Get Started with Video Editing on Mac: A Beginner’s Software Selection Guide

Many video editors will agree that Apple’s Mac computers are perfect for video editing and other creative media arts such as animation. Unlike, Chrome OS, Windows, or Linux, macOS comes with much-noted preferences. This operating system emphasizes on creativity and design and gives the best producing results with top movie maker software.

8 Stunning Movie Creator for Mac

Browsing through the internet, you will find a myriad of movie maker video editors. However, not every tool is compatible with Mac. If you are getting started with video editing on your Mac, the first step is to choose movie maker software that gives high-quality results. Below, you will find some of the best video editing tools to put out short films and movies professionally.

1. Wondershare Filmora - Best Overall

Filmora by Wondershare is a popular video movie maker for Mac with a wide array of transition, trimming, and overlay options. Notable benefits of using Filmora are modern and advanced features. Also, developers in Filmora consistently introduce new updates and features. For instance, they recently introduced a motion tracking feature. Motion tracking maps objects in a frame and enables the video editor to create texts and graphics that follow that motion. Filmora has a straightforward interface, which makes this tool suitable for beginners as well as professional video editors.

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

The tool supports 4K videos and offers a plethora of options to add effects, styles, and enable editors to customize videos. Filmora is an affordable tool with many elements and animations. With this tool, editors can insert text and add audio to their videos. Here are some top features offered by Wondershare Filmora:

• Layer multiple video clips
• Video stabilization
• Audio equalizer
• Advanced text editing
• Speed control
• Mosaic (blurring)
• Noise removal
• Screen recording

2. Adobe Premiere Pro – Best for Professionals

Adobe Premiere is another popular platform suitable for video editing. Like Filmora, Adobe Premiere also offers a convenient and simple interface. With embedded layouts, you can use this movie video maker for different purposes. Furthermore, Adobe Premiere also offers complete customization. You can arrange and remove windows and tabs according to your preference.

With a great number of presets and codecs, you can easily export videos in different formats. While exporting, you can customize the settings according to your needs, although default settings also offer decent quality. Besides coding formats, Adobe Premiere boasts numerous templates, plug-ins, and scripts to simplify the working process and include professional elements to your video. Exciting features of Adobe Premiere includes:

• Motion graphics templates
• Simultaneous projects
• Transitions
• Effects
• VR rotate sphere
• VR audio editing
• VR editing
• Multiple formats support

3. Shotcut – Best Open Source Software

Shotcut is a simple tool with customized filters that enable you to create collage videos. This movie video maker enables you to adjust video and audio quality and change the volume. Furthermore, you can export videos in different folders such as MJpeg, and WebM.

With Shotcut, you can export videos in Lossless mode. This mode keeps the original quality of the videos after the export, which is suitable for professional tasks. This means that you can save time by downloading high-quality videos on default settings. Using this movie creator, you can add filters and effects to enhance the video quality and color grading. Shotcut movie maker offers the following features:

• Multiple audio features
• Video effects
• Hardware support
• Display and monitoring
• Codec independent
• Cross-platform

4. Adobe Premiere Elements – Best for Beginners

Adobe Premiere Elements is a beginners’ version of Premiere Pro. This doesn’t mean that it is less capable, but the tool offers simple features for high-quality tasks. That’s why this video movie makeris highly suitable for beginners. So, if you are just starting with video editing, you should consider trying Premiere elements.

Premiere elements offers a wide array of tools to compile multiple videos, audio, and images into a single video. There are few tools available to scale video quality. This movie video maker is compatible with Mac as well as PC. Premiere Elements also helps you add fun minor effects to maintain flow and spice up the video. The tool uses Sensei AI technology that automatically keeps the important video elements in the frame through re-framing.

If you edit videos for social media platforms, using Adobe Premiere elements would be ideal. It enables you to create a social-friendly square or vertical format of videos. Furthermore, you can include backgrounds, mattes, and motion titles in the videos. Abode Premiere Elements offers the following features:

• Animated overlays
• Auto reframe
• New slideshow styles
• Compress video output
• Shadow and highlight guided edit
• Ample video effects
• Cross-platform support

5. Final Cut Pro – Best Tool for Timeline

Final Cut is a convenient and powerful movie creator tool produced by Apple Company. This platform gives a new approach to video editing and has a flexible Magnetic Timeline. The interface is quite uncommon with fixed windows. You can conveniently add new videos and organize clips with Final Cut Pro, and the video clips you no longer use will easily disappear.

The Clip Connections feature enables you to join basic clips with other elements. The downside of this tool is that you can’t use the keyboard to enter the parameters for color correction. Instead, you have to use a mouse for every modification. This can be overwhelming sometimes, especially for minimum correction. Some features of Final Cut Pro include:

• Supports 360° VR content
• Supports 4K XAVC-S format
• 3D editing
• Motion tracking
• Exports to video ()

6. Blender – Best for 3D

Blender is an open-source and free-to-use movie maker video editor. A notable feature of this tool is 3D rendering. It offers excellent functions to work with movable objects such as animation, opening UV, training, modeling, interface, and shading. The video movie maker offers a highly-technological interface, unlike other similar programs. Blender is perfect for 3D enthusiasts, designers, and artists, as it offers professional 3D quality. Some popular Blender features are:

• Modeling
• Sculpting
• Rendering
• VFX
• Animation and rigging
• Scripting

7. OpenShot – Best for Open-Source

OpenShot is another open-source movie video maker but the interface and features are quite different than Blender. It offers drag-and-drop options and a simple interface. This Mac video editing tool creates a perfect balance with simplicity and advanced features. With this tool, you can include wide-ranging transition effects and elements and create high-quality videos. OpenShot offers:

• Desktop integration
• Keyframe animation
• Trim and slice
• Slow-motion and time effect
• Audio waveform

8. Lightworks – Best Tool for Fast Rendering

You can download Lightworks for free on your Mac and include unlimited videos and audio tracks in them. The post-promotion video processing feature performed in real-time saves a tremendous amount of time. With the auto-save feature, you don’t have to worry about losing your progress. Lightworks also offers screen capture features to create YouTube tutorial videos. Features of Lightworks movie maker tool are:

• Unlimited sources
• Live cut
• Unique sync group feature.
• Sync with edits.
• Sync to time code or lock frame

Closing Word

Hopefully, now you can easily choose the best movie maker from the above list and scale your editing skills. Our top pick, Wondershare Filmora is budget-friendly movie maker software with an easy-to-use interface and creative features. There are wide-ranging transitions and effects such as speed blur, ripple and dissolve, making this software a unique option.

Versatile Video Editor - Wondershare Filmora

An easy yet powerful editor

Numerous effects to choose from

Detailed tutorials provided by the official channel

Try It Free Try It Free

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

The tool supports 4K videos and offers a plethora of options to add effects, styles, and enable editors to customize videos. Filmora is an affordable tool with many elements and animations. With this tool, editors can insert text and add audio to their videos. Here are some top features offered by Wondershare Filmora:

• Layer multiple video clips
• Video stabilization
• Audio equalizer
• Advanced text editing
• Speed control
• Mosaic (blurring)
• Noise removal
• Screen recording

2. Adobe Premiere Pro – Best for Professionals

Adobe Premiere is another popular platform suitable for video editing. Like Filmora, Adobe Premiere also offers a convenient and simple interface. With embedded layouts, you can use this movie video maker for different purposes. Furthermore, Adobe Premiere also offers complete customization. You can arrange and remove windows and tabs according to your preference.

With a great number of presets and codecs, you can easily export videos in different formats. While exporting, you can customize the settings according to your needs, although default settings also offer decent quality. Besides coding formats, Adobe Premiere boasts numerous templates, plug-ins, and scripts to simplify the working process and include professional elements to your video. Exciting features of Adobe Premiere includes:

• Motion graphics templates
• Simultaneous projects
• Transitions
• Effects
• VR rotate sphere
• VR audio editing
• VR editing
• Multiple formats support

3. Shotcut – Best Open Source Software

Shotcut is a simple tool with customized filters that enable you to create collage videos. This movie video maker enables you to adjust video and audio quality and change the volume. Furthermore, you can export videos in different folders such as MJpeg, and WebM.

With Shotcut, you can export videos in Lossless mode. This mode keeps the original quality of the videos after the export, which is suitable for professional tasks. This means that you can save time by downloading high-quality videos on default settings. Using this movie creator, you can add filters and effects to enhance the video quality and color grading. Shotcut movie maker offers the following features:

• Multiple audio features
• Video effects
• Hardware support
• Display and monitoring
• Codec independent
• Cross-platform

4. Adobe Premiere Elements – Best for Beginners

Adobe Premiere Elements is a beginners’ version of Premiere Pro. This doesn’t mean that it is less capable, but the tool offers simple features for high-quality tasks. That’s why this video movie makeris highly suitable for beginners. So, if you are just starting with video editing, you should consider trying Premiere elements.

Premiere elements offers a wide array of tools to compile multiple videos, audio, and images into a single video. There are few tools available to scale video quality. This movie video maker is compatible with Mac as well as PC. Premiere Elements also helps you add fun minor effects to maintain flow and spice up the video. The tool uses Sensei AI technology that automatically keeps the important video elements in the frame through re-framing.

If you edit videos for social media platforms, using Adobe Premiere elements would be ideal. It enables you to create a social-friendly square or vertical format of videos. Furthermore, you can include backgrounds, mattes, and motion titles in the videos. Abode Premiere Elements offers the following features:

• Animated overlays
• Auto reframe
• New slideshow styles
• Compress video output
• Shadow and highlight guided edit
• Ample video effects
• Cross-platform support

5. Final Cut Pro – Best Tool for Timeline

Final Cut is a convenient and powerful movie creator tool produced by Apple Company. This platform gives a new approach to video editing and has a flexible Magnetic Timeline. The interface is quite uncommon with fixed windows. You can conveniently add new videos and organize clips with Final Cut Pro, and the video clips you no longer use will easily disappear.

The Clip Connections feature enables you to join basic clips with other elements. The downside of this tool is that you can’t use the keyboard to enter the parameters for color correction. Instead, you have to use a mouse for every modification. This can be overwhelming sometimes, especially for minimum correction. Some features of Final Cut Pro include:

• Supports 360° VR content
• Supports 4K XAVC-S format
• 3D editing
• Motion tracking
• Exports to video ()

6. Blender – Best for 3D

Blender is an open-source and free-to-use movie maker video editor. A notable feature of this tool is 3D rendering. It offers excellent functions to work with movable objects such as animation, opening UV, training, modeling, interface, and shading. The video movie maker offers a highly-technological interface, unlike other similar programs. Blender is perfect for 3D enthusiasts, designers, and artists, as it offers professional 3D quality. Some popular Blender features are:

• Modeling
• Sculpting
• Rendering
• VFX
• Animation and rigging
• Scripting

7. OpenShot – Best for Open-Source

OpenShot is another open-source movie video maker but the interface and features are quite different than Blender. It offers drag-and-drop options and a simple interface. This Mac video editing tool creates a perfect balance with simplicity and advanced features. With this tool, you can include wide-ranging transition effects and elements and create high-quality videos. OpenShot offers:

• Desktop integration
• Keyframe animation
• Trim and slice
• Slow-motion and time effect
• Audio waveform

8. Lightworks – Best Tool for Fast Rendering

You can download Lightworks for free on your Mac and include unlimited videos and audio tracks in them. The post-promotion video processing feature performed in real-time saves a tremendous amount of time. With the auto-save feature, you don’t have to worry about losing your progress. Lightworks also offers screen capture features to create YouTube tutorial videos. Features of Lightworks movie maker tool are:

• Unlimited sources
• Live cut
• Unique sync group feature.
• Sync with edits.
• Sync to time code or lock frame

Closing Word

Hopefully, now you can easily choose the best movie maker from the above list and scale your editing skills. Our top pick, Wondershare Filmora is budget-friendly movie maker software with an easy-to-use interface and creative features. There are wide-ranging transitions and effects such as speed blur, ripple and dissolve, making this software a unique option.

Versatile Video Editor - Wondershare Filmora

An easy yet powerful editor

Numerous effects to choose from

Detailed tutorials provided by the official channel

Try It Free Try It Free

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

The tool supports 4K videos and offers a plethora of options to add effects, styles, and enable editors to customize videos. Filmora is an affordable tool with many elements and animations. With this tool, editors can insert text and add audio to their videos. Here are some top features offered by Wondershare Filmora:

• Layer multiple video clips
• Video stabilization
• Audio equalizer
• Advanced text editing
• Speed control
• Mosaic (blurring)
• Noise removal
• Screen recording

2. Adobe Premiere Pro – Best for Professionals

Adobe Premiere is another popular platform suitable for video editing. Like Filmora, Adobe Premiere also offers a convenient and simple interface. With embedded layouts, you can use this movie video maker for different purposes. Furthermore, Adobe Premiere also offers complete customization. You can arrange and remove windows and tabs according to your preference.

With a great number of presets and codecs, you can easily export videos in different formats. While exporting, you can customize the settings according to your needs, although default settings also offer decent quality. Besides coding formats, Adobe Premiere boasts numerous templates, plug-ins, and scripts to simplify the working process and include professional elements to your video. Exciting features of Adobe Premiere includes:

• Motion graphics templates
• Simultaneous projects
• Transitions
• Effects
• VR rotate sphere
• VR audio editing
• VR editing
• Multiple formats support

3. Shotcut – Best Open Source Software

Shotcut is a simple tool with customized filters that enable you to create collage videos. This movie video maker enables you to adjust video and audio quality and change the volume. Furthermore, you can export videos in different folders such as MJpeg, and WebM.

With Shotcut, you can export videos in Lossless mode. This mode keeps the original quality of the videos after the export, which is suitable for professional tasks. This means that you can save time by downloading high-quality videos on default settings. Using this movie creator, you can add filters and effects to enhance the video quality and color grading. Shotcut movie maker offers the following features:

• Multiple audio features
• Video effects
• Hardware support
• Display and monitoring
• Codec independent
• Cross-platform

4. Adobe Premiere Elements – Best for Beginners

Adobe Premiere Elements is a beginners’ version of Premiere Pro. This doesn’t mean that it is less capable, but the tool offers simple features for high-quality tasks. That’s why this video movie makeris highly suitable for beginners. So, if you are just starting with video editing, you should consider trying Premiere elements.

Premiere elements offers a wide array of tools to compile multiple videos, audio, and images into a single video. There are few tools available to scale video quality. This movie video maker is compatible with Mac as well as PC. Premiere Elements also helps you add fun minor effects to maintain flow and spice up the video. The tool uses Sensei AI technology that automatically keeps the important video elements in the frame through re-framing.

If you edit videos for social media platforms, using Adobe Premiere elements would be ideal. It enables you to create a social-friendly square or vertical format of videos. Furthermore, you can include backgrounds, mattes, and motion titles in the videos. Abode Premiere Elements offers the following features:

• Animated overlays
• Auto reframe
• New slideshow styles
• Compress video output
• Shadow and highlight guided edit
• Ample video effects
• Cross-platform support

5. Final Cut Pro – Best Tool for Timeline

Final Cut is a convenient and powerful movie creator tool produced by Apple Company. This platform gives a new approach to video editing and has a flexible Magnetic Timeline. The interface is quite uncommon with fixed windows. You can conveniently add new videos and organize clips with Final Cut Pro, and the video clips you no longer use will easily disappear.

The Clip Connections feature enables you to join basic clips with other elements. The downside of this tool is that you can’t use the keyboard to enter the parameters for color correction. Instead, you have to use a mouse for every modification. This can be overwhelming sometimes, especially for minimum correction. Some features of Final Cut Pro include:

• Supports 360° VR content
• Supports 4K XAVC-S format
• 3D editing
• Motion tracking
• Exports to video ()

6. Blender – Best for 3D

Blender is an open-source and free-to-use movie maker video editor. A notable feature of this tool is 3D rendering. It offers excellent functions to work with movable objects such as animation, opening UV, training, modeling, interface, and shading. The video movie maker offers a highly-technological interface, unlike other similar programs. Blender is perfect for 3D enthusiasts, designers, and artists, as it offers professional 3D quality. Some popular Blender features are:

• Modeling
• Sculpting
• Rendering
• VFX
• Animation and rigging
• Scripting

7. OpenShot – Best for Open-Source

OpenShot is another open-source movie video maker but the interface and features are quite different than Blender. It offers drag-and-drop options and a simple interface. This Mac video editing tool creates a perfect balance with simplicity and advanced features. With this tool, you can include wide-ranging transition effects and elements and create high-quality videos. OpenShot offers:

• Desktop integration
• Keyframe animation
• Trim and slice
• Slow-motion and time effect
• Audio waveform

8. Lightworks – Best Tool for Fast Rendering

You can download Lightworks for free on your Mac and include unlimited videos and audio tracks in them. The post-promotion video processing feature performed in real-time saves a tremendous amount of time. With the auto-save feature, you don’t have to worry about losing your progress. Lightworks also offers screen capture features to create YouTube tutorial videos. Features of Lightworks movie maker tool are:

• Unlimited sources
• Live cut
• Unique sync group feature.
• Sync with edits.
• Sync to time code or lock frame

Closing Word

Hopefully, now you can easily choose the best movie maker from the above list and scale your editing skills. Our top pick, Wondershare Filmora is budget-friendly movie maker software with an easy-to-use interface and creative features. There are wide-ranging transitions and effects such as speed blur, ripple and dissolve, making this software a unique option.

Versatile Video Editor - Wondershare Filmora

An easy yet powerful editor

Numerous effects to choose from

Detailed tutorials provided by the official channel

Try It Free Try It Free

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

The tool supports 4K videos and offers a plethora of options to add effects, styles, and enable editors to customize videos. Filmora is an affordable tool with many elements and animations. With this tool, editors can insert text and add audio to their videos. Here are some top features offered by Wondershare Filmora:

• Layer multiple video clips
• Video stabilization
• Audio equalizer
• Advanced text editing
• Speed control
• Mosaic (blurring)
• Noise removal
• Screen recording

2. Adobe Premiere Pro – Best for Professionals

Adobe Premiere is another popular platform suitable for video editing. Like Filmora, Adobe Premiere also offers a convenient and simple interface. With embedded layouts, you can use this movie video maker for different purposes. Furthermore, Adobe Premiere also offers complete customization. You can arrange and remove windows and tabs according to your preference.

With a great number of presets and codecs, you can easily export videos in different formats. While exporting, you can customize the settings according to your needs, although default settings also offer decent quality. Besides coding formats, Adobe Premiere boasts numerous templates, plug-ins, and scripts to simplify the working process and include professional elements to your video. Exciting features of Adobe Premiere includes:

• Motion graphics templates
• Simultaneous projects
• Transitions
• Effects
• VR rotate sphere
• VR audio editing
• VR editing
• Multiple formats support

3. Shotcut – Best Open Source Software

Shotcut is a simple tool with customized filters that enable you to create collage videos. This movie video maker enables you to adjust video and audio quality and change the volume. Furthermore, you can export videos in different folders such as MJpeg, and WebM.

With Shotcut, you can export videos in Lossless mode. This mode keeps the original quality of the videos after the export, which is suitable for professional tasks. This means that you can save time by downloading high-quality videos on default settings. Using this movie creator, you can add filters and effects to enhance the video quality and color grading. Shotcut movie maker offers the following features:

• Multiple audio features
• Video effects
• Hardware support
• Display and monitoring
• Codec independent
• Cross-platform

4. Adobe Premiere Elements – Best for Beginners

Adobe Premiere Elements is a beginners’ version of Premiere Pro. This doesn’t mean that it is less capable, but the tool offers simple features for high-quality tasks. That’s why this video movie makeris highly suitable for beginners. So, if you are just starting with video editing, you should consider trying Premiere elements.

Premiere elements offers a wide array of tools to compile multiple videos, audio, and images into a single video. There are few tools available to scale video quality. This movie video maker is compatible with Mac as well as PC. Premiere Elements also helps you add fun minor effects to maintain flow and spice up the video. The tool uses Sensei AI technology that automatically keeps the important video elements in the frame through re-framing.

If you edit videos for social media platforms, using Adobe Premiere elements would be ideal. It enables you to create a social-friendly square or vertical format of videos. Furthermore, you can include backgrounds, mattes, and motion titles in the videos. Abode Premiere Elements offers the following features:

• Animated overlays
• Auto reframe
• New slideshow styles
• Compress video output
• Shadow and highlight guided edit
• Ample video effects
• Cross-platform support

5. Final Cut Pro – Best Tool for Timeline

Final Cut is a convenient and powerful movie creator tool produced by Apple Company. This platform gives a new approach to video editing and has a flexible Magnetic Timeline. The interface is quite uncommon with fixed windows. You can conveniently add new videos and organize clips with Final Cut Pro, and the video clips you no longer use will easily disappear.

The Clip Connections feature enables you to join basic clips with other elements. The downside of this tool is that you can’t use the keyboard to enter the parameters for color correction. Instead, you have to use a mouse for every modification. This can be overwhelming sometimes, especially for minimum correction. Some features of Final Cut Pro include:

• Supports 360° VR content
• Supports 4K XAVC-S format
• 3D editing
• Motion tracking
• Exports to video ()

6. Blender – Best for 3D

Blender is an open-source and free-to-use movie maker video editor. A notable feature of this tool is 3D rendering. It offers excellent functions to work with movable objects such as animation, opening UV, training, modeling, interface, and shading. The video movie maker offers a highly-technological interface, unlike other similar programs. Blender is perfect for 3D enthusiasts, designers, and artists, as it offers professional 3D quality. Some popular Blender features are:

• Modeling
• Sculpting
• Rendering
• VFX
• Animation and rigging
• Scripting

7. OpenShot – Best for Open-Source

OpenShot is another open-source movie video maker but the interface and features are quite different than Blender. It offers drag-and-drop options and a simple interface. This Mac video editing tool creates a perfect balance with simplicity and advanced features. With this tool, you can include wide-ranging transition effects and elements and create high-quality videos. OpenShot offers:

• Desktop integration
• Keyframe animation
• Trim and slice
• Slow-motion and time effect
• Audio waveform

8. Lightworks – Best Tool for Fast Rendering

You can download Lightworks for free on your Mac and include unlimited videos and audio tracks in them. The post-promotion video processing feature performed in real-time saves a tremendous amount of time. With the auto-save feature, you don’t have to worry about losing your progress. Lightworks also offers screen capture features to create YouTube tutorial videos. Features of Lightworks movie maker tool are:

• Unlimited sources
• Live cut
• Unique sync group feature.
• Sync with edits.
• Sync to time code or lock frame

Closing Word

Hopefully, now you can easily choose the best movie maker from the above list and scale your editing skills. Our top pick, Wondershare Filmora is budget-friendly movie maker software with an easy-to-use interface and creative features. There are wide-ranging transitions and effects such as speed blur, ripple and dissolve, making this software a unique option.

Versatile Video Editor - Wondershare Filmora

An easy yet powerful editor

Numerous effects to choose from

Detailed tutorials provided by the official channel

Try It Free Try It Free

Animate for Free: Top 12 Options for Windows and Mac Users

Best 12 Free Download Animation Software for Windows and Mac

Shanoon Cox

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

In your search for quality animation software, you may have found that many of the programs cost a lot of money no matter it is 2D animation software or 3D animation editor. The good news is that you can choose free animation tools to make different animation types easily.

That is why we created a list of the best animation software on both Mac and Windows. Whether you are a professional editor or just a beginner to start making animation, you will find the tools listed below are easy to use without watermark and won’t cost money to improve your skills.

The best part is you will find these free animation programs are also very useful for content creation on Mac and Windows. Besides, we have listed the pros and cons of each software. Keep reading!

• Part 1: Best Free Animation Software for Mac
• Part 2: Best Free Animation Software for Windows
• Part 3: FAQ about Animation Software for Windows and Mac

Here we have made a table of 12 free animation software without watermark on Windows and macOS. Take a look.

6 Free Animation Software for macOS

5K-3DMiddleIt is a great tool for 3D artists6KritaDifficultPerfect software for 2D animation

Number	Software	Difficulty Level	Highlight
1	Synfig Studio	Easy	Calculate vector shape to animation automatically
2	Pencil2D Animation	Easiest	Straightforward interface for beginners
3	Tupi	Middle	Its community is active to offer solutions
4	Blender	Difficult	It is a powerful animation tool to render and make modeling

6 Free Animation Software for Windows

Number	Software	Difficulty Level	Highlight
1	DAZ Studio	Difficult	For professional users with the fast animation process
2	Terragen	Middle	It can make realistic CG environments
3	Anim8or	Difficult	3D animation is Anim8or’s main function
4	Seamless3d	Easy	It has many features for 3d modeling
5	OpenToonz	Middle	Make cartoon animation with plugins
6	Stykz	Easy	Quickly make animation if you have used Pivot StickFigure Animator

Best Animation Software on Windows and Mac - Filmora

Looking for a simple while powerful Mac video editing tool ? We recommend using Wondershare Filmora. You can use it to create 2D/3D animated texts, shapes, or anything you like for YouTube videos.

The keyframing features will help you make animation effects smooth and precise. When exporting, you can also make it transparent.

Besides, various title templates and transitions are also available for you. Download it now to have a try! Or learn more from Wondershare Video Community .

Key features

• Create various shapes that you like
• Add keyframing to make it move
• Fine-tuning to make it smooth
• Add visual effects/text/color before export it

You can even create photo cut animation which has been very trendy on Tiktok and Instagram. Here is a video to present you how you can do it in Filmora.

Part 1 Best Free Animation Software for Mac

Listed below is free animation software on Mac. Take a look.

01 Synfig Studio - Mac Software to Animate Video

Difficulty Level: Easy

Pro: You can create many layers once a time and sync audio for your animation.

Con: This one needs much time to learn, especially for beginners.

An open-source 2D animation software that works on Macs, Synfig Studio delivers multiple players while you are creating content. Whether you want to add geometric, filters, distortions, or transformations, it is all possible! And thanks to the high-end bone system, you can create cut-out videos using bitmap images!

The thoughtful part is there are two download versions on the homepage: the stable version and the development version. If you want to enjoy a stable and smooth animation editing experience, choose the stable one. However, the development package gives you access to the use of the latest features.

For a novice, you can learn Synfig from step by step guide in Wikipedia and video tutorials. Four languages are available including English, Russian, Dutch, and French for a video course.

You can free download its latest version 1.3.11. The upcoming version is 1.4.

Features:

• It offers support for many layers within the animation.
• The program’s bone system means that you can easily create animations with bitmap images or vector artwork.
• It allows you to sync your creative work with any sound that you want. Has a full-featured audio editor.

02 Pencil2D Animation - Animation Program for 2D Pencil Lover

Difficulty Level: Easiest

Pro: Easy to start and make animation as the interface is user-friendly for many people.

Con: You need to set your preference every time to open it up, so it takes up some time

Pencil2D Animation is one of the simplest 2D hand-drawn tools available. It will work flawlessly on Mac computers. It is ideal for beginners, as the commands and interface are very easy to understand.

Whether you want to create a simple one, or you want something with many layers for videos on YouTube, you can use Pencil2D animation to get it done. Its timeline is easy to use at first glance. You can add and duplicate different frames on a different track.

The frequency of releasing the new version is very fast as Pencil2D is committed to bringing the lasted features to each user. The newest version is v0.6.4 (as of August 2019). Its user guide is informative with video tutorials, FAQs, and manual material.

Features:

• Lightweight and minimalistic design that makes it very easy for beginners.
• Features raster and vector workflows, with easy switching between them. You can paint and sketch as you want!
• Will run on all platforms - Mac, Windows, and Linux.
• Completely free and open source.

03 TupiTube - Free Animation Application for Mac Users

Difficulty Level: Middle

Pro: It supports vector illustrations. Besides, various formats are available.

Con: If you want to make 3D animation, it will fail. You can only make 2D effects.

A free software application for YouTube, Tupi will allow you to create 2D animations to your heart’s content. The tool was started by animators who wanted to create something that others could use.

It is an open-source tool, which means that users can make tweaks to the program if they have some interesting ideas. The program works on both Windows and Mac. You need to use Tupi and Papagayo to make lip-sync animation with different mouth shapes.

It also offers a solution for schools with related features including academic license, technical support, and ads-free, so many schools choose to use this one to teach kids how to make an animation video.

Features:

• Support for vector illustrations. You can add rectangles, lines, polygons, and other shapes as you please. To fill areas, just use the paint bucket.
• You can import raster images using this program.
• You can export all your finished images into different file formats.
• Support for tweeting positions, scale, shear, and rotations.

04 Blender - Need Some Time to Learn This Animation Tool

Difficulty Level: Difficult

Pro: Really powerful software that you can make for professional users.

Con: It is not easy to make image animation as it focuses on 3D.

Blender is an open-source 3D animation creation suite without a watermark. If you find that 2D is a little bit limiting, we think that you will be very happy with what this free program offers. You can take your projects to a whole new level when you can use this program on your Mac.

You can use Blender to make a video game, modeling, and high-quality animation. However, it involves a steep learning curve. Luckily, there are many tutorials to guide you through the journey. You can also ask for help in the Blender community that millions of talented people like you are there.

Features:

• Creating renders is no problem with this program.
• Modeling, such as sculpting, retopology, and creating curves is not an issue either.
• VFX and animation features are better than any option on the market.
• It offers powerful simulation tools.
• Integration with pipeline tools is easy.

05 K-3D - Best for Animation and Modeling in 3D

Difficulty Level: Middle

Pro: Ideal for designing simple 3D animations and models.

Con: It has an old-fashioned interface. Also, the built-render (RenderMan) feature is difficult to use by beginners.

K-3D is an animation and 3D modeling software. You can download this tool for free on your Mac. Besides, you can also install and run it on your Windows and Linux systems. If you look at the design, you will find that the software is quite old. But don’t judge a book by its cover. Why so? It is because K-3D is one of the strongest and most versatile tools for 3D artists with many options.

For example, K-3D offers extremely systematic and methodological workflows. You can easily adjust the properties of the features in real-time and get instant results. It has a node-oriented visualization pipeline to enjoy more freedom. That means you can create animation using a variety of combinations.

One of the best things about K-3D is that it has three subdivisions of animation. You can work on your model on one side while showing the other side in a mirrored form. Then, experience the final result combined together. And in case you need to make the changes to the end results, you can simply work on the first subdivision and savor automatic changes to the results.

K-3D has an advanced redo and undo mechanism to ensure you can go back or move forward to make corrections or amendments without limits. Additionally, the tool is developed keeping in mind all the industrial standards. For instance, it has complete support and integration of native RenderMan™ to its user interface. This is an excellent feature because most free animation software for Mac requires third-party render plugins.

Features:

• Parametric workflow.
• 2D and 3D animation tools.
• Allows Python and K3DScript scripting.

06 Krita - For Professional 2D Animators

Difficulty Level: Difficult

Pro: Advanced tools with numerous animation options and online training material.

Con: Not suitable for beginners.

If you love 2D animation, then you’ll surely love Krita. It is entirely free software available on Mac, Windows, and Linux. Also, it offers a full platform for drawing and frame-by-frame animation.

The number one reason for adoring Krita is its brush library. There are more than 100 professional brushes to give you a wide range of effects. Moreover, the strokes are pretty amazing and similar to Adobe Photoshop or Adobe Illustrator.

Another great thing about Krita is the brush stabilization feature designed for shaky hands. You can add a stabilizer to your chosen brush to smoothen its flow. Besides, there’s a special Dynamic Brush tool to make animation more fun. At the same time, you can also customize your brushes through different brush engines, including filter engines, color smudge engines, and many more.

Apart from the basic brush options, the preloaded vector tools are next to admire. These tools help you make great comic panels. All you need to do is choose and drag the word bubble template on your canvas. Then, make changes with the anchor point to make new shapes. At the same time, you can also add text to your animation by using the text tool.

Last but not least, there’s a wrap-around mode to create seamless patterns and textures. That means the image or drawing makes its own references along the x-axis and y-axis. This gives you the freedom to continue painting and enjoy updates to your animation instantly.

Features:

• HDR painting.
• PSD support.
• Python scripting.
• Selection and transformation tools.
• Proper group, filter, vector, and file layer management.
• Complete color management for extraordinary results.
• Drawing assistant to help you with straight lines and vanishing points.

Part 2 Best Free Animation Software for Windows

Below is free animation software on Windows. Keep reading.

01 Anireel - Easy to Use Animation Software

Difficulty Level: Easy

Anireel is a simple yet powerful Video Creativity tool used to make 2D animated explainer videos. Developed by Wondershare, one of the most popular Windows software and tool developers, Anireel uses rich, ready-to-use, and diverse assets to help one effortlessly make animated videos.

Features:

• There are tons of drag and drop characters, actions, props, text, and audio assets.
• Easy Text-to-Speech conversion via deep studying technology.
• Animate integrated and imported assets.
• Tons of templates that match many script types.

02 DAZ Studio - Free Software for 3D Lovers

Difficulty Level: Difficult

Pro: You can make game animation for fun. It also supports GPU accelerated real-time rendering.

Con: It has a high demand for the device, but owns a steep learning curve.

Daz 3d is a powerful and completely free 3D creation tool that will let you create the short videos that you want. Whether you are using this for business or pleasure, you will find the program is very easy to understand. Within a day, you will be completely used to its interface.

3D effects are the core focus of DAZ Studio. You can build a model, render, and pose animation within the skin texture level. It has a high requirement for the device. For Windows 64 bits, its recommended RAM is 3G.

Features:

• Options for 3D morphing, animation, and rendering.
• GPU accelerated real-time rendering, which delivers the best results.
• Interactive tutorials to help you become a better 3D artist.
• Everything you make is yours, royalty-free!

03 Terragen - Use It to Make CG Animation

Difficulty Level: Middle

Pro: The recently updated version is the best one. Ray-traced preview is a great function to help us make animation.

Con: The interface looks complicated, but it gets easy to know after you are familiar with it.

A completely free program that you can download and install on all Windows computers and tablets, Terragen is the ideal program for you to create the 3D animations and environments that you want. If you want a photo-realistic CG environment, using Terragen is the best way to do it!

Releasing imagination instantly, Terragen Creative is the one tool you’d like to consider. You can use it to make beautiful scenery.

For advanced tools, you can choose FBX to make animation quickly. The featured image gallery on its homepage will give you a deep understanding of the final outcome you can achieve with Terragen.

Features:

• Ray-traced preview. Without watermark after exporting
• Photo-realistic clouds and ozone simulation
• Rendering is twice as fast as the previous version of the program.
• Adding terrain, objects, and shader to your final product is very easy with the intuitive interface.

04 Anim8or - Free Tool to Make 3D Modeling

Difficulty Level: Difficult

Pro: Anim8or supports 3D modeler and TrueType fonts to meet advanced needs.

Con: Beginners will find it difficult to learn.

Anim8or is a free 3D modeling program that will let you create the unique work that you want. It is a personal project from an animator, but the program does get regular updates and troubleshooting.

It is not going to give you the same features as something like Studio Max or Maya, but you will get the basics. Beginners who are getting into animations will love this program.

Anim8or is a great tool to step into 3D animation ff you think other software is too different to start. In some way, it means you need to give up some advanced features. But all in all, it’s still recommended for you.

Features:

• A full 3D modeler that allows you to create spheres, cylinders, platonic solids, and any other objects that you want.
• Features support for TrueType fonts.
• Easy to create 3D scenes and output them as video files or images.

05 Seamless3d - Open-source Free Software

Difficulty Level: Easy

Pro: It is an open-source 3D modeling package. The good thing is the handy infinite Undo/Redo operation.

Con: Some advanced features are missing like drawing.

Seamless3d, an open-source 3D modeling software that you can download, is among the best animation worktables if you want to create specialized images, animated videos, or 3D characters.

It supports FFmpeg video format, so you can use AVI, MP4, and more. Besides, the forum is not active compared with before, but you still can find answers from many tutorials .

Features:

• It comes with infinite undo and redo options for complete flexibility to correct mistakes.
• It allows for partitioned and seamless texture mapping for YouTube videos.
• Has a specialized tree view interface.

06 OpenToonz - Support Plug in to Make Animation Freely

Difficulty Level: Middle

Pro: It is open-source software, so you can change the code freely.

Con: The plug-in effects are limited.

This animation program is made for beginners on Windows. It is among the best 2D animation software in the market. You can use plug-in effects to change image style, add lights, and distort details. It supports Windows 7/8/10 only for 64 bit.

Features:

• You can add provisional colors to make your animation more colorful.
• Smooth correction without frame losing.
• Compatible with black-and-white, colored, or without binarization scanning.

7 Stykz - Simple to Use Animation Program for Beginners

Difficulty Level: Easy

Pro: It is the best stick figure animation if you want to make this kind of video.

Con: The UI is not modern to use and needs time to adapt to using it.

Stykz is completely free to use and without a watermark. If you have used Pivot StickFigure Animator, then you will find Stykz is similar to it, but you can import the previous .stk files to animate it again. You can use it to make animation smooth frame by frame.

With its frame-based feature, Stykz is easy to customize each frame. You can change previous and current frames to get what you want. You can download it to have a try considering its easy-to-use features.

Features:

• There is some animes file on this website, so you can have a reference.
• Edit animation in the software without using another editing window.
• You can share the final work with others including information.

Part 3 FAQ about Animation Software for Windows and Mac

01 Are Macs good for animation?

To be frank, Mac is a better choice to make animation if you want to have a smooth animation experience. For example, screen resolution is a crucial factor to make excellent animation. The good is Mac’s screen will never let you disappointed.

02 What is the best animation software for Mac?

The best animation software on mac includes Synfig Studio, Pencil2D Animation, Tupi, Blender, and more. Mentioned are free-to-use. Maya is also worth considering animation software if you are a professional user. Maya offers a 1-month free trial. After it is ended, the paid plans are month, 1-year, and 3-year.

03 Can you animate in Photoshop?

Yes, you can make basic animation in Photoshop. However, it only supports frame-based animation making. In this case, you need to use other professional software to make animation. But, you still can use Photoshop to meet your needs if you are a beginner.

Conclusion

With any of these free animation maker programs on Mac and Windows, you will have an easy time creating your next 2D or 3D video. Ensure you choose the program that has the features and compatibility that you desire. Then it is up to your creative mind to come up with stunning animations! If you want to make animation easily, you can also find inspiration through classical animated cartoon types with examples .

Shanoon Cox

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

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

In your search for quality animation software, you may have found that many of the programs cost a lot of money no matter it is 2D animation software or 3D animation editor. The good news is that you can choose free animation tools to make different animation types easily.

That is why we created a list of the best animation software on both Mac and Windows. Whether you are a professional editor or just a beginner to start making animation, you will find the tools listed below are easy to use without watermark and won’t cost money to improve your skills.

The best part is you will find these free animation programs are also very useful for content creation on Mac and Windows. Besides, we have listed the pros and cons of each software. Keep reading!

• Part 1: Best Free Animation Software for Mac
• Part 2: Best Free Animation Software for Windows
• Part 3: FAQ about Animation Software for Windows and Mac

Here we have made a table of 12 free animation software without watermark on Windows and macOS. Take a look.

6 Free Animation Software for macOS

5K-3DMiddleIt is a great tool for 3D artists6KritaDifficultPerfect software for 2D animation

Number	Software	Difficulty Level	Highlight
1	Synfig Studio	Easy	Calculate vector shape to animation automatically
2	Pencil2D Animation	Easiest	Straightforward interface for beginners
3	Tupi	Middle	Its community is active to offer solutions
4	Blender	Difficult	It is a powerful animation tool to render and make modeling

6 Free Animation Software for Windows

Number	Software	Difficulty Level	Highlight
1	DAZ Studio	Difficult	For professional users with the fast animation process
2	Terragen	Middle	It can make realistic CG environments
3	Anim8or	Difficult	3D animation is Anim8or’s main function
4	Seamless3d	Easy	It has many features for 3d modeling
5	OpenToonz	Middle	Make cartoon animation with plugins
6	Stykz	Easy	Quickly make animation if you have used Pivot StickFigure Animator

Best Animation Software on Windows and Mac - Filmora

Looking for a simple while powerful Mac video editing tool ? We recommend using Wondershare Filmora. You can use it to create 2D/3D animated texts, shapes, or anything you like for YouTube videos.

The keyframing features will help you make animation effects smooth and precise. When exporting, you can also make it transparent.

Besides, various title templates and transitions are also available for you. Download it now to have a try! Or learn more from Wondershare Video Community .

Key features

• Create various shapes that you like
• Add keyframing to make it move
• Fine-tuning to make it smooth
• Add visual effects/text/color before export it

You can even create photo cut animation which has been very trendy on Tiktok and Instagram. Here is a video to present you how you can do it in Filmora.

Part 1 Best Free Animation Software for Mac

Listed below is free animation software on Mac. Take a look.

01 Synfig Studio - Mac Software to Animate Video

Difficulty Level: Easy

Pro: You can create many layers once a time and sync audio for your animation.

Con: This one needs much time to learn, especially for beginners.

An open-source 2D animation software that works on Macs, Synfig Studio delivers multiple players while you are creating content. Whether you want to add geometric, filters, distortions, or transformations, it is all possible! And thanks to the high-end bone system, you can create cut-out videos using bitmap images!

The thoughtful part is there are two download versions on the homepage: the stable version and the development version. If you want to enjoy a stable and smooth animation editing experience, choose the stable one. However, the development package gives you access to the use of the latest features.

For a novice, you can learn Synfig from step by step guide in Wikipedia and video tutorials. Four languages are available including English, Russian, Dutch, and French for a video course.

You can free download its latest version 1.3.11. The upcoming version is 1.4.

Features:

• It offers support for many layers within the animation.
• The program’s bone system means that you can easily create animations with bitmap images or vector artwork.
• It allows you to sync your creative work with any sound that you want. Has a full-featured audio editor.

02 Pencil2D Animation - Animation Program for 2D Pencil Lover

Difficulty Level: Easiest

Pro: Easy to start and make animation as the interface is user-friendly for many people.

Con: You need to set your preference every time to open it up, so it takes up some time

Pencil2D Animation is one of the simplest 2D hand-drawn tools available. It will work flawlessly on Mac computers. It is ideal for beginners, as the commands and interface are very easy to understand.

Whether you want to create a simple one, or you want something with many layers for videos on YouTube, you can use Pencil2D animation to get it done. Its timeline is easy to use at first glance. You can add and duplicate different frames on a different track.

The frequency of releasing the new version is very fast as Pencil2D is committed to bringing the lasted features to each user. The newest version is v0.6.4 (as of August 2019). Its user guide is informative with video tutorials, FAQs, and manual material.

Features:

• Lightweight and minimalistic design that makes it very easy for beginners.
• Features raster and vector workflows, with easy switching between them. You can paint and sketch as you want!
• Will run on all platforms - Mac, Windows, and Linux.
• Completely free and open source.

03 TupiTube - Free Animation Application for Mac Users

Difficulty Level: Middle

Pro: It supports vector illustrations. Besides, various formats are available.

Con: If you want to make 3D animation, it will fail. You can only make 2D effects.

A free software application for YouTube, Tupi will allow you to create 2D animations to your heart’s content. The tool was started by animators who wanted to create something that others could use.

It is an open-source tool, which means that users can make tweaks to the program if they have some interesting ideas. The program works on both Windows and Mac. You need to use Tupi and Papagayo to make lip-sync animation with different mouth shapes.

It also offers a solution for schools with related features including academic license, technical support, and ads-free, so many schools choose to use this one to teach kids how to make an animation video.

Features:

• Support for vector illustrations. You can add rectangles, lines, polygons, and other shapes as you please. To fill areas, just use the paint bucket.
• You can import raster images using this program.
• You can export all your finished images into different file formats.
• Support for tweeting positions, scale, shear, and rotations.

04 Blender - Need Some Time to Learn This Animation Tool

Difficulty Level: Difficult

Pro: Really powerful software that you can make for professional users.

Con: It is not easy to make image animation as it focuses on 3D.

Blender is an open-source 3D animation creation suite without a watermark. If you find that 2D is a little bit limiting, we think that you will be very happy with what this free program offers. You can take your projects to a whole new level when you can use this program on your Mac.

You can use Blender to make a video game, modeling, and high-quality animation. However, it involves a steep learning curve. Luckily, there are many tutorials to guide you through the journey. You can also ask for help in the Blender community that millions of talented people like you are there.

Features:

• Creating renders is no problem with this program.
• Modeling, such as sculpting, retopology, and creating curves is not an issue either.
• VFX and animation features are better than any option on the market.
• It offers powerful simulation tools.
• Integration with pipeline tools is easy.

05 K-3D - Best for Animation and Modeling in 3D

Difficulty Level: Middle

Pro: Ideal for designing simple 3D animations and models.

Con: It has an old-fashioned interface. Also, the built-render (RenderMan) feature is difficult to use by beginners.

K-3D is an animation and 3D modeling software. You can download this tool for free on your Mac. Besides, you can also install and run it on your Windows and Linux systems. If you look at the design, you will find that the software is quite old. But don’t judge a book by its cover. Why so? It is because K-3D is one of the strongest and most versatile tools for 3D artists with many options.

For example, K-3D offers extremely systematic and methodological workflows. You can easily adjust the properties of the features in real-time and get instant results. It has a node-oriented visualization pipeline to enjoy more freedom. That means you can create animation using a variety of combinations.

One of the best things about K-3D is that it has three subdivisions of animation. You can work on your model on one side while showing the other side in a mirrored form. Then, experience the final result combined together. And in case you need to make the changes to the end results, you can simply work on the first subdivision and savor automatic changes to the results.

K-3D has an advanced redo and undo mechanism to ensure you can go back or move forward to make corrections or amendments without limits. Additionally, the tool is developed keeping in mind all the industrial standards. For instance, it has complete support and integration of native RenderMan™ to its user interface. This is an excellent feature because most free animation software for Mac requires third-party render plugins.

Features:

• Parametric workflow.
• 2D and 3D animation tools.
• Allows Python and K3DScript scripting.

06 Krita - For Professional 2D Animators

Difficulty Level: Difficult

Pro: Advanced tools with numerous animation options and online training material.

Con: Not suitable for beginners.

If you love 2D animation, then you’ll surely love Krita. It is entirely free software available on Mac, Windows, and Linux. Also, it offers a full platform for drawing and frame-by-frame animation.

The number one reason for adoring Krita is its brush library. There are more than 100 professional brushes to give you a wide range of effects. Moreover, the strokes are pretty amazing and similar to Adobe Photoshop or Adobe Illustrator.

Another great thing about Krita is the brush stabilization feature designed for shaky hands. You can add a stabilizer to your chosen brush to smoothen its flow. Besides, there’s a special Dynamic Brush tool to make animation more fun. At the same time, you can also customize your brushes through different brush engines, including filter engines, color smudge engines, and many more.

Apart from the basic brush options, the preloaded vector tools are next to admire. These tools help you make great comic panels. All you need to do is choose and drag the word bubble template on your canvas. Then, make changes with the anchor point to make new shapes. At the same time, you can also add text to your animation by using the text tool.

Last but not least, there’s a wrap-around mode to create seamless patterns and textures. That means the image or drawing makes its own references along the x-axis and y-axis. This gives you the freedom to continue painting and enjoy updates to your animation instantly.

Features:

• HDR painting.
• PSD support.
• Python scripting.
• Selection and transformation tools.
• Proper group, filter, vector, and file layer management.
• Complete color management for extraordinary results.
• Drawing assistant to help you with straight lines and vanishing points.

Part 2 Best Free Animation Software for Windows

Below is free animation software on Windows. Keep reading.

01 Anireel - Easy to Use Animation Software

Difficulty Level: Easy

Anireel is a simple yet powerful Video Creativity tool used to make 2D animated explainer videos. Developed by Wondershare, one of the most popular Windows software and tool developers, Anireel uses rich, ready-to-use, and diverse assets to help one effortlessly make animated videos.

Features:

• There are tons of drag and drop characters, actions, props, text, and audio assets.
• Easy Text-to-Speech conversion via deep studying technology.
• Animate integrated and imported assets.
• Tons of templates that match many script types.

02 DAZ Studio - Free Software for 3D Lovers

Difficulty Level: Difficult

Pro: You can make game animation for fun. It also supports GPU accelerated real-time rendering.

Con: It has a high demand for the device, but owns a steep learning curve.

Daz 3d is a powerful and completely free 3D creation tool that will let you create the short videos that you want. Whether you are using this for business or pleasure, you will find the program is very easy to understand. Within a day, you will be completely used to its interface.

3D effects are the core focus of DAZ Studio. You can build a model, render, and pose animation within the skin texture level. It has a high requirement for the device. For Windows 64 bits, its recommended RAM is 3G.

Features:

• Options for 3D morphing, animation, and rendering.
• GPU accelerated real-time rendering, which delivers the best results.
• Interactive tutorials to help you become a better 3D artist.
• Everything you make is yours, royalty-free!

03 Terragen - Use It to Make CG Animation

Difficulty Level: Middle

Pro: The recently updated version is the best one. Ray-traced preview is a great function to help us make animation.

Con: The interface looks complicated, but it gets easy to know after you are familiar with it.

A completely free program that you can download and install on all Windows computers and tablets, Terragen is the ideal program for you to create the 3D animations and environments that you want. If you want a photo-realistic CG environment, using Terragen is the best way to do it!

Releasing imagination instantly, Terragen Creative is the one tool you’d like to consider. You can use it to make beautiful scenery.

For advanced tools, you can choose FBX to make animation quickly. The featured image gallery on its homepage will give you a deep understanding of the final outcome you can achieve with Terragen.

Features:

• Ray-traced preview. Without watermark after exporting
• Photo-realistic clouds and ozone simulation
• Rendering is twice as fast as the previous version of the program.
• Adding terrain, objects, and shader to your final product is very easy with the intuitive interface.

04 Anim8or - Free Tool to Make 3D Modeling

Difficulty Level: Difficult

Pro: Anim8or supports 3D modeler and TrueType fonts to meet advanced needs.

Con: Beginners will find it difficult to learn.

Anim8or is a free 3D modeling program that will let you create the unique work that you want. It is a personal project from an animator, but the program does get regular updates and troubleshooting.

It is not going to give you the same features as something like Studio Max or Maya, but you will get the basics. Beginners who are getting into animations will love this program.

Anim8or is a great tool to step into 3D animation ff you think other software is too different to start. In some way, it means you need to give up some advanced features. But all in all, it’s still recommended for you.

Features:

• A full 3D modeler that allows you to create spheres, cylinders, platonic solids, and any other objects that you want.
• Features support for TrueType fonts.
• Easy to create 3D scenes and output them as video files or images.

05 Seamless3d - Open-source Free Software

Difficulty Level: Easy

Pro: It is an open-source 3D modeling package. The good thing is the handy infinite Undo/Redo operation.

Con: Some advanced features are missing like drawing.

Seamless3d, an open-source 3D modeling software that you can download, is among the best animation worktables if you want to create specialized images, animated videos, or 3D characters.

It supports FFmpeg video format, so you can use AVI, MP4, and more. Besides, the forum is not active compared with before, but you still can find answers from many tutorials .

Features:

• It comes with infinite undo and redo options for complete flexibility to correct mistakes.
• It allows for partitioned and seamless texture mapping for YouTube videos.
• Has a specialized tree view interface.

06 OpenToonz - Support Plug in to Make Animation Freely

Difficulty Level: Middle

Pro: It is open-source software, so you can change the code freely.

Con: The plug-in effects are limited.

This animation program is made for beginners on Windows. It is among the best 2D animation software in the market. You can use plug-in effects to change image style, add lights, and distort details. It supports Windows 7/8/10 only for 64 bit.

Features:

• You can add provisional colors to make your animation more colorful.
• Smooth correction without frame losing.
• Compatible with black-and-white, colored, or without binarization scanning.

7 Stykz - Simple to Use Animation Program for Beginners

Difficulty Level: Easy

Pro: It is the best stick figure animation if you want to make this kind of video.

Con: The UI is not modern to use and needs time to adapt to using it.

Stykz is completely free to use and without a watermark. If you have used Pivot StickFigure Animator, then you will find Stykz is similar to it, but you can import the previous .stk files to animate it again. You can use it to make animation smooth frame by frame.

With its frame-based feature, Stykz is easy to customize each frame. You can change previous and current frames to get what you want. You can download it to have a try considering its easy-to-use features.

Features:

• There is some animes file on this website, so you can have a reference.
• Edit animation in the software without using another editing window.
• You can share the final work with others including information.

Part 3 FAQ about Animation Software for Windows and Mac

01 Are Macs good for animation?

To be frank, Mac is a better choice to make animation if you want to have a smooth animation experience. For example, screen resolution is a crucial factor to make excellent animation. The good is Mac’s screen will never let you disappointed.

02 What is the best animation software for Mac?

The best animation software on mac includes Synfig Studio, Pencil2D Animation, Tupi, Blender, and more. Mentioned are free-to-use. Maya is also worth considering animation software if you are a professional user. Maya offers a 1-month free trial. After it is ended, the paid plans are month, 1-year, and 3-year.

03 Can you animate in Photoshop?

Yes, you can make basic animation in Photoshop. However, it only supports frame-based animation making. In this case, you need to use other professional software to make animation. But, you still can use Photoshop to meet your needs if you are a beginner.

Conclusion

With any of these free animation maker programs on Mac and Windows, you will have an easy time creating your next 2D or 3D video. Ensure you choose the program that has the features and compatibility that you desire. Then it is up to your creative mind to come up with stunning animations! If you want to make animation easily, you can also find inspiration through classical animated cartoon types with examples .

Shanoon Cox

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

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

In your search for quality animation software, you may have found that many of the programs cost a lot of money no matter it is 2D animation software or 3D animation editor. The good news is that you can choose free animation tools to make different animation types easily.

That is why we created a list of the best animation software on both Mac and Windows. Whether you are a professional editor or just a beginner to start making animation, you will find the tools listed below are easy to use without watermark and won’t cost money to improve your skills.

The best part is you will find these free animation programs are also very useful for content creation on Mac and Windows. Besides, we have listed the pros and cons of each software. Keep reading!

• Part 1: Best Free Animation Software for Mac
• Part 2: Best Free Animation Software for Windows
• Part 3: FAQ about Animation Software for Windows and Mac

Here we have made a table of 12 free animation software without watermark on Windows and macOS. Take a look.

6 Free Animation Software for macOS

5K-3DMiddleIt is a great tool for 3D artists6KritaDifficultPerfect software for 2D animation

Number	Software	Difficulty Level	Highlight
1	Synfig Studio	Easy	Calculate vector shape to animation automatically
2	Pencil2D Animation	Easiest	Straightforward interface for beginners
3	Tupi	Middle	Its community is active to offer solutions
4	Blender	Difficult	It is a powerful animation tool to render and make modeling

6 Free Animation Software for Windows

Number	Software	Difficulty Level	Highlight
1	DAZ Studio	Difficult	For professional users with the fast animation process
2	Terragen	Middle	It can make realistic CG environments
3	Anim8or	Difficult	3D animation is Anim8or’s main function
4	Seamless3d	Easy	It has many features for 3d modeling
5	OpenToonz	Middle	Make cartoon animation with plugins
6	Stykz	Easy	Quickly make animation if you have used Pivot StickFigure Animator

Best Animation Software on Windows and Mac - Filmora

Looking for a simple while powerful Mac video editing tool ? We recommend using Wondershare Filmora. You can use it to create 2D/3D animated texts, shapes, or anything you like for YouTube videos.

The keyframing features will help you make animation effects smooth and precise. When exporting, you can also make it transparent.

Besides, various title templates and transitions are also available for you. Download it now to have a try! Or learn more from Wondershare Video Community .

Key features

• Create various shapes that you like
• Add keyframing to make it move
• Fine-tuning to make it smooth
• Add visual effects/text/color before export it

You can even create photo cut animation which has been very trendy on Tiktok and Instagram. Here is a video to present you how you can do it in Filmora.

Part 1 Best Free Animation Software for Mac

Listed below is free animation software on Mac. Take a look.

01 Synfig Studio - Mac Software to Animate Video

Difficulty Level: Easy

Pro: You can create many layers once a time and sync audio for your animation.

Con: This one needs much time to learn, especially for beginners.

An open-source 2D animation software that works on Macs, Synfig Studio delivers multiple players while you are creating content. Whether you want to add geometric, filters, distortions, or transformations, it is all possible! And thanks to the high-end bone system, you can create cut-out videos using bitmap images!

The thoughtful part is there are two download versions on the homepage: the stable version and the development version. If you want to enjoy a stable and smooth animation editing experience, choose the stable one. However, the development package gives you access to the use of the latest features.

For a novice, you can learn Synfig from step by step guide in Wikipedia and video tutorials. Four languages are available including English, Russian, Dutch, and French for a video course.

You can free download its latest version 1.3.11. The upcoming version is 1.4.

Features:

• It offers support for many layers within the animation.
• The program’s bone system means that you can easily create animations with bitmap images or vector artwork.
• It allows you to sync your creative work with any sound that you want. Has a full-featured audio editor.

02 Pencil2D Animation - Animation Program for 2D Pencil Lover

Difficulty Level: Easiest

Pro: Easy to start and make animation as the interface is user-friendly for many people.

Con: You need to set your preference every time to open it up, so it takes up some time

Pencil2D Animation is one of the simplest 2D hand-drawn tools available. It will work flawlessly on Mac computers. It is ideal for beginners, as the commands and interface are very easy to understand.

Whether you want to create a simple one, or you want something with many layers for videos on YouTube, you can use Pencil2D animation to get it done. Its timeline is easy to use at first glance. You can add and duplicate different frames on a different track.

The frequency of releasing the new version is very fast as Pencil2D is committed to bringing the lasted features to each user. The newest version is v0.6.4 (as of August 2019). Its user guide is informative with video tutorials, FAQs, and manual material.

Features:

• Lightweight and minimalistic design that makes it very easy for beginners.
• Features raster and vector workflows, with easy switching between them. You can paint and sketch as you want!
• Will run on all platforms - Mac, Windows, and Linux.
• Completely free and open source.

03 TupiTube - Free Animation Application for Mac Users

Difficulty Level: Middle

Pro: It supports vector illustrations. Besides, various formats are available.

Con: If you want to make 3D animation, it will fail. You can only make 2D effects.

A free software application for YouTube, Tupi will allow you to create 2D animations to your heart’s content. The tool was started by animators who wanted to create something that others could use.

It is an open-source tool, which means that users can make tweaks to the program if they have some interesting ideas. The program works on both Windows and Mac. You need to use Tupi and Papagayo to make lip-sync animation with different mouth shapes.

It also offers a solution for schools with related features including academic license, technical support, and ads-free, so many schools choose to use this one to teach kids how to make an animation video.

Features:

• Support for vector illustrations. You can add rectangles, lines, polygons, and other shapes as you please. To fill areas, just use the paint bucket.
• You can import raster images using this program.
• You can export all your finished images into different file formats.
• Support for tweeting positions, scale, shear, and rotations.

04 Blender - Need Some Time to Learn This Animation Tool

Difficulty Level: Difficult

Pro: Really powerful software that you can make for professional users.

Con: It is not easy to make image animation as it focuses on 3D.

Blender is an open-source 3D animation creation suite without a watermark. If you find that 2D is a little bit limiting, we think that you will be very happy with what this free program offers. You can take your projects to a whole new level when you can use this program on your Mac.

You can use Blender to make a video game, modeling, and high-quality animation. However, it involves a steep learning curve. Luckily, there are many tutorials to guide you through the journey. You can also ask for help in the Blender community that millions of talented people like you are there.

Features:

• Creating renders is no problem with this program.
• Modeling, such as sculpting, retopology, and creating curves is not an issue either.
• VFX and animation features are better than any option on the market.
• It offers powerful simulation tools.
• Integration with pipeline tools is easy.

05 K-3D - Best for Animation and Modeling in 3D

Difficulty Level: Middle

Pro: Ideal for designing simple 3D animations and models.

Con: It has an old-fashioned interface. Also, the built-render (RenderMan) feature is difficult to use by beginners.

K-3D is an animation and 3D modeling software. You can download this tool for free on your Mac. Besides, you can also install and run it on your Windows and Linux systems. If you look at the design, you will find that the software is quite old. But don’t judge a book by its cover. Why so? It is because K-3D is one of the strongest and most versatile tools for 3D artists with many options.

For example, K-3D offers extremely systematic and methodological workflows. You can easily adjust the properties of the features in real-time and get instant results. It has a node-oriented visualization pipeline to enjoy more freedom. That means you can create animation using a variety of combinations.

One of the best things about K-3D is that it has three subdivisions of animation. You can work on your model on one side while showing the other side in a mirrored form. Then, experience the final result combined together. And in case you need to make the changes to the end results, you can simply work on the first subdivision and savor automatic changes to the results.

K-3D has an advanced redo and undo mechanism to ensure you can go back or move forward to make corrections or amendments without limits. Additionally, the tool is developed keeping in mind all the industrial standards. For instance, it has complete support and integration of native RenderMan™ to its user interface. This is an excellent feature because most free animation software for Mac requires third-party render plugins.

Features:

• Parametric workflow.
• 2D and 3D animation tools.
• Allows Python and K3DScript scripting.

06 Krita - For Professional 2D Animators

Difficulty Level: Difficult

Pro: Advanced tools with numerous animation options and online training material.

Con: Not suitable for beginners.

If you love 2D animation, then you’ll surely love Krita. It is entirely free software available on Mac, Windows, and Linux. Also, it offers a full platform for drawing and frame-by-frame animation.

The number one reason for adoring Krita is its brush library. There are more than 100 professional brushes to give you a wide range of effects. Moreover, the strokes are pretty amazing and similar to Adobe Photoshop or Adobe Illustrator.

Another great thing about Krita is the brush stabilization feature designed for shaky hands. You can add a stabilizer to your chosen brush to smoothen its flow. Besides, there’s a special Dynamic Brush tool to make animation more fun. At the same time, you can also customize your brushes through different brush engines, including filter engines, color smudge engines, and many more.

Apart from the basic brush options, the preloaded vector tools are next to admire. These tools help you make great comic panels. All you need to do is choose and drag the word bubble template on your canvas. Then, make changes with the anchor point to make new shapes. At the same time, you can also add text to your animation by using the text tool.

Last but not least, there’s a wrap-around mode to create seamless patterns and textures. That means the image or drawing makes its own references along the x-axis and y-axis. This gives you the freedom to continue painting and enjoy updates to your animation instantly.

Features:

• HDR painting.
• PSD support.
• Python scripting.
• Selection and transformation tools.
• Proper group, filter, vector, and file layer management.
• Complete color management for extraordinary results.
• Drawing assistant to help you with straight lines and vanishing points.

Part 2 Best Free Animation Software for Windows

Below is free animation software on Windows. Keep reading.

01 Anireel - Easy to Use Animation Software

Difficulty Level: Easy

Anireel is a simple yet powerful Video Creativity tool used to make 2D animated explainer videos. Developed by Wondershare, one of the most popular Windows software and tool developers, Anireel uses rich, ready-to-use, and diverse assets to help one effortlessly make animated videos.

Features:

• There are tons of drag and drop characters, actions, props, text, and audio assets.
• Easy Text-to-Speech conversion via deep studying technology.
• Animate integrated and imported assets.
• Tons of templates that match many script types.

02 DAZ Studio - Free Software for 3D Lovers

Difficulty Level: Difficult

Pro: You can make game animation for fun. It also supports GPU accelerated real-time rendering.

Con: It has a high demand for the device, but owns a steep learning curve.

Daz 3d is a powerful and completely free 3D creation tool that will let you create the short videos that you want. Whether you are using this for business or pleasure, you will find the program is very easy to understand. Within a day, you will be completely used to its interface.

3D effects are the core focus of DAZ Studio. You can build a model, render, and pose animation within the skin texture level. It has a high requirement for the device. For Windows 64 bits, its recommended RAM is 3G.

Features:

• Options for 3D morphing, animation, and rendering.
• GPU accelerated real-time rendering, which delivers the best results.
• Interactive tutorials to help you become a better 3D artist.
• Everything you make is yours, royalty-free!

03 Terragen - Use It to Make CG Animation

Difficulty Level: Middle

Pro: The recently updated version is the best one. Ray-traced preview is a great function to help us make animation.

Con: The interface looks complicated, but it gets easy to know after you are familiar with it.

A completely free program that you can download and install on all Windows computers and tablets, Terragen is the ideal program for you to create the 3D animations and environments that you want. If you want a photo-realistic CG environment, using Terragen is the best way to do it!

Releasing imagination instantly, Terragen Creative is the one tool you’d like to consider. You can use it to make beautiful scenery.

For advanced tools, you can choose FBX to make animation quickly. The featured image gallery on its homepage will give you a deep understanding of the final outcome you can achieve with Terragen.

Features:

• Ray-traced preview. Without watermark after exporting
• Photo-realistic clouds and ozone simulation
• Rendering is twice as fast as the previous version of the program.
• Adding terrain, objects, and shader to your final product is very easy with the intuitive interface.

04 Anim8or - Free Tool to Make 3D Modeling

Difficulty Level: Difficult

Pro: Anim8or supports 3D modeler and TrueType fonts to meet advanced needs.

Con: Beginners will find it difficult to learn.

Anim8or is a free 3D modeling program that will let you create the unique work that you want. It is a personal project from an animator, but the program does get regular updates and troubleshooting.

It is not going to give you the same features as something like Studio Max or Maya, but you will get the basics. Beginners who are getting into animations will love this program.

Anim8or is a great tool to step into 3D animation ff you think other software is too different to start. In some way, it means you need to give up some advanced features. But all in all, it’s still recommended for you.

Features:

• A full 3D modeler that allows you to create spheres, cylinders, platonic solids, and any other objects that you want.
• Features support for TrueType fonts.
• Easy to create 3D scenes and output them as video files or images.

05 Seamless3d - Open-source Free Software

Difficulty Level: Easy

Pro: It is an open-source 3D modeling package. The good thing is the handy infinite Undo/Redo operation.

Con: Some advanced features are missing like drawing.

Seamless3d, an open-source 3D modeling software that you can download, is among the best animation worktables if you want to create specialized images, animated videos, or 3D characters.

It supports FFmpeg video format, so you can use AVI, MP4, and more. Besides, the forum is not active compared with before, but you still can find answers from many tutorials .

Features:

• It comes with infinite undo and redo options for complete flexibility to correct mistakes.
• It allows for partitioned and seamless texture mapping for YouTube videos.
• Has a specialized tree view interface.

06 OpenToonz - Support Plug in to Make Animation Freely

Difficulty Level: Middle

Pro: It is open-source software, so you can change the code freely.

Con: The plug-in effects are limited.

This animation program is made for beginners on Windows. It is among the best 2D animation software in the market. You can use plug-in effects to change image style, add lights, and distort details. It supports Windows 7/8/10 only for 64 bit.

Features:

• You can add provisional colors to make your animation more colorful.
• Smooth correction without frame losing.
• Compatible with black-and-white, colored, or without binarization scanning.

7 Stykz - Simple to Use Animation Program for Beginners

Difficulty Level: Easy

Pro: It is the best stick figure animation if you want to make this kind of video.

Con: The UI is not modern to use and needs time to adapt to using it.

Stykz is completely free to use and without a watermark. If you have used Pivot StickFigure Animator, then you will find Stykz is similar to it, but you can import the previous .stk files to animate it again. You can use it to make animation smooth frame by frame.

With its frame-based feature, Stykz is easy to customize each frame. You can change previous and current frames to get what you want. You can download it to have a try considering its easy-to-use features.

Features:

• There is some animes file on this website, so you can have a reference.
• Edit animation in the software without using another editing window.
• You can share the final work with others including information.

Part 3 FAQ about Animation Software for Windows and Mac

01 Are Macs good for animation?

To be frank, Mac is a better choice to make animation if you want to have a smooth animation experience. For example, screen resolution is a crucial factor to make excellent animation. The good is Mac’s screen will never let you disappointed.

02 What is the best animation software for Mac?

The best animation software on mac includes Synfig Studio, Pencil2D Animation, Tupi, Blender, and more. Mentioned are free-to-use. Maya is also worth considering animation software if you are a professional user. Maya offers a 1-month free trial. After it is ended, the paid plans are month, 1-year, and 3-year.

03 Can you animate in Photoshop?

Yes, you can make basic animation in Photoshop. However, it only supports frame-based animation making. In this case, you need to use other professional software to make animation. But, you still can use Photoshop to meet your needs if you are a beginner.

Conclusion

With any of these free animation maker programs on Mac and Windows, you will have an easy time creating your next 2D or 3D video. Ensure you choose the program that has the features and compatibility that you desire. Then it is up to your creative mind to come up with stunning animations! If you want to make animation easily, you can also find inspiration through classical animated cartoon types with examples .

Shanoon Cox

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

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

In your search for quality animation software, you may have found that many of the programs cost a lot of money no matter it is 2D animation software or 3D animation editor. The good news is that you can choose free animation tools to make different animation types easily.

That is why we created a list of the best animation software on both Mac and Windows. Whether you are a professional editor or just a beginner to start making animation, you will find the tools listed below are easy to use without watermark and won’t cost money to improve your skills.

The best part is you will find these free animation programs are also very useful for content creation on Mac and Windows. Besides, we have listed the pros and cons of each software. Keep reading!

• Part 1: Best Free Animation Software for Mac
• Part 2: Best Free Animation Software for Windows
• Part 3: FAQ about Animation Software for Windows and Mac

Here we have made a table of 12 free animation software without watermark on Windows and macOS. Take a look.

6 Free Animation Software for macOS

5K-3DMiddleIt is a great tool for 3D artists6KritaDifficultPerfect software for 2D animation

Number	Software	Difficulty Level	Highlight
1	Synfig Studio	Easy	Calculate vector shape to animation automatically
2	Pencil2D Animation	Easiest	Straightforward interface for beginners
3	Tupi	Middle	Its community is active to offer solutions
4	Blender	Difficult	It is a powerful animation tool to render and make modeling

6 Free Animation Software for Windows

Number	Software	Difficulty Level	Highlight
1	DAZ Studio	Difficult	For professional users with the fast animation process
2	Terragen	Middle	It can make realistic CG environments
3	Anim8or	Difficult	3D animation is Anim8or’s main function
4	Seamless3d	Easy	It has many features for 3d modeling
5	OpenToonz	Middle	Make cartoon animation with plugins
6	Stykz	Easy	Quickly make animation if you have used Pivot StickFigure Animator

Best Animation Software on Windows and Mac - Filmora

Looking for a simple while powerful Mac video editing tool ? We recommend using Wondershare Filmora. You can use it to create 2D/3D animated texts, shapes, or anything you like for YouTube videos.

The keyframing features will help you make animation effects smooth and precise. When exporting, you can also make it transparent.

Besides, various title templates and transitions are also available for you. Download it now to have a try! Or learn more from Wondershare Video Community .

Key features

• Create various shapes that you like
• Add keyframing to make it move
• Fine-tuning to make it smooth
• Add visual effects/text/color before export it

You can even create photo cut animation which has been very trendy on Tiktok and Instagram. Here is a video to present you how you can do it in Filmora.

Part 1 Best Free Animation Software for Mac

Listed below is free animation software on Mac. Take a look.

01 Synfig Studio - Mac Software to Animate Video

Difficulty Level: Easy

Pro: You can create many layers once a time and sync audio for your animation.

Con: This one needs much time to learn, especially for beginners.

An open-source 2D animation software that works on Macs, Synfig Studio delivers multiple players while you are creating content. Whether you want to add geometric, filters, distortions, or transformations, it is all possible! And thanks to the high-end bone system, you can create cut-out videos using bitmap images!

The thoughtful part is there are two download versions on the homepage: the stable version and the development version. If you want to enjoy a stable and smooth animation editing experience, choose the stable one. However, the development package gives you access to the use of the latest features.

For a novice, you can learn Synfig from step by step guide in Wikipedia and video tutorials. Four languages are available including English, Russian, Dutch, and French for a video course.

You can free download its latest version 1.3.11. The upcoming version is 1.4.

Features:

• It offers support for many layers within the animation.
• The program’s bone system means that you can easily create animations with bitmap images or vector artwork.
• It allows you to sync your creative work with any sound that you want. Has a full-featured audio editor.

02 Pencil2D Animation - Animation Program for 2D Pencil Lover

Difficulty Level: Easiest

Pro: Easy to start and make animation as the interface is user-friendly for many people.

Con: You need to set your preference every time to open it up, so it takes up some time

Pencil2D Animation is one of the simplest 2D hand-drawn tools available. It will work flawlessly on Mac computers. It is ideal for beginners, as the commands and interface are very easy to understand.

Whether you want to create a simple one, or you want something with many layers for videos on YouTube, you can use Pencil2D animation to get it done. Its timeline is easy to use at first glance. You can add and duplicate different frames on a different track.

The frequency of releasing the new version is very fast as Pencil2D is committed to bringing the lasted features to each user. The newest version is v0.6.4 (as of August 2019). Its user guide is informative with video tutorials, FAQs, and manual material.

Features:

• Lightweight and minimalistic design that makes it very easy for beginners.
• Features raster and vector workflows, with easy switching between them. You can paint and sketch as you want!
• Will run on all platforms - Mac, Windows, and Linux.
• Completely free and open source.

03 TupiTube - Free Animation Application for Mac Users

Difficulty Level: Middle

Pro: It supports vector illustrations. Besides, various formats are available.

Con: If you want to make 3D animation, it will fail. You can only make 2D effects.

A free software application for YouTube, Tupi will allow you to create 2D animations to your heart’s content. The tool was started by animators who wanted to create something that others could use.

It is an open-source tool, which means that users can make tweaks to the program if they have some interesting ideas. The program works on both Windows and Mac. You need to use Tupi and Papagayo to make lip-sync animation with different mouth shapes.

It also offers a solution for schools with related features including academic license, technical support, and ads-free, so many schools choose to use this one to teach kids how to make an animation video.

Features:

• Support for vector illustrations. You can add rectangles, lines, polygons, and other shapes as you please. To fill areas, just use the paint bucket.
• You can import raster images using this program.
• You can export all your finished images into different file formats.
• Support for tweeting positions, scale, shear, and rotations.

04 Blender - Need Some Time to Learn This Animation Tool

Difficulty Level: Difficult

Pro: Really powerful software that you can make for professional users.

Con: It is not easy to make image animation as it focuses on 3D.

Blender is an open-source 3D animation creation suite without a watermark. If you find that 2D is a little bit limiting, we think that you will be very happy with what this free program offers. You can take your projects to a whole new level when you can use this program on your Mac.

You can use Blender to make a video game, modeling, and high-quality animation. However, it involves a steep learning curve. Luckily, there are many tutorials to guide you through the journey. You can also ask for help in the Blender community that millions of talented people like you are there.

Features:

• Creating renders is no problem with this program.
• Modeling, such as sculpting, retopology, and creating curves is not an issue either.
• VFX and animation features are better than any option on the market.
• It offers powerful simulation tools.
• Integration with pipeline tools is easy.

05 K-3D - Best for Animation and Modeling in 3D

Difficulty Level: Middle

Pro: Ideal for designing simple 3D animations and models.

Con: It has an old-fashioned interface. Also, the built-render (RenderMan) feature is difficult to use by beginners.

K-3D is an animation and 3D modeling software. You can download this tool for free on your Mac. Besides, you can also install and run it on your Windows and Linux systems. If you look at the design, you will find that the software is quite old. But don’t judge a book by its cover. Why so? It is because K-3D is one of the strongest and most versatile tools for 3D artists with many options.

For example, K-3D offers extremely systematic and methodological workflows. You can easily adjust the properties of the features in real-time and get instant results. It has a node-oriented visualization pipeline to enjoy more freedom. That means you can create animation using a variety of combinations.

One of the best things about K-3D is that it has three subdivisions of animation. You can work on your model on one side while showing the other side in a mirrored form. Then, experience the final result combined together. And in case you need to make the changes to the end results, you can simply work on the first subdivision and savor automatic changes to the results.

K-3D has an advanced redo and undo mechanism to ensure you can go back or move forward to make corrections or amendments without limits. Additionally, the tool is developed keeping in mind all the industrial standards. For instance, it has complete support and integration of native RenderMan™ to its user interface. This is an excellent feature because most free animation software for Mac requires third-party render plugins.

Features:

• Parametric workflow.
• 2D and 3D animation tools.
• Allows Python and K3DScript scripting.

06 Krita - For Professional 2D Animators

Difficulty Level: Difficult

Pro: Advanced tools with numerous animation options and online training material.

Con: Not suitable for beginners.

If you love 2D animation, then you’ll surely love Krita. It is entirely free software available on Mac, Windows, and Linux. Also, it offers a full platform for drawing and frame-by-frame animation.

The number one reason for adoring Krita is its brush library. There are more than 100 professional brushes to give you a wide range of effects. Moreover, the strokes are pretty amazing and similar to Adobe Photoshop or Adobe Illustrator.

Another great thing about Krita is the brush stabilization feature designed for shaky hands. You can add a stabilizer to your chosen brush to smoothen its flow. Besides, there’s a special Dynamic Brush tool to make animation more fun. At the same time, you can also customize your brushes through different brush engines, including filter engines, color smudge engines, and many more.

Apart from the basic brush options, the preloaded vector tools are next to admire. These tools help you make great comic panels. All you need to do is choose and drag the word bubble template on your canvas. Then, make changes with the anchor point to make new shapes. At the same time, you can also add text to your animation by using the text tool.

Last but not least, there’s a wrap-around mode to create seamless patterns and textures. That means the image or drawing makes its own references along the x-axis and y-axis. This gives you the freedom to continue painting and enjoy updates to your animation instantly.

Features:

• HDR painting.
• PSD support.
• Python scripting.
• Selection and transformation tools.
• Proper group, filter, vector, and file layer management.
• Complete color management for extraordinary results.
• Drawing assistant to help you with straight lines and vanishing points.

Part 2 Best Free Animation Software for Windows

Below is free animation software on Windows. Keep reading.

01 Anireel - Easy to Use Animation Software

Difficulty Level: Easy

Anireel is a simple yet powerful Video Creativity tool used to make 2D animated explainer videos. Developed by Wondershare, one of the most popular Windows software and tool developers, Anireel uses rich, ready-to-use, and diverse assets to help one effortlessly make animated videos.

Features:

• There are tons of drag and drop characters, actions, props, text, and audio assets.
• Easy Text-to-Speech conversion via deep studying technology.
• Animate integrated and imported assets.
• Tons of templates that match many script types.

02 DAZ Studio - Free Software for 3D Lovers

Difficulty Level: Difficult

Pro: You can make game animation for fun. It also supports GPU accelerated real-time rendering.

Con: It has a high demand for the device, but owns a steep learning curve.

Daz 3d is a powerful and completely free 3D creation tool that will let you create the short videos that you want. Whether you are using this for business or pleasure, you will find the program is very easy to understand. Within a day, you will be completely used to its interface.

3D effects are the core focus of DAZ Studio. You can build a model, render, and pose animation within the skin texture level. It has a high requirement for the device. For Windows 64 bits, its recommended RAM is 3G.

Features:

• Options for 3D morphing, animation, and rendering.
• GPU accelerated real-time rendering, which delivers the best results.
• Interactive tutorials to help you become a better 3D artist.
• Everything you make is yours, royalty-free!

03 Terragen - Use It to Make CG Animation

Difficulty Level: Middle

Pro: The recently updated version is the best one. Ray-traced preview is a great function to help us make animation.

Con: The interface looks complicated, but it gets easy to know after you are familiar with it.

A completely free program that you can download and install on all Windows computers and tablets, Terragen is the ideal program for you to create the 3D animations and environments that you want. If you want a photo-realistic CG environment, using Terragen is the best way to do it!

Releasing imagination instantly, Terragen Creative is the one tool you’d like to consider. You can use it to make beautiful scenery.

For advanced tools, you can choose FBX to make animation quickly. The featured image gallery on its homepage will give you a deep understanding of the final outcome you can achieve with Terragen.

Features:

• Ray-traced preview. Without watermark after exporting
• Photo-realistic clouds and ozone simulation
• Rendering is twice as fast as the previous version of the program.
• Adding terrain, objects, and shader to your final product is very easy with the intuitive interface.

04 Anim8or - Free Tool to Make 3D Modeling

Difficulty Level: Difficult

Pro: Anim8or supports 3D modeler and TrueType fonts to meet advanced needs.

Con: Beginners will find it difficult to learn.

Anim8or is a free 3D modeling program that will let you create the unique work that you want. It is a personal project from an animator, but the program does get regular updates and troubleshooting.

It is not going to give you the same features as something like Studio Max or Maya, but you will get the basics. Beginners who are getting into animations will love this program.

Anim8or is a great tool to step into 3D animation ff you think other software is too different to start. In some way, it means you need to give up some advanced features. But all in all, it’s still recommended for you.

Features:

• A full 3D modeler that allows you to create spheres, cylinders, platonic solids, and any other objects that you want.
• Features support for TrueType fonts.
• Easy to create 3D scenes and output them as video files or images.

05 Seamless3d - Open-source Free Software

Difficulty Level: Easy

Pro: It is an open-source 3D modeling package. The good thing is the handy infinite Undo/Redo operation.

Con: Some advanced features are missing like drawing.

Seamless3d, an open-source 3D modeling software that you can download, is among the best animation worktables if you want to create specialized images, animated videos, or 3D characters.

It supports FFmpeg video format, so you can use AVI, MP4, and more. Besides, the forum is not active compared with before, but you still can find answers from many tutorials .

Features:

• It comes with infinite undo and redo options for complete flexibility to correct mistakes.
• It allows for partitioned and seamless texture mapping for YouTube videos.
• Has a specialized tree view interface.

06 OpenToonz - Support Plug in to Make Animation Freely

Difficulty Level: Middle

Pro: It is open-source software, so you can change the code freely.

Con: The plug-in effects are limited.

This animation program is made for beginners on Windows. It is among the best 2D animation software in the market. You can use plug-in effects to change image style, add lights, and distort details. It supports Windows 7/8/10 only for 64 bit.

Features:

• You can add provisional colors to make your animation more colorful.
• Smooth correction without frame losing.
• Compatible with black-and-white, colored, or without binarization scanning.

7 Stykz - Simple to Use Animation Program for Beginners

Difficulty Level: Easy

Pro: It is the best stick figure animation if you want to make this kind of video.

Con: The UI is not modern to use and needs time to adapt to using it.

Stykz is completely free to use and without a watermark. If you have used Pivot StickFigure Animator, then you will find Stykz is similar to it, but you can import the previous .stk files to animate it again. You can use it to make animation smooth frame by frame.

With its frame-based feature, Stykz is easy to customize each frame. You can change previous and current frames to get what you want. You can download it to have a try considering its easy-to-use features.

Features:

• There is some animes file on this website, so you can have a reference.
• Edit animation in the software without using another editing window.
• You can share the final work with others including information.

Part 3 FAQ about Animation Software for Windows and Mac

01 Are Macs good for animation?

To be frank, Mac is a better choice to make animation if you want to have a smooth animation experience. For example, screen resolution is a crucial factor to make excellent animation. The good is Mac’s screen will never let you disappointed.

02 What is the best animation software for Mac?

The best animation software on mac includes Synfig Studio, Pencil2D Animation, Tupi, Blender, and more. Mentioned are free-to-use. Maya is also worth considering animation software if you are a professional user. Maya offers a 1-month free trial. After it is ended, the paid plans are month, 1-year, and 3-year.

03 Can you animate in Photoshop?

Yes, you can make basic animation in Photoshop. However, it only supports frame-based animation making. In this case, you need to use other professional software to make animation. But, you still can use Photoshop to meet your needs if you are a beginner.

Conclusion

With any of these free animation maker programs on Mac and Windows, you will have an easy time creating your next 2D or 3D video. Ensure you choose the program that has the features and compatibility that you desire. Then it is up to your creative mind to come up with stunning animations! If you want to make animation easily, you can also find inspiration through classical animated cartoon types with examples .

Shanoon Cox

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

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Adobe Premiere Pro Power User: Master These 20 Shortcuts

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

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

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

---

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

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

---

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

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

1Select Window

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

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

2 Import

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

3Capture Panel

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

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

4 Timeline Panel

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

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

5 Navigation within a clip

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

6Marking Clips

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

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

7 In and Out

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

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

8Playing Clips

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

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

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

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

9Toggle Audio During Scrubbing

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

The shortcut is Shift+S for both platforms.

10Slide a clip within the sequence

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

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

11Slip within a sequence

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

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

12Nudging

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

13Multi Camera Selection

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

Numbers 1 through 9 select the corresponding camera.

14Add an edit

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

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

15Add the default Transition

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

16 Match Frame

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

17Zoom to sequence

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

18Jump to Edit

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

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

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

19Toggle the type of Trim used

Quickly shift between Standard, Ripple and Roll trim types.

Shift+T for PC, Control+T for Mac

20Ripple Trim

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

Benjamin Arango

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

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

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

---

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

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

---

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

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

1Select Window

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

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

2 Import

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

3Capture Panel

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

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

4 Timeline Panel

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

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

5 Navigation within a clip

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

6Marking Clips

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

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

7 In and Out

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

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

8Playing Clips

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

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

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

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

9Toggle Audio During Scrubbing

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

The shortcut is Shift+S for both platforms.

10Slide a clip within the sequence

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

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

11Slip within a sequence

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

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

12Nudging

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

13Multi Camera Selection

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

Numbers 1 through 9 select the corresponding camera.

14Add an edit

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

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

15Add the default Transition

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

16 Match Frame

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

17Zoom to sequence

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

18Jump to Edit

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

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

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

19Toggle the type of Trim used

Quickly shift between Standard, Ripple and Roll trim types.

Shift+T for PC, Control+T for Mac

20Ripple Trim

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

Benjamin Arango

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

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

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

---

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

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

---

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

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

1Select Window

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

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

2 Import

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

3Capture Panel

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

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

4 Timeline Panel

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

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

5 Navigation within a clip

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

6Marking Clips

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

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

7 In and Out

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

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

8Playing Clips

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

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

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

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

9Toggle Audio During Scrubbing

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

The shortcut is Shift+S for both platforms.

10Slide a clip within the sequence

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

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

11Slip within a sequence

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

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

12Nudging

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

13Multi Camera Selection

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

Numbers 1 through 9 select the corresponding camera.

14Add an edit

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

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

15Add the default Transition

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

16 Match Frame

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

17Zoom to sequence

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

18Jump to Edit

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

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

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

19Toggle the type of Trim used

Quickly shift between Standard, Ripple and Roll trim types.

Shift+T for PC, Control+T for Mac

20Ripple Trim

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

Benjamin Arango

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

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

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

---

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

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

---

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

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

1Select Window

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

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

2 Import

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

3Capture Panel

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

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

4 Timeline Panel

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

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

5 Navigation within a clip

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

6Marking Clips

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

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

7 In and Out

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

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

8Playing Clips

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

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

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

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

9Toggle Audio During Scrubbing

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

The shortcut is Shift+S for both platforms.

10Slide a clip within the sequence

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

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

11Slip within a sequence

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

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

12Nudging

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

13Multi Camera Selection

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

Numbers 1 through 9 select the corresponding camera.

14Add an edit

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

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

15Add the default Transition

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

16 Match Frame

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

17Zoom to sequence

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

18Jump to Edit

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

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

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

19Toggle the type of Trim used

Quickly shift between Standard, Ripple and Roll trim types.

Shift+T for PC, Control+T for Mac

20Ripple Trim

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

Benjamin Arango

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

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Slow Down Time: A Beginner’s Guide to Slow Motion Videos on Kapwing

Change Video Speed Easily

Wondershare Filmora is one of the most popular video editing software among YouTubers , you can use it to speed up and slow down videos with Speed Ramping or Uniform Speed tools.

Try It Free Try It Free

Kapwing is a web-based video editor that enables you to perform post-production actions on the clips that you upload. In addition, the web app has a timeline at the bottom of the interface that uses the layer-oriented approach to give you an industry-standard ambiance while editing.

With Kapwing, you can even create basic to advanced clips by starting a new project from the scratch. Some of the tasks that Kapwing can do quite efficiently include:

• Adding text and titles to the videos
• Reversing the playback
• Inserting royalty-free video clips and images from its built-in media library
• Recording computer screen
• Recording webcam footage
• Adding audio, etc.

With that said, here you will learn how to slow down the playback speed of a video with Kapwing to give the clip a cinematic effect.

In this article

01 How to Make a Slow Motion Video on Kapwing? [Step by Step]

02 FAQs About Kapwing Online Video Editor

02 Use Kapwing Alternative to Make Slow Motion Video

Part 1: How to Make a Slow Motion Video on Kapwing? [Step by Step]

Note: Before proceeding further, it is imperative to understand that Kapwing adds a watermark to the videos while exporting as long as you are not signed in. This limitation can be removed by signing in using your Google or Facebook ID, or with a different email address provided by some other service provider.

To make a slow-motion video with Kapwing, you must follow the step-by-step instructions that are given below:

Step 1: Sign In and Upload the Source Video to Kapwing

Launch your favorite browser (Google Chrome is used here), go to https://www.kapwing.com/ , and click Sign In from the top-right corner of the web page. Next, use your preferred platform, i.e., Google or Facebook, or use a different email address to sign in. On the next page, click Create New Project.

When the main interface opens up, click Click to upload from the right section, and select and upload the source video that you want to slow down. Alternatively, you can either paste the URL of a published video in the available field, or upload one from your Google Drive or Google Photos storage by clicking their corresponding icons below the Click to upload button.

Step 2: Slow Down the Playback Speed

Ensure that the uploaded video is successfully added to the Timeline at the bottom, click to select the clip if not already selected, confirm that the EDIT tab is selected from the top of the right pane, and use the – and + buttons under the SPEED section to decrease and increase the playback speed of the footage respectively.

To make a slow motion with Kapwing, you can click the – icon and choose 0.25X, 0.5X and 0.75X slower based on your need. You can see the changes in the timeline when you apply the speed presets.

Note: You can slow down or increase the speed to as low as 0.25x or as high as 4x respectively.

Step 3: Add Additional Decorations (Optional)

Use the tools available in the toolbox on the left to add other elements like text, stock video clips, images, audio, etc. to make the footage look more professional and appealing.

Step 4: Export and Download the Video

Once everything is done, click the Play button above the Timeline to preview the clip, and once found acceptable, click Export Video from the top-right area to export the footage.

On the next page, click Download from the right to download the slow-motion video to your local hard drive. Alternatively, you can also click the down icon that is present next to the Export Video button, and choose your preferred format from the menu to export the video.

Note: Kapwing makes the produced videos available for public viewing while using a free account. This privacy vulnerability can be removed by subscribing to a paid plan offered by the web tool. And for free account, your video is limited to 250MB uploading, and 30 minutes long exporting.

There are some other options to slow videos online for free, check our picks of best free online slow motion video editors.

Part 2: FAQs About Kapwing Online Video Editor

1. Is Kapwing really free?

Yes, it is free, and there will be no watermark on videos under 5 minutes. However, upon exporting, the videos remain available for the public which could be a breach of privacy for some users. This limitation can be removed by subscribing to the web tool’s paid membership. You can choose either a $192 per year or $24 per month plan for the subscription.

2. What is the limitation of using the Kapwing free plan?

When you use Kapwing with the free plan:

• All the videos that you produce remain available for the public viewing;
• The video files that you upload cannot exceed 250MB in size;
• Export 3 hours of video per month, and each video is limited to 30 minutes long;
• The resolution of the videos is restricted to 720p only, etc.

3. How slow can I make it with Kapwing?

You can slow down the playback speed to 0.25x with Kapwing. When increasing the speed, it can go up to 4x.

Conclusion

Kapwing is an efficient online video editor. The best part is, the tool doesn’t add a watermark to the videos even if you are using its free plan. However, certain restrictions like file size limit, resolution threshold, etc. are imposed on you if you are a non-paid user. To get rid of all such barriers, you must subscribe to a monthly or annual plan that is $24 or $192 respectively.

Try It Free Try It Free

Kapwing is a web-based video editor that enables you to perform post-production actions on the clips that you upload. In addition, the web app has a timeline at the bottom of the interface that uses the layer-oriented approach to give you an industry-standard ambiance while editing.

With Kapwing, you can even create basic to advanced clips by starting a new project from the scratch. Some of the tasks that Kapwing can do quite efficiently include:

• Adding text and titles to the videos
• Reversing the playback
• Inserting royalty-free video clips and images from its built-in media library
• Recording computer screen
• Recording webcam footage
• Adding audio, etc.

With that said, here you will learn how to slow down the playback speed of a video with Kapwing to give the clip a cinematic effect.

In this article

01 How to Make a Slow Motion Video on Kapwing? [Step by Step]

02 FAQs About Kapwing Online Video Editor

02 Use Kapwing Alternative to Make Slow Motion Video

Part 1: How to Make a Slow Motion Video on Kapwing? [Step by Step]

Note: Before proceeding further, it is imperative to understand that Kapwing adds a watermark to the videos while exporting as long as you are not signed in. This limitation can be removed by signing in using your Google or Facebook ID, or with a different email address provided by some other service provider.

To make a slow-motion video with Kapwing, you must follow the step-by-step instructions that are given below:

Step 1: Sign In and Upload the Source Video to Kapwing

Launch your favorite browser (Google Chrome is used here), go to https://www.kapwing.com/ , and click Sign In from the top-right corner of the web page. Next, use your preferred platform, i.e., Google or Facebook, or use a different email address to sign in. On the next page, click Create New Project.

When the main interface opens up, click Click to upload from the right section, and select and upload the source video that you want to slow down. Alternatively, you can either paste the URL of a published video in the available field, or upload one from your Google Drive or Google Photos storage by clicking their corresponding icons below the Click to upload button.

Step 2: Slow Down the Playback Speed

Ensure that the uploaded video is successfully added to the Timeline at the bottom, click to select the clip if not already selected, confirm that the EDIT tab is selected from the top of the right pane, and use the – and + buttons under the SPEED section to decrease and increase the playback speed of the footage respectively.

To make a slow motion with Kapwing, you can click the – icon and choose 0.25X, 0.5X and 0.75X slower based on your need. You can see the changes in the timeline when you apply the speed presets.

Note: You can slow down or increase the speed to as low as 0.25x or as high as 4x respectively.

Step 3: Add Additional Decorations (Optional)

Use the tools available in the toolbox on the left to add other elements like text, stock video clips, images, audio, etc. to make the footage look more professional and appealing.

Step 4: Export and Download the Video

Once everything is done, click the Play button above the Timeline to preview the clip, and once found acceptable, click Export Video from the top-right area to export the footage.

On the next page, click Download from the right to download the slow-motion video to your local hard drive. Alternatively, you can also click the down icon that is present next to the Export Video button, and choose your preferred format from the menu to export the video.

Note: Kapwing makes the produced videos available for public viewing while using a free account. This privacy vulnerability can be removed by subscribing to a paid plan offered by the web tool. And for free account, your video is limited to 250MB uploading, and 30 minutes long exporting.

There are some other options to slow videos online for free, check our picks of best free online slow motion video editors.

Part 2: FAQs About Kapwing Online Video Editor

1. Is Kapwing really free?

Yes, it is free, and there will be no watermark on videos under 5 minutes. However, upon exporting, the videos remain available for the public which could be a breach of privacy for some users. This limitation can be removed by subscribing to the web tool’s paid membership. You can choose either a $192 per year or $24 per month plan for the subscription.

2. What is the limitation of using the Kapwing free plan?

When you use Kapwing with the free plan:

• All the videos that you produce remain available for the public viewing;
• The video files that you upload cannot exceed 250MB in size;
• Export 3 hours of video per month, and each video is limited to 30 minutes long;
• The resolution of the videos is restricted to 720p only, etc.

3. How slow can I make it with Kapwing?

You can slow down the playback speed to 0.25x with Kapwing. When increasing the speed, it can go up to 4x.

Conclusion

Kapwing is an efficient online video editor. The best part is, the tool doesn’t add a watermark to the videos even if you are using its free plan. However, certain restrictions like file size limit, resolution threshold, etc. are imposed on you if you are a non-paid user. To get rid of all such barriers, you must subscribe to a monthly or annual plan that is $24 or $192 respectively.

Try It Free Try It Free

Kapwing is a web-based video editor that enables you to perform post-production actions on the clips that you upload. In addition, the web app has a timeline at the bottom of the interface that uses the layer-oriented approach to give you an industry-standard ambiance while editing.

With Kapwing, you can even create basic to advanced clips by starting a new project from the scratch. Some of the tasks that Kapwing can do quite efficiently include:

• Adding text and titles to the videos
• Reversing the playback
• Inserting royalty-free video clips and images from its built-in media library
• Recording computer screen
• Recording webcam footage
• Adding audio, etc.

With that said, here you will learn how to slow down the playback speed of a video with Kapwing to give the clip a cinematic effect.

In this article

01 How to Make a Slow Motion Video on Kapwing? [Step by Step]

02 FAQs About Kapwing Online Video Editor

02 Use Kapwing Alternative to Make Slow Motion Video

Part 1: How to Make a Slow Motion Video on Kapwing? [Step by Step]

Note: Before proceeding further, it is imperative to understand that Kapwing adds a watermark to the videos while exporting as long as you are not signed in. This limitation can be removed by signing in using your Google or Facebook ID, or with a different email address provided by some other service provider.

To make a slow-motion video with Kapwing, you must follow the step-by-step instructions that are given below:

Step 1: Sign In and Upload the Source Video to Kapwing

Launch your favorite browser (Google Chrome is used here), go to https://www.kapwing.com/ , and click Sign In from the top-right corner of the web page. Next, use your preferred platform, i.e., Google or Facebook, or use a different email address to sign in. On the next page, click Create New Project.

When the main interface opens up, click Click to upload from the right section, and select and upload the source video that you want to slow down. Alternatively, you can either paste the URL of a published video in the available field, or upload one from your Google Drive or Google Photos storage by clicking their corresponding icons below the Click to upload button.

Step 2: Slow Down the Playback Speed

Ensure that the uploaded video is successfully added to the Timeline at the bottom, click to select the clip if not already selected, confirm that the EDIT tab is selected from the top of the right pane, and use the – and + buttons under the SPEED section to decrease and increase the playback speed of the footage respectively.

To make a slow motion with Kapwing, you can click the – icon and choose 0.25X, 0.5X and 0.75X slower based on your need. You can see the changes in the timeline when you apply the speed presets.

Note: You can slow down or increase the speed to as low as 0.25x or as high as 4x respectively.

Step 3: Add Additional Decorations (Optional)

Use the tools available in the toolbox on the left to add other elements like text, stock video clips, images, audio, etc. to make the footage look more professional and appealing.

Step 4: Export and Download the Video

Once everything is done, click the Play button above the Timeline to preview the clip, and once found acceptable, click Export Video from the top-right area to export the footage.

On the next page, click Download from the right to download the slow-motion video to your local hard drive. Alternatively, you can also click the down icon that is present next to the Export Video button, and choose your preferred format from the menu to export the video.

Note: Kapwing makes the produced videos available for public viewing while using a free account. This privacy vulnerability can be removed by subscribing to a paid plan offered by the web tool. And for free account, your video is limited to 250MB uploading, and 30 minutes long exporting.

There are some other options to slow videos online for free, check our picks of best free online slow motion video editors.

Part 2: FAQs About Kapwing Online Video Editor

1. Is Kapwing really free?

Yes, it is free, and there will be no watermark on videos under 5 minutes. However, upon exporting, the videos remain available for the public which could be a breach of privacy for some users. This limitation can be removed by subscribing to the web tool’s paid membership. You can choose either a $192 per year or $24 per month plan for the subscription.

2. What is the limitation of using the Kapwing free plan?

When you use Kapwing with the free plan:

• All the videos that you produce remain available for the public viewing;
• The video files that you upload cannot exceed 250MB in size;
• Export 3 hours of video per month, and each video is limited to 30 minutes long;
• The resolution of the videos is restricted to 720p only, etc.

3. How slow can I make it with Kapwing?

You can slow down the playback speed to 0.25x with Kapwing. When increasing the speed, it can go up to 4x.

Conclusion

Kapwing is an efficient online video editor. The best part is, the tool doesn’t add a watermark to the videos even if you are using its free plan. However, certain restrictions like file size limit, resolution threshold, etc. are imposed on you if you are a non-paid user. To get rid of all such barriers, you must subscribe to a monthly or annual plan that is $24 or $192 respectively.

Try It Free Try It Free

Kapwing is a web-based video editor that enables you to perform post-production actions on the clips that you upload. In addition, the web app has a timeline at the bottom of the interface that uses the layer-oriented approach to give you an industry-standard ambiance while editing.

With Kapwing, you can even create basic to advanced clips by starting a new project from the scratch. Some of the tasks that Kapwing can do quite efficiently include:

• Adding text and titles to the videos
• Reversing the playback
• Inserting royalty-free video clips and images from its built-in media library
• Recording computer screen
• Recording webcam footage
• Adding audio, etc.

With that said, here you will learn how to slow down the playback speed of a video with Kapwing to give the clip a cinematic effect.

In this article

01 How to Make a Slow Motion Video on Kapwing? [Step by Step]

02 FAQs About Kapwing Online Video Editor

02 Use Kapwing Alternative to Make Slow Motion Video

Part 1: How to Make a Slow Motion Video on Kapwing? [Step by Step]

Note: Before proceeding further, it is imperative to understand that Kapwing adds a watermark to the videos while exporting as long as you are not signed in. This limitation can be removed by signing in using your Google or Facebook ID, or with a different email address provided by some other service provider.

To make a slow-motion video with Kapwing, you must follow the step-by-step instructions that are given below:

Step 1: Sign In and Upload the Source Video to Kapwing

Launch your favorite browser (Google Chrome is used here), go to https://www.kapwing.com/ , and click Sign In from the top-right corner of the web page. Next, use your preferred platform, i.e., Google or Facebook, or use a different email address to sign in. On the next page, click Create New Project.

When the main interface opens up, click Click to upload from the right section, and select and upload the source video that you want to slow down. Alternatively, you can either paste the URL of a published video in the available field, or upload one from your Google Drive or Google Photos storage by clicking their corresponding icons below the Click to upload button.

Step 2: Slow Down the Playback Speed

Ensure that the uploaded video is successfully added to the Timeline at the bottom, click to select the clip if not already selected, confirm that the EDIT tab is selected from the top of the right pane, and use the – and + buttons under the SPEED section to decrease and increase the playback speed of the footage respectively.

To make a slow motion with Kapwing, you can click the – icon and choose 0.25X, 0.5X and 0.75X slower based on your need. You can see the changes in the timeline when you apply the speed presets.

Note: You can slow down or increase the speed to as low as 0.25x or as high as 4x respectively.

Step 3: Add Additional Decorations (Optional)

Use the tools available in the toolbox on the left to add other elements like text, stock video clips, images, audio, etc. to make the footage look more professional and appealing.

Step 4: Export and Download the Video

Once everything is done, click the Play button above the Timeline to preview the clip, and once found acceptable, click Export Video from the top-right area to export the footage.

On the next page, click Download from the right to download the slow-motion video to your local hard drive. Alternatively, you can also click the down icon that is present next to the Export Video button, and choose your preferred format from the menu to export the video.

Note: Kapwing makes the produced videos available for public viewing while using a free account. This privacy vulnerability can be removed by subscribing to a paid plan offered by the web tool. And for free account, your video is limited to 250MB uploading, and 30 minutes long exporting.

There are some other options to slow videos online for free, check our picks of best free online slow motion video editors.

Part 2: FAQs About Kapwing Online Video Editor

1. Is Kapwing really free?

Yes, it is free, and there will be no watermark on videos under 5 minutes. However, upon exporting, the videos remain available for the public which could be a breach of privacy for some users. This limitation can be removed by subscribing to the web tool’s paid membership. You can choose either a $192 per year or $24 per month plan for the subscription.

2. What is the limitation of using the Kapwing free plan?

When you use Kapwing with the free plan:

• All the videos that you produce remain available for the public viewing;
• The video files that you upload cannot exceed 250MB in size;
• Export 3 hours of video per month, and each video is limited to 30 minutes long;
• The resolution of the videos is restricted to 720p only, etc.

3. How slow can I make it with Kapwing?

You can slow down the playback speed to 0.25x with Kapwing. When increasing the speed, it can go up to 4x.

Conclusion

Kapwing is an efficient online video editor. The best part is, the tool doesn’t add a watermark to the videos even if you are using its free plan. However, certain restrictions like file size limit, resolution threshold, etc. are imposed on you if you are a non-paid user. To get rid of all such barriers, you must subscribe to a monthly or annual plan that is $24 or $192 respectively.

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