How does Edits work: the new video editing app from Instagram that aims to compete with CapCut

Instagram has launched Edits, a new free video editing application designed to compete with CapCut, the popular ByteDance tool. It is presented as an app that allows users to centralize the entire creative process of video creation and editing, also offering the option to share audiovisual works directly on Instagram and Facebook.

The activation of Edits has been global, and it can be downloaded both from the App Store and the Play Store. However, to use it, it is necessary to have an Instagram account, as login will be done using your credentials from that Meta social network.

 

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Edits was announced by Meta on January 19 of this year, coinciding with the banishment of TikTok and CapCut applications in the United States, which, although became operational again almost a day after being banned, neither was available for download on the iOS and Android stores in the United States until mid-February.

«Edits is more than a video editing application; it is a complete set of creative tools», stated back then Adam Mosseri, CEO of Instagram, in a short video uploaded on Threads and Instagram giving the exclusive.

What is Edits

Edits is a free mobile application that provides a comprehensive set of creative tools for video editing. Among its highlighted features are:

• High-quality camera: improved video recording quality and editing tools. It allows users to adjust the resolution, frame rate, and dynamic range, in addition to enhanced flash and zoom controls. You can record videos of up to 10 minutes.
• Frame-precise timeline editor: organizes and adjusts your clips precisely, simplifying the editing process.
• Ideas: a space where you can organize all your inspiration. Note new ideas for future videos and add notes to saved reels.
• Inspiration: section to obtain inspiration by searching reels with trending audio. Use the discovered audio or save trending reels for later use.
• Projects: organize and manage your projects in a single place to access them whenever you want easily and continue from where you left off.
• AI-driven animations: facilitates the creation of transition and advanced visual effects without requiring prior editing experience. You can effortlessly transform a static image into an animation.
• Green screen effects and video overlays: enables changing the background or adding overlay elements to enrich visual content and create dynamic material.
• Clippings: isolate specific people or objects with precision tracking, making your videos more dynamic.
• Audio enhancement and automatic subtitle generation: optimizes sound clarity and allows for adding customized subtitles, improving accessibility and content reach. Subtitles are available in various languages.
• Audio library: grants full access to Instagram’s sound and music libraries, including songs or audios you have saved on the social network.
• Export videos without watermarks, and they can be shared on any platform, although it is primarily intended for Instagram and Facebook.

Instagram has announced that it will soon include new functionalities to continue improving Edits and offer as comprehensive, fluid, and simple a video creation and editing experience as possible. Among the upcoming updates are:

• Keyframes: a tool that pinpoints exact moments to adjust the timing, movement, and effects of your video.
• Modify: allows changing the look of your videos quickly thanks to AI effects with simple instructions.
• Collaboration: you can share drafts with your friends, other creators, and even brands to boost your content and partnerships.
• More options to express your creativity: more fonts, text animations, transitions, voice effects, filters, and music options will be added, including royalty-free music.

How Edits works

The application is designed to be intuitive and accessible. Users can start a project by importing existing clips or recording directly from the application. Once imported, various editing tools, such as clippings, color adjustments, filters, and special effects, can be applied.

Additionally, Edits offers an inspiration tab where creators can explore trends and get ideas for their projects with features that include:

• Monitoring the performance of your reels with a real-time statistics dashboard.
• Breakdown of engagement between followers and non-followers.
• Analysis of factors affecting whether your reel is recommended, such as skip rates.
• Ease in planning your subsequent videos based on what resonates with your audience.

Once the user has finished editing and assembling their video, they can export it to publish or share it on any desired platform, or use the option to share it directly on Instagram and Facebook. All of this without watermarks.

Similarities and differences with CapCut

Both Edits and CapCut offer advanced video editing tools for mobile devices, including special effects, transitions, and audio enhancement options. However, there are some differences:

• Integration with Instagram: Edits is designed to integrate seamlessly with Instagram, allowing users to share their creations directly on the platform and access detailed analytics on their video’s performance.
• Focus on creators: while CapCut caters to a broad audience of video editors, Edits focuses more on the needs of content creators, offering specific tools such as idea tracking and built-in analytics.

Photo: Instagram