Though it’s lost some features, the Photos app is still a nice video editor
Source: Windows Central
You might think that the built-in Photos app on Windows 10 is just for photos, but despite its name, the Photos app has a handy built-in video editor. We first took a look at this video editor only over two years ago, giving it a 4/5 rating thanks to its ease of use and free price tag. Two years later, the Photos app has some new features, but nothing I’d consider groundbreaking. Are these changes enough to make a noticeable difference? We take a look at our 2020 re-review of the Photos app as a video editor.
Simple editing
Photos app
Bottom line: Windows 10’s built-in Photos app has a handy video editor that works smoothly with touch or a mouse and keyboard. It’s not going to replace Premiere Pro, but it’s a nice video editor to use.
Pros:
- Free
- Supports touch and mouse and keyboard
- Works well with OneDrive content
- Easy to use
- Gained ability to backup and duplicate projects
Cons:
- Lacks fine-tune controls
- Lacks a timeline
- Mostly stagnant in terms of features
- Lost ability to sync metadata across devices
Simple creation
Source: Windows Central
The video editor lays clips out separately, allowing you to trim and split them to fit your video. You can also add effects like text, 3-D effects from the web, and filters. These tools are fine, but I wish Microsoft expanded the library of features for the video editor. You still can’t add transitions, and editing audio to sync with video is a hassle.
Creating videos and editing them is easy to do with either touch or a mouse and keyboard. This is handy for 2-in-1 devices like the Surface Pro. Many video editors cater to mouse and keyboard setups, so a touch-friendly option is a nice change. You lose the fine-tune controls of an app designed for advanced video creation, but that’s okay. The Photos app isn’t meant to compete with professional editing apps. Instead, it’s for the average person who wants to snip together some clips of their vacation or make a video montage of their kids.
I think for projects like the one above, this is a handy video editor. I happened to make this video with a mouse and keyboard, but it easily could have been done on a touch screen.
Standing still
Source: Windows Central
In the software world, an app staying mostly the same for two years is generally a bad thing. There are exceptions, such as an app that “just works” and doesn’t need to be touched, but the Photos app’s video editor doesn’t fall into this category.
A few specific changes and a continued effort to improve the app would do this video editor some good. I’d love to see transitions, improved audio control, and a regular stream of new features from Microsoft. I don’t expect this video editor ever to replace a professional or paid application, but adding meaningful functionality at a reasonable pace would go a long way.
Overall thoughts
Source: Windows Central
My main disappointment in Photos in this re-review is that it’s mostly the same as before. While some apps are close to perfect and don’t need much in terms of updates, the Photos app’s video editor could really benefit from some simple additions and improvements. In my mind, if you’re mostly staying still, the rest of the software world is moving forward, and you’re going to fall behind. As a result, the Photos app’s video editor loses half a star compared to last time.
Simple editing
Photos
Built-in editing
The Photos app has a built-in video editor that’s surprisingly nice to use with a touch-enabled device. It’s not a professional editor, but it is an excellent way to make straightforward videos.
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