VideoProc Vlogger

Free Alternative to iMovie for Windows 11/10/8/7

  • Free, simple, and running smoothly on all Windows PC
  • Intuitive UI and streamlined workflow for users of all levels
  • For creativity or fun: green screen, PiP, speed ramp, and beyond
  • Advanced audio editor, color editor, motion editor, etc.
  • Support 4K, 8K, HDR, 10-bit, HEVC, MOV, MP4, and more
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12 Best iMovie Alternatives for Windows 11/10 | Free Download and Use

By Cecilia Hwung | Last Update:

Although iMovie is an incredible video editing software, it can be overkilled for its inaccessibility to Windows 11/10/7. And my guess is that Apple wants you to either go all-in on Apple devices, or risk missing out on some key benefits.

If you want to find an iMovie alternative for Windows that's just as powerful as the highly reputable iMovie, take a look at our top picks of best free iMovie equivalent for Windows for you. Let's begin!

Best iMovie for Windows

1. VideoProc Vlogger

VideoProc Vlogger runs on both Windows and Mac operating systems. It can help you make your video stylish by the ways from basic editing features like cutting and cropping, to adding transition and other effects, to more advanced features like color and audio adjusting.

Key Features

  • Free, simple, safe, no watermark.
  • Unlimited tracks for videos, audios, effects, and subtitles.
  • Numerous preset effects, titles, transitions, and filters.
  • Basic editing features: trimming, cutting, rotating, splitting, altering aspect ratio, etc.
  • Color correction and color grading.
  • Built-in professional motion editor and audio editor.

How to Use VideoProc Vlogger

Step 1. Double-click its icon on your PC desktop to launch it.

Step 2. Create a new project, where please remember set the resolution you prefer.

Step 3. Import the source files into VideoPorc Vlogger: video, audio, image, and others.

Add media files to VideoProc Vlogger

Step 4. Drag the source files into the timeline.

Step 5. Then you can edit them on the dashboard, like trimming, adding transition and filters, audio editing, etc.

VideoProc Vlogger edit videos

Step 6. After finishing the editing, you can click on the Export button to save the edited file on your computer.

Export video from VideoProc Vlogger

2. Windows Movie Maker

Windows Movie Maker, a part of Windows Essentials software suite, is a free and popular video editing software made by Microsoft. It's believed that it is one of the best alternatives of iMovie for Windows.

While Microsoft Windows has officially ceased support for Windows Movie Maker on January 10, 2017, and moved its features to Microsoft Photos. But it does not mean it won't work. You still can get it on other sources and use it flawlessly and seamlessly on Windows 11/10.

Best iMovie for Windows - Windows Movie Maker
Best iMovie for Windows - Windows Movie Maker

Key Features

  • Basic editing features are available, such as trimming, cutting, rotating, splitting, altering aspect ratio, etc.
  • You can add music, titles, transitions, voice-over and other effects to your footage.
  • Share to social workflow can be performed within the software.
  • 100% free and no watermark.

Download iMovie Alternative Windows Movie Maker:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-essentials-2707b879-5004-4349-c4a4-e5900945f2a9

How to Use Windows Movie Maker

Step 1: Install Windows Movie Maker

If you already have one, launch it following this path: C:/Program Files (x86)/Windows Live/Photo Gallery/MovieMaker.

Note: the free download of Windows Movie Maker offered above is 100% virus-free.

Step 2: Add video/images/audio files

Windows Movie Maker is able to make slideshows or video montages by joining videos/images, and add background music/modify music track.

Step 3: Edit your story

You are allowed to make some simple edits like trimming, splitting, rotating, etc., mixing audio, adding credits/text/transitions as iMovie does. For example, you can Add Credits at the end of the footage in this way.

  • Click on the Credits button located in the Home tab. And it will automatically appear at the end of your footage.
  • Select the credits and click Format at the top bar, and you can adjust font, background color, duration, effects, etc. here.
  • Input text in the field.

Step 4: Save videos

To export video in Movie Maker, Click on Save movie on the home page and select an output setting for your video. You can directly share your video to social as a matter of course.

Windows Movie Maker Tutorial

3. Shotcut

Discussing the best iMovie alternative for windows for those new to video editing, you should not miss Shotcut. It's a free-to-use and open source project, so you can obtain it at no cost. Beyond that, Shotcut has stable upgrades, a forum community, and numerous video editing features as iMovie.

Best iMovie for Windows - Shotcut
Best iMovie for Windows - Shotcut

Key Features

  • A wide range of import/export options provided: MOV, M4V, 4K, ProRes, DNxHD, HDR, high frame rate and more.
  • A rich feature-set that contains stabilization, lens correction, picture in picture, blurring filter, etc.
  • Constant maintenance to fix glitches or add new features. More so, you can check its forum community where you can get technical support from other fans like the iMovie community.

Download iMovie Alternative Shotcut: https://shotcut.org/download/

How to Use Shotcut

Step 1: Freely obtain and install Shotcut

It is important to obtain Shotcut from its official site, which can protect from some of the viruses that might damage your computer.

Step 2: Customize your layout

Setting an interface that you are familiar with can speed up your workflow.

Step 3: Start working with your files

Import material from your hard drive or external drive/device. Now, you can start creating your stories using the editing tools. For instance, you can combine different shots in the timeline and add transitions between clips.

Step 4: Export your projects

Choose an output preset that automatically sets up video settings. When rendering is done, you can save it or share it on social as you wish.

Shotcut Tutorial

4. Movavi

With its well-designed interface and feature-rich applications, Movavi Video Editor has strikingly similar features to iMovie, and even more. From importing video files to transforming them with typical editing tools, transitions, and effects, to exporting edited videos in various resolutions or encoding formats, Movavi Video Editor provides a broad range of features that are comparable to iMovie. This software is ideal for creators who need to make videos for social media, presentations, or personal projects. It’s powerful and flexible, giving users access to more advanced tools like background removal, motion tracking, and LUTs color correction.

Best iMovie for Windows - Movavi
Best iMovie for Windows - Movavi

Key Features

  • Simple user interface with well-organized features
  • Comes with both basic and advanced editing tools, such as transition s, titles, and filters
  • Advanced video effects like picture-in-picture, green screen effect, etc
  • Supports a range of file formats for import and export

How to Use Movavi Video Editor

Step 1: Install Movavi Video Editor on your PC and launch it.

Step 2: Add media files that you want to edit into the timeline (drag & drop). The software supports many popular video, photo, and audio formats.

Step 3: Now you apply effects and transitions to your clip by clicking on the Effects Tab or text, titles, animated stickers captions in the Titles Tab.

Step 4: When your project is ready, go to Export. You can save it as a video file or directly upload it to YouTube, Vimeo, or Google Drive right from the program.

5. VDSC

Another variant of iMovie for Windows – VSDC free video editor. Speaking of VSDC, that app has a lot of features too, applying slow-motion and free frame, saving project file format as well as the ability to enable masking tool making it worth recommending.

Best iMovie for Windows - VSDC
Best iMovie for Windows - VSDC

Key Features

  • Timeline-based video editing.
  • Exported files will not be watermarked.
  • Beyond basic editing features, there are a variety of useful tools offered, such as video transcoder, DVD burner, screen recorder, etc.

Download iMovie Alternative VDSC: https://www.videosoftdev.com/free-video-editor

How to Use VDSC

Step 1: Create a new project

Like iMovie, you can either start editing from scratch or start with a template in VSDC project manager.

Step 2: Edit files in the timeline

VSDC is non-linear video editing software, you can edit and create your works in the timeline. The biggest difference of VSDC is the UI design that it switches to a new tab when applying effects or transitions to the clips rather than editing all the things on the same timeline area.

Step 3: Export your works

Once editing is done, go for the Export project button on top and render your work to the video settings you need.

VSDC Free Video Editor Tutorial

6. OpenShot

For beginners and starters, you can try OpenShot Video Editor either, which is also a free and open-source iMovie for Windows 11/10/8/7 without watermarks.

Best iMovie for Windows - OpenShot
Best iMovie for Windows - OpenShot

Key Features

  • Powered by the FFmpeg library, OpenShot can import and export most of the popular file formats.
  • Desktop integration. That being said, you can drag and drop files to the timeline directly from the desktop and file explorer.
  • Powered by Blender, 3D animated titles are accessible now.
  • Do simple edits using trimming, scaling, cutting, compositing, time-mapping, audio mixing, etc.

Download iMovie Alternative OpenShot: https://www.openshot.org/download/

How to Use OpenShot

Step 1: Download OpenShot

Download this iMovie alternative for Windows to your PC and launch it. No worry, it doesn't ask for high hardware specifications.

Step 2: Load files and edit

To add files to OpenShot, you can either click on the plus icon at the top ribbon or directly drag and drop files to the Project Files or the timeline.

Step 3: Export your videos

Click on the red dot at the top and set up the video settings you need. Note that a part of formats can enable hardware encoding which can reduce loads on the CPU.

OpenShot Tutorial

7. Olive

An iMovie for Windows worth looking at is Olive. It is a newly released, open-source video editing program but still at the very early stage of development. It can compete with some of the professional video editing software. If you are weighing what app you can use, you can take it for a spin.

Best iMovie for Windows - Olive
Best iMovie for Windows - Olive

Key Features

  • Its default transition is similar to the iMovie auto-content that automatically adds transitions between clips.
  • There are keyframes that help you control color, rotating, scaling and other motions or visual effects.
  • Powered by Blender, 3D animated titles are accessible now.
  • You can save your work in progress using the Olive Project format.

Download iMovie Alternative Olive: https://www.olivevideoeditor.org/download.php

How to Use Olive

Step 1: Make a new project and sequence

The first time you launch Olive, you should start with building a new project and a sequence that goes with your media files by clicking the plus button in the upper left corner.

Step 2: Add media files and edit clips

To add media files to the project, right-click on the project manager on the left and select Import to add files from any folder. By the way, Olive also still drag-and-drop.

And then you can start editing clips using cutting, splitting, inserting, etc., add transitions, visual effects, recording narration and others.

Step 3: Rendering and exporting

Before exporting your project, give it a check if there are things that you need to touch up. Hold down Ctrl and H keys on the keyboard to start rendering and exporting. At last, configure the video settings, like container format, codecs, quality, etc., that you need.

Olive Tutorial

8. Davinci Resolve

DaVinci Resolve is a complete post-production system developed by Blackmagic Design. It's a great iMovie alternative for Windows, and it goes beyond simple editing. DaVinci Resolve is free, but you can obtain a free license by ordering a Blackmagic pocket camera, which gives you a lot of extras.

Best iMovie for Windows - DaVinci Resolve
Best iMovie for Windows - DaVinci Resolve

Key Features

  • Modern UI design and leading editing modes, such as Cut page and node editor.
  • Live Save and Project Backups. The ability to automatically back up your projects.
  • Packs with video editing, sound designing, color grading, etc.

Download iMovie Alternative Davinci Resolve: https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/davinciresolve/

How to Use Davinci Resolve

Step 1: Register and download at first

Navigate to the Blackmagic Design website and freely obtain the DaVinci Resolve package by registering your details.

Step 2: Start editing projects

You can import your files in the Media page, make some edits on the Cut page or Edit page, add visual effects in the Fusion page, make color correction & adjustments in the Color page, render & export your project on the Deliver page.

DaVinci Resolve Tutorial

9. Lightworks

iMovie's features are OK for most beginners but might not satisfactory to experts who would cut Hollywood blockbusters. If you are on the hunt for an iMovie alternative for Windows packed with more advanced editing features, you can turn to the free version of Lightworks.

Best iMovie for Windows - Lightworks
Best iMovie for Windows - Lightworks

Key Features

  • A great number of container formats and codecs natively supported, such as MXF, MOV, MP4, M2T, AVI, ProRes, Avid DNxHD, RED R3D, H.264 and more.
  • It allows you to customize the keyboard shortcuts that match other NLE systems to speed up your workflow.
  • Multicam helps you edit content used multiple cameras and has clips synced with matching timecode.
  • Huge collection of plugins to extend.

Download iMovie Alternative Lightworks: https://app.lwks.com/downloads

How to Use Lightworks

Step 1: Get Lightworks on your PC

Navigate to the website of Lightworks and download the free version of Lightworks for Windows.

Step 2: Register a new account for the free of use

Lightworks asks you to register an account and log in for using its free version.

When Lightworks opening, the project browser is on, storing all your project if you have. And you can click one of them for continuous editing.

Of course, you can build a new project by selecting Create a new project on top.

Step 3: Import materials and make edits

Now you should import the file you will use to make edits. You can import videos, images and audio files by either browsing media libraries or dragging and dropping files from any folder directly inside Lightworks.

And then drag the files you need to the timeline and start working with them. You are allowed to cut, split, speed up, slow down the clips, add visual effects, text, transitions, mix audio or others.

Step 4: Export files

To export your work, right-click the viewer and select Export. And the sequence will be rendered automatically. Note that the free version of Lightworks only renders MP4 files up to 720p.

Lightworks Tutorial

10. YouTube Video Editor

Bearing some resemblance to iMovie, YouTube Video Editor is an ideal iMovie alternative that helps you make quick edits for your content through the browser. It's completely free to use and without watermarks.

Best iMovie for Windows - YouTube Video Editor
Best iMovie for Windows - YouTube Video Editor

Key Features

  • Remove content from video using splitting and trimming.
  • Add royalty music to your video from the YouTube music library.
  • You can customize blurring faces or areas in the video.
  • End screen. It's a special feature only available in this online editor.

Get Free iMovie Alternative YouTube Video Editor: https://studio.youtube.com/

How to use YouTube Video Editor

Step 1: Log in to your YouTube Studio

Sign in to your YouTube Studio via a browser. Select Videos on the sidebar and choose a video you would edit. Click Editor on the left to enable YouTube Video Editor.

Step 2: Make edits in the timeline

Modify your video by using trimming, splitting, burring, and adding a song or end screen.

Step 3: Save changes

You don't need to export the video. Click on the Save button at the upper right, the video will be rendered and renewed in a while.

YouTube Video Editor Tutorial

11. Kapwing

Kapwing is a highly capable, free browser-based video editor. All the standard features you'd expect from iMovie are present and included. But some tools work in different ways to iMovie.

Best iMovie for Windows - Kapwing
Best iMovie for Windows - Kapwing

Key Features

  • It can read and use images or videos from a URL.
  • A fresh and simple operation philosophy.
  • Editing tools like joining, cropping, resizing, adding captions, songs, etc.

Get Free iMovie Alternative Kapwing: https://www.kapwing.com/

How to Use Kapwing

Step 1: Sign in to Kapwing

You don't have to install any kind of program on your computer. You just open a new tab in your browser and log in to Kapwing or create a new account at first.

Step 2: Start a new project or go on editing

You can either start a new project from scratch or use a template offered. You can go on editing in progress works as well.

Step 3: Edit and export

If you are new to video editing, using a template can easily make your video engaging. After that, you can either share your content on social media or save it on your PC with no watermark.

Kapwing Tutorial

12. Clipchamp

Clipchamp is a web-based iMovie alternative that can solve the problem of having to download and install programs onto your computer. Although being a browser-based non-linear video editor, it can handle loads of your workflow.

Best iMovie for Windows - Clipchamp
Best iMovie for Windows - Clipchamp

Key Features

  • Split, cut, trim, rotate, flip, crop, speed up/slow down your clips with ease.
  • Freely obtain materials like videos, songs, GIFs from Clipchamp's Stock.
  • Videos will be automatically stored in the cloud.
  • Tons of popular templates are free to use.

Get Free iMovie Alternative ClipChamp: https://clipchamp.com/en/video-editor/

How to Use Clipchamp

Step 1: Log in to Clipchamp

Open the website of Clipchamp through a browser and log in with your account.

Step 2: Create a project

You can either go for making a video from scratch or take a titled template for your reference.

Step 3: Do some edits and share

When it comes to editing in Chipchamp, you can perform any edits that work on iMovie, like adding animated text, music, brands, etc., changing video's color, aspect ratio and many more. When everything is good to go, click on the Export button at the upper right, and then you can download or share to social as you like.

Clipchamp Tutorial

iMovie Alternative FAQs

1. Can you get iMovie on a Windows computer?

Unfortunately, you cannot download Apple iMovie for Windows Computers. As iMovie is only available for the Apple ecosystem (macOS & iOS), therefore, there's no official version of iMovie for Windows 11/10/8/7/vista.

2. What is comparable to iMovie for Windows?

Among the top 11 free video editors, VideoProc Vlogger is the best software that works as the best equivalent for iMovie. Because it always catches up with the iMovie updates and adds the same advanced features, such as 4K video editing, cinematic video filters, and so on.

3. Does Google have an iMovie equivalent?

Yes, if you mean an alternative to the iMovie app. Google Photos now have more enhanced video editing features, but it's only available on Android and iOS devices.

The Wrap

Here are some last-ditch insights for you. If you need an iMovie alternative designed for beginners, go with Windows Movie Maker, Shotcut, VSDC free video editor or Openshot. If your machine is too spotty to run video editing software, YouTube Video Editor, Kapwing, or Clipchamp is a good choice. If you have a high-end machine and need more powerful features, you can go out with DaVinci Resolve, Olive, or Lightworks.

About The Author

Cecilia Hwung is the editor-in-chief of Digiarty VideoProc. With over a decade of experience, she specializes in delivering insightful content on AI trends, video/audio editing, conversion, troubleshooting, and software reviews. Her expertise makes her a trusted ally in enhancing users' digital experiences.

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