OpenShot stands as a robust, free, and open-source video editor available for Windows, MacOS, and Linux, offering a compelling feature set particularly suited for intermediate editors looking to move beyond basic cutting and joining. Its interface, while accessible, provides depth for more intricate tasks.
Interface and Project Setup
Upon launching OpenShot, users are greeted with an approachable interface comprising several panels and the main project timeline marked in seconds at the bottom. Flexibility is key; panels can be closed and reopened via the View tab under Docks, and the entire layout can be altered using View > Views, with the Simple View often serving as a good starting point. New projects begin empty. Adding media like videos, images, and audio files is straightforward: use the 'Import Files' button or simply drag and drop files onto the timeline. All imported assets are organized within the Project Files panel, conveniently grouped by type.
Working with the Timeline
The timeline is the central workspace for arranging and editing files, displayed as clips within horizontal rows known as Tracks. OpenShot provides five tracks by default, but more can be easily added, renamed, or removed using the arrow button on the left. Navigating the timeline efficiently is crucial; hold down the CTRL (or CMD) key and use the mouse wheel to zoom in and out around the red playback marker. Use the ALT (or Option) key with the mouse wheel to scroll horizontally through time. Each track accommodates both visual and audio clips, displaying filenames and visual thumbnails. For audio monitoring, right-clicking a clip and selecting Display > Show Waveform reveals the audio volume level graphically.
While OpenShot excels at editing imported audio, direct audio recording from a microphone might require external software like Audacity, with the resulting files imported subsequently.
Playback and Preview
The Video Preview panel mirrors the timeline content at the current position of the red marker. Clicking anywhere on the timeline repositions this marker, and dragging it allows for frame-by-frame scrubbing. Real-time playback with audio is available via the player controls beneath the preview. Project settings, including resolution (up to 16K UHD) and frame rate (up to 60fps), can be adjusted from 'Choose Profile' in the top left. It's advisable to adjust these settings based on your computer's specifications to ensure smoother playback performance during editing.
Editing Techniques
Basic clip manipulation involves clicking to select, then dragging to reposition in time or onto different tracks. The timeline dynamically extends beyond its default five minutes as clips are moved further out. When handling video clips containing audio, both components move together by default. To manage them independently, right-click the clip and choose 'Separate Audio'. Clip layering follows a simple rule: clips on higher tracks appear visually in front of clips on lower tracks.
Trimming clips is done by clicking and dragging their start or end edges. Alternatively, altering clip duration without cutting content can be achieved by right-clicking, going to Time, and adjusting the playback speed; however, be mindful this can affect audio pitch, an aspect not finely adjustable within OpenShot. Unwanted clips are removed with the Backspace key, and actions can be reversed using CTRL (or CMD) + Z. To divide a clip, place the red marker at the desired point and press the 'S' key.
Properties and Keyframing
For finer adjustments, right-click a clip and select Properties. The panel on the left allows modifications like opacity (Alpha), positioning, rotation, and scaling (Scale). Values can be dragged or typed, or adjustments can be made directly on the preview window by dragging the clip or its transform nodes. Scaling is also effective for removing black bars. Audio volume can be adjusted here too.
A powerful feature for intermediate users is keyframing. Properties can be animated over time using keyframes, which store specific property values at distinct points on the timeline. OpenShot automatically adds an initial keyframe at the clip's start with default values. To animate a property, move the red marker to a new time on the clip and change the property's value; this creates a second keyframe, and OpenShot interpolates the change between them (indicated in green). Multiple keyframes enable complex animations. Existing keyframes can be selected to edit their values or right-clicked to modify interpolation or remove them.
Transitions, Effects, and Titles
Smooth transitions are easily added. Right-clicking a clip offers Fade options for gradual opacity or volume changes. The Transitions panel provides various visual transitions that can be dragged onto clip overlaps on the timeline; their duration can be adjusted by trimming. Effects from the Effects panel can be dragged onto clips to enhance their look, with properties adjustable via the Selection panel. Titles are created via Title > Title, selecting a template, customizing text, font, colors, and background, then applying. This generates a title clip in Project Files, ready to be dragged onto the timeline and layered appropriately.
Saving and Exporting
Save your work periodically using File > Save Project As, creating an .osp project file. When editing is complete, export the final video via the 'Export Video' button. Define the filename, destination, and select a base profile. Specify format, resolution, aspect ratio, and quality. The Advanced tab offers options for exporting video and audio streams separately and defining specific start/end frames. Notably, OpenShot does not impose any watermarks on exported videos.
About OpenShot Video Editor
OpenShot is a free, open-source, cross-platform video editor designed to be easy to use, quick to learn, and surprisingly powerful. It supports commonly used codecs and formats, offering features suitable for users ranging from beginners creating simple home videos to intermediate editors crafting more complex projects with multiple layers, effects, and animations.
Key Features
- Cross-Platform (Windows, macOS, Linux)
- Unlimited Tracks/Layers
- Clip Resizing, Scaling, Trimming, Snapping
- Video Transitions with Real-time Previews
- Compositing, Image Overlays, Watermarks
- Title Templates, Title Creation
- Video Effects (Brightness, Gamma, Hue, Grayscale, Chroma Key etc.)
- Keyframe Animation Framework
- Audio Mixing and Editing (Including Waveforms)
- Frame Accuracy (Step through video frame-by-frame)
- Time-Mapping and Speed Changes
- Support for Many Video, Audio, and Image Formats
- No Watermarks on Export
Pros and Cons
- ✅ Free and Open Source
- ✅ Available on Windows, macOS, and Linux
- ✅ Relatively easy-to-learn interface
- ✅ Powerful keyframing capabilities
- ✅ Wide range of supported formats
- ✅ No export watermarks
- ❌ Can sometimes be slow or unstable, especially on lower-end hardware
- ❌ Audio pitch control on speed change is limited
- ❌ Requires external software (like Audacity) for direct audio recording
Download and Cost
OpenShot Video Editor is completely free to download and use. You can download the latest version for your operating system (Windows, macOS, Linux) directly from the official website.
