion Studio will help you achieve all that you want in the world of 2D animation.

You can capture content with ease, whether you change up the focus, exposure, or white balance. There is DSLR support, so you can use your high-end camera in conjunction with this professional software.

And with a unique, frame-by-frame editor, you will be able to get the result that you want for your 2D stop animation movie.

Features:

• Onionskin allows you to view previous frames through a transparent overlay, which helps you create your next frame
• Comes with Chroma key and audio recording to better narrate and add voice effects to your videos
• Easy one-click uploading to YouTube and Facebook
• DSLR camera support for creating perfect 1080p recordings

09 FlipBook - Fun and Well Designed 2D Animation Software

Price: $19.99 for FlipBook Lite, $49.99 for FlipBook Studio, $149.99 for FlipBook Pro, $199.99 for FlipBook ProHD

Compatibility: Windows and OSX

Pro: From drawing, scanning to sound, this 2D animation software can make you powerful video.

Con: You can’t use it to make subtle changes as bone rigging is not available.

FlipBook is easy to use for beginners and pros who want to improve the editing experience. It is a powerful video editor that you can make 2D animation with various functions like syncing sound with animation, scanning cells, and more.

If you like to make a cartoon video like a pro, this 2D animation maker is best for you. It is free to download.

Features:

• Changes will be made while you change the animation, so FlipBook is fast to use
• You can use the shift key to make speed painting once you select one color
• Ten layers in animation for adding extra touches
• You can use a scanner to import images

10 Reallusion CrazyTalk Animator - Professional 2D Animation/Cartoon Software for Designers

Price: USD199 for the pipeline, USD99 for pro.

Compatibility: Windows and OSX

Pro: You can always find the feature you like for beginners and professionals. You can control characters even in expression levels.

Con: It integrates with PhotoShop to import and export video.

CrazyTalk is a 2D animation maker for professional users, so you can use this one if you don’t know which one to use. It supports controlling characters with your expression and lip-syncing. It is popular among YouTubers, educators and marketers.

Features:

• Capture real-time facial expression with precise changing
• Black magic to turn the image into a moving cartoon
• For advanced users, you can make 2D visual effects

Price: USD199 for the pipeline, USD99 for pro.

You may also like: Best Free Animated Logo Makers >>

Part 3: How to Make 2D Animation

Step 1 Put forward an idea

A story ides is priceless. It is always important to build an essential story frame. Sometimes it is in a blink to have come up with an idea.

It will help if you decide the gist of your 2D animation because the whole process of making animation is evolving. You may need to add or cut some scenes, but the overall concept and story ideas are always the same.

Step 2 Make a storyboard

After all the ideas are fixed, you need to make a storyboard for animation . You don’t need to produce every scene, but it is suggested to make a storyboard in some crucial scenes. Storyboarding is probably the best way to show 2D animation to other people and get feedback.

Thus, it is a step that you should not neglect during the preliminary.

Step 3 Produce materials

At this stage, you need to prepare all the 2D animation materials, including characters, background, and props. One thing you need to know is all the preparations in steps 2 and 3 should be ready before proceeding to step 3.

Step 4 Animation

After all, materials are ready, and you need to make animation alive. In this step, you need to make sure all the movements are natural. Stiff moves are not liked by the audience, so you need to think about how to design gestures, movements, and facial expressions.

Step 5 Animation editing

In this step, the software is the key to relive the 2D animation. Background audio is essential and needs to be added to the video. Color correction and grading are also necessary. Besides, scene transition, voiceover, and even text credit need to be added.

Above are the five 2D animation steps. If you think there are extra steps, you are free to add them according to your needs.

Bonus tip: Create an Animation Video with Anireel

Anireel provides a faster and smoother animated video creation experience with customizable elements to bring anyone’s imagination to life. All you have to do is choose your script, input the content, and Anireel will instantly match your script to rich animation explainer scenes, convert the text into voice-over, and generate a vivid, complete animation video.

Part 3 FAQ about Professional 2D Animation Software

01 What is the best 2D animation software?

It is hard to directly give you an answer and tell you which is the best 2D animation software. However, we can give you some recommendations based on your needs. If you are a beginner, Pencil 2D is a great start. You can use it to make minimalist animation to give you a quick-to-start 2D animation experience. If you are in the middle level, Stop Motion Studio is what we recommend. The interface is intuitive with powerful features like voiceover and Chroma key.

02 What is the best 2D animation software for beginners?

For 2D animation software for beginners, Pencil 2D would come to mind for many people. It is an excellent animation software for beginners. If you also want to try other tools, Synfig and FlipBook are also great choices. It is your call for the final decision.

03 Is there any free animation software?

For beginners, free animation software includes Synfig, Opentoonz, Maefloresta, and Pencil 2D. For advanced users, you can use Blender and Maya.

Conclusion

Creating a 2D animation video is a lot easier when you have the right software available to you. You already have a script and storyboard in mind, but now you can realize your vision in intricate and unique ways.

If you want to make 3D animation, there are also various 3D animation software options for you. If anyone of the products above will serve you well, you could use Filmora.

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

Shanoon Cox

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

Follow @Shanoon Cox

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