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5 Best Easy-to-Use Video Editing Software for Beginners

Whether you want to create high-quality content for video-sharing websites, social media, marketing purposes, or educational projects, starting with the best video editing software for beginners is an essential first step.

A good editor will allow you to edit, modify, or manipulate your video files to help tell your story and make it easy and fun. However, if you're new to making videos, the prospect of finding the right editing program may feel overwhelming.

Here are a few simple things you need to consider when choosing the best video editing software for beginners:

Compatibility: Supports your recording device and operating system.
Basic Features: Offers all the features you need.
Support: Learning materials to help guide you.
Affordability: Its price tag should fit your budget.

You also need a product that is easy-to-use. With complex software, the learning curve could make your pursuit more time-consuming and frustrating than you expect – it could also be quite expensive.

The best video editing software for beginners should make essential functions like importing, trimming, and sequencing intuitive. It should also offer more advanced features such as color correction, creative transitions, and frame cropping that you might not even know you need.

Many newcomers to video editing make the mistake of thinking they have to forgo functionality for simplicity. However, easy-to-use video editing software should offer every feature you need and allow you to work with all formats, including 4K, HDR, and 360-degree video.

Before selecting an easy-to-use video editing software, consider your needs carefully. For example, if you want to create how-to guides, you probably need an editor with voice-over and great text features.

This guide will take an in-depth look at the best video editing software for beginners. If you are in a hurry, the top spot goes to PowerDirector. When it comes to producing high-quality videos with ease, there's no better editing software. Give it a try and see for yourself.

Top 3 Easy-to-Use Video Editing Software for Beginners Snapshot
What is a Video Editing Software?
7 Best Video Editing Software for Beginners

PowerDirector - Best Overall
iMovie - Best for Instant Movies
VideoPad - Best for Social Media
Movavi Video Editor - Best for Quick Edits
Adobe Premiere Elements - Best for Organizing Media
Magix Movie Studio - Best for Simple Edits
Windows Video Editor - Best for Windows Photos Users

Best Video Editing Software for Beginners Comparison Chart
How to Edit a Video Using PowerDirector
Download the Best Video Editing Software for Beginners for Free
Best Video Editing Software for Beginners FAQ

What is a Video Editing Software?

Any program that can edit, modify, generate, or manipulate a video file is video editing software. Video editing is one of the most critical elements for content creators. Anyone these days can upload a video online and start getting views. But if you want to create a professional-looking video which connects with your audience, you will need an easy-to-use video editing software.

7 Best Video Editing Software for Beginners

1. PowerDirector - Best Overall

Compatibility: Windows, Mac

Overall Rating: 10/10

Beginner-Friendly Tools: 10/10

Key Features:

Title templates
Pop-up designers to help make video creation easier
Chroma key for simple green-screen effects
Share directly to social media

PowerDirector is a feature-packed, award-winning, easy-to-use video editing software. It's PC Mag Editor's Choice for 2022 and Tech Radar's Top 2 Video Editing Software of 2022. In terms of consumer-friendliness, professional editing features, and compatibility with new technologies and formats, PowerDirector is our program of choice.

With a wide range of professional features, PowerDirector doesn't fall under the category of beginner software. However, the program's user interface is highly intuitive. You'll be able to jump in and start editing right away – even if you have little to no experience with video production. If you are worried about needing help, there are plenty of learning materials.

You can find hundreds of tutorials on the Official PowerDirector YouTube Channel, there's a blog filled with great how-to articles, and the CyberLink Learning Center is perfect for getting started.

PowerDirector is the best video editing software for beginners because it has many features that make even complex processes easily accessible. For example, when you launch PowerDirector, you will be given a choice of 4 different modes - Full Mode, Storyboard Mode, Slideshow Creator, and Auto Mode. Both the Storyboard Mode and Auto Mode are great for first-time editors. The Storyboard Mode allows you to drag and drop clips together, add audio clips, and apply effects and transitions. Auto Mode uses the Magic Movie Wizard to help you make your first movie from scratch in just a few simple steps.

PowerDirector also features libraries of fonts, stock media, transitions, premade motion graphics, and complete project templates that can give you a great jumpstart on any project. You also have access to express project templates, which speeds up editing and video production.

Tools like the Video Collage Designer make creating split-screens possible in just a few clicks. Designed with simplicity in mind, PowerDirector combines powerful editing tools, an easy-to-use interface, and fast rendering speed. As a result, it is the best video editing software for beginners.

Pros

User-friendly interface
Tons of templates and pre-made effects to make editing quick and easy

Cons

Some features not yet available to Mac users

Download PowerDirector today and see how quickly you can turn your video clips into cinematic works of art with the best video editing software for beginners.

PowerDirector App

The best full-featured video editor

2. iMovie - Best for Instant Movies

Compatibility: Mac

Overall Rating: 9/10

Beginner-Friendly Tools: 10/10

Key Features:

Autosave function
Reduce background noise
Color correction
Cinematic Mode

Apple iMovie is an easy-to-use video editing software only available for Mac users. We recommend this software over others on this list because of the range of basic video editing features and sharing options. iMovie is free, and many users regard the software as an entry-level product.

It's a nonlinear editor, which means you can edit and cut videos, music, and graphics without changing your original files and in any order. You can use the software to crop videos, cut audio/video clips, and improve audio quality. You can also add text, video, and graphic overlays.

Export directly to your computer or upload to Facebook and YouTube. iMovie is one of the best video editing software for beginners because of the new Magic Movie feature. It makes an instant movie out of your selected media files - complete with titles, transitions, and music.

On the downside, iMovie lacks advanced video editing features, such as audio-video sync capability.

Pros

Built-in file management system
Free and in-built on all Macs and iPhones

Cons

No advanced features

3. VideoPad - Best for Social Media

Compatibility: Windows, Mac

Overall Rating: 8/10

Beginner-Friendly Tools: 9/10

Key Features:

Direct video upload to YouTube and Facebook
Video optimization for search engines
Sound effects library
3D and 360-degree editing

VideoPad is a relatively basic video desktop application for Mac and Windows computers. This video editing software is affordable with a straightforward but outdated interface, which is why it's third on our list.

VideoPad is an easy-to-use video editing software with features to streamline your social publishing workflow. For example, you can quickly complete your video's metadata, such as the title tags and description— without using YouTube's publishing tools.

You get all the basic editing features and tools for direct content capture, including voiceover. In addition, you can add files to your project by dragging and dropping them on the timeline, and you can crop the content to keep the parts you want.

You can also use the Video Maker Wizard to create videos with professional templates easily. High-value features you get with the software include stereoscopic 2D to 3D conversion, camera shake reduction, and exporting in multiple resolutions.

While it is one of the best video editing software for beginners, VideoPad is somewhat outdated and lacks advanced features such as multi-camera editing. It has a library containing extra features, but you have to pay for each one you want to add.

Most learning materials for VideoPad are a few years old, so you can't rely on them if you're new to editing.

Pros

Easy drag-and-drop templates
Good social media output options

Cons

Outdated
Have to pay for advanced features

4. Movavi Video Editor - Best for Quick Edits

Compatibility: Windows, Mac

Overall Rating: 7/10

Beginner-Friendly Tools: 9/10

Key Features:

Drag-and-drop editor
Built-in library of sounds, music, intros, and videos
Direct sharing and exporting to popular formats
Chroma key

Movavi Video Editor is video editing software you can use to create a video from existing clips. We found the platform to be one of the best video editing software for beginners because it is straightforward, and you can trim the in and out points of clips by dragging the edges.

The software doesn't have a keyframing feature, but it automates most of the effects, such as fading or panning, which you can access in the Tools section. You can also navigate each frame to make accurate edits. In addition, it offers a wide selection of titles, effects, video stabilization, and picture-in-picture.

The Movavi Video Editor is straightforward, but the software has some limitations regarding media importing. You can import media from your computer's internal storage or external drives, and the software can also record directly from your built-in camera. However, you can't import media from an AVCHD camcorder, and the screencast recording is only available if you purchase the Video Suite.

Pros

Simple and intuitive interface

Cons

Doesn't support some popular importing formats
Lacking more advanced features

5. Adobe Premiere Elements - Best for Organizing Media

Compatibility: Windows, Mac

Overall Rating: 7/10

Beginner-Friendly Tools: 8/10

Key Features:

Guided edits for advanced projects
Video stabilization
Noise reduction tool
Match music length to video

Adobe Premiere Elements is a cross-platform, easy-to-use video editing software. It is a beginner-friendly version of Adobe Premiere Pro, professional editing software used in Hollywood movies and television shows.

Premiere Elements is available in three modes: Quick, Guided, and Expert. In addition, it recently added the Organizer, a separate app that automatically tags your video files using facial recognition. This software also helps you select and organize the clips you want to edit.

While editing, the program creates a low-resolution version of your clips to save time, but you can render your project at any time to see the full-resolution result. In addition, Premiere Elements offers features such as Auto-Reframe, Smart-Trim, and the ability to pull high-quality photos from your video footage.

Though there is an "Expert" mode, it is essential to understand Premiere Elements is not for professional results. It is ideal for home movies and very little more. What keeps Premiere Elements from being the best video editing software for beginners is the program's slow output rendering, lack of multi-cam support, 3D, and 360-degree editing. Also, this is not the right choice if you want a video editor to start and eventually move into intermediate or even advanced editing.

Pros

Support across several platforms
A simplistic and intuitive interface

Cons

Missing features needed to learn intermediate or advanced editing skills
Slow rendering times

6. Magix Movie Studio - Best for Simple Edits

Image from Magix Tutorials

Compatibility: Windows

Overall Rating: 7/10

Beginner-Friendly Tools: 7/10

Key Features:

Split-screen
Over 900 effects, transitions, and titles
Image stabilization
Frame-by-frame editing

Magix Movie Studio makes the cut as one of the best video editing software for beginners because it has a one-of-a-kind multi-format timeline so you can freely arrange video, audio, and photo media files on each track. There's also a Storyboard Mode to help organize the editing process.

This easy-to-use video editing software comes with intuitive color correction tools you can apply automatically or manually, depending on your editing expertise. It offers tools like Split, Remove Beginning, and Split Movie for one-click solutions to simple edits. Movie Studio's speed adjustment tools will help you easily apply slo-mo and warp speed effects to your videos. Export your finished product to YouTube and Vimeo quickly, with direct upload and fast rendering speeds.

Bizarrely, the company's Editing Wizards and templates are only available in the more advanced Premium version of the software, and not in the software for beginners where they could benefit from the extra help. Because it is so new, user reviews are sparse, and the few available mention lots of crashing. You might want to wait until Movie Studio 2022 is more established and has ironed out any issues before purchase.

Pros

Customizable workspace
Fast rendering

Cons

Stock library, templates, and editing wizard only in premium version
Not established and lacking user reviews

7. Windows Video Editor - Best for Windows Photos Users

Compatibility: Windows

Overall Rating: 6/10

Beginner-Friendly Tools: 7/10

Key Features:

Customizable titles and credits
Draw feature
Transition overlays
Fade effects

Windows Video Editor (which replaced Windows Movie Maker) is an easy-to-use video editing software included with Windows 10 and up.

The Auto Movie option makes this one of the best video editing software for beginners, allowing you to quickly put together a completed video in no time at all. Video Editor has basic track editing tools, such as trimming, adjusting audio, and splitting clips. In addition, you can add music, text, motion, and 3D effects to your videos with Windows Video Editor. It also offers a good collection of filters and themes.

Windows Video Editor has been somewhat hidden inside the Windows Photo App, and most people don't even realize it's there. It is a quick and easy way to add flair to personal videos, but Windows Video Editor won't cut it for anyone making YouTube videos, Facebook ads, or marketing videos.

Pros

Comes free on Windows 10 and later devices
Offers a user-friendly interface

Cons

Limited features
Crashes often

Best Video Editing Software for Beginners Comparison Chart

Software	PowerDirector	iMovie	VideoPad	Movavi Video Editor	Adobe Premiere Elements	Magix Movie Studio	Windows Video Editor
OS	Windows, Mac	Mac	Windows, Mac	Windows, Mac	Windows, Mac	Windows	Windows
Advanced Features	Yes	No	Have to pay extra	No	No	Some	No
Automatic Movie Tool	Magic Movie Wizard, Video Collage Designer, and SlideShow creator	Magic Movie	Video Maker Wizard	None	None, but does have automatic slideshow and collage creator	Storyboard Mode	Auto Movie tool
Templates	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Has "Themes" to choose from in Auto Movie Mode

PowerDirector vs

Windows, Mac

Advanced Features

Yes

Automatic Movie Tool

Magic Movie Wizard, Video Collage Designer, and SlideShow creator

Templates

Yes

How to Edit a Video Using PowerDirector

Here is a step-by-step guide for making basic edits with PowerDirector, the best video editing software for beginners.

Download PowerDirector for free below and follow along:

PowerDirector App

The best full-featured video editor

Launch PowerDirector and then select Full Mode.
Import your photos and videos into PowerDirector.
Select a video in the Media Library and drag it to the Video Timeline.
Save your video project by selecting Save Project from the File Menu.

Continue to save your project as you go along, especially after big edits.

Now that you know the basics of starting a video project with the #1 best video editing software for beginners, we will show you how to Split and Trim Clips, and add Transitions, Text, and Music. Finally, we will show you how to Produce your video and upload directly to YouTube.

How to Split a Clip

Splitting a clip will allow you to remove a section in the middle of your video.

Move the Video Timeline Slider to the position where you want to split the clip, and then click the Split Icon, which looks like two arrows pointing away from each other.
Once you've split the clip, select the portion that you don't want and then click the Delete key on your keyboard to remove it from the video timeline.
Select the Remove and Fill Gap option when prompted so that the video clip fills in the space on the video timeline.

How to Trim a Clip

Trimming is for cutting off excess at the beginning or end of a clip.

Select the video clip and then click on the Trim Icon (which looks like scissors) above the video timeline.
Drag the mark in and mark out position sliders to your preferred positions and then click OK to finish trimming.

Now that you have added and trimmed your first video clip, add the next video clip by dragging it behind the first clip on the timeline.

How to Add Transitions Between Clips

Find the Transition Room from the vertical menu on the left. The Transition Room icon looks like a lightning bolt.
Select a transition to preview it. When you find one you like, click and drag it between two video clips.

If you add a transition you don't like, simply highlight it and hit Delete to remove it.

How to Add Title Text

Find the Title Room from the vertical menu on the left. The Title Room icon looks like the letter T.
Find the font you like, then click and drag a title text template to the Title Track on the video timeline.
Select the added title template and then click the Designer Button above the video timeline.
In the Title Designer, type your text.
Select the text, click on the Character Presets option on the left, and then select a preset to modify the text.
Click OK to close the Title Designer and save your changes.

How to Add Music

Go to the Media Library window and then select Background Music from the Media Content drop-down menu.
Preview and then click the Download Button to download the background music track you want to use.
When it is finished downloading, drag it to the Background Music Track on the video timeline.

How to Produce Your Video

Once you are done editing, it is time to render (produce) your video project as a new video file.

Click on the Produce tab to export your video.
On the Standard 2D tab, select your preferred video format. We suggest going with the H.264 AVC option (with the MP4 file extension), as it is one of the most popular and accepted formats.
Select an Output Folder where the new video file will be saved.
Click the Start Button to produce the file.

How to Upload Directly to YouTube

In the Produce Module, click the Online tab.
Select the YouTube option and then enter the video title, description, and other information.
Click the Start Button to render your video and then upload it to YouTube.

Click here to find more helpful tutorials for editing videos with PowerDirector, the best video editing software for beginners.

Download the Best Video Editing Software for Beginners for Free

Developers of video editing software are increasingly focused on providing user-friendly platforms. You no longer have to spend hours learning the ins and outs of a complex product. You also don't have to settle for an outdated program.

PowerDirector is the best video editing software for beginners because it streamlines the content creation process while offering easy-to-use features like an express project template and direct uploading to social media. PowerDirector has a large selection of titles, transitions, effects, and more you can easily drag and drop into place. In addition, the software offers tons of templates, guided edits, tutorials, and blogs for added support. It also has optimal system compatibility and importing/exporting flexibility.

PowerDirector outshines the other software on our list regarding advanced editing features. Beginners won't have to abandon their editing software for something more advanced once they outgrow it. PowerDirector will grow with you, offering different modes like Full or Auto for all skill levels. And all features are automatic or fully customizable, depending on user preference.

Download PowerDirector today to create high-quality videos with the best video editing software for beginners.

PowerDirector App

The best full-featured video editor

Best Video Editing Software for Beginners FAQ

1. What are the Best Video Editing Apps for Beginners?

2. What Features Should I Look For in the Best Video Editing Software for Beginners?

The top ten features you should look for in the best video editing software for beginners are:

Simple, uncluttered user interface
Drag-and-drop clips and effects
Templates
Cut/Trim/Splice/Rotate tools
Guided Edits
Automatic Movie feature
Stock library for music and sound effects
Filters, Stickers, and Motion Graphics
Affordability
Direct uploads to social media

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Source: https://www.cyberlink.com/blog/the-top-video-editors/154/best-easy-video-editor-beginners

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