Meta recently released a new video editing app called Edits, designed to rival ByteDance’s CapCut, a popular short-form video-editing tool used by many creators. Meta first announced it was working on Edits in January after CapCut was temporarily removed from U.S. app stores during the TikTok ban. Although CapCut has since returned, TikTok’s future in the U.S. remains uncertain, giving Meta an opportunity to position Edits as an alternative.
To get started with Edits, download the app on iOS or Android. After opening the app, log in with your Instagram account. You’ll find five main tabs: Ideas, Inspiration, Projects, Record, and Insights. The Ideas tab helps creators brainstorm and save video concepts, while the Inspiration tab showcases trending audios and popular reels. The Projects tab stores ongoing video edits and allows uploading from your camera roll. The Record tab lets you film directly in the app, and the Insights tab provides performance metrics like views, reach, and follower counts.
Edits offers a variety of tools and features for video editing. The green screen function lets you replace and edit backgrounds with one tap. The timeline feature allows precise clip arrangement, while automatic captions support multiple languages. You can add music from Instagram’s audio library and use AI-powered tools like Animate to turn static images into videos. Other features include cutouts for object isolation, alignment guides for proper positioning, and beat markers for syncing clips with audio.
The app also includes 30 different filters and transitions, a teleprompter for scripted recordings, and AI-powered restyling options. Keyframes enable animation of clip positions, and the cut silences feature removes unwanted pauses. Users can import custom audio, preview clips while recording, and apply adjustments to all clips simultaneously.
While both Edits and CapCut are strong options for short-form video editing, there are key differences. CapCut currently offers more advanced editing tools, including AI features, due to its longer presence in the market. It also has a larger music library and a web version, whereas Edits is mobile-only. Another distinction is that CapCut has a paid subscription for premium features, while Edits remains free—though Instagram’s head has hinted that future versions may introduce paid options.
This article was originally published in May and is updated regularly with new information.