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iMovie is free and easy to use on Mac, iPhone, and iPad, and is ideal for most simple video editing tasks.
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Apple’s software is highly optimized, deeply integrated with iCloud Photo Library, and loaded with additional features like transitions, backgrounds, and title cards.
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iMovie even includes more advanced tools such as chroma key (green screen), picture-in-picture, color correction, video stabilization, and more.
Apple ships a lot of software with Macs, iPhones, and iPads, including the entry-level video editor iMovie. While it may be tempting to write off iMovie due to its manual approach, there are plenty of reasons to leave it installed.
iMovie is free and easy to use
iMovie is free and comes bundled with Mac, iPhone, and iPad devices. You can download it from the website App Store for iPhone or iPad or from Mac App Store for use on a computer. It’s worth keeping iMovie as it’s great for quick tasks such as combining two or more videos into one file.
While there are some notable differences between using iMovie on a mobile device and on a computer, both versions of Apple’s video editor emphasize simplicity. On the iPhone, iMovie lacks the more advanced features found on the Mac, but it’s ideal for quickly creating clips and exporting them for sharing on the go.
Collaboratively edit video clips in iMovie on Mac.
The Mac version of iMovie has more features and is better suited for more traditional video editing. Drag, trim, organize and share clips. You can use multiple layers on both platforms, add separate audio tracks, and use additional assets such as photos and title cards.
Making changes to a clip is as easy as clicking or tapping it, then using the controls that appear to change the speed, add filters, and more. This is an app that you can learn to use as you go, just by exploring the interface and seeing what does what.
The best way to do this is to use the Export Project feature on your iPhone or iPad to import your project into the Mac version of iMovie. The easiest way to do this is AirDrop your projects from your mobile phone to your computer, where you can open them with all the changes made.
Designed and optimized for Apple hardware.
Another reason iMovie really stands out is that it’s designed with Apple hardware in mind. Since Apple only makes iMovie for its platforms, the editor runs quickly and smoothly even on older devices. Editing 4K video on a four-year-old iPhone or MacBook Air with only 8 GB RAM it’s very simple (even older Intel Mac models can handle it).
Apple has been developing chips for mobile and desktop computers that can handle high-definition video for years, and this is one of the big benefits of developing software and hardware together. iMovie delivers powerful performance because smooth video playback is central to the design of Apple’s iPhone and Mac.
Navigating a video’s timeline in iMovie for Mac.
This ensures smooth video editing. Hover over the timeline in iMovie on Mac to see the current frame with virtually no noticeable delay. Preview the full clip before adding it to your project by simply dragging your finger.
Many Apple chips (including the M1) have dedicated video encoding engines, meaning the hardware inside the device is designed specifically for video rendering. This greatly speeds up the export process when it comes time to share.
iMovie integrates with Apple Photos
When you create a new project with iMovie, you don’t have to import footage or create a media pool like you do with other video editors. iMovie is designed to work with Apple Photos via iCloud Photo Librarywhich means your footage should already be waiting for you when you start editing.
iCloud Photo Library inside iMovie for Mac.
On iPhone and iPad, you’ll be prompted to choose your media when creating a new movie (with a Magic Movie option where iMovie adds additional transitions and music for you). On a Mac, Photos appears as a library in the media picker on the left side of the screen, and you can filter videos and photos.
The editor also includes several additional tools.
Despite its ease of use, Apple has included several additional tools in iMovie. This includes a chromakey tool for creating green or blue screen videos, picture-in-picture mode, and split-screen switching. You can be forgiven for missing it.
On iPhone you need configure this when adding a clip to your footage. On a Mac, you need to overlay one video on top of another in the timeline (on separate tracks), select the top video, and then use the Video Overlay Settings control panel to switch between them.
Video overlay settings in iMovie for Mac.
In addition to this, quickly flicking through clips includes other controls including stabilization and rolling shutter correction (which can correct the jello effect seen on some cameras during fast panning), color correction tools including matching based on clip tone patterns , white balance and skin tones.
You can also apply video and audio filters to your clips, change the speed (with full support for slow-motion video), and apply the Ken Burns filter, which makes it easy to zoom and pan (great for static footage to add a little movement). ).
High quality built-in resources included
If you’re using the Mac version of iMovie, you can use Apple title cards by dragging them onto your timeline. Place them on top of existing footage or leave them on a colored background to break up the clips. They are truly impressive and the animation adds a complete finishing touch to your video.
You also have all the basic transitions available in both versions of iMovie (like cross dissolves and fades to black and white), with the Mac version having more selection.
Animated map background in iMovie for Mac.
The Mac version of iMovie also has a larger selection of backgrounds, including some custom animated map animations that are perfect for travel videos.
Some restrictions you should be aware of
In an effort to make iMovie a user-friendly video editor, Apple has made some sacrifices. The most noticeable issue I encountered was the 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio lock. While most of your videos are probably shot this way, in the age of vertical video it seems like an outdated choice.
This means you can’t edit vertical videos in iMovie and share them on social media. There’s simply no way to switch the project’s aspect ratio, and importing vertical video will result in unsightly stripes on either side of the screen. An update from Apple that includes support for vertical (or square) video could lead to a significant increase in user activity.
Horizontal image iMovie for iPhone.
Additionally, there are some inconsistencies when exporting videos. On iPhone, you can export in 4K resolution with HDR enabled, and the HEVC file will be rendered in Apple’s MOV format. This matches the type of video that modern iPhones shoot (if you don’t turn it off).
On Mac, export is up to 4K resolution without HDR and uses the old H.264 codec in MP4 format. This is a shame, as it means you’ll suffer when it comes to storage space and HDR output. I’d like to see this fixed in a macOS update.
There are more limitations, but for everyday projects you’re unlikely to miss multi-camera support, burst editing, or the ability to sync video and audio tracks recorded separately. If yes, then you’ll need a much more powerful tool than iMovie.
Just as you can export iPhone and iPad projects to iMovie for Mac, you can export iMovie projects to Apple’s $299 professional video editing suite Final Cut Pro.
While Final Cut Pro is one of the most user-friendly professional packages of its kind, if you’re coming off iMovie and want serious video editing capabilities, we recommend our favorite free video editor DaVinci Resolve instead of.