New 2024 Approved Zero-Cost Video Editing Best Options for Newcomers

New 2024 Approved Zero-Cost Video Editing Best Options for Newcomers

Morgan Lv12

Zero-Cost Video Editing: Best Options for Newcomers

Best Video Editor for Beginners on Windows and Mac

Wondershare Filmora is one of the most popular video editing software among YouTubers , download and have a try.

Try It Free Try It Free

Video content creation is becoming the trend because it retains human attention longer than images or writings do. As a beginner who is not so familiar with video editors, getting free video editing software for beginners might prove difficult.

In this article, you will learn the best free video editing software for beginners, its features, and its pros and cons. Also, you’ll learn some extra tips that will make your video editing seamless.

In this article

01 Best Free Desktop Video Editing Software for Beginners in 2024

02 Best Free Online Video Editors for Beginners in 2024

03 Best Free Video Editing Apps for Beginners on iPhone and Android

04 What to Look for in Choosing the Best Video editors As Beginners

Part 1: Best Free Desktop Video Editing Software for Beginners in 2024

1. Apple iMovie

Apple iMovie is a free video editing software for beginners; it comes pre-installed on Mac devices. It is known for having a simple interface that makes it user-friendly.

Supported on: Mac

Apple iMovie Main Features are:

  • Chromakeying: With iMovie, you can change the background of a video from blue/ green to an image of your favorite place.
  • Sound Integration: iMovie lets you record voiceovers, add music from iTunes and add special sound effects.
  • Video tools: Add filters, titles, animations, and photos to the video.
  • Speed control: fast track and add slow-mo effects to the video.

Pros

  • It supports 4K videos.
  • Professional standards.
  • Chromakeying feature.

Cons

  • It does not support Multicam and 360 video editing.
  • Exported files take up a lot of space.
  • Available for Mac and iOS users only.

2. Microsoft Photo App

Microsoft Photos app is a free photo and video editor for beginners. It was created to replace the Windows movie maker. Many might not know about the existence of the app and its ability to edit videos and photos.

Go to the search bar and type photos, and then select the Photos app to bring a menu where you can create albums, edit photos and videos. To edit videos, click on video projects to create a video from scratch or create video automatically.

Supported on: Windows 8, Windows 10, Windows 11

Microsoft Photos app main features for video editing are;

  • Motion graphics, 3D effects, and animations.
  • It allows the addition of background music or audio from the computer.
  • It allows the addition of title cards and text backgrounds.
  • Change of photo or video durations and speed

Pros

  • It is free and readily installed in Windows 8 and above
  • Easy to use
  • Face detection
  • Album collection and arrangement

Cons

  • No essential video editing tools like transitioning and layering
  • You can’t use it professionally.
  • Does not allow video preview before exporting

3. VSDC Free Video Editor

VSDC is a free video editing software for beginners that can edit 4K UHD, 3D, and VR 360 videos. VSDC is one of the best video editors for beginners to edit complex videos. VSDC has a busy interface, making it less user-friendly than the other free video editing software for beginners.

Supported on: Windows

VSDC’s video editor has;

  • Non-linear video editing tools
  • Social media support features; VSDC has Instagram-like filters and lets you share edited videos directly to your social media.
  • Audio Effects; The 360 editor has many audio effects like equalizer, audio delay, and volume correction.
  • Video editing tools; VSDC has color-correction tools and tools to hide and replace unwanted elements. You can also transform videos with their subpixel resolution.
  • Numerous 3D templates you can choose from.

Pros

  • It supports many audio and video formats.
  • 4K and HD exports

Cons

  • Reduces video quality after editing
  • Professional tools like stabilization, beat syncing, and motion graphics are only available in the pro version.

Part 2: Best Free Online Video Editors for Beginners in 2024

1. Clipchamp

Clipchamp is an online free video editor for beginners. Clipchamp can create social media videos, ads videos, presentations, and other short videos. It has a unique feature that allows teams to collaborate and edit videos projects.

Clipchamp has basic video editing features like:

  • Text-to-speech feature; This feature allows you to add text that will become voiceovers in the video. You can choose the gender and nationality of the voice.
  • Thousand of templates to choose from
  • Video transitioning and layering.

Pros

  • It allows auto-captioning capabilities on the mobile app.
  • Video compression
  • Allows Screen recording
  • It can convert videos to WMV, which you can use in PowerPoint presentations.

Cons

  • Not available on Android devices
  • It uses selective browsers like Chrome and Microsoft Edge.
  • It is not optimized for touchpad screens.
  • The best quality video requires registration for the premium version.

2. Hippo Video

Hippo Video is one of the best video editors for beginners free online. You can use it on Mac, Windows, Android, iPhones, and iPads. Hippo is an all-in-one platform to create, record, edit, and share videos across different social media platforms.

Hippo video can;

  • Create GIFs from videos.
  • Trim, cut, and add emojis and tags to a video.
  • Hide or blur unwanted objects in the video.

Pros

  • It has other marketing features like email marketing, campaign management, and social media sharing.
  • It can be added as a chrome extension to be used for screen capturing and recording.

Cons

  • Watermarked in free version
  • Limited video quality download in free version
  • Long load time for video in between uploads.

3. Kapwing

Kapwing is an online free video editing software for beginners. The video editor is made for creators to create, edit and subtitle video content. Kapwing can convert MP4 videos to any file format as well as save the edited file in the cloud.

Primary Features

  • It supports text overlay and drag-and-drop function
  • Cut, resize, merge, split and trim videos.
  • Supports HD resolution
  • Lots of editable social media templates
  • Convert video to any form (GIF, JPG, MP4)

Pros

  • It does not add its watermark; instead, you can add your logo to create the video. Kapwingis
  • Auto-generated subtitles.
  • Background removal function
  • It backs up videos on the cloud.

Cons

  • It cannot export a video longer than 60 minutes
  • On-site technical glitches
  • To export files above 250MB or 7 minutes, you have to upgrade to the premium version.
  • Only available online

4. Online Video Cutter/ 123 apps video editor

Online Video Cutter is an online-based video editor used to edit videos. It is used primarily for trimming videos to desirable sizes. Online video cutter is one of 123 apps to edit and convert different file formats. The video editor can trim, crop, rotate and resize videos.

123 app online video editor tools

With Online Video Cutter, you can;

  • Frame the video or change the frame proportions of the videos.
  • Change the angle of a video up to 270 degrees; this comes in handy when you want to change a video’s view from landscape to portrait.
  • Flip, resize, change volume and add texts and images to your video.
  • Trim, equalize, and record sounds to be added to the video.

Pros

  • Supports all video format
  • Privacy is guaranteed as you are the only one with access to the video.
  • It works well in most browsers.
  • It does not require sign up before use
  • Converts files to any format
  • Can upload files larger than 4GB in size

Cons

  • It takes up a lot of time to upload files
  • Decreases the video quality
  • Cannot upload a file of more than 700MB in the free version

5. FlexClip

Flexclip is an online video creator and editor with essential editing tools. Flexclip has numerous templates and presets that let you create videos in a short time. You can create your video from scratch, templates, and previously saved videos.

Main Feature

  • Audio effects: you can record voices and add background music to the video.
  • Video tools: trim, merge, compress and convert videos.
  • Customization: you can add your logo or watermark to the video.
  • Allows video transition and GIF production
  • Allows you to increase video brightness and add filters to video.

Pros

  • It has more than 4 million pictures and pictures to add to videos.
  • Allows preview of videos before exporting.
  • It supports different video resolutions.
  • Templates for various events are available.

Cons

  • Limited video resolution download in free version
  • The free version can only create a 1-minute video and hold 12 projects.

Part 3: Best Free Video Editing Apps for Beginners on iPhone and Android

1. CapCut

Cap C ut is a free video editing software for beginners suitable for TikTok content creators. It was formerly known as Viamaker. Cap cut is easy to use for beginners, and it can create spectacular videos automatically by cutting, reordering, and merging recorded videos.

Supported on: Android and iOS

Cap cut allows you to:

  • Split, merge, and reverse videos.
  • Control the video speed
  • Add filter, special effects, stickers, and texts to videos.
  • Overlay and add sounds to the videos

Pros

  • You can export directly to Tiktok.
  • It has a vast music library, including copyrighted songs.
  • Exported videos are of high quality.

Cons

  • It does not support Multicam and 360 video editing.
  • Effectiveness depends on the phone’s processor and features.
  • Limited editing features.
  • Video cannot exceed 15 minutes.
  • You can only add a music track per video.

2. Quik

Quik is a free video editor for beginners produced by the makers of GoPro. Quik is an auto-video maker that puts together pictures, videos, and music with a few selections.

Supported on: Android and iOS

Main features

  • Auto-video: Quik will create a video with transitions and soundtrack when you select several pictures and videos.
  • Video editing tools: you can adjust the brightness, add texts and stickers, and add filters to a video.
  • Adjust video speed: you can add slo-mo and freeze effects to the video.
  • It allows direct sharing to social media pages.

Pros

  • Allows HD video download
  • Video styles template for new users.
  • Unlimited cloud backup.
  • Changes video ratio to suit different social media

Cons

  • Limited editing features in the free version.
  • Not suitable for videos longer than 60 seconds
  • Limited font styles

Part 4: What to Look for in Choosing the Best Video editors As Beginners

When trying to choose a video editor as a beginner, you should look out for:

What video editor has the most commonly used editing tools and intuitive interface

Some essential video editing tools should be available in a video editor. These include Video tools (cropping, rotating, merging, cutting, and splitting of videos), effects and animations, audio effects, the addition of texts, and other features necessary to the purpose of the video you are editing.

Templates for different occasions to create videos quickly

As a beginner video editor, you might not be creative enough to edit professional videos. Video editors that have ready-made templates will come in handy when you want to create a video quickly.

Ready-made templates give a guide to a beginner video editor to create professional-looking videos.

Tutorials and Supports

The best video editors for beginners are user-friendly, and they provide free tutorials to guide new users on their video editing journey. Some video editing software targets digital marketers and video content creators, so they release tutorial videos every week to help them improve their skills.

Are you a creator, influencer, or marketer, and you need to join the trend of creating video content that converts. Check out the list to know which free video editing software best suits your niche.

These are beginner-friendly video editing software that you can use to create professional-looking video content. Watch tutorials and get to work. The more videos you edit, the better you get at it.

Try It Free Try It Free

Video content creation is becoming the trend because it retains human attention longer than images or writings do. As a beginner who is not so familiar with video editors, getting free video editing software for beginners might prove difficult.

In this article, you will learn the best free video editing software for beginners, its features, and its pros and cons. Also, you’ll learn some extra tips that will make your video editing seamless.

In this article

01 Best Free Desktop Video Editing Software for Beginners in 2024

02 Best Free Online Video Editors for Beginners in 2024

03 Best Free Video Editing Apps for Beginners on iPhone and Android

04 What to Look for in Choosing the Best Video editors As Beginners

Part 1: Best Free Desktop Video Editing Software for Beginners in 2024

1. Apple iMovie

Apple iMovie is a free video editing software for beginners; it comes pre-installed on Mac devices. It is known for having a simple interface that makes it user-friendly.

Supported on: Mac

Apple iMovie Main Features are:

  • Chromakeying: With iMovie, you can change the background of a video from blue/ green to an image of your favorite place.
  • Sound Integration: iMovie lets you record voiceovers, add music from iTunes and add special sound effects.
  • Video tools: Add filters, titles, animations, and photos to the video.
  • Speed control: fast track and add slow-mo effects to the video.

Pros

  • It supports 4K videos.
  • Professional standards.
  • Chromakeying feature.

Cons

  • It does not support Multicam and 360 video editing.
  • Exported files take up a lot of space.
  • Available for Mac and iOS users only.

2. Microsoft Photo App

Microsoft Photos app is a free photo and video editor for beginners. It was created to replace the Windows movie maker. Many might not know about the existence of the app and its ability to edit videos and photos.

Go to the search bar and type photos, and then select the Photos app to bring a menu where you can create albums, edit photos and videos. To edit videos, click on video projects to create a video from scratch or create video automatically.

Supported on: Windows 8, Windows 10, Windows 11

Microsoft Photos app main features for video editing are;

  • Motion graphics, 3D effects, and animations.
  • It allows the addition of background music or audio from the computer.
  • It allows the addition of title cards and text backgrounds.
  • Change of photo or video durations and speed

Pros

  • It is free and readily installed in Windows 8 and above
  • Easy to use
  • Face detection
  • Album collection and arrangement

Cons

  • No essential video editing tools like transitioning and layering
  • You can’t use it professionally.
  • Does not allow video preview before exporting

3. VSDC Free Video Editor

VSDC is a free video editing software for beginners that can edit 4K UHD, 3D, and VR 360 videos. VSDC is one of the best video editors for beginners to edit complex videos. VSDC has a busy interface, making it less user-friendly than the other free video editing software for beginners.

Supported on: Windows

VSDC’s video editor has;

  • Non-linear video editing tools
  • Social media support features; VSDC has Instagram-like filters and lets you share edited videos directly to your social media.
  • Audio Effects; The 360 editor has many audio effects like equalizer, audio delay, and volume correction.
  • Video editing tools; VSDC has color-correction tools and tools to hide and replace unwanted elements. You can also transform videos with their subpixel resolution.
  • Numerous 3D templates you can choose from.

Pros

  • It supports many audio and video formats.
  • 4K and HD exports

Cons

  • Reduces video quality after editing
  • Professional tools like stabilization, beat syncing, and motion graphics are only available in the pro version.

Part 2: Best Free Online Video Editors for Beginners in 2024

1. Clipchamp

Clipchamp is an online free video editor for beginners. Clipchamp can create social media videos, ads videos, presentations, and other short videos. It has a unique feature that allows teams to collaborate and edit videos projects.

Clipchamp has basic video editing features like:

  • Text-to-speech feature; This feature allows you to add text that will become voiceovers in the video. You can choose the gender and nationality of the voice.
  • Thousand of templates to choose from
  • Video transitioning and layering.

Pros

  • It allows auto-captioning capabilities on the mobile app.
  • Video compression
  • Allows Screen recording
  • It can convert videos to WMV, which you can use in PowerPoint presentations.

Cons

  • Not available on Android devices
  • It uses selective browsers like Chrome and Microsoft Edge.
  • It is not optimized for touchpad screens.
  • The best quality video requires registration for the premium version.

2. Hippo Video

Hippo Video is one of the best video editors for beginners free online. You can use it on Mac, Windows, Android, iPhones, and iPads. Hippo is an all-in-one platform to create, record, edit, and share videos across different social media platforms.

Hippo video can;

  • Create GIFs from videos.
  • Trim, cut, and add emojis and tags to a video.
  • Hide or blur unwanted objects in the video.

Pros

  • It has other marketing features like email marketing, campaign management, and social media sharing.
  • It can be added as a chrome extension to be used for screen capturing and recording.

Cons

  • Watermarked in free version
  • Limited video quality download in free version
  • Long load time for video in between uploads.

3. Kapwing

Kapwing is an online free video editing software for beginners. The video editor is made for creators to create, edit and subtitle video content. Kapwing can convert MP4 videos to any file format as well as save the edited file in the cloud.

Primary Features

  • It supports text overlay and drag-and-drop function
  • Cut, resize, merge, split and trim videos.
  • Supports HD resolution
  • Lots of editable social media templates
  • Convert video to any form (GIF, JPG, MP4)

Pros

  • It does not add its watermark; instead, you can add your logo to create the video. Kapwingis
  • Auto-generated subtitles.
  • Background removal function
  • It backs up videos on the cloud.

Cons

  • It cannot export a video longer than 60 minutes
  • On-site technical glitches
  • To export files above 250MB or 7 minutes, you have to upgrade to the premium version.
  • Only available online

4. Online Video Cutter/ 123 apps video editor

Online Video Cutter is an online-based video editor used to edit videos. It is used primarily for trimming videos to desirable sizes. Online video cutter is one of 123 apps to edit and convert different file formats. The video editor can trim, crop, rotate and resize videos.

123 app online video editor tools

With Online Video Cutter, you can;

  • Frame the video or change the frame proportions of the videos.
  • Change the angle of a video up to 270 degrees; this comes in handy when you want to change a video’s view from landscape to portrait.
  • Flip, resize, change volume and add texts and images to your video.
  • Trim, equalize, and record sounds to be added to the video.

Pros

  • Supports all video format
  • Privacy is guaranteed as you are the only one with access to the video.
  • It works well in most browsers.
  • It does not require sign up before use
  • Converts files to any format
  • Can upload files larger than 4GB in size

Cons

  • It takes up a lot of time to upload files
  • Decreases the video quality
  • Cannot upload a file of more than 700MB in the free version

5. FlexClip

Flexclip is an online video creator and editor with essential editing tools. Flexclip has numerous templates and presets that let you create videos in a short time. You can create your video from scratch, templates, and previously saved videos.

Main Feature

  • Audio effects: you can record voices and add background music to the video.
  • Video tools: trim, merge, compress and convert videos.
  • Customization: you can add your logo or watermark to the video.
  • Allows video transition and GIF production
  • Allows you to increase video brightness and add filters to video.

Pros

  • It has more than 4 million pictures and pictures to add to videos.
  • Allows preview of videos before exporting.
  • It supports different video resolutions.
  • Templates for various events are available.

Cons

  • Limited video resolution download in free version
  • The free version can only create a 1-minute video and hold 12 projects.

Part 3: Best Free Video Editing Apps for Beginners on iPhone and Android

1. CapCut

Cap C ut is a free video editing software for beginners suitable for TikTok content creators. It was formerly known as Viamaker. Cap cut is easy to use for beginners, and it can create spectacular videos automatically by cutting, reordering, and merging recorded videos.

Supported on: Android and iOS

Cap cut allows you to:

  • Split, merge, and reverse videos.
  • Control the video speed
  • Add filter, special effects, stickers, and texts to videos.
  • Overlay and add sounds to the videos

Pros

  • You can export directly to Tiktok.
  • It has a vast music library, including copyrighted songs.
  • Exported videos are of high quality.

Cons

  • It does not support Multicam and 360 video editing.
  • Effectiveness depends on the phone’s processor and features.
  • Limited editing features.
  • Video cannot exceed 15 minutes.
  • You can only add a music track per video.

2. Quik

Quik is a free video editor for beginners produced by the makers of GoPro. Quik is an auto-video maker that puts together pictures, videos, and music with a few selections.

Supported on: Android and iOS

Main features

  • Auto-video: Quik will create a video with transitions and soundtrack when you select several pictures and videos.
  • Video editing tools: you can adjust the brightness, add texts and stickers, and add filters to a video.
  • Adjust video speed: you can add slo-mo and freeze effects to the video.
  • It allows direct sharing to social media pages.

Pros

  • Allows HD video download
  • Video styles template for new users.
  • Unlimited cloud backup.
  • Changes video ratio to suit different social media

Cons

  • Limited editing features in the free version.
  • Not suitable for videos longer than 60 seconds
  • Limited font styles

Part 4: What to Look for in Choosing the Best Video editors As Beginners

When trying to choose a video editor as a beginner, you should look out for:

What video editor has the most commonly used editing tools and intuitive interface

Some essential video editing tools should be available in a video editor. These include Video tools (cropping, rotating, merging, cutting, and splitting of videos), effects and animations, audio effects, the addition of texts, and other features necessary to the purpose of the video you are editing.

Templates for different occasions to create videos quickly

As a beginner video editor, you might not be creative enough to edit professional videos. Video editors that have ready-made templates will come in handy when you want to create a video quickly.

Ready-made templates give a guide to a beginner video editor to create professional-looking videos.

Tutorials and Supports

The best video editors for beginners are user-friendly, and they provide free tutorials to guide new users on their video editing journey. Some video editing software targets digital marketers and video content creators, so they release tutorial videos every week to help them improve their skills.

Are you a creator, influencer, or marketer, and you need to join the trend of creating video content that converts. Check out the list to know which free video editing software best suits your niche.

These are beginner-friendly video editing software that you can use to create professional-looking video content. Watch tutorials and get to work. The more videos you edit, the better you get at it.

Try It Free Try It Free

Video content creation is becoming the trend because it retains human attention longer than images or writings do. As a beginner who is not so familiar with video editors, getting free video editing software for beginners might prove difficult.

In this article, you will learn the best free video editing software for beginners, its features, and its pros and cons. Also, you’ll learn some extra tips that will make your video editing seamless.

In this article

01 Best Free Desktop Video Editing Software for Beginners in 2024

02 Best Free Online Video Editors for Beginners in 2024

03 Best Free Video Editing Apps for Beginners on iPhone and Android

04 What to Look for in Choosing the Best Video editors As Beginners

Part 1: Best Free Desktop Video Editing Software for Beginners in 2024

1. Apple iMovie

Apple iMovie is a free video editing software for beginners; it comes pre-installed on Mac devices. It is known for having a simple interface that makes it user-friendly.

Supported on: Mac

Apple iMovie Main Features are:

  • Chromakeying: With iMovie, you can change the background of a video from blue/ green to an image of your favorite place.
  • Sound Integration: iMovie lets you record voiceovers, add music from iTunes and add special sound effects.
  • Video tools: Add filters, titles, animations, and photos to the video.
  • Speed control: fast track and add slow-mo effects to the video.

Pros

  • It supports 4K videos.
  • Professional standards.
  • Chromakeying feature.

Cons

  • It does not support Multicam and 360 video editing.
  • Exported files take up a lot of space.
  • Available for Mac and iOS users only.

2. Microsoft Photo App

Microsoft Photos app is a free photo and video editor for beginners. It was created to replace the Windows movie maker. Many might not know about the existence of the app and its ability to edit videos and photos.

Go to the search bar and type photos, and then select the Photos app to bring a menu where you can create albums, edit photos and videos. To edit videos, click on video projects to create a video from scratch or create video automatically.

Supported on: Windows 8, Windows 10, Windows 11

Microsoft Photos app main features for video editing are;

  • Motion graphics, 3D effects, and animations.
  • It allows the addition of background music or audio from the computer.
  • It allows the addition of title cards and text backgrounds.
  • Change of photo or video durations and speed

Pros

  • It is free and readily installed in Windows 8 and above
  • Easy to use
  • Face detection
  • Album collection and arrangement

Cons

  • No essential video editing tools like transitioning and layering
  • You can’t use it professionally.
  • Does not allow video preview before exporting

3. VSDC Free Video Editor

VSDC is a free video editing software for beginners that can edit 4K UHD, 3D, and VR 360 videos. VSDC is one of the best video editors for beginners to edit complex videos. VSDC has a busy interface, making it less user-friendly than the other free video editing software for beginners.

Supported on: Windows

VSDC’s video editor has;

  • Non-linear video editing tools
  • Social media support features; VSDC has Instagram-like filters and lets you share edited videos directly to your social media.
  • Audio Effects; The 360 editor has many audio effects like equalizer, audio delay, and volume correction.
  • Video editing tools; VSDC has color-correction tools and tools to hide and replace unwanted elements. You can also transform videos with their subpixel resolution.
  • Numerous 3D templates you can choose from.

Pros

  • It supports many audio and video formats.
  • 4K and HD exports

Cons

  • Reduces video quality after editing
  • Professional tools like stabilization, beat syncing, and motion graphics are only available in the pro version.

Part 2: Best Free Online Video Editors for Beginners in 2024

1. Clipchamp

Clipchamp is an online free video editor for beginners. Clipchamp can create social media videos, ads videos, presentations, and other short videos. It has a unique feature that allows teams to collaborate and edit videos projects.

Clipchamp has basic video editing features like:

  • Text-to-speech feature; This feature allows you to add text that will become voiceovers in the video. You can choose the gender and nationality of the voice.
  • Thousand of templates to choose from
  • Video transitioning and layering.

Pros

  • It allows auto-captioning capabilities on the mobile app.
  • Video compression
  • Allows Screen recording
  • It can convert videos to WMV, which you can use in PowerPoint presentations.

Cons

  • Not available on Android devices
  • It uses selective browsers like Chrome and Microsoft Edge.
  • It is not optimized for touchpad screens.
  • The best quality video requires registration for the premium version.

2. Hippo Video

Hippo Video is one of the best video editors for beginners free online. You can use it on Mac, Windows, Android, iPhones, and iPads. Hippo is an all-in-one platform to create, record, edit, and share videos across different social media platforms.

Hippo video can;

  • Create GIFs from videos.
  • Trim, cut, and add emojis and tags to a video.
  • Hide or blur unwanted objects in the video.

Pros

  • It has other marketing features like email marketing, campaign management, and social media sharing.
  • It can be added as a chrome extension to be used for screen capturing and recording.

Cons

  • Watermarked in free version
  • Limited video quality download in free version
  • Long load time for video in between uploads.

3. Kapwing

Kapwing is an online free video editing software for beginners. The video editor is made for creators to create, edit and subtitle video content. Kapwing can convert MP4 videos to any file format as well as save the edited file in the cloud.

Primary Features

  • It supports text overlay and drag-and-drop function
  • Cut, resize, merge, split and trim videos.
  • Supports HD resolution
  • Lots of editable social media templates
  • Convert video to any form (GIF, JPG, MP4)

Pros

  • It does not add its watermark; instead, you can add your logo to create the video. Kapwingis
  • Auto-generated subtitles.
  • Background removal function
  • It backs up videos on the cloud.

Cons

  • It cannot export a video longer than 60 minutes
  • On-site technical glitches
  • To export files above 250MB or 7 minutes, you have to upgrade to the premium version.
  • Only available online

4. Online Video Cutter/ 123 apps video editor

Online Video Cutter is an online-based video editor used to edit videos. It is used primarily for trimming videos to desirable sizes. Online video cutter is one of 123 apps to edit and convert different file formats. The video editor can trim, crop, rotate and resize videos.

123 app online video editor tools

With Online Video Cutter, you can;

  • Frame the video or change the frame proportions of the videos.
  • Change the angle of a video up to 270 degrees; this comes in handy when you want to change a video’s view from landscape to portrait.
  • Flip, resize, change volume and add texts and images to your video.
  • Trim, equalize, and record sounds to be added to the video.

Pros

  • Supports all video format
  • Privacy is guaranteed as you are the only one with access to the video.
  • It works well in most browsers.
  • It does not require sign up before use
  • Converts files to any format
  • Can upload files larger than 4GB in size

Cons

  • It takes up a lot of time to upload files
  • Decreases the video quality
  • Cannot upload a file of more than 700MB in the free version

5. FlexClip

Flexclip is an online video creator and editor with essential editing tools. Flexclip has numerous templates and presets that let you create videos in a short time. You can create your video from scratch, templates, and previously saved videos.

Main Feature

  • Audio effects: you can record voices and add background music to the video.
  • Video tools: trim, merge, compress and convert videos.
  • Customization: you can add your logo or watermark to the video.
  • Allows video transition and GIF production
  • Allows you to increase video brightness and add filters to video.

Pros

  • It has more than 4 million pictures and pictures to add to videos.
  • Allows preview of videos before exporting.
  • It supports different video resolutions.
  • Templates for various events are available.

Cons

  • Limited video resolution download in free version
  • The free version can only create a 1-minute video and hold 12 projects.

Part 3: Best Free Video Editing Apps for Beginners on iPhone and Android

1. CapCut

Cap C ut is a free video editing software for beginners suitable for TikTok content creators. It was formerly known as Viamaker. Cap cut is easy to use for beginners, and it can create spectacular videos automatically by cutting, reordering, and merging recorded videos.

Supported on: Android and iOS

Cap cut allows you to:

  • Split, merge, and reverse videos.
  • Control the video speed
  • Add filter, special effects, stickers, and texts to videos.
  • Overlay and add sounds to the videos

Pros

  • You can export directly to Tiktok.
  • It has a vast music library, including copyrighted songs.
  • Exported videos are of high quality.

Cons

  • It does not support Multicam and 360 video editing.
  • Effectiveness depends on the phone’s processor and features.
  • Limited editing features.
  • Video cannot exceed 15 minutes.
  • You can only add a music track per video.

2. Quik

Quik is a free video editor for beginners produced by the makers of GoPro. Quik is an auto-video maker that puts together pictures, videos, and music with a few selections.

Supported on: Android and iOS

Main features

  • Auto-video: Quik will create a video with transitions and soundtrack when you select several pictures and videos.
  • Video editing tools: you can adjust the brightness, add texts and stickers, and add filters to a video.
  • Adjust video speed: you can add slo-mo and freeze effects to the video.
  • It allows direct sharing to social media pages.

Pros

  • Allows HD video download
  • Video styles template for new users.
  • Unlimited cloud backup.
  • Changes video ratio to suit different social media

Cons

  • Limited editing features in the free version.
  • Not suitable for videos longer than 60 seconds
  • Limited font styles

Part 4: What to Look for in Choosing the Best Video editors As Beginners

When trying to choose a video editor as a beginner, you should look out for:

What video editor has the most commonly used editing tools and intuitive interface

Some essential video editing tools should be available in a video editor. These include Video tools (cropping, rotating, merging, cutting, and splitting of videos), effects and animations, audio effects, the addition of texts, and other features necessary to the purpose of the video you are editing.

Templates for different occasions to create videos quickly

As a beginner video editor, you might not be creative enough to edit professional videos. Video editors that have ready-made templates will come in handy when you want to create a video quickly.

Ready-made templates give a guide to a beginner video editor to create professional-looking videos.

Tutorials and Supports

The best video editors for beginners are user-friendly, and they provide free tutorials to guide new users on their video editing journey. Some video editing software targets digital marketers and video content creators, so they release tutorial videos every week to help them improve their skills.

Are you a creator, influencer, or marketer, and you need to join the trend of creating video content that converts. Check out the list to know which free video editing software best suits your niche.

These are beginner-friendly video editing software that you can use to create professional-looking video content. Watch tutorials and get to work. The more videos you edit, the better you get at it.

Try It Free Try It Free

Video content creation is becoming the trend because it retains human attention longer than images or writings do. As a beginner who is not so familiar with video editors, getting free video editing software for beginners might prove difficult.

In this article, you will learn the best free video editing software for beginners, its features, and its pros and cons. Also, you’ll learn some extra tips that will make your video editing seamless.

In this article

01 Best Free Desktop Video Editing Software for Beginners in 2024

02 Best Free Online Video Editors for Beginners in 2024

03 Best Free Video Editing Apps for Beginners on iPhone and Android

04 What to Look for in Choosing the Best Video editors As Beginners

Part 1: Best Free Desktop Video Editing Software for Beginners in 2024

1. Apple iMovie

Apple iMovie is a free video editing software for beginners; it comes pre-installed on Mac devices. It is known for having a simple interface that makes it user-friendly.

Supported on: Mac

Apple iMovie Main Features are:

  • Chromakeying: With iMovie, you can change the background of a video from blue/ green to an image of your favorite place.
  • Sound Integration: iMovie lets you record voiceovers, add music from iTunes and add special sound effects.
  • Video tools: Add filters, titles, animations, and photos to the video.
  • Speed control: fast track and add slow-mo effects to the video.

Pros

  • It supports 4K videos.
  • Professional standards.
  • Chromakeying feature.

Cons

  • It does not support Multicam and 360 video editing.
  • Exported files take up a lot of space.
  • Available for Mac and iOS users only.

2. Microsoft Photo App

Microsoft Photos app is a free photo and video editor for beginners. It was created to replace the Windows movie maker. Many might not know about the existence of the app and its ability to edit videos and photos.

Go to the search bar and type photos, and then select the Photos app to bring a menu where you can create albums, edit photos and videos. To edit videos, click on video projects to create a video from scratch or create video automatically.

Supported on: Windows 8, Windows 10, Windows 11

Microsoft Photos app main features for video editing are;

  • Motion graphics, 3D effects, and animations.
  • It allows the addition of background music or audio from the computer.
  • It allows the addition of title cards and text backgrounds.
  • Change of photo or video durations and speed

Pros

  • It is free and readily installed in Windows 8 and above
  • Easy to use
  • Face detection
  • Album collection and arrangement

Cons

  • No essential video editing tools like transitioning and layering
  • You can’t use it professionally.
  • Does not allow video preview before exporting

3. VSDC Free Video Editor

VSDC is a free video editing software for beginners that can edit 4K UHD, 3D, and VR 360 videos. VSDC is one of the best video editors for beginners to edit complex videos. VSDC has a busy interface, making it less user-friendly than the other free video editing software for beginners.

Supported on: Windows

VSDC’s video editor has;

  • Non-linear video editing tools
  • Social media support features; VSDC has Instagram-like filters and lets you share edited videos directly to your social media.
  • Audio Effects; The 360 editor has many audio effects like equalizer, audio delay, and volume correction.
  • Video editing tools; VSDC has color-correction tools and tools to hide and replace unwanted elements. You can also transform videos with their subpixel resolution.
  • Numerous 3D templates you can choose from.

Pros

  • It supports many audio and video formats.
  • 4K and HD exports

Cons

  • Reduces video quality after editing
  • Professional tools like stabilization, beat syncing, and motion graphics are only available in the pro version.

Part 2: Best Free Online Video Editors for Beginners in 2024

1. Clipchamp

Clipchamp is an online free video editor for beginners. Clipchamp can create social media videos, ads videos, presentations, and other short videos. It has a unique feature that allows teams to collaborate and edit videos projects.

Clipchamp has basic video editing features like:

  • Text-to-speech feature; This feature allows you to add text that will become voiceovers in the video. You can choose the gender and nationality of the voice.
  • Thousand of templates to choose from
  • Video transitioning and layering.

Pros

  • It allows auto-captioning capabilities on the mobile app.
  • Video compression
  • Allows Screen recording
  • It can convert videos to WMV, which you can use in PowerPoint presentations.

Cons

  • Not available on Android devices
  • It uses selective browsers like Chrome and Microsoft Edge.
  • It is not optimized for touchpad screens.
  • The best quality video requires registration for the premium version.

2. Hippo Video

Hippo Video is one of the best video editors for beginners free online. You can use it on Mac, Windows, Android, iPhones, and iPads. Hippo is an all-in-one platform to create, record, edit, and share videos across different social media platforms.

Hippo video can;

  • Create GIFs from videos.
  • Trim, cut, and add emojis and tags to a video.
  • Hide or blur unwanted objects in the video.

Pros

  • It has other marketing features like email marketing, campaign management, and social media sharing.
  • It can be added as a chrome extension to be used for screen capturing and recording.

Cons

  • Watermarked in free version
  • Limited video quality download in free version
  • Long load time for video in between uploads.

3. Kapwing

Kapwing is an online free video editing software for beginners. The video editor is made for creators to create, edit and subtitle video content. Kapwing can convert MP4 videos to any file format as well as save the edited file in the cloud.

Primary Features

  • It supports text overlay and drag-and-drop function
  • Cut, resize, merge, split and trim videos.
  • Supports HD resolution
  • Lots of editable social media templates
  • Convert video to any form (GIF, JPG, MP4)

Pros

  • It does not add its watermark; instead, you can add your logo to create the video. Kapwingis
  • Auto-generated subtitles.
  • Background removal function
  • It backs up videos on the cloud.

Cons

  • It cannot export a video longer than 60 minutes
  • On-site technical glitches
  • To export files above 250MB or 7 minutes, you have to upgrade to the premium version.
  • Only available online

4. Online Video Cutter/ 123 apps video editor

Online Video Cutter is an online-based video editor used to edit videos. It is used primarily for trimming videos to desirable sizes. Online video cutter is one of 123 apps to edit and convert different file formats. The video editor can trim, crop, rotate and resize videos.

123 app online video editor tools

With Online Video Cutter, you can;

  • Frame the video or change the frame proportions of the videos.
  • Change the angle of a video up to 270 degrees; this comes in handy when you want to change a video’s view from landscape to portrait.
  • Flip, resize, change volume and add texts and images to your video.
  • Trim, equalize, and record sounds to be added to the video.

Pros

  • Supports all video format
  • Privacy is guaranteed as you are the only one with access to the video.
  • It works well in most browsers.
  • It does not require sign up before use
  • Converts files to any format
  • Can upload files larger than 4GB in size

Cons

  • It takes up a lot of time to upload files
  • Decreases the video quality
  • Cannot upload a file of more than 700MB in the free version

5. FlexClip

Flexclip is an online video creator and editor with essential editing tools. Flexclip has numerous templates and presets that let you create videos in a short time. You can create your video from scratch, templates, and previously saved videos.

Main Feature

  • Audio effects: you can record voices and add background music to the video.
  • Video tools: trim, merge, compress and convert videos.
  • Customization: you can add your logo or watermark to the video.
  • Allows video transition and GIF production
  • Allows you to increase video brightness and add filters to video.

Pros

  • It has more than 4 million pictures and pictures to add to videos.
  • Allows preview of videos before exporting.
  • It supports different video resolutions.
  • Templates for various events are available.

Cons

  • Limited video resolution download in free version
  • The free version can only create a 1-minute video and hold 12 projects.

Part 3: Best Free Video Editing Apps for Beginners on iPhone and Android

1. CapCut

Cap C ut is a free video editing software for beginners suitable for TikTok content creators. It was formerly known as Viamaker. Cap cut is easy to use for beginners, and it can create spectacular videos automatically by cutting, reordering, and merging recorded videos.

Supported on: Android and iOS

Cap cut allows you to:

  • Split, merge, and reverse videos.
  • Control the video speed
  • Add filter, special effects, stickers, and texts to videos.
  • Overlay and add sounds to the videos

Pros

  • You can export directly to Tiktok.
  • It has a vast music library, including copyrighted songs.
  • Exported videos are of high quality.

Cons

  • It does not support Multicam and 360 video editing.
  • Effectiveness depends on the phone’s processor and features.
  • Limited editing features.
  • Video cannot exceed 15 minutes.
  • You can only add a music track per video.

2. Quik

Quik is a free video editor for beginners produced by the makers of GoPro. Quik is an auto-video maker that puts together pictures, videos, and music with a few selections.

Supported on: Android and iOS

Main features

  • Auto-video: Quik will create a video with transitions and soundtrack when you select several pictures and videos.
  • Video editing tools: you can adjust the brightness, add texts and stickers, and add filters to a video.
  • Adjust video speed: you can add slo-mo and freeze effects to the video.
  • It allows direct sharing to social media pages.

Pros

  • Allows HD video download
  • Video styles template for new users.
  • Unlimited cloud backup.
  • Changes video ratio to suit different social media

Cons

  • Limited editing features in the free version.
  • Not suitable for videos longer than 60 seconds
  • Limited font styles

Part 4: What to Look for in Choosing the Best Video editors As Beginners

When trying to choose a video editor as a beginner, you should look out for:

What video editor has the most commonly used editing tools and intuitive interface

Some essential video editing tools should be available in a video editor. These include Video tools (cropping, rotating, merging, cutting, and splitting of videos), effects and animations, audio effects, the addition of texts, and other features necessary to the purpose of the video you are editing.

Templates for different occasions to create videos quickly

As a beginner video editor, you might not be creative enough to edit professional videos. Video editors that have ready-made templates will come in handy when you want to create a video quickly.

Ready-made templates give a guide to a beginner video editor to create professional-looking videos.

Tutorials and Supports

The best video editors for beginners are user-friendly, and they provide free tutorials to guide new users on their video editing journey. Some video editing software targets digital marketers and video content creators, so they release tutorial videos every week to help them improve their skills.

Are you a creator, influencer, or marketer, and you need to join the trend of creating video content that converts. Check out the list to know which free video editing software best suits your niche.

These are beginner-friendly video editing software that you can use to create professional-looking video content. Watch tutorials and get to work. The more videos you edit, the better you get at it.

Best Free M4A Editing Tools : Top Picks

Top 5 Best Free M4A Editor Software in 2024

author avatar

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Since 2007, Apple has sold their audio files on iTunes as M4A files. M4A is a high quality audio file compatible with all Apple products and software. Unfortunately, considering the audio file is relatively new and designed to work only on Apple software, most audio editors have difficulty importing the file type. There are few audio editor programs, for professional or personal use, that support the file and do so well. Despite this, it is still possible to find free audio editors that supports M4A. However, you must be careful to edit only non-copyright protected audio files. Most of these programs do not support copyrighted M4A files. That means no editing of an audio file you downloaded from the iTunes store. If you avoid copyrighted materials, these five free audio editors that allow you to edit your M4A files with little to no trouble.

1.Wondershare Filmora

Wondershare Filmora is a shockingly advanced free M4A compatible audio editing software. You can record audio from various sources with ease. Once you import your M4A file, you can delete, cut, copy, mix, and paste different sections of the M4A file or combine the edited file with another imported M4A file. You can also create DVDs out of the file format.

Platform: Windows, Mac

Download Win Version Download Mac Version

2.AVS Audio Editor

AVS Audio Editor is an advanced free M4A compatible editing software. You can edit and save files in M4A format, which is an uncommon feature. Many programs that can edit M4A files cannot save the edited files in the same format, so AVS Audio is welcome change to the market. You also can make your audio file unique to you with 20 different effects and filters within the program. On top of all this, within the software, you can record audio in the M4A format.

Platform: Windows only

Cons: there will be a voice logo which will pop-up every 10 seconds in the free version.

AVS Audio Editor

3.Wavepad

Wavepad is a simple audio editor from Australia’s NCH Software. This free desktop software supports the editing and conversion of M4A audio file formats.

To edit a file, import the file into the program. You can then select sections to delete, copy, or cut. You can also add audio effects to all of or part of the audio file. Examples of the effects available on Wavepad include echo, reverberation, and normalization.

You also can convert from and to M4A with this program. The “to and fro” conversion will be especially useful to you if you need to convert your files to an iTunes friendly format.

Keep in mind that this audio editor only is free for non-commercial use. If you want to use this editor for professional or money-earning purposes, upgrade to the paid Master version of the software.

Platform: Windows, Mac

Wavepad

4.Windows Movie Maker

Since its 2011 edition, Windows Movie Maker (WMM) has touted free audio editing features. You can edit a variety of audio file formats, including M4A. When you import a M4A file into Windows Movie Maker, the audio file will appear in the audio/music section of the timeline. From there, you edit the m4a file in the same manner you would edit a video on WMM. You can split, combine, and remove sections of the audio.

There are two downsides of using WMM to edit your M4A files.

One downside is that WMM will always output the audio file as a WMA. That being said, WMA files are compatible with most audio playing formats and can easily be converted into another type of audio file, so there’s no need to fret.

The second downside is that the audio editing feature, just as the program’s video editing capabilities, is limited. Not much can be done to increase the loudness or clarity of an audio file. To increase the clarity or loudness of your M4A file, you will need to utilize another audio editor.

Platform: Windows only

Windows Movie Maker

5.DJ Audio Editor

DJ Audio Editor is a professional-grade free M4A compatible editing software. Import the MP4 file and enjoy the editing process. As with most of the other audio editors on this list, you can apply filters and effects to parts of or all of your file. What makes this audio editor different is the addition of an audio properties editor. You can edit the metadata of each audio file, adding titles, artists, and other pieces of information. DJ Audio Editor is a free product that has a paid version. However, users who take advantage of the free software have most of the benefits paid users have. DJ Audio, despite its various amounts of features, will take up little space on your desktop. The same software company that offers this editing software also offers several other video and audio programs. These programs are also “freenium,” meaning they are free in their most basic form. Working with M4A files does not doom you to paying hundreds of dollars to get a compatible audio editor. Check out the free editors above and see which one is the best for you.

Platform: Windows only

DJ Audio Editor

Conclusion

Above m4a editors all can meet your demands when editing audios. And we highly recommend you to try Filmora to edit m4a files, as it can work on both Windows and Mac, and it really can do more for you. When it comes to video editing, it is the tool you would need.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

author avatar

Liza Brown

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

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Since 2007, Apple has sold their audio files on iTunes as M4A files. M4A is a high quality audio file compatible with all Apple products and software. Unfortunately, considering the audio file is relatively new and designed to work only on Apple software, most audio editors have difficulty importing the file type. There are few audio editor programs, for professional or personal use, that support the file and do so well. Despite this, it is still possible to find free audio editors that supports M4A. However, you must be careful to edit only non-copyright protected audio files. Most of these programs do not support copyrighted M4A files. That means no editing of an audio file you downloaded from the iTunes store. If you avoid copyrighted materials, these five free audio editors that allow you to edit your M4A files with little to no trouble.

1.Wondershare Filmora

Wondershare Filmora is a shockingly advanced free M4A compatible audio editing software. You can record audio from various sources with ease. Once you import your M4A file, you can delete, cut, copy, mix, and paste different sections of the M4A file or combine the edited file with another imported M4A file. You can also create DVDs out of the file format.

Platform: Windows, Mac

Download Win Version Download Mac Version

2.AVS Audio Editor

AVS Audio Editor is an advanced free M4A compatible editing software. You can edit and save files in M4A format, which is an uncommon feature. Many programs that can edit M4A files cannot save the edited files in the same format, so AVS Audio is welcome change to the market. You also can make your audio file unique to you with 20 different effects and filters within the program. On top of all this, within the software, you can record audio in the M4A format.

Platform: Windows only

Cons: there will be a voice logo which will pop-up every 10 seconds in the free version.

AVS Audio Editor

3.Wavepad

Wavepad is a simple audio editor from Australia’s NCH Software. This free desktop software supports the editing and conversion of M4A audio file formats.

To edit a file, import the file into the program. You can then select sections to delete, copy, or cut. You can also add audio effects to all of or part of the audio file. Examples of the effects available on Wavepad include echo, reverberation, and normalization.

You also can convert from and to M4A with this program. The “to and fro” conversion will be especially useful to you if you need to convert your files to an iTunes friendly format.

Keep in mind that this audio editor only is free for non-commercial use. If you want to use this editor for professional or money-earning purposes, upgrade to the paid Master version of the software.

Platform: Windows, Mac

Wavepad

4.Windows Movie Maker

Since its 2011 edition, Windows Movie Maker (WMM) has touted free audio editing features. You can edit a variety of audio file formats, including M4A. When you import a M4A file into Windows Movie Maker, the audio file will appear in the audio/music section of the timeline. From there, you edit the m4a file in the same manner you would edit a video on WMM. You can split, combine, and remove sections of the audio.

There are two downsides of using WMM to edit your M4A files.

One downside is that WMM will always output the audio file as a WMA. That being said, WMA files are compatible with most audio playing formats and can easily be converted into another type of audio file, so there’s no need to fret.

The second downside is that the audio editing feature, just as the program’s video editing capabilities, is limited. Not much can be done to increase the loudness or clarity of an audio file. To increase the clarity or loudness of your M4A file, you will need to utilize another audio editor.

Platform: Windows only

Windows Movie Maker

5.DJ Audio Editor

DJ Audio Editor is a professional-grade free M4A compatible editing software. Import the MP4 file and enjoy the editing process. As with most of the other audio editors on this list, you can apply filters and effects to parts of or all of your file. What makes this audio editor different is the addition of an audio properties editor. You can edit the metadata of each audio file, adding titles, artists, and other pieces of information. DJ Audio Editor is a free product that has a paid version. However, users who take advantage of the free software have most of the benefits paid users have. DJ Audio, despite its various amounts of features, will take up little space on your desktop. The same software company that offers this editing software also offers several other video and audio programs. These programs are also “freenium,” meaning they are free in their most basic form. Working with M4A files does not doom you to paying hundreds of dollars to get a compatible audio editor. Check out the free editors above and see which one is the best for you.

Platform: Windows only

DJ Audio Editor

Conclusion

Above m4a editors all can meet your demands when editing audios. And we highly recommend you to try Filmora to edit m4a files, as it can work on both Windows and Mac, and it really can do more for you. When it comes to video editing, it is the tool you would need.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

author avatar

Liza Brown

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

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Since 2007, Apple has sold their audio files on iTunes as M4A files. M4A is a high quality audio file compatible with all Apple products and software. Unfortunately, considering the audio file is relatively new and designed to work only on Apple software, most audio editors have difficulty importing the file type. There are few audio editor programs, for professional or personal use, that support the file and do so well. Despite this, it is still possible to find free audio editors that supports M4A. However, you must be careful to edit only non-copyright protected audio files. Most of these programs do not support copyrighted M4A files. That means no editing of an audio file you downloaded from the iTunes store. If you avoid copyrighted materials, these five free audio editors that allow you to edit your M4A files with little to no trouble.

1.Wondershare Filmora

Wondershare Filmora is a shockingly advanced free M4A compatible audio editing software. You can record audio from various sources with ease. Once you import your M4A file, you can delete, cut, copy, mix, and paste different sections of the M4A file or combine the edited file with another imported M4A file. You can also create DVDs out of the file format.

Platform: Windows, Mac

Download Win Version Download Mac Version

2.AVS Audio Editor

AVS Audio Editor is an advanced free M4A compatible editing software. You can edit and save files in M4A format, which is an uncommon feature. Many programs that can edit M4A files cannot save the edited files in the same format, so AVS Audio is welcome change to the market. You also can make your audio file unique to you with 20 different effects and filters within the program. On top of all this, within the software, you can record audio in the M4A format.

Platform: Windows only

Cons: there will be a voice logo which will pop-up every 10 seconds in the free version.

AVS Audio Editor

3.Wavepad

Wavepad is a simple audio editor from Australia’s NCH Software. This free desktop software supports the editing and conversion of M4A audio file formats.

To edit a file, import the file into the program. You can then select sections to delete, copy, or cut. You can also add audio effects to all of or part of the audio file. Examples of the effects available on Wavepad include echo, reverberation, and normalization.

You also can convert from and to M4A with this program. The “to and fro” conversion will be especially useful to you if you need to convert your files to an iTunes friendly format.

Keep in mind that this audio editor only is free for non-commercial use. If you want to use this editor for professional or money-earning purposes, upgrade to the paid Master version of the software.

Platform: Windows, Mac

Wavepad

4.Windows Movie Maker

Since its 2011 edition, Windows Movie Maker (WMM) has touted free audio editing features. You can edit a variety of audio file formats, including M4A. When you import a M4A file into Windows Movie Maker, the audio file will appear in the audio/music section of the timeline. From there, you edit the m4a file in the same manner you would edit a video on WMM. You can split, combine, and remove sections of the audio.

There are two downsides of using WMM to edit your M4A files.

One downside is that WMM will always output the audio file as a WMA. That being said, WMA files are compatible with most audio playing formats and can easily be converted into another type of audio file, so there’s no need to fret.

The second downside is that the audio editing feature, just as the program’s video editing capabilities, is limited. Not much can be done to increase the loudness or clarity of an audio file. To increase the clarity or loudness of your M4A file, you will need to utilize another audio editor.

Platform: Windows only

Windows Movie Maker

5.DJ Audio Editor

DJ Audio Editor is a professional-grade free M4A compatible editing software. Import the MP4 file and enjoy the editing process. As with most of the other audio editors on this list, you can apply filters and effects to parts of or all of your file. What makes this audio editor different is the addition of an audio properties editor. You can edit the metadata of each audio file, adding titles, artists, and other pieces of information. DJ Audio Editor is a free product that has a paid version. However, users who take advantage of the free software have most of the benefits paid users have. DJ Audio, despite its various amounts of features, will take up little space on your desktop. The same software company that offers this editing software also offers several other video and audio programs. These programs are also “freenium,” meaning they are free in their most basic form. Working with M4A files does not doom you to paying hundreds of dollars to get a compatible audio editor. Check out the free editors above and see which one is the best for you.

Platform: Windows only

DJ Audio Editor

Conclusion

Above m4a editors all can meet your demands when editing audios. And we highly recommend you to try Filmora to edit m4a files, as it can work on both Windows and Mac, and it really can do more for you. When it comes to video editing, it is the tool you would need.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

author avatar

Liza Brown

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

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Since 2007, Apple has sold their audio files on iTunes as M4A files. M4A is a high quality audio file compatible with all Apple products and software. Unfortunately, considering the audio file is relatively new and designed to work only on Apple software, most audio editors have difficulty importing the file type. There are few audio editor programs, for professional or personal use, that support the file and do so well. Despite this, it is still possible to find free audio editors that supports M4A. However, you must be careful to edit only non-copyright protected audio files. Most of these programs do not support copyrighted M4A files. That means no editing of an audio file you downloaded from the iTunes store. If you avoid copyrighted materials, these five free audio editors that allow you to edit your M4A files with little to no trouble.

1.Wondershare Filmora

Wondershare Filmora is a shockingly advanced free M4A compatible audio editing software. You can record audio from various sources with ease. Once you import your M4A file, you can delete, cut, copy, mix, and paste different sections of the M4A file or combine the edited file with another imported M4A file. You can also create DVDs out of the file format.

Platform: Windows, Mac

Download Win Version Download Mac Version

2.AVS Audio Editor

AVS Audio Editor is an advanced free M4A compatible editing software. You can edit and save files in M4A format, which is an uncommon feature. Many programs that can edit M4A files cannot save the edited files in the same format, so AVS Audio is welcome change to the market. You also can make your audio file unique to you with 20 different effects and filters within the program. On top of all this, within the software, you can record audio in the M4A format.

Platform: Windows only

Cons: there will be a voice logo which will pop-up every 10 seconds in the free version.

AVS Audio Editor

3.Wavepad

Wavepad is a simple audio editor from Australia’s NCH Software. This free desktop software supports the editing and conversion of M4A audio file formats.

To edit a file, import the file into the program. You can then select sections to delete, copy, or cut. You can also add audio effects to all of or part of the audio file. Examples of the effects available on Wavepad include echo, reverberation, and normalization.

You also can convert from and to M4A with this program. The “to and fro” conversion will be especially useful to you if you need to convert your files to an iTunes friendly format.

Keep in mind that this audio editor only is free for non-commercial use. If you want to use this editor for professional or money-earning purposes, upgrade to the paid Master version of the software.

Platform: Windows, Mac

Wavepad

4.Windows Movie Maker

Since its 2011 edition, Windows Movie Maker (WMM) has touted free audio editing features. You can edit a variety of audio file formats, including M4A. When you import a M4A file into Windows Movie Maker, the audio file will appear in the audio/music section of the timeline. From there, you edit the m4a file in the same manner you would edit a video on WMM. You can split, combine, and remove sections of the audio.

There are two downsides of using WMM to edit your M4A files.

One downside is that WMM will always output the audio file as a WMA. That being said, WMA files are compatible with most audio playing formats and can easily be converted into another type of audio file, so there’s no need to fret.

The second downside is that the audio editing feature, just as the program’s video editing capabilities, is limited. Not much can be done to increase the loudness or clarity of an audio file. To increase the clarity or loudness of your M4A file, you will need to utilize another audio editor.

Platform: Windows only

Windows Movie Maker

5.DJ Audio Editor

DJ Audio Editor is a professional-grade free M4A compatible editing software. Import the MP4 file and enjoy the editing process. As with most of the other audio editors on this list, you can apply filters and effects to parts of or all of your file. What makes this audio editor different is the addition of an audio properties editor. You can edit the metadata of each audio file, adding titles, artists, and other pieces of information. DJ Audio Editor is a free product that has a paid version. However, users who take advantage of the free software have most of the benefits paid users have. DJ Audio, despite its various amounts of features, will take up little space on your desktop. The same software company that offers this editing software also offers several other video and audio programs. These programs are also “freenium,” meaning they are free in their most basic form. Working with M4A files does not doom you to paying hundreds of dollars to get a compatible audio editor. Check out the free editors above and see which one is the best for you.

Platform: Windows only

DJ Audio Editor

Conclusion

Above m4a editors all can meet your demands when editing audios. And we highly recommend you to try Filmora to edit m4a files, as it can work on both Windows and Mac, and it really can do more for you. When it comes to video editing, it is the tool you would need.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

author avatar

Liza Brown

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

Follow @Liza Brown

From Clips to Masterpiece: Pro Tips for Home Movie Editing

Home Video Editing Tips - How to Make a Great Home Movie

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Many people have camcorders and shoot a lot of movies and want to preserve home movies for long lasting memories. If you’d like to make some home movies that can be treasured and liked by the families, try to follow the home video editing tips below.

Home video editing tips for better home movie making

1. Know your camcorder well

Make sure that you are very familiar with your camcorder before recording so that you can shoot good videos and photos. If you are not, read the manual and practice shooting before you going to shoot the videos for your home movie.

2. Make a home movie plan

Keep in mind what your home movie is going to be adorable and pay much attention to the content. And when you record the videos, take the plan into consideration. By doing this, you can make your home movie more coherent.

3. Shoot good videos

Make sure your videos have plenty of light and are not blurry. And be conscious of the background sound, and try to control it as much as possible. Besides, try to shoot scenes from different angles.

4. Add video editing effects

When you are editing your movies using some video editing software , you can trim, split, rotate, split videos before or after using the PIP, Jump-cut, Face Off effects, but do not use too many transition effects.

5. Combine photos and videos together

To make your home video more advanced, you can insert some still photos to the videos or use some advanced video effects such as picture in picture effect in iMovie. They will surely make you video more interesting.

6. Don’t make the home video too long

Most home videos are long and boring. However, people usually don’t like to see very trifle. So make your home video short, sweet and attractive. Get the best scenes and discard those trivial things.

7. Get some humor

Successful TV commercials are with good humor and make people happy. Adding some humor to your home videos will bring them to the next level instantly. You can find some funny video online and find some inspirations from them on how to make the video funny and attractive.

Remember that great home videos should be short, funny, tight and easy to watch. Here are just simple home video editing tips. The following is the trial version of Wondershare Filmora (originally Wondershare Video Editor) (Windows and Mac version), which can achieve all your dreams about video editing software.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://download.wondershare.com/mac-video-editor%5Ffull718.dmg )

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

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

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Many people have camcorders and shoot a lot of movies and want to preserve home movies for long lasting memories. If you’d like to make some home movies that can be treasured and liked by the families, try to follow the home video editing tips below.

Home video editing tips for better home movie making

1. Know your camcorder well

Make sure that you are very familiar with your camcorder before recording so that you can shoot good videos and photos. If you are not, read the manual and practice shooting before you going to shoot the videos for your home movie.

2. Make a home movie plan

Keep in mind what your home movie is going to be adorable and pay much attention to the content. And when you record the videos, take the plan into consideration. By doing this, you can make your home movie more coherent.

3. Shoot good videos

Make sure your videos have plenty of light and are not blurry. And be conscious of the background sound, and try to control it as much as possible. Besides, try to shoot scenes from different angles.

4. Add video editing effects

When you are editing your movies using some video editing software , you can trim, split, rotate, split videos before or after using the PIP, Jump-cut, Face Off effects, but do not use too many transition effects.

5. Combine photos and videos together

To make your home video more advanced, you can insert some still photos to the videos or use some advanced video effects such as picture in picture effect in iMovie. They will surely make you video more interesting.

6. Don’t make the home video too long

Most home videos are long and boring. However, people usually don’t like to see very trifle. So make your home video short, sweet and attractive. Get the best scenes and discard those trivial things.

7. Get some humor

Successful TV commercials are with good humor and make people happy. Adding some humor to your home videos will bring them to the next level instantly. You can find some funny video online and find some inspirations from them on how to make the video funny and attractive.

Remember that great home videos should be short, funny, tight and easy to watch. Here are just simple home video editing tips. The following is the trial version of Wondershare Filmora (originally Wondershare Video Editor) (Windows and Mac version), which can achieve all your dreams about video editing software.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://download.wondershare.com/mac-video-editor%5Ffull718.dmg )

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

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

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Many people have camcorders and shoot a lot of movies and want to preserve home movies for long lasting memories. If you’d like to make some home movies that can be treasured and liked by the families, try to follow the home video editing tips below.

Home video editing tips for better home movie making

1. Know your camcorder well

Make sure that you are very familiar with your camcorder before recording so that you can shoot good videos and photos. If you are not, read the manual and practice shooting before you going to shoot the videos for your home movie.

2. Make a home movie plan

Keep in mind what your home movie is going to be adorable and pay much attention to the content. And when you record the videos, take the plan into consideration. By doing this, you can make your home movie more coherent.

3. Shoot good videos

Make sure your videos have plenty of light and are not blurry. And be conscious of the background sound, and try to control it as much as possible. Besides, try to shoot scenes from different angles.

4. Add video editing effects

When you are editing your movies using some video editing software , you can trim, split, rotate, split videos before or after using the PIP, Jump-cut, Face Off effects, but do not use too many transition effects.

5. Combine photos and videos together

To make your home video more advanced, you can insert some still photos to the videos or use some advanced video effects such as picture in picture effect in iMovie. They will surely make you video more interesting.

6. Don’t make the home video too long

Most home videos are long and boring. However, people usually don’t like to see very trifle. So make your home video short, sweet and attractive. Get the best scenes and discard those trivial things.

7. Get some humor

Successful TV commercials are with good humor and make people happy. Adding some humor to your home videos will bring them to the next level instantly. You can find some funny video online and find some inspirations from them on how to make the video funny and attractive.

Remember that great home videos should be short, funny, tight and easy to watch. Here are just simple home video editing tips. The following is the trial version of Wondershare Filmora (originally Wondershare Video Editor) (Windows and Mac version), which can achieve all your dreams about video editing software.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://download.wondershare.com/mac-video-editor%5Ffull718.dmg )

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

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

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Ollie Mattison

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Many people have camcorders and shoot a lot of movies and want to preserve home movies for long lasting memories. If you’d like to make some home movies that can be treasured and liked by the families, try to follow the home video editing tips below.

Home video editing tips for better home movie making

1. Know your camcorder well

Make sure that you are very familiar with your camcorder before recording so that you can shoot good videos and photos. If you are not, read the manual and practice shooting before you going to shoot the videos for your home movie.

2. Make a home movie plan

Keep in mind what your home movie is going to be adorable and pay much attention to the content. And when you record the videos, take the plan into consideration. By doing this, you can make your home movie more coherent.

3. Shoot good videos

Make sure your videos have plenty of light and are not blurry. And be conscious of the background sound, and try to control it as much as possible. Besides, try to shoot scenes from different angles.

4. Add video editing effects

When you are editing your movies using some video editing software , you can trim, split, rotate, split videos before or after using the PIP, Jump-cut, Face Off effects, but do not use too many transition effects.

5. Combine photos and videos together

To make your home video more advanced, you can insert some still photos to the videos or use some advanced video effects such as picture in picture effect in iMovie. They will surely make you video more interesting.

6. Don’t make the home video too long

Most home videos are long and boring. However, people usually don’t like to see very trifle. So make your home video short, sweet and attractive. Get the best scenes and discard those trivial things.

7. Get some humor

Successful TV commercials are with good humor and make people happy. Adding some humor to your home videos will bring them to the next level instantly. You can find some funny video online and find some inspirations from them on how to make the video funny and attractive.

Remember that great home videos should be short, funny, tight and easy to watch. Here are just simple home video editing tips. The following is the trial version of Wondershare Filmora (originally Wondershare Video Editor) (Windows and Mac version), which can achieve all your dreams about video editing software.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://download.wondershare.com/mac-video-editor%5Ffull718.dmg )

author avatar

Ollie Mattison

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

Follow @Ollie Mattison

Elevate Your Videos with Free Sound Effects: A Final Cut Pro Tutorial

How to Find Free Sound Effect and Add Them in Final Cut Pro

author avatar

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Suppose you have recorded a cinematic video of a beach in the evening visualizing the sunset and a few birds flying in the sky. Everything looks perfect except the audio, which seems to be fluctuating and breaking at some points. How would you address this challenge?

The best solution to this problem is adding sound effects, which can make your video more interesting and adorable. Setting the frequency of audio with on-screen visuals will invoke the viewers’ emotions and attach them to the scene.

Read this article to learn how to add sound effects to your video with Final Cut Pro.

SoundEffect

Part 1: What are Different Types of Sound Effects?

Sound effects have four major types:

  1. Ambiance SFX

These sounds fill the screen space to create a virtual sense of an environment or location such as the clattering sound of dishes in a restaurant or the sound of engines on a highway.

  1. Foley SFX

A mixture of live performance and digital sound editing, these sounds are produced by the artists of Foley studio to match their sounds to the on-screen visuals.

  1. Hard and Soft SFX

Hard SFX synchronizes a visual to what’s happening in the picture while SFX indicates the location to the audience.

  1. Electronic SFX

These sounds are generated by instruments that create electronic-sounding effects like electronic keyboards, synthesizers, or plug-ins.

Part 2: How to Add Sound Effects in Final Cut Pro?

Cinematographic productions need well-balanced music and sound effects. Luckily, Final Cut Pro comes with built-in audio enhancement features and third-party Audio Units (AU) effects that allow users to add sound effects to their videos and manage all audio processing tasks.

You can add sound effects in your video with Final Cut Pro. Wonder how? Follow these steps:

Step 1: Open Photos and Audio Sound Bar

  • In the top-left corner, there is a Photos and Audio Click on this button as shown in the figure below:
  • Select the Window and Go To Either press Shift + Command + 1 or tap Photos and Audio from the dropdown menu

sound-icon

Step 2: Select the Sound Category

  • Choose a sound category or app from the Photos and Audio sidebar
  • A list will appear contacting the audio clips in that specific category as shown in the figure below:
  • You can find multiple music and sound clips in the Sound Effects category. The list also contains various apps you use on your Mac such as GarageBand, Music, and Logic Pro, etc.

fcpx_sound

Step 3: Select the Music or Sound to be added

  • Filter the items in the browser by using the pop-up menu. Go to Music > Purchased or select Sound Effects > Final Cut Pro Sound Effects > Impacts & Crashes.
  • Preview your selected audio file by selecting it from the list and clicking the Play
  • If you want to select multiple items, command-click each item individually.

Step 4: Use the Selected Music or Audio

  • Drag your selected sound clip to the timeline or the sidebar
  • Once the Photos and Audio sidebar has been replaced by the Libraries sidebar, you can add the selected audio or music files to an event. The Photos and Audio sidebar will reappear as you drag those files.
  • Play the video to make sure sound effects have been successfully added

For enhanced playback experiences, all MP audio files are automatically transcoded to MOV audio files. However, you can also find the original MP3 files in the source media files section of Final Cut Pro. Besides, by adding mono audio clips to a stereo project, only the single mono audio will be plated in both left and right channels. You can view them in the stereo audio meters of your project.

Surely you don’t want to see your sound effect missing in your footage, but that happens a lot in FCPX. Just in case, you may want to see this article: Proven Ways to Get Missing Sound Effects Back in Final Cut Pro .

Part 3: How to Improve Your Video with Sound Effects?

In addition to Final Cut Pro, you can also use advanced video-editing software like Wondershare Filmora to improve your video by adding special sound effects. Here’s how you can do this:

Add the original video to Filmora by clicking the Import button or directly dragging the file to the primary window

Tap Sound to open a box listing different sound effects. Select your favorite sound effect and drag it down to the soundtrack below the video clip. Now, move the sound icon and the playhead to set the beginning and ending points. Press the Play button to ensure the newly added sound effect sounds well.

add-sound2

Once you’ve done the final review, tap the Create button and Format tab. Then, choose your preferred format and location where the file needs to be exported. You can also upload this video on YouTube or Facebook, play it on different iOS devices, or burn it to DVD.

Download Win Version Download Mac Version

Part 4: Where to Find Sound Effects?

Both Final Cut Pro and Wondershare Filmora have a variety of built-in sound effects. You can select and drop these effects to directly add them to your video. However, if you are searching for sound effects, given below are two methods:

  1. Self-recording

Professional filmmakers and sound experts often record sound effects by themselves according to their requirements. For example, if they want to visualize some scene from school, they can go to an educational institution and record audio. After proper editing, these sound effects are added to the video.

  1. Online Resources

Different websites also allow their users to download their favorite sound effects. Given below are some of the top-rated websites for downloading sound effects based on their quality, variety, and usefulness:

  1. Filmostock
  2. Adobe Audition Sound Effects
  3. Freesound
  4. Partners In Rhyme
  5. AudioMicro
  6. 99Sounds
  7. Sounds Crate
  8. Zapsplat
  9. BBC Sound Effects
  10. FreeSFX
  11. GameSounds
  12. SoundEffects+
  13. SoundGator
  14. PacDV
  15. Sound Effects for Free

For more details, please check this article: 9 Great Websites To Download Royalty-Free Sound Effects.

Part 5: Extensive Reading: What are Sound Effects and Why are they Important?

Sound is the most important aspect of video editing that engages audiences, evokes emotional responses, and connects people to what they’re seeing. A melodious sound helps the video editors deliver information and creatively and define the tone of their narrative.

Sound effects (SFX) refer to audio clips or sounds that are not part of the recoded video. They are added to movies, documentaries, video games, and even reality shows to invoke the viewers’ emotions and increase their interest in the video.

Similarly, the addition of sound effects increases the production value and creates a complete audience experience. If you want to elevate your video dramatically and make it magnetic, have to balance sound effects, silence, and music in such a way that they support each visual and every cut. Although audio cannot fix slipshod editing or amateur camera work, it becomes more crucial than video quality while you are trying to deliver a specific message in your video.

Professional video editors and filmmakers consider sound effects crucial to their video quality. A clear, melodious, and well-balanced audio adds depth to the visuals, evokes more emotions than the picture, and paints the audio picture of a particular setting.

Even silence, a powerful tool of the audio arsenal, speaks louder than the picture itself. Hence, balancing audio by adding sound effects can make your video stimulating, captivating, and emotional.

That’s why a good editing tool always stocks a great number of sound effects for users, like Filmora. Click to download and take a look at all the effects in Filmora

Conclusion

Sound effects are external audio files added to the videos to make them look interesting and worth watching. A perfect balance of sound, music, and silence allows the filmmakers to define the tone of their narrative and deliver their message creatively.

You can create sound effects through self-recording or by downloading them from external resources. To add sound effects to your video, use professional video-editing software like Final Cut Pro or Filmora. Both these applications are user-friendly and possess a huge library of a variety of sound effects and music files. Besides, their advanced features allow you to naturally add sound effects without affecting the video quality.

author avatar

Liza Brown

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

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Suppose you have recorded a cinematic video of a beach in the evening visualizing the sunset and a few birds flying in the sky. Everything looks perfect except the audio, which seems to be fluctuating and breaking at some points. How would you address this challenge?

The best solution to this problem is adding sound effects, which can make your video more interesting and adorable. Setting the frequency of audio with on-screen visuals will invoke the viewers’ emotions and attach them to the scene.

Read this article to learn how to add sound effects to your video with Final Cut Pro.

SoundEffect

Part 1: What are Different Types of Sound Effects?

Sound effects have four major types:

  1. Ambiance SFX

These sounds fill the screen space to create a virtual sense of an environment or location such as the clattering sound of dishes in a restaurant or the sound of engines on a highway.

  1. Foley SFX

A mixture of live performance and digital sound editing, these sounds are produced by the artists of Foley studio to match their sounds to the on-screen visuals.

  1. Hard and Soft SFX

Hard SFX synchronizes a visual to what’s happening in the picture while SFX indicates the location to the audience.

  1. Electronic SFX

These sounds are generated by instruments that create electronic-sounding effects like electronic keyboards, synthesizers, or plug-ins.

Part 2: How to Add Sound Effects in Final Cut Pro?

Cinematographic productions need well-balanced music and sound effects. Luckily, Final Cut Pro comes with built-in audio enhancement features and third-party Audio Units (AU) effects that allow users to add sound effects to their videos and manage all audio processing tasks.

You can add sound effects in your video with Final Cut Pro. Wonder how? Follow these steps:

Step 1: Open Photos and Audio Sound Bar

  • In the top-left corner, there is a Photos and Audio Click on this button as shown in the figure below:
  • Select the Window and Go To Either press Shift + Command + 1 or tap Photos and Audio from the dropdown menu

sound-icon

Step 2: Select the Sound Category

  • Choose a sound category or app from the Photos and Audio sidebar
  • A list will appear contacting the audio clips in that specific category as shown in the figure below:
  • You can find multiple music and sound clips in the Sound Effects category. The list also contains various apps you use on your Mac such as GarageBand, Music, and Logic Pro, etc.

fcpx_sound

Step 3: Select the Music or Sound to be added

  • Filter the items in the browser by using the pop-up menu. Go to Music > Purchased or select Sound Effects > Final Cut Pro Sound Effects > Impacts & Crashes.
  • Preview your selected audio file by selecting it from the list and clicking the Play
  • If you want to select multiple items, command-click each item individually.

Step 4: Use the Selected Music or Audio

  • Drag your selected sound clip to the timeline or the sidebar
  • Once the Photos and Audio sidebar has been replaced by the Libraries sidebar, you can add the selected audio or music files to an event. The Photos and Audio sidebar will reappear as you drag those files.
  • Play the video to make sure sound effects have been successfully added

For enhanced playback experiences, all MP audio files are automatically transcoded to MOV audio files. However, you can also find the original MP3 files in the source media files section of Final Cut Pro. Besides, by adding mono audio clips to a stereo project, only the single mono audio will be plated in both left and right channels. You can view them in the stereo audio meters of your project.

Surely you don’t want to see your sound effect missing in your footage, but that happens a lot in FCPX. Just in case, you may want to see this article: Proven Ways to Get Missing Sound Effects Back in Final Cut Pro .

Part 3: How to Improve Your Video with Sound Effects?

In addition to Final Cut Pro, you can also use advanced video-editing software like Wondershare Filmora to improve your video by adding special sound effects. Here’s how you can do this:

Add the original video to Filmora by clicking the Import button or directly dragging the file to the primary window

Tap Sound to open a box listing different sound effects. Select your favorite sound effect and drag it down to the soundtrack below the video clip. Now, move the sound icon and the playhead to set the beginning and ending points. Press the Play button to ensure the newly added sound effect sounds well.

add-sound2

Once you’ve done the final review, tap the Create button and Format tab. Then, choose your preferred format and location where the file needs to be exported. You can also upload this video on YouTube or Facebook, play it on different iOS devices, or burn it to DVD.

Download Win Version Download Mac Version

Part 4: Where to Find Sound Effects?

Both Final Cut Pro and Wondershare Filmora have a variety of built-in sound effects. You can select and drop these effects to directly add them to your video. However, if you are searching for sound effects, given below are two methods:

  1. Self-recording

Professional filmmakers and sound experts often record sound effects by themselves according to their requirements. For example, if they want to visualize some scene from school, they can go to an educational institution and record audio. After proper editing, these sound effects are added to the video.

  1. Online Resources

Different websites also allow their users to download their favorite sound effects. Given below are some of the top-rated websites for downloading sound effects based on their quality, variety, and usefulness:

  1. Filmostock
  2. Adobe Audition Sound Effects
  3. Freesound
  4. Partners In Rhyme
  5. AudioMicro
  6. 99Sounds
  7. Sounds Crate
  8. Zapsplat
  9. BBC Sound Effects
  10. FreeSFX
  11. GameSounds
  12. SoundEffects+
  13. SoundGator
  14. PacDV
  15. Sound Effects for Free

For more details, please check this article: 9 Great Websites To Download Royalty-Free Sound Effects.

Part 5: Extensive Reading: What are Sound Effects and Why are they Important?

Sound is the most important aspect of video editing that engages audiences, evokes emotional responses, and connects people to what they’re seeing. A melodious sound helps the video editors deliver information and creatively and define the tone of their narrative.

Sound effects (SFX) refer to audio clips or sounds that are not part of the recoded video. They are added to movies, documentaries, video games, and even reality shows to invoke the viewers’ emotions and increase their interest in the video.

Similarly, the addition of sound effects increases the production value and creates a complete audience experience. If you want to elevate your video dramatically and make it magnetic, have to balance sound effects, silence, and music in such a way that they support each visual and every cut. Although audio cannot fix slipshod editing or amateur camera work, it becomes more crucial than video quality while you are trying to deliver a specific message in your video.

Professional video editors and filmmakers consider sound effects crucial to their video quality. A clear, melodious, and well-balanced audio adds depth to the visuals, evokes more emotions than the picture, and paints the audio picture of a particular setting.

Even silence, a powerful tool of the audio arsenal, speaks louder than the picture itself. Hence, balancing audio by adding sound effects can make your video stimulating, captivating, and emotional.

That’s why a good editing tool always stocks a great number of sound effects for users, like Filmora. Click to download and take a look at all the effects in Filmora

Conclusion

Sound effects are external audio files added to the videos to make them look interesting and worth watching. A perfect balance of sound, music, and silence allows the filmmakers to define the tone of their narrative and deliver their message creatively.

You can create sound effects through self-recording or by downloading them from external resources. To add sound effects to your video, use professional video-editing software like Final Cut Pro or Filmora. Both these applications are user-friendly and possess a huge library of a variety of sound effects and music files. Besides, their advanced features allow you to naturally add sound effects without affecting the video quality.

author avatar

Liza Brown

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

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Suppose you have recorded a cinematic video of a beach in the evening visualizing the sunset and a few birds flying in the sky. Everything looks perfect except the audio, which seems to be fluctuating and breaking at some points. How would you address this challenge?

The best solution to this problem is adding sound effects, which can make your video more interesting and adorable. Setting the frequency of audio with on-screen visuals will invoke the viewers’ emotions and attach them to the scene.

Read this article to learn how to add sound effects to your video with Final Cut Pro.

SoundEffect

Part 1: What are Different Types of Sound Effects?

Sound effects have four major types:

  1. Ambiance SFX

These sounds fill the screen space to create a virtual sense of an environment or location such as the clattering sound of dishes in a restaurant or the sound of engines on a highway.

  1. Foley SFX

A mixture of live performance and digital sound editing, these sounds are produced by the artists of Foley studio to match their sounds to the on-screen visuals.

  1. Hard and Soft SFX

Hard SFX synchronizes a visual to what’s happening in the picture while SFX indicates the location to the audience.

  1. Electronic SFX

These sounds are generated by instruments that create electronic-sounding effects like electronic keyboards, synthesizers, or plug-ins.

Part 2: How to Add Sound Effects in Final Cut Pro?

Cinematographic productions need well-balanced music and sound effects. Luckily, Final Cut Pro comes with built-in audio enhancement features and third-party Audio Units (AU) effects that allow users to add sound effects to their videos and manage all audio processing tasks.

You can add sound effects in your video with Final Cut Pro. Wonder how? Follow these steps:

Step 1: Open Photos and Audio Sound Bar

  • In the top-left corner, there is a Photos and Audio Click on this button as shown in the figure below:
  • Select the Window and Go To Either press Shift + Command + 1 or tap Photos and Audio from the dropdown menu

sound-icon

Step 2: Select the Sound Category

  • Choose a sound category or app from the Photos and Audio sidebar
  • A list will appear contacting the audio clips in that specific category as shown in the figure below:
  • You can find multiple music and sound clips in the Sound Effects category. The list also contains various apps you use on your Mac such as GarageBand, Music, and Logic Pro, etc.

fcpx_sound

Step 3: Select the Music or Sound to be added

  • Filter the items in the browser by using the pop-up menu. Go to Music > Purchased or select Sound Effects > Final Cut Pro Sound Effects > Impacts & Crashes.
  • Preview your selected audio file by selecting it from the list and clicking the Play
  • If you want to select multiple items, command-click each item individually.

Step 4: Use the Selected Music or Audio

  • Drag your selected sound clip to the timeline or the sidebar
  • Once the Photos and Audio sidebar has been replaced by the Libraries sidebar, you can add the selected audio or music files to an event. The Photos and Audio sidebar will reappear as you drag those files.
  • Play the video to make sure sound effects have been successfully added

For enhanced playback experiences, all MP audio files are automatically transcoded to MOV audio files. However, you can also find the original MP3 files in the source media files section of Final Cut Pro. Besides, by adding mono audio clips to a stereo project, only the single mono audio will be plated in both left and right channels. You can view them in the stereo audio meters of your project.

Surely you don’t want to see your sound effect missing in your footage, but that happens a lot in FCPX. Just in case, you may want to see this article: Proven Ways to Get Missing Sound Effects Back in Final Cut Pro .

Part 3: How to Improve Your Video with Sound Effects?

In addition to Final Cut Pro, you can also use advanced video-editing software like Wondershare Filmora to improve your video by adding special sound effects. Here’s how you can do this:

Add the original video to Filmora by clicking the Import button or directly dragging the file to the primary window

Tap Sound to open a box listing different sound effects. Select your favorite sound effect and drag it down to the soundtrack below the video clip. Now, move the sound icon and the playhead to set the beginning and ending points. Press the Play button to ensure the newly added sound effect sounds well.

add-sound2

Once you’ve done the final review, tap the Create button and Format tab. Then, choose your preferred format and location where the file needs to be exported. You can also upload this video on YouTube or Facebook, play it on different iOS devices, or burn it to DVD.

Download Win Version Download Mac Version

Part 4: Where to Find Sound Effects?

Both Final Cut Pro and Wondershare Filmora have a variety of built-in sound effects. You can select and drop these effects to directly add them to your video. However, if you are searching for sound effects, given below are two methods:

  1. Self-recording

Professional filmmakers and sound experts often record sound effects by themselves according to their requirements. For example, if they want to visualize some scene from school, they can go to an educational institution and record audio. After proper editing, these sound effects are added to the video.

  1. Online Resources

Different websites also allow their users to download their favorite sound effects. Given below are some of the top-rated websites for downloading sound effects based on their quality, variety, and usefulness:

  1. Filmostock
  2. Adobe Audition Sound Effects
  3. Freesound
  4. Partners In Rhyme
  5. AudioMicro
  6. 99Sounds
  7. Sounds Crate
  8. Zapsplat
  9. BBC Sound Effects
  10. FreeSFX
  11. GameSounds
  12. SoundEffects+
  13. SoundGator
  14. PacDV
  15. Sound Effects for Free

For more details, please check this article: 9 Great Websites To Download Royalty-Free Sound Effects.

Part 5: Extensive Reading: What are Sound Effects and Why are they Important?

Sound is the most important aspect of video editing that engages audiences, evokes emotional responses, and connects people to what they’re seeing. A melodious sound helps the video editors deliver information and creatively and define the tone of their narrative.

Sound effects (SFX) refer to audio clips or sounds that are not part of the recoded video. They are added to movies, documentaries, video games, and even reality shows to invoke the viewers’ emotions and increase their interest in the video.

Similarly, the addition of sound effects increases the production value and creates a complete audience experience. If you want to elevate your video dramatically and make it magnetic, have to balance sound effects, silence, and music in such a way that they support each visual and every cut. Although audio cannot fix slipshod editing or amateur camera work, it becomes more crucial than video quality while you are trying to deliver a specific message in your video.

Professional video editors and filmmakers consider sound effects crucial to their video quality. A clear, melodious, and well-balanced audio adds depth to the visuals, evokes more emotions than the picture, and paints the audio picture of a particular setting.

Even silence, a powerful tool of the audio arsenal, speaks louder than the picture itself. Hence, balancing audio by adding sound effects can make your video stimulating, captivating, and emotional.

That’s why a good editing tool always stocks a great number of sound effects for users, like Filmora. Click to download and take a look at all the effects in Filmora

Conclusion

Sound effects are external audio files added to the videos to make them look interesting and worth watching. A perfect balance of sound, music, and silence allows the filmmakers to define the tone of their narrative and deliver their message creatively.

You can create sound effects through self-recording or by downloading them from external resources. To add sound effects to your video, use professional video-editing software like Final Cut Pro or Filmora. Both these applications are user-friendly and possess a huge library of a variety of sound effects and music files. Besides, their advanced features allow you to naturally add sound effects without affecting the video quality.

author avatar

Liza Brown

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

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Suppose you have recorded a cinematic video of a beach in the evening visualizing the sunset and a few birds flying in the sky. Everything looks perfect except the audio, which seems to be fluctuating and breaking at some points. How would you address this challenge?

The best solution to this problem is adding sound effects, which can make your video more interesting and adorable. Setting the frequency of audio with on-screen visuals will invoke the viewers’ emotions and attach them to the scene.

Read this article to learn how to add sound effects to your video with Final Cut Pro.

SoundEffect

Part 1: What are Different Types of Sound Effects?

Sound effects have four major types:

  1. Ambiance SFX

These sounds fill the screen space to create a virtual sense of an environment or location such as the clattering sound of dishes in a restaurant or the sound of engines on a highway.

  1. Foley SFX

A mixture of live performance and digital sound editing, these sounds are produced by the artists of Foley studio to match their sounds to the on-screen visuals.

  1. Hard and Soft SFX

Hard SFX synchronizes a visual to what’s happening in the picture while SFX indicates the location to the audience.

  1. Electronic SFX

These sounds are generated by instruments that create electronic-sounding effects like electronic keyboards, synthesizers, or plug-ins.

Part 2: How to Add Sound Effects in Final Cut Pro?

Cinematographic productions need well-balanced music and sound effects. Luckily, Final Cut Pro comes with built-in audio enhancement features and third-party Audio Units (AU) effects that allow users to add sound effects to their videos and manage all audio processing tasks.

You can add sound effects in your video with Final Cut Pro. Wonder how? Follow these steps:

Step 1: Open Photos and Audio Sound Bar

  • In the top-left corner, there is a Photos and Audio Click on this button as shown in the figure below:
  • Select the Window and Go To Either press Shift + Command + 1 or tap Photos and Audio from the dropdown menu

sound-icon

Step 2: Select the Sound Category

  • Choose a sound category or app from the Photos and Audio sidebar
  • A list will appear contacting the audio clips in that specific category as shown in the figure below:
  • You can find multiple music and sound clips in the Sound Effects category. The list also contains various apps you use on your Mac such as GarageBand, Music, and Logic Pro, etc.

fcpx_sound

Step 3: Select the Music or Sound to be added

  • Filter the items in the browser by using the pop-up menu. Go to Music > Purchased or select Sound Effects > Final Cut Pro Sound Effects > Impacts & Crashes.
  • Preview your selected audio file by selecting it from the list and clicking the Play
  • If you want to select multiple items, command-click each item individually.

Step 4: Use the Selected Music or Audio

  • Drag your selected sound clip to the timeline or the sidebar
  • Once the Photos and Audio sidebar has been replaced by the Libraries sidebar, you can add the selected audio or music files to an event. The Photos and Audio sidebar will reappear as you drag those files.
  • Play the video to make sure sound effects have been successfully added

For enhanced playback experiences, all MP audio files are automatically transcoded to MOV audio files. However, you can also find the original MP3 files in the source media files section of Final Cut Pro. Besides, by adding mono audio clips to a stereo project, only the single mono audio will be plated in both left and right channels. You can view them in the stereo audio meters of your project.

Surely you don’t want to see your sound effect missing in your footage, but that happens a lot in FCPX. Just in case, you may want to see this article: Proven Ways to Get Missing Sound Effects Back in Final Cut Pro .

Part 3: How to Improve Your Video with Sound Effects?

In addition to Final Cut Pro, you can also use advanced video-editing software like Wondershare Filmora to improve your video by adding special sound effects. Here’s how you can do this:

Add the original video to Filmora by clicking the Import button or directly dragging the file to the primary window

Tap Sound to open a box listing different sound effects. Select your favorite sound effect and drag it down to the soundtrack below the video clip. Now, move the sound icon and the playhead to set the beginning and ending points. Press the Play button to ensure the newly added sound effect sounds well.

add-sound2

Once you’ve done the final review, tap the Create button and Format tab. Then, choose your preferred format and location where the file needs to be exported. You can also upload this video on YouTube or Facebook, play it on different iOS devices, or burn it to DVD.

Download Win Version Download Mac Version

Part 4: Where to Find Sound Effects?

Both Final Cut Pro and Wondershare Filmora have a variety of built-in sound effects. You can select and drop these effects to directly add them to your video. However, if you are searching for sound effects, given below are two methods:

  1. Self-recording

Professional filmmakers and sound experts often record sound effects by themselves according to their requirements. For example, if they want to visualize some scene from school, they can go to an educational institution and record audio. After proper editing, these sound effects are added to the video.

  1. Online Resources

Different websites also allow their users to download their favorite sound effects. Given below are some of the top-rated websites for downloading sound effects based on their quality, variety, and usefulness:

  1. Filmostock
  2. Adobe Audition Sound Effects
  3. Freesound
  4. Partners In Rhyme
  5. AudioMicro
  6. 99Sounds
  7. Sounds Crate
  8. Zapsplat
  9. BBC Sound Effects
  10. FreeSFX
  11. GameSounds
  12. SoundEffects+
  13. SoundGator
  14. PacDV
  15. Sound Effects for Free

For more details, please check this article: 9 Great Websites To Download Royalty-Free Sound Effects.

Part 5: Extensive Reading: What are Sound Effects and Why are they Important?

Sound is the most important aspect of video editing that engages audiences, evokes emotional responses, and connects people to what they’re seeing. A melodious sound helps the video editors deliver information and creatively and define the tone of their narrative.

Sound effects (SFX) refer to audio clips or sounds that are not part of the recoded video. They are added to movies, documentaries, video games, and even reality shows to invoke the viewers’ emotions and increase their interest in the video.

Similarly, the addition of sound effects increases the production value and creates a complete audience experience. If you want to elevate your video dramatically and make it magnetic, have to balance sound effects, silence, and music in such a way that they support each visual and every cut. Although audio cannot fix slipshod editing or amateur camera work, it becomes more crucial than video quality while you are trying to deliver a specific message in your video.

Professional video editors and filmmakers consider sound effects crucial to their video quality. A clear, melodious, and well-balanced audio adds depth to the visuals, evokes more emotions than the picture, and paints the audio picture of a particular setting.

Even silence, a powerful tool of the audio arsenal, speaks louder than the picture itself. Hence, balancing audio by adding sound effects can make your video stimulating, captivating, and emotional.

That’s why a good editing tool always stocks a great number of sound effects for users, like Filmora. Click to download and take a look at all the effects in Filmora

Conclusion

Sound effects are external audio files added to the videos to make them look interesting and worth watching. A perfect balance of sound, music, and silence allows the filmmakers to define the tone of their narrative and deliver their message creatively.

You can create sound effects through self-recording or by downloading them from external resources. To add sound effects to your video, use professional video-editing software like Final Cut Pro or Filmora. Both these applications are user-friendly and possess a huge library of a variety of sound effects and music files. Besides, their advanced features allow you to naturally add sound effects without affecting the video quality.

author avatar

Liza Brown

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

Follow @Liza Brown

Also read:

  • Title: New 2024 Approved Zero-Cost Video Editing Best Options for Newcomers
  • Author: Morgan
  • Created at : 2024-04-28 05:41:28
  • Updated at : 2024-04-29 05:41:28
  • Link: https://ai-video-tools.techidaily.com/new-2024-approved-zero-cost-video-editing-best-options-for-newcomers/
  • License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
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New 2024 Approved Zero-Cost Video Editing Best Options for Newcomers