Windows Movie Maker Review 2022 – Pros and Cons, Pricing
installation
The first thing we want to see for any video editing software is the installation. quick and easy installation is a major advantage when you need to edit videos on different machines or devices.
windows movie maker is designed to run on windows desktops and laptops. therefore, if you want to install it, you will need to download it on a desktop or laptop. windows movie maker will not work for mac.
once you have downloaded windows movie maker, the installation is quite simple. because windows movie maker was included in the essentials package from microsoft, it would open a single installer for all the applications in the package. users could then turn apps on and off to choose which ones they wanted to install and which ones they wanted to skip. The installer then guides you through the installation process and then you can open windows movie player on your desktop or laptop and start editing.
support
windows movie maker was first introduced over 20 years ago as a included part of windows me (and compatible with windows 7) and was also included in future versions of windows (for windows 8 and xp). however, today it is not included and is no longer officially supported by Microsoft. That means Windows Movie Maker isn’t available to download directly from Microsoft, and you might have trouble getting help with issues and errors. Also, getting an update to the latest version can be a challenge, especially if your current version doesn’t work. The modern replacement for Movie Maker for Windows 10 is Photos, a photo editing and organizing app with video editing functionality.
However, you may be able to find and download windows movie maker online. Always be careful when looking for video editing software online as you want to make sure you choose a safe dealer and reliable software.
interface and functions
After installing windows movie maker, it’s time to start editing. imovie users will feel right at home with the interface as it is a very similar environment. The editor gives you a somewhat simplified version of a video editor’s timeline, and you can edit clips by dragging them to different places on the timeline. each clip looks like a long thumbnail image with a clear image of the first frame and faded images of subsequent frames.
When editing audio for a video clip, you have the option to view the audio waveform for each clip as a thumbnail. this gives you a pretty quick and easy way to see where the loudest and quietest parts of your video are. Size options on thumbnails make it a bit easier to handle long and short clips when you’re working on small details or making larger edits to a longer project. and there’s also a zoom control at the bottom of the screen that lets you zoom in and out on clip thumbnails to reduce guesswork when doing detailed editing on specific frames.
you can trim and split video clips on the fly by hovering over the area where you want to make a cut, or you can use the edit buttons for more precision. Like most video editing programs, Windows Movie Maker takes a bit of getting used to, but once you’ve found the tools and features you need, you can get the job done.
features
so what key features can you expect when working with windows movie maker? Whether you’re editing a few clips together for fun, or editing a feature-length movie, there are a few key features you’ll need, including:
- import and arrange
- audio effects
- titles
- transitions
- stabilization
- visual effects
- sharing options
import and organize
windows movie maker allows you to import and organize images in various formats, including wmv/asf, avi, wma, mp3, mp4, mpg, wav, and mov, among others. Basically, with a few exceptions, you can probably import clips in whatever format you prefer. media organization is done by moving clips on the timeline.
audio effects
In addition to importing and organizing a wide range of video formats, Windows Movie Maker also allows you to select a variety of audio tracks. import capabilities include mp3, m4a, wav, wma, aif, and ogg. Microsoft also designed the ability to search Vimeo and some other sources for music files. the music tools tab allows you to further fine-tune your audio. With the tools here, you can increase or decrease volume, create fade-in and fade-out effects, and trim audio tracks to match video clips.
titles
just like other video editing programs, windows movie maker allows you to add and customize titles for your videos. you can choose any of your system fonts, and there are several animations to choose from, including swipe, spin, and zoom. If you want to include subtitles for English translation or for the hearing impaired, you can add a text box and move it on the screen to place it where you want.
stabilization
Available in the latest versions of windows movie maker, stabilization is a key feature that you can find in the edit menu. this feature allows you to “edit” slight camera shake and wobble that may have occurred during shooting. when using the stabilization features, you have the option to apply low and high versions of anti-shake and wobble correction. basically, if you only have a very slight movement or wobble, use the low version for a little correction. if the problem is more serious, try to fix it with the high level.
transitions
Along with stabilization, good transitions are essential to creating professional-looking videos. This is another area where veteran video editors will feel right at home with Windows Movie Maker or just about any other home video editing app. windows movie maker offers a variety of transition options, including curls, slides, wipes, patterns, and reveals.
visual effects
Creating standout movies and videos is so much easier when you have a variety of visual effects to choose from. windows movie maker offers some options to create different visual effects for your video clips. From the visual effects tab, you can choose edge detection to make your video look like an animated sketch. you can also deepen and saturate the colors in a clip, create a pixelated look, or warp a shot. Although it has as many visual effects as windows movie maker, you cannot adjust the intensity of any of the effects once you choose them. you can use or discard them, but you can’t adjust them.
sharing capabilities
Once you’re done editing a video project, you’ll want to share it, right? windows movie maker gives you several sharing options right from the app, including:
- youtube
- vimeo
With this capability, you can ensure that you share the correct size and aspect ratio version of any video on the intended platform. However, to share on your favorite platforms, Windows Movie Maker requires you to sign in to a Microsoft account, which can add a barrier for users who don’t have MS Office accounts. Since Windows Movie Maker is no longer actively supported by Microsoft, this capability may not remain an option in the future.
