5 Best Windows Movie Maker Alternatives on Windows [Free & Paid]

For over a decade and a half, Windows Movie Maker was a staple for Windows users looking to do some basic video editing. Then, Microsoft discontinued it in 2017, leaving millions of users worldwide in a lurch. Fortunately, there are plenty of alternatives available in the market. However, the problem is finding a movie maker that's powerful, efficient, and easy to learn for newbie users. The good news is that we've done the hard work of reviewing the popular movie makers and finding the best among them. So, stay tuned.

Part 1: A Detailed Overview of Windows Movie Maker

1. What is Windows Movie Maker?

Windows Movie Maker was a powerful video editing tool available as standard on all Windows PCs for over a decade. It wasn't the most feature-rich video editor, but anyone could use it with some tinkering. Sure, you couldn't create professional videos with it, but you could impress your family during get-togethers by creatively editing home videos. For a while, Windows Movie Maker was the most popular video editor.

2. What Makes Windows Movie Maker the Most Popular Editor?

Windows Movie Maker's popularity comes from its ease of use and convenient access on PCs. Since all Windows PCs had it, users could use it without downloading or installing anything. But that's not the entire story behind its success. Here are some reasons why it was so popular:

• User-friendly UI with drag and drop feature
• Basic transitions and effects
• Video stabilization
• Add or remove voiceovers and other audio
• No video editing experience needed to use the tool
• Fairly advanced features like timelines

3. Why We Need Programs like Windows Movie Maker?

PC users requiring some basic editing never had to look beyond Windows Movie Maker for their needs. Then Microsoft did the unthinkable. They got rid of Windows Movie Maker altogether. Disappointed Windows users are now forced to look elsewhere for their video editing needs.

In some cases, if you're still on old Windows OSes, you may still be able to use Windows Movie Maker with a bit of workaround, but it's time to move on because of the following reasons:

• Microsoft discontinuing support for Windows Movie Maker means that any bugs and issues will never be fixed
• Windows Movie Maker lacks some basic video editing features like contrast and saturation
• Although it offers plenty of effects, they are all standardized. You cannot adjust the effects

Part 2: Top 10 Movie Maker Alternatives for Windows 10/11 Download

Windows 10 and 11 users have no other option but to look beyond Windows Movie Maker to edit their videos. That's the bad news. The good news is that there are plenty of user-friendly video editors out there. Here are our top picks among them:

1. Microsoft Photos

Although Windows Movie Maker may work on some older Windows versions, Microsoft has completely discontinued it for its latest Oses. In its place, Microsoft has introduced a video editor as part of its Photos app. Unfortunately, the video editor in Microsoft Photos does not offer nearly enough features and customizations as the original Windows Movie Maker.

Still, Microsoft Photos is a pretty handy app for basic video editing. It has all the standard options like crop, rotate, speed, text, split, effects, and more. It's available by default on Windows 10 and 11, and it's free.

2. ShotCut

ShotCut is a free and open-source video editor available for Windows, Max, and Linux platforms. Besides the standard video editing options, you'll also find advanced capabilities like webcam video capture, blending modes, keyframing, auto-rotating, color wheels for color adjusting, eye dropper, and more. ShotCut is a beast for video editing.

3. DaVinci Resolve

DaVinci Resolve is a Hollywood-grade video editor. It occupies the top spot among editors for advanced color correction of videos. However, it has something for everyone. If you're a beginner, you can use DaVinci Resolve's free version for basic video editing. You can also increase your skills and upgrade the tool's features. The paid version ($295) gives you more advanced features. You can also onboard entire teams as you grow big. Currently, DaVinci Resolve is available for Windows, Max, and Linux platforms.

4. OpenShot

OpenShot is best placed to be the successor of Windows Movie Maker for casual users. For one, OpenShot is delightfully beginner-friendly. Two, all its features are highly intuitive and easy to use. And three, it's free! It doesn't get any better than this, right?

Well, it does! OpenShot offers advanced editing features like audio effects, color filters, chroma key, video effects, transitions, subtitles, and more. It's a timeline-based editor and lets you make precise and accurate edits to your video.

5. Kapwing

Kapwing is an online video editor and perhaps the best windows movie maker replacement. It features basic video editing tools and some advanced features like subtitles, audio, and shapes. Perhaps Kapwing's biggest advantage is that it can be used on any browser-compatible device - Mac, PC, smartphone, tablet - you name it.

Part 3: How to Choose the Best Windows Movie Maker Replacement

Still confused about which Windows Movie Maker alternative to choose? We've created a quick comparison chart to help you decide where you stand and which tools work best for you. Depending on your unique needs and familiarity with video editing, you can pick a tool that best fits your needs.

Bonus: Best Video Editor/Converter/Compressor for Windows and Mac

Everyone uses video editors for different purposes. If you use it solely to compress files into smaller sizes or convert them into different formats, then you don't need a full-fledged video editor. With HitPaw Univd (HitPaw Video Converter), you can easily convert and compress all your videos besides performing common video editing functions.

HitPaw Univd - All-in-one Video Solutions for Win & Mac

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• Basic Editing Features: Cut videos, merge them, crop them, add subtitles to them, etc.
• Lossless Conversion: Convert your videos lossily or losslessly with the right compression
• Edit Video Metadata: Add, change, or remove metadata from the video
• Built-in AI: Use generative AI to infuse a variety of effects, animations, and more
• Audio Remover: Need voices or background sound removed from videos? You got it!
• Blur Faces: Blur faces before sharing your funny videos with the world

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Guide to Edit Video with Software Like Windows Movie Maker

HitPaw Univd easily meets all the basic video editing needs of most beginners. Here's how you can use it:

• Tool 1: How to Cut Video

Launch HitPaw Univd >> Navigate to "Edit" tab >> Cut >> Drop and drop the video.




Drag the playhead to the precise point on the video timeline where you'd like to cut the video > Click on the "Scissors" icon to split the video. You can also merge the cut videos using "Merge into one file"




Preview the cut video >> Choose output format >> Click "Export" or "Export All"

• Tool 2: How to Merge Videos Into One

You can merge the cut videos using "Merge into one file"


• Tool 3: How to Crop and Rotate a Video

Navigate to "Crop & Rotate" >> Rate by 90^o or 180^o clockwise or anticlockwise.




To crop the video, use the 4-walled matrix to crop the video. Alternatively, you can also use one of the preset aspect ratios to crop the video automatically.




Export after confirming that the output video resolution is the same as the input video.

• Tool 4: How to Add Filters to a Video

Navigate to Filter >> Use preset filters to quickly add filters to the video.




Additionally, you can fine-grain the filter settings using the options under the "Adjust" tab.




Click the "Apply all to list" button to apply the same filter settings to all videos in your imported list.

• Tool 5: How to Speed Up or Slow Down Video

Navigate to the "Speed" tab and choose one of the available preset speeds between 0.25x to 4x.


• Tool 6: How to Add Watermark to Video

Visit the "Watermark" tab to add a Text or Image watermark to your videos. You can drag the watermark on video playback, drop it at a suitable place, and even adjust its transparency.




To apply the same watermark to all videos in the current batch, just check "Apply all to list".

• Tool 7: How to Stabilize Shaky Video (Windows Version Only)

Navigate to "Video Stabilization" under the "Edit" tab >> Import videos.




Use the Stabilization slider to set the stabilization percentage. It's set to 50% by default. You can tinker with the slider until you achieve the perfect stabilization for your videos. Then, click "Export".

FAQs about Windows Movie Maker Substitute

Conclusion

Windows Movie Maker was an excellent video editor for beginners for as long as it lasted. Now, it's time to move on and pick the right alternative for your video editing needs. While there are plenty of options, HitPaw Univd goes beyond basic video editing and gives users the power of AI. Check it out today.