A Chromebook is a less costly and more affordable alternative to pricey Mac or Windows computers. Casual users can easily surf social media, watch their favourite Netflix series, and even do simple activities using the built-in Google suite.
You may feel a little unsure if you need to use a video editor on a Chromebook for business or education. Despite how useful Chromebooks may be, Chrome OS cannot run the myriad desktop applications that Mac and Windows users make use of.
That doesn’t imply you have to spend more money on a new laptop or that you can no longer edit movies without a professional editor. Some of the greatest video editing software is simple to use on Chrome OS.
There is a Chromebook video editor to meet your requirements, whether you’re a creative professional, a social media content maker, a teacher, or a student working on a project.
The best seven video editors for Chromebooks are examined in this post. Now you can edit your videos with or without watermarks, depending on which tool you go for. So be careful to note their outlined features.
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In This Article
The Best Video Editors for Chromebook – Free to use
PowerDirector
Some of its Features:
- Video editing in 4K.
- Capability for a green screen.
- Stabilizer for video.
- Animating titles.
PowerDirector meets all the requirements for adaptability, use, and quality. Regular users weren’t shocked to learn that this free Chromebook video editor made the Google Editor’s Choice list.
To satiate both experts and eager newcomers, the program provides eye-catching special effects, video overlays, colour-grading tools, audio effects, and new design packs each month. PowerDirector is the finest overall Chromebook video editor in our opinion because of this.
You can download PowerDirector right to your PC thanks to Chromebooks’ compatibility with Android applications. The software is ideal for making videos at home or when travelling.
Designing flawless transitions, dynamic motion graphics, and slow-motion scenarios, and applying themed templates for speedy editing is simple thanks to the user-friendly interface.
Having complete access to the free images, videos, and music from Shutterstock via PowerDirector will also help you create better videos. And PowerDirector, which is available for school license, is a fantastic tool to use in the classroom.
You should not worry that the PowerDirector Chromebook software won’t provide the same punch as the acclaimed desktop editor.
The app’s user interface closely resembles that of the desktop platform and even gives artists access to simple timeline editing tools.
The dashboard’s drag-and-drop functionality works flawlessly on a phone, tablet, or desktop. Using this video editor for Chromebook, you can rely on an easy, user-friendly experience whether you like to edit with your fingers, a touchpad, or a mouse.
Pros
- Every month, new design components are introduced.
- Drag and drop dashboard that is simple to use and makes editing easy.
Cons
- Certain features are exclusive to the premium version.
Are you prepared to start making awesome videos that enthral your viewers or engage your students? Start editing right now on your Chromebook by downloading PowerDirector.
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OpenShot
Some of its Features:
- 400 or more preset effects
- Unlimited tunes
- Forty-plus vector title templates
- Removing background.
OpenShot is a free, open-source video editor for Chromebooks. Using an open-source video editor has several advantages, such as the fact that all of the tools are available for free and there isn’t a paid version with access to the majority of the useful features.
Also, there is desktop connectivity, so it’s simple to drag and drop files from your Chromebook into OpenShot. The information is updated often and is watermarked-free since it is open-source.
OpenShot has several rather sophisticated capabilities, like Bezier curves, keyframe animation, audio waveforms, and more, even if it is not as feature-rich as the majority of expensive Chromebook video editors.
All of your standard editing tools, including cropping, rotation, scaling, and snapping, are available in OpenShot along with colour correction tools like brightness, gamma, hue, and greyscale.
OpenShot is constantly updated, user-friendly for beginners, and offers more professional-level capabilities than you’d anticipate from a free video editor for Chromebooks, similar to PowerDirector, our top pick.
However, we discovered that OpenShot operates slowly, while PowerDirector offers the quickest rendering speeds of any video editing tool on the market.
We also noticed that it lacked certain PowerDirector features, including a free stock library, and had an archaic design and a bit of unstable performance.
Pros
- No watermark.
- Chromebook desktop compatibility.
Cons
- Numerous users report freezing, lagging, and unexpected crashes.
- Sluggish rendering, exporting and importing.
- obsolete interface
Adobe Express
Some of its Features:
- 2 GB of memory.
- Thousands of design elements and fonts.
- Tool for background removal
- overlaying video.
Adobe Express (formerly known as Adobe Spark) is both free and user-friendly, in contrast to the majority of Adobe products, which are infamously costly and difficult to use.
Because Adobe Creative Cloud subscribers can use all the features of the premium version of Adobe Express without paying extra money (the paid version of Adobe Express is too expensive to pay for the app alone), even though the free version never expires, we named Adobe Express as the best Chromebook video editor for them.
You may be asking why someone who spends money on programs like After Effects and Premiere Pro would want a simple and fast video editor.
Except for Acrobat, Adobe Express is the only Adobe product that can be used on a web browser, smartphone, and Chromebook. Users of Adobe Premiere Pro may record, edit, and share fast movies to social media while on the road with the free video editor for Chromebooks.
To ease the editing process, Adobe Express offers hundreds of templates to choose from. The editing program offers drag-and-drop templates for creating videos for social media, websites, virtual schools, or marketing campaigns.
A small selection of royalty-free Adobe Stock images is also included in the free edition of this Chromebook video editor, along with effects, filters, and texture choices.
Adobe Express still provides enough options to create entertaining videos for private use or social networking, even if the greatest design materials, themes, and stock are only available to paying customers.
The Premium edition of this video editor for Chromebooks, however, will cost you a pretty penny if you want to make use of the branding and commercial opportunities offered by the platform.
Pros
- Along with a substantial 30-day free trial of Premium features, the free version has no expiration date.
- Can be used with other Adobe products.
Cons
- The free version has a watermark.
- Fewer templates and components than in the Premium version.
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KineMaster
Some of its Features:
- 8 mixing options
- Colour key
- Backwards
- Transitions
Anyone with a mobile device can cut, arrange, transition between, and export video clips into polished, high-quality movies using KineMaster.
Because it allows you to record and edit a quick Instagram Reel or Tik Tok in real-time, we named it the best Chromebook video editor for social media posts.
The variety of fun stickers, effects, frames, and other decorative elements available from KineMaster make it easy to make a post that your friends will enjoy.
KineMaster has a broad feature set that is housed in a user-friendly interface. Creators can drag clips, music, sound effects, and more to the timeline layout, much like PowerDirector’s interface.
This Chromebook video editor’s free version gives users access to numerous themes, templates, and cost-free stock.
By purchasing a KineMaster subscription, you can get rid of the watermark, get rid of the ads, support 4K video, and access all the premium assets and presets.
This Chromebook video editor has a sizable number of resources and tools in its free version, similar to PowerDirector and OpenShot, but the quality is not as high-end and the tools lack fine-tuning.
Pros
- Smooth user interface
- A wide variety of decorative items
Cons
- Lacks specialized fine-tuning
- Ads and a watermark are included in the free edition.
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Kapwing
Some of its Features:
- Automatic generation of subtitles
- Delete the backdrop.
- Tools for adjusting speed.
- Colour correction
With some incredible video collaboration capabilities, Kapwing is a browser-based video editor for Chromebooks. Anyone may access and change information since it is available on the web from any location using a Chromebook, Mac, Windows, Android, or iPhone.
Similar to Google Docs, team members may edit concurrently and view each other’s changes. Also, because all of the material created by your team is kept in one location, you never have to worry about losing an important file.
All features are accessible in the free edition of this Chromebook video editor, but paid material is not.
Some of its tools include smart cut which automatically removes silences from your video, and tools for adding text, graphics, effects, and music to your videos. There are also a ton of templates, which are organized by platform or theme.
Anyone, from a novice to an expert, may benefit from Kapwing’s simple, user-friendly style and plugin ecosystem. It is a great video editor for Chromebooks.
However, Kapwing offers one of the most costly premium editions of all of the Chromebook video editors on our list, and the team’s features are only accessible with a subscription.
Furthermore, the free version lacks privacy, allowing anybody with internet access to see your projects.
Pros
- A top-notch premium edition with capabilities for collaborative work.
- Several functional templates for social networking sites.
Cons
- Costly monthly subscription for quality material.
- Recurring bugs and slowness.
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VivaVideo
Some of its Features:
- Stickers and emojis
- Error impact
- Trim/Split
- Speed modification
VivaVideo is excellent for producing movies on the move, much like Kinemaster. Your Chromebook or smartphone can rapidly record, edit, and upload. Short videos work well with this Chromebook video editor.
In reality, you may only make videos that are five minutes or less in length using the free version. However, since this software is mostly used for social media postings, most videos won’t last much more than five minutes.
Filters, effects, typography, interesting transitions, sound effects, a voice changer, and a free music library are just a few of the entertaining gimmicks that VivaVideo offers that are perfect for fast, Tik Tok-style videos.
Even your music may be added to your video. You may choose between all of the aspect ratios available for social media in the app.
Like most of our free products, this Chromebook video editor contains some premium features like colour correction.
Also, membership will do rid of pop-up adverts, remove the VivaVideo watermark, and enable you to make videos longer than 5 minutes.
Due to time restrictions and ads that aren’t present in our other options, this Chromebook video editor’s free version is close to the bottom of our list.
Pros
- With one-click apps, it is simple to use.
- Edit numerous tracks and layers.
Cons
- If generating movies longer than 5 minutes, even the paid version delays and crashes.
- The voice changer tool is not very effective.
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WeVideo
Some of its Features:
- Voice over
- 50 transitions
- Screen Recorder
- GIF maker
Another web-based Chromebook video editor that works on all platforms and gadgets is WeVideo. It is a wonderful alternative for novices since it is simple to use, doesn’t demand commitment, has no installation, and is completely free.
Also, it provides excellent customer service, so if you have any queries about how to complete a task, they will be promptly resolved.
WeVideo offers 30 effects that may be applied quickly with only one click. The text templates and titles in this Chromebook video editor are also better than those in many expensive, professional apps.
There are several product demonstrations and templates available for well-known social networking platforms.
Even if the free version never expires, it’s more of a “try before you purchase” option since a content creator or company could never rely on it in the long run.
You can only export 5 minutes of watermarked material each month from WeVideo. This Chromebook video editor’s free edition has relatively few capabilities, and the premium version may be rather pricey.
All of the features—cropping, slow motion, green screen, social media uploads, and stock assets—are available only to subscribers.
Pros
- Excellent support for formats.
- Outstanding customer service.
Cons
- Maximum 480p resolution.
- Lengthy import wait time.
Here is another list of the top video editors, starting with the best. We refer to it as a ranking of the top 3 free video editors for Chromebooks, along with some explanations of what makes them the best of the best.
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Top 3 video editors for Chromebooks (Free)
PowerDirector (Best Overall)
For Chromebooks, PowerDirector is a free video editor that comes with a ton of awesome features and effects. It is enough for experienced video editors to appreciate while yet being simple enough for novices.
OpenShot (Best Open-Source Video Editor)
Any online browser may be used to access the open-source video editor OpenShot for Chromebooks. OpenShot provides various cutting-edge editing capabilities without charging.
Adobe Express (Best for Adobe Creative Cloud Subscribers)
For Chromebooks, Adobe Express is a free video editor that can be downloaded or viewed online. It provides the customary Adobe quality without the hassle.
How to Edit a Video on a Chromebook
Here is a step-by-step tutorial on using PowerDirector, the top Chromebook video editor, to edit videos.
Trimming a Video
- Launch the app, then start a new project.
- the Timeline with your video. To display a white box around your clip, tap the timeline.
- Change the starting and ending points of the video by dragging the sliders on each side of it.
- To get a preview of your new clip, tap the Play button.
Splitting a Video
- Move the Playhead to the desired cutting point while your movie is shown on the Timeline.
- At that point, a white line will be visible. To enlarge the video, pinch open the clip.
- To cut the footage, tap the Split symbol.
Adding and Editing Text
- Tap Text after placing your movie on the Timeline.
- Look through the many texts and title templates, download your favourite, and then click the Plus to add it to your clip.
- Add more text to the timeline until it reaches the desired length.
- Tap Edit and enter your text in the bottom-left Text Menu. When finished, click the checkbox.
- To change the font, text colour, or graphic colour, or to divide or duplicate the text, use the other tools in the Text Menu.
- To change the text’s position and size on your clip, use your fingers.
Produce and share Videos
- Select the Upload option in the upper right corner of the screen after you have finished editing your movie.
- Deciding on Produce and Share.
- Click Produce after selecting a video resolution.
- After selecting Share, choose a location to share your video.
- Instead of selecting Produce and Share, you can decide to share content directly to Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, or any combination of the three.
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Using the Best Free Video Editors for Chromebook
It’s difficult to choose a video editor on a Chromebook. To make videos you’ll be happy to share, you must strike a balance between functionality, compatibility, and editing power.
With PowerDirector, you can turn your Chromebook into a powerful video editing tool. Even complete novices may easily produce engaging, professional-looking video clips with PowerDirector.
The award-winning PowerDirector desktop application for Windows and Mac is now accessible on Chromebooks, Android devices, and iPhones.
To give you enough time to evaluate whether this Chromebook video editor is a suitable match for you, the software provides a generous 30-day free trial of each function.
You have the choice to use the free version beyond the trial period or to purchase a reasonable subscription to have access to all the professional functionalities.
And unlike every other tool on our list, PowerDirector’s free edition is crammed with effects, themes, filters, and other features. If you use the appropriate editing tools, your Chromebook can produce awesome content.