Windows Movie Maker was the traditional go-to tool close to the heart of many budding movie makers and professionals alike. There is a sense of nostalgia in reading the name itself on the internet! Unfortunately, it could not last the wave of competition and the new, lucrative software available for the same features. It had to hang up its gloves and was officially discontinued by Microsoft. However, there is no point carrying a heavy heart over its emittance and holding onto the past. Here are some better Windows Movie Maker alternatives for a brighter future in movie making in 2020!
#1 VideoLAN Movie Creator
From the makers of the famous VLC Media Player, this open source software is perhaps the best and most trustworthy Windows Movie Maker alternative. It is available not only on windows but also Mac OS X and Linux.
VLMC’s best feature is that it is a video editing tool which can support almost all types of video and audio formats. At the same time, it has a user friendly interface and is easy to use. It is great for beginners and is equipped with tools and options like adding, splitting or trimming videos which allow a user to easily create what they want. Audio and transition effects can also be added. Another great feature is that you can choose the resolution and level of quality after you are done editing. Since it is open source, new features keep getting added to it.
Download VLC.
#2 Microsoft Photos
Microsoft replaced Windows Movie Maker with this app. It is a photo viewer app which consists of a video editing option. To edit videos, you need to import the video source file and click on “ Edit & Create “ on the Toolbar. Here you can trim, add slo-mo and 3D effects. However, one drawback is that there is no provision for splitting the video.
Unlike the previous Windows Movie Maker, the Photos App can render heavy files without taking a toll on the system. It is a default Windows app and is not available on any other operating software like Mac or Linux.
Microsoft replaced Windows Movie Maker with this app. It is a photo viewer app which consists of a video editing option. To edit videos, you need to import the video source file and click on “ Edit & Create “ on the Toolbar. Here you can trim, add slo-mo and 3D effects. However, one drawback is that there is no provision for splitting the video. Unlike the previous Windows Movie Maker, the Photos App can render heavy files without taking a toll on the system. It is a default Windows app and is not available on any other operating software like Mac or Linux.
#3 Shortcut
Shotcut is one of the most highly recommended alternatives to Windows Movie Maker. It is seen as a high end substitute with an easy interface and a sleek design which gives a very professional feel. It can accomodate a large variety of audio and video formats.
It is an open source software available on Windows, Mac and Linux. You can drag and drop audio and video files to your liking. You can edit, trim and add filters to your work. One drawback is that you cannot add transitions. However, for everything else this is a great alternative.
Download Shotcut
#4 VideoPad Video Editor
This is an old school video editing software which is available on Windows, Mac, Linux, mobile and portable devices. It is a great start for beginners who want to enter the multimedia world with a head start.
VideoPad Video editor has various features which allow you to edit the video, the music soundtrack, trim the video, insert transitions, add video and audio effects and even insert subtitles. Even though it looks straight out of Windows XP, which gives it a Windows Movie Maker feel, it supports all the video formats you can think of and has many features of premium movie making software.
Download VideoPad
#5 Avidemux
Avidemux is another simple and open source alternative movie making software. It’s timeline is very similar to that of Windows Movie Maker and its interface is minimal, simple and easy to use. It is available on Windows, Mac and Linux as well.
You can edit, filter and encode your videos using this software. There are a wide variety of filters available for use and it can accommodate many file types like AVI, MP4, MSF, etc which is one of its strongest abilities. If you can look past its ugly interface this is a great alternative for beginners.
Download Avidemux
#6 VirtualDub
VirtualDub is an open source software which is a compact tool for efficient, speedy and linear video editing. It has a user friendly interface if you have even a little experience in video editing. However, it can be a little difficult for beginners.
It offers a small collection of filters which can process your video with ease. In addition to this, It also allows add on additional 3rd party features through the plugin interface. Batch processing is an important feature in this software, which means you can handle multiple videos at the same time.
Download VirtualDub
There is no need to lose hope without Windows Movie Maker, as these Movie Maker alternatives ensure you work well, if not better. Do not fear getting into or continuing working with audio and video without the help of the default Windows Movie Making software. The software listed above will give you all these features and more!