15 Free Alternatives to Discontinued Windows Movie Maker

Windows Movie Maker was a top-rated movie editor for beginners and a staple for many Windows users. The program arrived pre-installed on all Windows devices and was beloved for its simplicity and fun special effects. Most importantly, it was entirely free.

However, Microsoft stopped supporting Windows Movie Maker in 2017 and warns that free downloads of Movie Maker provided by 3rd parties may contain malware, viruses, or hidden costs. 

If you’re looking for a Windows Movie Maker alternative, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve compiled a list of the top 15 free replacement options. Best of all, the Windows Movie Maker alternatives on our list offer much more than the discontinued software ever did.

• Top 3 Free Windows Movie Maker Alternatives Snapshot
• How to Choose a Windows Movie Maker Alternative
• 15 Free Alternatives to the Discontinued Windows Movie Maker
1. PowerDirector 365 - Best Overall
2. VideoProc Vlogger - Best for Action Cam Footage
3. Magix Movie Studio- Best for Video Collages
4. VideoPad Video Editor - Best for Exporting to Social Media
5. WeVideo - Best for Templates
6. Lightworks - Best for Intermediate Editors
7. Shotcut - Best for Color Adjustments
8. VSDC Free Video Editor - Best for Older Computers
9. Movavi Video Editor Plus - Best for Automated Effects
10. Premiere Elements - Best for Organization
11. OpenShot - Best for Beginners
12. HitFilm - Best for VFX
13. Clipchamp - Best for Social Media
14. Avid Media Composer First - Best for Professionals
15. DaVinci Resolve - Best for Advanced Color Correction
• Best Windows Movie Maker Alternatives Comparison Chart
• How to Edit a Video with a Windows Movie Maker Alternative
• Download the Best Windows Movie Maker Alternative for Free
• Windows Movie Maker Alternatives FAQ

Top 3 Free Windows Movie Maker Alternatives Snapshot

How to Choose a Windows Movie Maker Alternative

Our list includes 15 of the best Windows Movie Maker alternatives available, however, they are all very different, and each has its own strengths and weaknesses. The best option for you depends entirely on your individual needs. Read below for important things to remember when choosing a movie editor.

• Skill Level

If you are in the market for a free Windows Movie Maker alternative, chances are you are a beginner. After all, one of the best things about Movie Maker was its ease of use. If you are a beginner (or someone who needs to churn out content in a hurry), shy away from movie editors that are not beginner-friendly. Customizable templates and AI-powered tools will be your best friend and allow you to edit videos that look professional with little effort or know-how.

If you are a more advanced user, don’t despair, we have you covered! There are several Windows Movie Maker alternatives on our list appropriate for professional use.

• Features

Each movie editor has a very different feature set, so we recommend making a list of must-have tools you need to edit videos before choosing a Windows Movie Maker alternative. Some have tools that cater more toward short videos for social media, while others can be used to edit videos that are feature-length. Some are heavy in graphic elements, while others specialize in special effects.

• Compatibility

What are you using the software for? If you are getting software for podcasts only, skip one of the audio editors with tons of music production tools, as they tend to be more expensive and complicated to use. However, if you plan to edit audio for a variety of reasons, one of those programs might be best.

Since this is an article about Windows Movie Maker alternatives, all of the movie editors on our list are compatible with Windows. However, some can edit videos on older Windows devices, while others require new computers and a lot of available RAM. Check the system requirements of any software before downloading. You want to make sure you not only have enough space to download the movie editor, but also have enough room that it will function properly.

You may need to edit videos on Mac or Linux, or perhaps you prefer an online option. Our list has options to cover every need, just check the Compatibility section in each of our reviews.

15 Free Alternatives to the Discontinued Windows Movie Maker

1. PowerDirector 365 - Best Overall

Compatible: Windows, Mac

PCMag Rating: 5/5

Beginner-Friendly Tools: 5/5

Price: Free
*Premium subscription available for $4.33/month

Key Features:

• Over 3,000 transitions, templates, and overlay effects: Access an extensive library of more than 3,000 pre-built transitions, templates, and overlays to enhance your video projects.
• Ready-Made animated titles: Choose from a collection of professionally designed animated titles to quickly and easily add polish and visual interest to your videos.
• Easy-to-Use Green Screen Effects: Create stunning visual effects effortlessly with the software's user-friendly green screen tools.
• Tons of AI-assist tools：Leverage cutting-edge AI technology to streamline the editing process and achieve professional results with minimal effort.

Who It’s For

PowerDirector is an intuitive, modern Windows Movie Maker alternative with a range of unique tools and features. It’s simple to learn and navigate and allows you to create Hollywood-level films and clips right from your Windows or Mac computer.

New users can learn the ins and outs of this movie editor for Windows quickly to achieve incredible, studio-quality results. You don’t have to be an editing pro to use green-screen effects, add cool filters and graphics, or enhance raw footage — PowerDirector does all of the work for you.

Why We Picked It

If you have ever used Windows Movie Maker to edit videos, you know the frustration of navigating an awkward, complicated interface. PowerDirector's user-friendly design makes it easy to edit videos with advanced visual effects with the touch of a button. It utilizes a dual-screen, customizable editing workspace to streamline your video editing process.

Once you finish crafting the perfect video, this movie editor offers a range of high-resolution exporting formats, including Ultra HD 4K, to help you preserve your video’s quality. You can also share your video straight to YouTube or other social media sites, saving you time.

Bottom Line

PowerDirector is incredibly user-friendly and has both manual and automatic tools to cover a range of skill levels. For these reasons and more, the critically acclaimed software is recommended as the #1 Windows Movie Maker alternative.

Click the button below to download PowerDirector and start making high-quality video content today.

2. VideoProc Vlogger - Best for Action Cam Footage

Image from Capterra.

Compatibility: Windows, Mac

KommandoTech Rating: 4/5

Beginner-Friendly Tools: 4.5/5

Price: Free

Key Features:

• Audio extractor: Easily separate audio from video clips using the software's audio extractor feature, allowing for independent editing and manipulation.
• Blending modes: Experiment with various blending modes to create unique visual effects and enhance the overall look of your video projects.
• Color correction: Achieve a professional and polished look by adjusting and correcting colors in your videos with the software's comprehensive color correction tools.
• Chroma key: Utilize the powerful chroma key feature to remove and replace backgrounds, enabling the creation of captivating visual effects and seamless compositing.

Who It’s For

If you need a Windows Movie Maker alternative to edit video shots taken on an action camera or drone, VideoProc Vlogger is for you. This free software comes with all the tools you need to fix action cam footage, including video stabilization, fisheye removal, and noise reduction. This movie maker for Windows also has advanced speed adjustment tools and a motion simulator. 

Why We Picked It

VideoProc Vlogger is beginner-friendly and has advanced tools such as bezier curves, visualized speed ramping, and automatic keyframes. This movie editor for Windows also has a time-lapse tool, an audio editor, and picture-in-picture effects. 

Bottom Line

The biggest issue with VideoProc Vlogger we found in our test and user reviews was rendering speed. This Windows Movie Maker alternative took a very long time to render short videos. Our top choice PowerDirector is also beginner-friendly, with many of the advanced features found in this software. However, PowerDirector has some of the fastest rendering times in the business, so you can upload finished videos in no time and get on with your day.

3. Magix Movie Studio - Best for Video Collages

Image from Magix Tutorials

Compatibility: Windows

TechRadar Rating: 4/5

Beginner-Friendly Tools: 4.5/5

Price: 30-day free trial, then $2.99/month for Movie Studio, $3.99/month for Platinum, and $4.99/month for Suite

Key Features:

• Direct upload to social media: Streamline your workflow with the software's direct upload feature, making it easy to share your videos on popular social media platforms.
• Speed adjustment tools: Effortlessly manipulate the playback speed of your video clips to create slow-motion or time-lapse effects, adding visual interest to your projects.
• Image stabilization: Improve the quality of shaky or unstable footage using the software's built-in image stabilization tools.
• Layer masks: Utilize layer masks to selectively apply effects or adjustments, allowing for more precise and creative video editing.

Who It’s For

We think this Windows Movie Maker alternative is a good fit for anyone who likes to make video collages. The newest version of Magix Movie Studio allowed us to move multiple videos around in the main preview window, making collage creation a breeze. We also appreciated the extra-large manipulation tools, so we could easily make precise adjustments to a clip’s size and rotation.

Why We Picked It

This movie editor for Windows has tools to suit any level of expertise. Beginners can edit videos in Storyboard mode and use one-click solutions such as Remove Beginning or Split Movie. More experienced editors can switch to frame-by-frame editing and manually tweak over 900 effects, transitions, and titles.

Bottom Line

Like our top choice, PowerDirector, Magix Movie Studio offers tools for both beginners and professional video editors. However, this Windows Movie Maker alternative is too unreliable to give it a top spot on our list. In our research, we found many users complained of frequent crashing, and that older projects didn’t carry over to newer versions of the software. Also, there is no dedicated free version, only a free trial, which places it below the entirely free VideoProc Vlogger.  

4. VideoPad Video Editor - Best Export Options

Compatibility: Windows, Mac

G2 Rating: 4.1/5

Beginner-Friendly Tools: 4/5

Price: Free
*Premium versions available for $70 for Home Edition and $129 for Master’s Edition

Key Features:

• 3D and 360-degree editing: The software supports advanced editing capabilities, including 3D and 360-degree video editing, allowing users to create immersive and engaging content.
• Customizable transitions: Enhance your video projects with a wide range of customizable transitions, enabling seamless and professional-looking scene changes.
• Trimming and splitting: Easily trim and split video clips to achieve precise edits and create a polished final product.
• Speed adjustment: Utilize the software's speed adjustment tools to create captivating slow-motion or time-lapse effects, adding visual interest to your videos.

Who It’s For

VideoPad Video Editor is a beginner-friendly application used to edit videos with a straightforward but slightly outdated interface. This Windows Movie Maker alternative includes features to streamline your social publishing workflow. Efficiently complete your video’s metadata, such as the title tags and description— without using YouTube’s publishing tools. Then export to one of over 60 supported formats. 

Why We Picked It

This movie editor for Windows has basic editing features and tools for direct content capture, including voiceover. You can add files to your project by dragging and dropping them onto the timeline, and you can resize the content. Other features include stereoscopic 2D to 3D conversion, title animations, and camera shake reduction. There are also audio effects like choral, echo, and distortion. 

Bottom Line

VideoPad doesn’t put a watermark on the free version, which is rare for a free video editor. However, the program is somewhat outdated and lacks advanced features such as multi-camera editing. This movie editor has a library containing extra features, but you will have to pay for each one you want to add. For a free Windows Movie Maker alternative with advanced features, try PowerDirector or Magix Movie Studio.

5. WeVideo - Best for Templates

Compatibility: Web Browser

G2 Rating: 4.3/5

Beginner-Friendly Tools: 4/5

Price: Free
*Premium subscriptions available for $4.99/month for Power, $7.99/month for Unlimited, $19.99/month for Professional, and $36.99/month for Business

Key Features:

• Screen recorder: Capture your screen effortlessly using the software's built-in screen recorder, making it ideal for creating tutorials, presentations, and more.
• 50 transitions: Choose from a collection of 50 pre-built transitions to add polish and seamless scene changes to your video projects.
• Voice-Over recorder: Record professional-quality voice-overs directly within the software, streamlining the process of adding narration or commentary to your videos.
• Meme maker: Create engaging and shareable video memes with ease using the software's dedicated meme maker feature.

Who It’s For

WeVideo is a web-based Windows Movie Maker alternative you can get for free. We like WeVideo for its social-media-friendly templates in very specific categories such as How-To Makeup, Unboxing, Livestream Coming Soon, and Just Sold. It also comes with a variety of text templates and animated titles. WeVideo’s customizable templates are perfect for beginners and busy influencers. 

Why We Picked It

Users can edit videos with cool green screen effects using the chroma key tool found in this movie editor. WeVideo even has green screen footage available in its stock library. There are 30 other effects available that are easily applied with one click. This is a good choice for beginners, but unlike PowerDirector, it lacks the control over effects that more seasoned editors would need.

Bottom Line

WeVideo is a good Windows Movie Maker alternative, but only if you are willing to pay. While we like the online program for content creators, the free version is unrealistic for any serious influencers or YouTubers. It only allows 5 minutes of exported content per month, and the max resolution is 480p. Key features like branding assets and direct upload to YouTube are saved for their pricey Professional or Business plans. In our updated list, we moved VideoPad above WeVideo because it offers a bigger variety of features and a more robust free version.

6. Lightworks - Best for Intermediate Editors

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

TechRadar Rating: 4/5

Beginner-Friendly Tools: 4/5

Price: Free
*Premium subscriptions available for $9.99/month for Lightworks Create and $24.99/month for Lightworks Pro

Key Features:

• 100s of transitions: Enhance your video projects with hundreds of pre-built transitions, ensuring seamless and visually engaging scene changes.
• Motion graphics: Create dynamic and captivating motion graphics to elevate the quality and impact of your videos.
• Filters and LUTs: Apply a wide range of filters and LUTs to achieve a polished and professional look with ease.
• Auto-Save: Safeguard your work with the software's automatic saving feature, preventing the loss of progress due to unexpected crashes or errors.

Who It’s For

Lightworks is a completely free and less-complicated version of Lightworks Pro, which has been used to edit Oscar-winning films. Although the website labels this software “easy to use,” we found in our test it was too difficult for most beginners. That’s why we think this Windows Movie Maker alternative is a good choice for intermediate editors, who edit videos with this slightly pared-down professional-level software at no cost. 

Why We Picked It

This Windows Movie Maker alternative offers a comprehensive range of sound controls, advanced color correction, and editing features like ripple, roll, slide, trim-slip, and backfill which are uncommon in free software. It offers both simple and advanced trimming and helpful tooltips that pop up to explain each feature (these can be turned off as your editing skills grow). 

Bottom Line

Lightworks is easier to use than the other professional movie editors on our list, Avid Media Composer First and DaVinci Resolve, but still more complicated than most Windows Movie Maker alternatives. If you are a beginner learning to edit videos try VideoPad or PowerDirector instead.

7. Shotcut - Best for Color Adjustments

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

TechRadar Rating: 4/5

Beginner-Friendly Tools: 4/5

Price: Free

Key Features:

• Blending modes: Experiment with various blending modes to create unique visual effects and enhance the overall look of your video projects.
• Webcam capture: Record footage directly from your webcam within the software, streamlining content creation and editing workflows.
• Auto-Rotate: Automatically correct the orientation of your video clips with the software's auto-rotate feature, ensuring a polished final product.
• Keyframing: Utilize keyframing to create smooth and precise animations, adding depth and visual interest to your videos.

Who It’s For

Shotcut is a free, open-source, cross-platform movie editor. It offers wide format support for audio, video, and images. While Windows Movie Maker was greatly lacking in color adjustment tools, this Windows Movie Maker alternative offers color wheels for color correction and grading, and an eyedropper tool to help with white balancing.

Why We Picked It

Users will love the batch encoding for those editing multiple videos in one go, and unlimited undo and redo options. This movie editor offers a large selection of transitions and filters - including 360-degree video filters. And because Shotcut is open-source, it has regular upgrades made by the community.

Bottom Line

Shotcut has a higher learning curve than Windows Movie Maker, and the interface is not as clean. Although both Lightworks and Shotcut have a slight learning curve and the same rating, we put Lightworks above it on our list because it is more feature-rich. If you want a beginner-friendly Windows Movie Maker alternative with a clean, user-friendly interface, try PowerDirector or WeVideo.

8. VSDC Free Video Editor - Best for Older Computers

Compatibility: Windows

TrustPilot Rating: 4.5/5

Beginner-Friendly Tools: 4/5

Price: Free
*Premium version is $19.99

Key Features:

• Animated text: Create engaging and dynamic text animations to enhance your video's visual appeal and convey information effectively.
• Masking tools: Utilize masking tools to selectively apply effects or adjustments, allowing for more precise and creative video editing.
• Color correction: Improve the overall look of your footage with the software's color correction tools, achieving a professional and polished appearance.
• Picture-in-Picture: Easily create picture-in-picture effects to display multiple video clips simultaneously, adding depth and visual interest to your projects.

Who It’s For

We think VSDC Free Video Editor is an excellent Windows Movie Maker alternative for beginner editors with older or outdated PCs because VSDC is extremely light on computer resources. Also, VSDC has built-in hardware acceleration which lowers the CPU and increases editing speed. 

Why We Picked It

This program is similar to Movie Maker because it is easy to use and offers a range of fun editing features for beginners and casual editors. These include voice-over, chroma key editing, 360-degree video editing, and a library of trendy video effects, filters, and transitions.

Bottom Line

If you’re planning to edit videos with more advanced tools such as motion tracking or video stabilization, you will need to pay for VSDC’s premium version or try a more fully-featured free movie editor like PowerDirector. 

9. Movavi Video Editor Plus - Best for Automated Effects

Compatibility: Windows, Mac

PCMag Rating: 4/5

Beginner-Friendly Tools: 3.5/5

Price: 7-day free trial, then $74.95

Key Features:

• Video stabilization: Improve the quality of shaky footage with the software's video stabilization feature, creating smooth and professional-looking videos.
• Picture-in-Picture: Showcase multiple video clips simultaneously using the picture-in-picture effect, adding visual depth and interest to your projects.
• Chroma key: Utilize the chroma key feature to replace the background of your videos and create unique and engaging compositions.
• Voice-Over: Record high-quality voice-overs directly within the software, streamlining the process of adding narration or commentary to your videos.

Who It’s For

Movavi Video Editor is a Windows Movie Maker alternative with a user-friendly interface and low learning curve. This movie editor has a wide selection of automated effects like fading or panning, so you can edit videos to completion in minutes.

Why We Picked It

It’s straightforward to edit videos with Movavi, and you can shorten and lengthen clips with the in/out points by dragging the edges. It has key features like color adjustment, pan/zoom, and crop/rotate. There are also video effects like blur, vignette, and slow-mo.

Bottom Line

Movavi Video Editor lacks advanced features like keyframing and screen recording and like Windows Movie Maker, gives you limited control over effects. It’s also only available for free as a 7-day trial. Try PowerDirector for a Windows Movie Maker alternative with advanced features and a free-forever version.

10. Premiere Elements - Best for Organization

Compatibility: Windows, Mac

TechRadar Rating: 3.5/5

Beginner-Friendly Tools: 4/5

Price: 30-day free trial, then $99.99

Key Features:

• Multi-Track editing: Work with multiple video and audio tracks simultaneously, offering greater flexibility and control over your editing process.
• Key framing: Create smooth and precise animations using key framing, adding depth and visual interest to your videos.
• Double exposure: Produce striking and artistic double exposure effects, enhancing your video's visual appeal and storytelling capabilities.
• Freeze frame: Easily incorporate freeze frame effects into your projects, drawing attention to specific moments and adding dramatic impact.

Who It’s For

Adobe’s Premiere Elements is a consumer-targeted, pared-down version of the company’s Premiere Pro, making it a great Windows Movie Maker alternative. With Premiere Elements, your videos are automatically curated by quality, so you can save time searching for the best clips. You can also organize by faces, subjects, smart tags, and locations.  

Why We Picked It

There’s a video creation wizard so you can edit videos quickly, and its auto movie themes are much more extensive than what Windows Movie Maker had to offer. Other great features include various slideshow styles, a time-lapse function, and the ability to extract beautiful photos from raw video footage.

Bottom Line

Premiere Elements has a simple interface and step-by-step tutorials, making it an easy choice for beginners. However, it lacks more advanced offerings such as 360-degree editing, multi-cam editing, and screen recording. Editors in a hurry could be turned off by the very slow rendering times and output speed, which is one area where Windows Movie Maker had Premiere Elements beat. For these reasons, we placed it below the similarly-rated Movavi Video Editor.

11. OpenShot - Best for Beginners

Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux

TechRadar Rating: 3/5

Beginner-Friendly Tools: 4.5/5

Price: Free

Key Features:

• Animated titles: Create engaging and visually appealing animated titles to effectively convey information and enhance your video's overall look.
• Audio mixing: Achieve the perfect balance between music, sound effects, and dialogue with the software's audio mixing tools, ensuring a polished final product.
• Remove background: Effortlessly remove and replace video backgrounds, offering creative flexibility and the ability to create unique compositions.
• Time-Mapping and speed adjustment: Manipulate the speed and playback of your video clips with time-mapping and speed adjustment tools, adding dynamic and captivating effects to your projects.

Who It’s For

If you’re looking for a straightforward, free Windows Movie Maker alternative, OpenShot is an excellent option. This program goes above and beyond Movie Maker’s capabilities but still keeps its interface easy to use for beginners. Nothing is intimidating about OpenShot’s workspace, making it an excellent choice for amateur editors.

Why We Picked It

OpenShot offers a range of impressive-looking editing features, such as 3D animations, slow-motion effects, and text editors. You can add unlimited tracks and layers to your timeline and use keyframes and frame accuracy to create precise, detailed edits. This movie editor has a straightforward platform that makes it easy to edit videos precisely to your liking.

Bottom Line

Though OpenShot includes a decent selection of filters and templates, the program lacks some of the advanced features you’ll find in other movie editors. This Windows Movie Maker alternative does not offer professional tools such as chroma key, picture-in-picture, and blending modes.

12. HitFilm - Best for VFX

Image from HitFilm Pro.

Compatibility: Windows, Mac

TechRadar Rating: 4/5

Beginner-Friendly Tools: 3/5 

Price: Free 
*Premium subscriptions available for $7.99/month for Creator and $12.99/month for Pro

Key Features:

• Unlimited HD exports: Enjoy the freedom to export an unlimited number of HD videos without restrictions or watermarks.
• Motion tracking: Utilize motion tracking to apply effects, text, or images that follow the movement of specific objects within your video.
• 360-Degree video support: Edit and enhance immersive 360-degree videos with the software's dedicated support for this format.
• Displacement and distortion effects: Create unique visual effects by applying displacement and distortion to your video clips, adding depth and intrigue to your projects.

Who It’s For

HitFilm (formerly HitFilm Express) is the perfect Windows Movie Maker alternative if you want to edit videos with Hollywood-style visual effects. It includes one of the largest free VFX toolkits on the market, with effects such as light swords, lens flares, a particle simulator, and 3D geometry effects. 

Why We Picked It

This Windows Movie Maker alternative has unlimited audio and video tracks, so you can layer as many effects as you need on a single video clip. We liked using HitFilm’s puppet tool, which adds natural motion to graphics and text, and the 3D muzzle flashes for any kind of weapon. 

Bottom Line

The free version of HitFilm offers more VFX than any of the other Windows Movie Maker alternatives on our list, however, it offers far fewer basic editing tools. Unless you regularly edit videos with lots of effects, this movie editor is not for you. And unlike VSDC Free Video Editor, HitFilm takes up a lot of hard drive space.

13. Clipchamp - Best for Social Media

Compatibility: Windows, Web Browser

PCMag Rating: 3.5/5

Beginner-Friendly Tools: 3.5/5

Price: Free 
*Premium version available for $11.99/month

Key Features:

• GIF library: Access a comprehensive library of GIFs, adding fun and engaging visuals to your videos.
• Create a logo/watermark: Design and apply a custom logo or watermark to your videos, establishing brand recognition and protecting your content.
• Green screen editing: Incorporate green screen editing to replace backgrounds, create unique compositions, and elevate your video's visual appeal.
• AI voiceovers: Generate natural-sounding AI voiceovers for your videos, streamlining the narration process and ensuring a professional result.

Who It’s For

Clipchamp was recently purchased by Microsoft to act as an official Windows Movie Maker alternative. It features customizable video templates for all your content needs, including YouTube intros/outros, Instagram Reels, TikToks, gameplay videos, and Facebook ads. With this movie editor, you can also edit videos from scratch by uploading your footage or recording your screen or webcam directly from the app. It’s a good option for busy influencers who need quick and easy content creation.

Why We Picked It

The free version of this Windows Movie Maker alternative comes with video, photo, and audio stock. It also has a large library of transitions, filters, and effects. A monthly subscription will get you access to premium stock assets and effects, as well as branding kits and content backup.

Bottom Line

Clipchamp has a very usable free version with unlimited watermark-free exports up to 1080p. We like it for beginners making short-form content, but think more advanced users should look elsewhere. For those who desire more control over effects, we recommend PowerDirector. Not only does it have similar content for social media, but also offers advanced tools and is suitable to edit videos of any type or length (not to mention a premium subscription to PowerDirector is almost 3 times less than the monthly cost of Clipchamp).

14. Avid Media Composer First - Best for Professionals

Image from Avid.

Compatibility: Windows, Mac

G2 Rating: 4.1/5

Beginner-Friendly Tools: 2/5

Price: Free 
*Premium subscriptions available for $23.99/month for Media Composer, and $49.99/month for Ultimate

Key Features:

• Sequence map: Utilize the sequence map feature to visualize and navigate complex video timelines with ease.
• Video stabilization: Apply video stabilization tools to correct shaky footage, ensuring smooth and professional-looking results.
• Bulk edit: Save time and effort by applying edits and adjustments to multiple clips at once using the bulk edit feature.
• Title tools: Design and customize dynamic titles for your videos with a range of title tools, enhancing your project's overall presentation and storytelling.

Who It’s For

Avid Media Composer First is a Windows Movie Maker alternative for professional video editors or anyone who wants to become proficient on Avid. It’s an entirely free and slightly scaled-down version of Avid Media Composer, which is the industry standard for independent filmmakers. It offers tons of very advanced tools you aren’t likely to find in other free movie editors.

Why We Picked It

Advanced tools include frame flex, time codes, advanced color tools, and 4-way multicam editing. We like this Windows Movie Maker alternative for its excellent audio module, where you can create soundtracks, edit and mix audio, and record voice-overs. 

Bottom Line

We highly recommend Avid Media Composer First for budding professionals or professional editors on a budget. However, beginners or intermediate editors who desire a Windows Movie Maker alternative with easy-to-use tools and quick, automatic edits should look elsewhere. For those users, we recommend PowerDirector or WeVideo.

15. DaVinci Resolve - Best for Advanced Color Correction

Compatibility: Mac, Windows, Linux

PCMag Rating: 4/5

Beginner-Friendly Tools: 2/5

Price: Free 
*DaVinci Resolve Studio available for $295

Key Features:

• Collaboration tools: Work seamlessly with team members using built-in collaboration tools, streamlining communication and project management.
• AI magic mask: Utilize AI-powered magic mask features to create precise masks and selections, enhancing the efficiency of your editing process.
• 3D audio workflow: Implement immersive 3D audio within your projects, enriching the overall viewing experience.
• Supports up to 2,000 tracks: Manage complex projects with ease, as the software supports up to 2,000 tracks for extensive layering and organization.

Who It’s For

DaVinci Resolve is an extremely high-end Windows Movie Maker alternative for professionals and advanced users. This free movie editor has color correction and color grading tools worthy of a Hollywood post-production studio with support for HDR images and 32-bit image processing. Detailed AI color matching ensures your video clips look identical, no matter when, where, or on what camera the footage was recorded.

Why We Picked It

With DaVinci Resolve, there are tons of options to edit videos in the timeline such as overwrite, insert, replace, fit to fill, append at end, and more. You can also create 3D scenes and animated title sequences with the same VFX software responsible for The Hunger Games and Avengers franchises.

Bottom Line

As you’d expect, DaVinci Resolve has a steep learning curve and is not recommended for first-time editors. Also, to get the best out of what this movie editor has to offer, you’ll need to purchase additional hardware. PowerDirector also offers professional results and high-end effects but is much easier to use with lower system requirements.

Best Windows Movie Maker Alternatives Comparison Chart

Once you edit videos with these Windows Movie Maker alternatives, you’ll see why Windows Movie Maker is a thing of the past and come to learn the outstanding features of modern platforms. You’ll never look back.

PowerDirector also includes dozens of tools and features that Windows Movie Maker omits. Check out some of them below:

How to Edit a Video with a Windows Movie Maker Alternative

Here are the most basic steps to edit videos on your Windows device using our #1 Windows Movie Maker alternative, PowerDirector. Click the button below to download PowerDirector for free. Once it is installed, open the software and follow along.

1. Import your footage into PowerDirector. Go to the Media Content Room and either click on Stock Content, or import your own content by clicking the Import Media button. Find the video you want to edit and click Open.


Even though your video is displayed in the preview pane, you cannot start editing until you drag the video thumbnail onto the editing timeline.


2. Trim and splice clips. Click the Trim icon to open the Trim Interface. Move the Timeline Slider to your desired position and click the arrow button directly above the timeline.

3. Add transitions between clips. Click to open the Transition Room, then drag your chosen transition between two video clips.

4. To add text, go to the Title Room. Click and drag a title text template to the title track on the video timeline. Click on the added title template and then click Designer.


In the Title Designer enter the text you want to use. Select the text, click on the Character Presets option on the left, and then select a preset to modify the text. Click OK to save.


5. Add music. Select Background Music from the Media Content drop-down menu. Click the Download icon on the music of your choice, then drag it onto the audio track on the timeline.

6. Save your project and export your video. Click on the Produce button to export your video. On the Standard 2D tab, select your preferred video format. Select an output folder where the new video file will be saved then click the Start button to produce the file.

For a detailed look at how to edit videos with special effects, go to How to Edit with Special Effects to Create Cool Videos.

Download the Best Windows Movie Maker Alternative for Free

If you’re looking for a Windows Movie Maker alternative, PowerDirector will amaze you with its large selection of features, from basic to advanced. Edit videos with cinematic effects like animated overlays, slow motion, video stabilization, chroma key, and so much more. It has a large royalty-free library of background music, sound effects, photos, and videos, as well as fun audio effects like a voice-changer. 

PowerDirector is a favorite movie editor amongst users of all skill levels because it combines the advanced features of expensive, professional video suites with the user-friendliness and price that appeals to beginners. It also comes with guided edits, templates, and tutorials to help with every aspect of the editing process.

If you’re looking for a movie editor for Windows that is easy to learn, has a robust toolset, and can scale to any size production level, click the button below and download PowerDirector today.