January 14th, 2020 marks the end of an era since, on this day, Microsoft will officially end all support for Windows 7. The mainstream support for Windows 7 ended five years ago, but regular updates still covered this version of Windows OS. However, starting from the second half of January 2020, security patches or updates for Windows 7 are also not available.
Currently, Windows PC owners don’t have access to a built-in video editing app since none of the Windows versions were released after Windows 7 featured a free video editor. It’s been years since Windows Movie Maker was discontinued. That is why in this article, we are going to take you through some of the best free and affordable movie makers for Windows 10.
Performing basic video editing tasks on Windows 10 shouldn’t be too difficult, even though the current version of the OS grants you access to a built-in app that has just a limited range of video editing tools. Here are some of the best movie makers you can use for free on Windows 10.
The Best Free and Affordable Movie Makers for Windows 10
Performing basic video editing tasks on Windows 10 shouldn’t be too difficult, even though the current version of the OS grants you access to a built-in app that has just a limited range of video editing tools. Here are some of the best movie makers you can use for free on Windows 10.
1. Windows 10 Photos App
Price: Free
If you have Windows 10 installed on your PC, you already have access to an app that enables you to edit videos. The Photos App on Windows 10 is much more than just a simple photo viewer because it is equipped with various video editing options.
Besides editing the video manually, the Photos App can create videos automatically. You have to select the footage you want to include in the video, and the moviemaker will generate a new video for you. The video editing tools the Photos App provides allow you to trim or split video clips, add text layers and motion to them or change their playback speed.
Also, the Photos app has a library of royalty-free music you can use in your projects, and it also lets you sync your videos to the beat of a song automatically. The Export options are not as diverse as you could hope for, but you can still export your projects in 1080p resolution.
Pros
- No previous setup is required.
- Excellent for managing large numbers of photo and video files.
- Offers 3D effects.
- Sync videos to music automatically.
Cons
- Choosing the file format of the output video is not an option.
- No 4K video support.
2. Wondershare Filmora9
Price: Free, pricing plans start from $39.99 per year
Compatibility: Windows 7/8/8.1/10, macOS
If you are an aspiring video content creator, the chances are that the video editing tools you’ll find in the Windows 10 Photos App are not going to be diverse enough to meet all your needs. Filmora9 lets you do all the things you can do in the Photos App and so much more. Stabilizing the shaky footage you recorded with your action camera or creating the green screen effect are just a few of the numerous options you’ll have at your disposal if you choose to install Filmora9 on your PC.
This cross-platform video editor offers support for a wide range of video file formats, enabling you to edit the footage captured on different types of digital cameras. Moreover, you can easily trim or split all audio and video files you add to your project, apply a broad range of effects to them, or enhance their colors. Unlike the Windows 10 Photos App, Filmora9 enables you to choose the format of the files you export from the editor and choose if you want to save your files locally or upload them to YouTube or Vimeo.
Pros
- Compatible with different versions of the Windows OS.
- Rich libraries of audio and video effects.
- Multitrack timeline.
- Versatile exporting options.
Cons
- All videos created with the free version of Filmora9 are going to be watermarked.
3. VSDC
Price: Free
Compatibility: Windows XP SP3 or later
This non-linear movie maker is a perfect option for all PC owners in need of an application to create social media videos. The support for both Full HD and 4K videos, an excellent selection of audio and visual effects, or the Desktop Video Capture tool are just a few reasons why VSDC is a reliable option for all video content creators who want to edit their videos on PCs.
Furthermore, the video editor’s technical requirements are far from demanding, which means that you can use this movie maker even if your computer doesn’t have a lot of RAM or VRAM. Besides exporting files locally or to YouTube, you can also use VSDC to burn the videos you create with it to DVDs. Additionally, you can create videos optimized for playback on different devices, including Smartphones, Xbox or Sony Play Station.
Pros
- Free and easy to use.
- Allows its users to export videos in 4K and Full HD resolutions.
- Equipped with a YouTube uploader.
- Features a video file converter.
Cons
- Limited audio editing options.
- Lacks advanced video editing tools.
4. VLC
Price: Free
Compatibility: Windows, Linux, macOS
VLC is primarily a media player known for its ability to play almost all types of audio and video files. Even though VLC is not a movie maker in the conventional sense of the word, it still offers some video editing options. The Tools menu contains Filters and Effects submenu that grants you access to some basic video editing option you can use to crop a video, adjust the pitch of an audio file or invert the colors in a video.
Furthermore, the Advanced Preferences menu contains many sound and visual effects, which you can add to videos you open with VCL. Even so, the process of applying these effects to a video might be too technical for an inexperienced video editor, and you can’t really choose the segment of a video clip to which you want to apply an effect. That’s why it is much better to use VLC to watch videos and manipulate your footage with Filmora9 or some similar movie maker for Windows 10.
Pros
- Supports playback of nearly all video files.
- Lets users crop videos.
- Simple pitch control.
- Quick installation process.
Cons
- VLC doesn’t have a timeline.
- The video editing process in VLC is needlessly complicated.
5. Shotcut
Price: Free
Compatibility: Windows, Linux, macOS
This open-source movie maker lets you edit all video files regardless of their format or the resolution in which they are captured. Shotcut is stacked with powerful editing tools that allow you to manipulate your footage as you see fit without having to waste too much time on performing basic video editing actions.
The multitrack timeline makes it easy to arrange all the media files you want to use in a project, and you can also trim or cut as many video clips as you want. Shotcut’s color correction tools are remarkable since this movie maker enables you to switch between different blending modes or apply different filters to your footage. The lack of social sharing options is probably the greatest downside Shotcut has.
Pros
- Offers support for ProRes files.
- Excellent color correction capabilities.
- Powerful video editing tools.
- Minimal technical requirements.
Cons
- Exporting options could be better.
- Not a great choice for novice video editors.
Conclusion
The news of Windows 7 finally reaching the EOL won’t significantly impact moviemakers’ selection since there are still a lot of free and affordable options on the market. Filmora9 is probably one of the best video editing software products for Windows OS you can choose. Still, open-source video editors like Shotcut can also be the right choice for video content creators.
