What is the Best Video Editor in Microsoft Store?
If you’re a happy Windows 10 user, you probably enjoy the life of super-powerful multifunctionality Microsoft provides the users with. :)
When it comes to editing your videos on PC, you might think ‘What about that free video editor Microsoft already installed on my computer…Windows Movie Maker’. Not so fast. WMM evolved to Microsoft Photos and not that it’s bad, but many features that can make your video look more professional with a single click are not there. Moreover, it’s kind of hidden, and the name… Anyways, here’s how to edit your video with a built-in movie maker.
Edit videos with Microsoft Photos
Step 1. Find the app! :)
Open search on your PC and type the name of the app. Alternatively, click on your video file and select Open with -> Photos. Alternatively, you can always find it in Microsoft Store.
Step 2. Upload your video.
Jump to the New Video →New Video Projec section to start working with your video.
Once you’ll get there, click ‘Add’ in the Project library section and choose one of the ways to upload your video file.
Step 3. Edit your video.
Note, to start working with the video file, you need to drag and drop it to the bottom section of the editor.
You can see the full list of features you can use in Microsoft Photos:
- add title card (add text there, apply color, change duration),
- trim,
- split,
- add text to the video,
- add motion effect,
- add 3D effects,
- apply filter,
- change speed,
- rotate,
- resize,
- remove black bars/shrink to fit,
- add audio.
Pros
- forever free;
- has the basic video editing features, such as add text to video, split video file, etc.
Cons
- some basic video editing features are missed, such as add transition between the video clips, adding video on top of another video, and more;
- the interface isn’t obvious for the first time user.
So if you just need to make a very basic video editing, such as trimming a video, this tool is good to go.
If you are searching for something more, let’s say you’re a beginner video blogger, or want to make a video for a special occasion/project, you will definitely need the richer variety of features.
Let’s jump into Microsoft Store to see what it can offer.
How to edit video (if you want more than Microsoft Photos offers)
Step 1. Install the app.
Click here to install it for free. Usually, it takes 1 min max.
Step 2. Click Edit Video.
Actually, you have a few options to select from. For the sake of example, we click Edit Video.
Step 3. Upload Video or Photo Files.
You can either upload your video or select one of the other options — Color clip, GIPHY (it’s free and embedded in the app) or take a photo or video.
Step 4. Edit Your Files.
Logic is simple. I would like to split it into three main screens.
1 — The main screen to edit an entire video settings in a few clicks by applying the same features to all video files, upload more files, or add overlays.
2 — the screen to edit a particular file of the video. You get here by clicking on the file you want to edit on Screen #1.
3 — adjust settings of a particular feature.
For each screen, the main menu is located on the bottom of the page. Separate menu to resize the image (change aspect ratio), add a grid, mute sound, and preview video quality are located on the right side right below the video preview window.
Screen 1. Main Settings and Objects Management Functionality.
Menu of this screen will allow you to change settings of the entire video (apply a transition between the clips, change video duration, add filter). You can also add more files from here, or add so-called overlay (text, video, or photo on top of your current video).
Photo by Elina Krima from Pexels
Screen 2. Files Editing Screen.
To get there, simply click on a particular file you want to edit.
The same logic of the interface — the menu is located on the bottom of the page.
Screen 3. Adjust the Feature.
If you will now want to select any of the features, you can click on it and get to the ‘deepest’ screen — feature adjustment.
To go back, you can select the back arrow on the left top side of the screen.
Working with layers
Overlays are one of my most favorite features. Working with overlays is usually pretty frustrating in the professional software, but in Animotica everything is straightforward.
You can drag and drop layers, set up their start, and end manually and play the composition from here to make sure everything looks the way you expected.
Photo by Anna Shvets from Pexels
To edit the overlay, you simply need to select it, and there, at the bottom of the page, you will see very similar menu features from Screen #2.
Step 4. Save your Video.
Once you finish, go to Screen #1 and click Save on the bottom right corner of the screen. Set up the parameters of your video. You can also upload it directly to your YouTube channel from here or share it via one of the apps set up on your PC.
Pros:
- super intuitive interface;
- it’s forever free with limited functionality, but if you go for a PRO version, you get a lifetime license (PRO version is free for schools);
- a rich variety of features, continuous updates.
Cons:
- the final video will have a small watermark, though the life-time subscription is just around $10;
- sometimes the app crashes, for such cases Animotica provides a help center.
Conclusion
There is a lot f video editing software out there. If you’re serious about video editing you will eventually have to buy one. Animotica is one of the most cost-efficient and easiest video editing software for beginner video editors on the Windows 10 market. After a few unfortunate attempts with other video editors available in the Store, many users select Animotica.
Enjoy the process! ;)
