8 Best Video Editing Software for Windows 11 [2023]

Cheryl Bennett
June 07, 2023 Preview 103 Preview 0
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Video editing has become an essential skill in today’s digital age. Whether you want to edit and create videos for personal use, business, or educational purposes, a capable video editing software is necessary to bring your idea to life. This article presents 8 best video editors that are compatible with Windows 11 and covers different types of video editing tools for all skill levels.

 

Categories of Video Editors for Windows 11

The best video editing software for Windows 11 varies from person to person, depending on your skill level, purpose and budget, etc. That’s why I’ve summarized 5 types of video editors to help you quickly find the one that might suit you best.

1. Entry-level editors. Software such as Windows Photos video editor, iFunia Video Editor and Apple iMovie are designed for basic video editing and simple video creation. Although they lack some advanced features, these editors are usually easy to use, more accessible, lightweight, and budget-friendly, and are best suited for home movies and short clips to share on social media.    

2. Mid-range editors. For non-professional hobbyists, video editors like Premiere Elements, Pinnacle Studio, Corel VideoStudio can offer more advanced tools and features such as multiple tracks, motion tracking, more fancy effects, etc. These options require a steeper learning curve, but are not as complex as the professional alternatives.

3. Professional editors. For commercial use, video editing software such as Adobe Premiere Pro and Davinci Resolve are used by professional video editors. These high-end, full-featured video editing programs offer complex color grading, multi-cam editing, 360-degree VR editing and support high-resolution video import up to 8K. Not only do they require a steep learning curve to master, but also have higher system requirements for your PC.     

4. Free/open source editors. There are many free and open-source options for Windows 11 that provide editing tools at no cost, such as VSDC Free Video Editor, Openshot and Shotcut. These programs can be surprisingly capable, but they are usually not as easy to use as consumer video editors, lack user guides and technical support, and are best suited for experienced hobbyists.      

5. Online editors. Cloud-based video editors like Clipchamp, Kapwing, and WeVideo allow you to edit and create videos online through a web browser. They are easy to use, but often limited to basic features unless you pay to upgrade. You can edit on multiple devices by logging into your account, which is useful for editing on the go and saving computer space when advanced features are not needed.

List of 8 Best Video Editors for Windows 11 

1. Windows Photos Video Editor (the built-in editor)

Key features: trim and split the video, 3D effect text, background music, storyboard

Price: free

Ease of use: easy for beginners

buit-in video editor for windows 11

The Video Editor app in Microsoft Photos is the built-in video editor designed for basic editing on Windows 11. This entry-level video editor focuses on basic tools such as trimming, splicing and themed storyboards. You can import videos and photos and export MP4 videos with a resolution of up to 1080p, but the encoding and exporting speed is slower than other consumer editing software.

As a successor to Windows Movie Maker, this video editing software for Windows 11 is best for rearranging clips and photo from your PC and One Drive.

Pros:

  1. Free and pre-installed
  2. Simple interface without many tabs

Cons:

  1. Limited features
  2. Slow export

2. iFunia Video Editor (best for basic video editing)

Key features: essential editing tools, color correction, audio customizing, subtitle and watermark

Price: free trial, $9.99/one month or $29.99/lifetime license

Ease of use: easy for newcomers, no learning curve

ifunia video editor for windows 11

iFunia Video Editor is a beginner-friendly yet powerful video editor for Windows 11 that offers an intuitive interface without hidden buttons. Just drag and drop a video into the program and start editing with tools that are clearly labeled and easy to use. You can trim, crop and rotate to resize the video to your liking, add personal watermarks and subtitles, and adjust the visual color and audio.

It’s also a good performer in exporting speed. You can import video of any format and resolution, and export to MP4 format with the original quality. There’s no need to tweak complex settings during the process.  

This video editor for Windows 11 is ideal for beginners to edit home movies and create videos to share on social media.

Free Download Windows 11/10/8/7

Pros:

  1. Easy to use for beginners
  2. Affordable and lightweight
  3. Fast rendering and exporting speed
  4. Real-time preview
  5. Powerful format support

Cons:

  1. Lack of advanced editing tools 

3. Adobe Premiere Pro (best for pro editing)

Key features: video stabilization tool, multi-cam editing, 360-degree and VR editing, 8K video support.

Price: 7-day free trial, $20.99/month

Ease of use: complex for nonprofessionals

premiere pro windows 11

Adobe Premiere Pro 2022 and later are fully compatible with Windows 11. Used to create many feature films, this industry-standard video editing software offers rich professional tools, and supports various plug-ins and extensions for pro editing.  

With a higher hardware requirements and a subscription-only payment, this video editor is best suited for professional video editors, YouTubers and enthusiasts. Adobe also offers a one-time-purchase video editor - Premiere Elements, a simpler and more basic editing software. You can also try it if you find Pro too complex.

Pros:

  1. Rich advanced features, constantly upgraded
  2. Fast and stable rendering
  3. Seamless workflow with other Adobe Creative Cloud apps  

Cons:

  1. Steep learning curve
  2. Subscription only, long-term costs

4. VSDC Free Video editor (free video editor for Windows)

Key features: visual and audio effects, mask tools, chroma key, 4K export

Price: free

Ease of use: intimidating for novice

vsdc free video editor for windows 11

Want to edit like a pro without paying a fortune? VSDC Free Video Editor may be a good option. True to its name, VSDC is a free video editing software for Windows that offers advanced features such as visual and audio effects, color grading and masking, but more professional editing tools such as motion tracking, video stabilization and hardware acceleration are only available in VSDC Pro, which costs $19.9 per year.

Although it’s a fairly full-featured video editor, the interface can be intimidating for novices, with hundreds of buttons and hidden settings. This freeware is more recommended for enthusiasts on a budget. Also, there are also other free and open-source options such as Openshot and Shotcut.   

Pros:

  1. Free and no watermark
  2. Offers advanced features

Cons:

  1. Complicated and unpolished interface
  2. Slower speed and possible crash during rendering and exporting

5. Camtasia (best for instructional videos)

Key features: Screen recording, animations, annotations, interactive quiz

Price: 3-day free trial, $299.99/one-time license

Ease of use: easy to learn with tutorials

camtasia video editor windows 11

Camtasia from TechSmith is a screen recorder and video editing software for Windows 11 and Mac. You can record and capture anything on your computer screen, then add callouts, transitions and create quizzes through the video. The interface is clear and easy to learn with many tutorials on the home page. However, although you can record in 4K, it can only export videos up to 1080P 30fps.   

Despite its comparatively expensive price, it’s an ideal option for tutorial content creators to edit instructional videos for viewers.  

Pros:

  1. Excellent screen recording capability
  2. Easy to learn with tutorial support
  3. Clear and simple interface

Cons:

  1. Limited advanced editing features
  2. Watermark for free trial
  3. Relatively expensive

6. Pinnacle Studio Ultimate (near-pro video editor)

Key features: multi-camera editing, masking, 4K and 360-degree video support, keyframe effects

Price: 15-day free trial; $129.99/perpetual license

Ease of use: user-friendly interface

pinnacle video editor for windows 11

Pinnacle Studio is one of the best editing software for Windows 11, offering sophisticated tools and a more user-friendly interface. Pinnacle provides 2 versions of video editors, the Studio and Studio Ultimate, with the latter being more full-featured. There is a tutorial guide for each step of operation, and the interface is clear with three main tabs: Import, Edit and Export.

If you are new to video editing and want to create and edit movies with some advanced tools, Pinnacle Studio Ultimate can be a good choice.

Pros:

  1. Impressive user guide
  2. Full-featured video editor
  3. Affordable price

Cons:

  1. Some advanced features are limited
  2. Unstable export

7. Davinci Resolve (best for color correction)

Key features: primary color wheels & bars, multi-user collaboration, Fusion VFX, 60fps and UHD video support

Price: free

Ease of use: steep learning curve for new users

davinci resolve video editing windows 11

Davinci Resolve is another best video editing software for Windows 11 that is often compared to Adobe Premiere Pro. Davinci Resolve excels in color correction and advanced color grading features, and widely used by industry professionals including Hollywood colorists and editors.

It may take more time to learn and master, but this free professional editing software is definitely worth trying on your PC.

Pros:

  1. Free with robust features
  2. Best color grading tools
  3. Resolve 18 support Blackmagic Cloud Collaboration

Cons:

  1. Higher system requirements for smooth operation
  2. More difficult for new users to master

8. Clipchamp (web app for Windows 11)

Key features: video templates for social media platforms, music and sound effects, 1080p export

Price: free, 11.9/month for Essentials Plan

Ease of use: easy for beginners to operate

clipchamp online video editor windows 11

Clipchamp is Microsoft’s free browser-based video editor, available as a web app for Windows 11/10. It offers basic and intuitive video editing tools with a footage library for music, images and videos free to use. You can also upgrade to the Essentials for 4K export and expanded storage.

This free online video editor is best for short-form social media videos, as Microsoft recommends limiting video length to 10 minutes, and the speed can be slow for complex projects.

Pros:

  1. Free and easy to use
  2. Edit online

Cons:

  1. Lack some advanced video editing capabilities
  2. Slow import and export
  3. Need to upgrade for more export options and cloud backup

Extended: Video Editing Trends in 2023

  1. Higher resolution. With advances in technology, people have more access to high-quality videos such as 4K 60fps resolution videos, especially for landscape clips. Choose a powerful desktop video editor for Windows 11 to edit and export 4K and even 8K videos to attract your viewers.
  2. Short and vertical videos. Most people now watch videos on mobile devices and social media platforms, favoring short and vertical clips. Content creators may adapt to the trend and attract people with fast-paced short-form videos with various visual effects.
  3. Creative transitions. Except for the dated transition templates in video editing software, innovative and interesting video transitions can be achieved using everything like your body and camera. You can learn techniques from online tutorials to make smooth and eye-catching transitions using video editors on Windows 11.    
  4. Immersive videos. 360-degree and VR videos shot with an omnidirectional camera like GoPro can give viewers full control of the viewing direction like a panorama. Editing and producing immersive videos on Windows 11 requires professional video editing software such as Premiere Pro and Davinci Resolve.
  5. AI-assisted editing. Many video editing software for Windows 11 offer automated video editing with the help of AI, such as Clipchamp and Adobe Sensei AI. It helps with tasks like color correction, background noise removal and auto masking, and will continue to play an important role in video editing workflow.

Conclusion

To sum up, the best video editing software for Windows 11 depends on your needs, skill level, and budget. Professional editors may prefer Adobe Premiere Pro or Davinci Resolve, while beginners may find iFunia Video Editor and Windows Video Editor more suitable for basic editing. For tutorial and educational videos, Camtasia is a good choice. It's important to try out these options and find the one that works best for your workflow.

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Cheryl Bennett
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Cheryl has been writing tutorials, reviews, and how-to articles on consumer apps since 2016. She specializes in multimedia products and is always testing on Mac, PC, and various devices.

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