OpenShot
![]() | |
![]() OpenShot Video Editor Main Window | |
Original author(s) | Jonathan Thomas |
---|---|
Developer(s) | OpenShot Studios, LLC |
Initial release | August 2008[1] |
Stable release | 2.6.1
/ September 10, 2021[2] |
Repository | |
Written in | Python, PyQt, C++ (libopenshot library) |
Operating system | Windows, macOS, Linux, Chrome OS |
Available in | 172 languages |
Type | Video editing software |
License | GPL-3.0-or-later[3] |
Website | www |
OpenShot Video Editor is a free and open-source video editor for Windows, macOS, Linux, and Chrome OS. The project started in August 2008 by Jonathan Thomas, with the objective of providing a stable, free, and friendly to use video editor.[1][4][5][6][7][8]
The program supports Windows, macOS, and Linux ever since version 2.1.0 (released in 2016).[9] OpenShot added support for Chrome OS in version 2.6.0 (released in 2021).[10] There is an unofficial portable version beginning in 2020.[11]
OpenShot is written in Python, PyQt5, C++ and offers a Python API.[12] OpenShot's core video editing functionality is implemented in a C++ library, libopenshot. The core audio editing is based on the JUCE library.
Video formats and codecs supported[]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7f/OpenShot_Video_Editor_1.4.3.png/220px-OpenShot_Video_Editor_1.4.3.png)
OpenShot supports commonly used video compression formats that are supported by FFmpeg, including WebM (VP9), AVCHD (libx264), HEVC (libx265), and audio codecs such as mp3 (libmp3lame) and aac (libfaac). The program can render MPEG4, ogv, Blu-ray, and DVD video, and Full HD videos for uploading to Internet video web sites.[13]
Features[]
![]() | This article contains content that is written like an advertisement. (November 2021) |
- Cross-platform video editing software (Linux, macOS, Windows and Chrome OS).
- Support for many video, audio, and image formats using the FFmpeg library. For a full list of supported formats, see the FFmpeg project.
- Powerful curve-based Key frame animations OpenShot comes with a powerful key frame animation framework, capable of an unlimited number of key frames and animation possibilities. Key frames interpolation mode can be quadratic bezier curves, linear, or constant, which determines how the animated values are calculated.
- Desktop integration (drag and drop support, native file browsers, window borders).
- Unlimited tracks / layers Tracks are used to layer images, videos, and audio in a project. You can create as many layers as needed, such as watermarks, background audio tracks, background videos, etc... Any transparency will show through the layer below it. Tracks can also be moved up, down, or locked.
- Clip resizing, scaling, trimming, snapping, rotation, cutting, alpha, and adjusting X,Y location. These properties can also be animated over time with just a few clicks! You can also use our transform tool to interactively resize clips.
- Video transitions with real-time previews Over 400 transitions are included in OpenShot, which lets you gradually fade from one clip to another. The quickness and sharpness of the transitions can also be adjusted using keyframes (if needed). Overlapping two clips will create a new transition automatically.
- Compositing, image overlays, watermarks When arranging clips in a video project, images on the higher tracks/layers will be displayed on top, and the lower tracks will be displayed behind them. Much like a stack of paper, items on top cover up items below them. And if you cut any holes out (i.e. transparency) the lower images will show though.
- Title templates, title creation, sub-titles Over 40 vector title templates are included with OpenShot, which makes adding titles to your project fun and easy. You can also create your own SVG vector titles, and use those as templates instead. Quickly adjust the font, color, and text of your titles in our built-in title editor.
- 3D animated titles (and effects) using Blender.
- Advanced Timeline, with features including: Drag & drop, scrolling, alignment, panning, zooming, slicing, preset animation and settings, etc.
- Frame accuracy (step through each frame of video) Our video editing library (libopenshot) has been built with accuracy in mind. This allows OpenShot to finely adjust which frames are shown (and when). Use the arrow keys on your keyboard to step frame by frame through your video project.
- Time-mapping and speed changes on clips (slow/fast, forward/backward, etc...) Control the power of time with OpenShot! Speed up and slow down clips. Reverse the direction of a video. Or manually animate the speed and direction of your clip as you wish, using the key frame animation system.
- Audio mixing and editing features, such as displaying waveforms on the timeline, or even rendering the waveform as part of your video. You can also split the audio from your video clip, and adjust each audio channel individually.
- Digital video effects, including brightness, gamma, hue, greyscale, chroma key (bluescreen / greenscreen) OpenShot includes many video effects (with more on the way). OpenShot allows you to adjust brightness, gamma, hue, greyscale, chroma key, and more.
Reviews[]
- A 2010 review of version 1.0 found it to be of alpha quality and not suited for productive use by the general public.[14]
- In 2011, TechRadar recognized OpenShot Video Editor as the Best Linux Application of 2011.
- On March 31, 2017, a review by Bryan Lunduke on Network World lauded Openshot 2.3 for "its new transformation tool and title editor—as well as its smooth performance".[15] Lunduke also positively mentioned the Linux distribution-agnostic packaging under usage of AppImage.[15]
- In 2018, ReShift awarded OpenShot a Tech Award in the Video-Editing category. The Tech Awards are a shared initiative of The Netherlands biggest and most influential techmedia: Computer!Totaal, PCM, Zoom.nl, Computer Idee, BesteProduct.nl, Techpanel, Power Unlimited, Insidegamer.nl and Gamer.nl.
- TechRadar's Oct 2020 review gave it 2 out of 5 stars,[16] suggested the program was stable but "some features don’t work making editing frustrating."
- In 2021 Q1, SaaSworthy[who?] awarded OpenShot a Top 20 Most Popular Software Award in the Video-Editing category. SaaSworthy helps choose the right platform based on detailed product information, unbiased reviews, SW score and recommendations from the community.[compared to?]
See also[]
![]() |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to OpenShot. |
- Comparison of video editing software
- List of video editing software
- Shotcut (open source video editor)
References[]
- ^ a b Nestor, Marius (1 October 2015). "OpenShot 2.0 Video Editor to Be Released Soon for Linux, Mac OS X, and Windows 10". Softpedia.
- ^ "OpenShot 2.6.1 Released". 10 September 2021. Retrieved 11 September 2021.
- ^ "OpenShot Video Editor | Simple, powerful, and free video editor for Linux!". OpenShot. 2011-07-17. Retrieved 2012-10-08.
- ^ Stahie, Silviu (1 June 2015). "OpenShot Video Editor to Get a Ten-Fold Increase in Performance Speed". softpedia.
- ^ "Free OpenShot Video Editor is Tremendous". PCWorld. 17 June 2011.
- ^ "OpenShop video editor big in 2014". opensource.com.
- ^ Dale, Brady. "These Free Video Editors Can Match the Pricey Ones' Features". Observer.
- ^ Schroder, Carla. "How To Make Movies in Linux With OpenShot - Linux.com". Linux.com - The source for Linux Information. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2015-10-03.
- ^ Thomas, Jonathan (30 Aug 2016). "OpenShot 2.1 Released!". openshot.org.
- ^ Thomas, Jonathan (25 Aug 2021). "OpenShot 2.6.0 Released - AI + Computer Vision + Audio Effects!". openshot.org.
- ^ Caswell, Gord (2020-01-15). "New: OpenShot Portable 2.4.4 (video editor) Released". PortableApps. Retrieved 2020-01-26.
- ^ https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/421164014/openshot-video-editor-for-windows-mac-and-linux/description
- ^ https://www.openshot.org/features/
- ^ Loli, Eugenia (2010-01-11). "OpenShot: A Prematurely Released Video Editor – OSnews". OSnews. Retrieved 2020-05-13.
- ^ a b Lunduke, Bryan (2017-03-31). "Linux video editor OpenShot 2.3 impresses: New tools, fast performance". Network World. Retrieved 2017-04-02.
OpenShot is distributed via appimage. That means they provide a single binary that can be run on just about any modern Linux distribution. I personally tested this out on openSUSE Tumbleweed with great success—but it should run just as easily on Debian, Fedora or others. I love this approach to distributing software directly from the developers.
- ^ Paris, Steve (2020-10-25). "OpenShot 2.5.1 review". Retrieved 25 July 2021.
External links[]
- Official website
- A simple tutorial on YouTube
- Film and video technology
- Free software programmed in Python
- Free video software
- Multimedia software
- Software that uses PyGObject
- Video editing software for Windows
- Video editing software for Linux
- Video editing software that uses GTK