Meta has officially launched “Edits,” a video-creation application similar to CapCut, the company announced on Tuesday. This app is being introduced on a global scale and is designed to help creators track video ideas, gain inspiration for new content, and create videos enhanced with effects and AI tools. Edits is accessible on both iOS and Android platforms.
Upon release, all the app’s features are available to users for free. However, Instagram’s head, Adam Mosseri, mentioned earlier this month that future versions of Edits might incorporate paid features.
The development of Edits was initially disclosed in January, following the temporary removal of ByteDance-owned CapCut from U.S. app stores during the brief enforcement of the TikTok ban. Even though CapCut has since returned to availability, the future of TikTok in the United States remains uncertain. As a result, Meta is positioning itself to take advantage if CapCut were to become unavailable again.
The introduction of this new app is also a strategic effort by Meta and Instagram to encourage creators to utilize Edits rather than CapCut for short-form content production. According to Instagram’s announcement, Edits is designed to facilitate video creation not only for Instagram and Facebook but also for “any platform,” likely referring to competitors such as TikTok and YouTube Shorts.
A notable difference between Edits and CapCut is that Edits allows for watermark-free video exports, unlike CapCut, which requires a subscription to CapCut Pro for the same service.
Edits include several features such as the “Ideas” tool for jotting down video concepts, the “Projects” feature for managing various creations, and the “Inspirations” tool which allows users to browse trending audio and create videos using discovered sounds. The app also offers a “Green screen” feature for background replacement and a “Timeline” feature for arranging and adjusting clips, along with automatic captioning and music from Instagram’s library.
The app’s “Animate” feature allows for the transformation of static images into videos using AI, while the “Cutouts” feature enables precise object isolation and tracking. Once the video creation process is complete, users can share their work directly to Instagram or Facebook or export it for use on other platforms.
Furthermore, Edits provides insights to assist users in understanding content strategies and factors influencing reach and distribution.
Meta has also hinted at several upcoming features for Edits. Among these are a “Modify” tool for altering the appearance of videos using AI and a “Keyframes” feature that allows users to adjust the position, rotation, or size of clips at specific moments. Creations with collaborative feedback options involving other creators or brands will soon be possible. Additionally, Meta plans to expand its offerings with more fonts, text animations, transitions, voice effects, filters, sound effects, and music options in future updates.
