Exploring Instagram's New Video Editing App: Edits

Meta has introduced its much-anticipated stand-alone video editing application called Edits, designed specifically for creating Instagram Reels. Despite initial delays, this app is now accessible globally for users to download and explore.

The Edits app takes cues from ByteDance’s CapCut, a popular tool for editing vertical videos effectively. Instagram's Reels feature, showcasing clips chosen by algorithms, was initially launched in a strategic move against TikTok’s growing dominance. True to Meta’s style, it has borrowed popular features from other platforms to stay competitive. Hence, Edits, a tool aimed at simplifying social video production for creators, marks an expected part of Meta's efforts to remain relevant.

Curious about diving into Edits? Having experimented with it this week, I've prepared an overview of Instagram’s video-editing features and how it contrasts with CapCut.

Navigating Instagram's Edits App for Video Creation

Available for both Android and iOS devices, the Edits app requires users to log in through their Instagram account — a move that aligns with Meta’s goal of enhancing Reel content creation specifically. Once logged in, users can record videos within the app up to 10 minutes long.

Within the Projects section, all recorded videos are displayed, and it's possible to upload clips from the device’s camera storage. Upon accessing the app post-login, five tabs line the bottom interface.

The first tab is a brainstorming area to capture ideas and review saved Instagram videos. Next is a feature where users can scroll through videos with popular audio tracks and easily adopt these tracks for their own creations. The middle tab showcases ongoing projects, allowing users to upload stored clips for conversion into Reels. Then, there’s a tab for capturing videos within the Edits app. Lastly, the Insights tab offers engagement analytics for previous Reels.

The Inspiration section connects users to trending songs for easy video creation, while the Ideas tab serves as a repository for components destined for new Reels. Finally, the Insights tab offers performance data, including viewer statistics.

Familiarity with CapCut isn't necessary to master Edits, but users with experience in vertical video editing will recognize familiar elements: a clip timeline and various editing tools at the bottom. Sound adjustment is flexible with music or voice-over integration options, alongside capabilities to overlay text, images, and stickers on video projects. Clips can be trimmed by adjusting their edges or rearranged by dragging them along the timeline.

Users can search for and add music from both saved Instagram tracks and external sources. The app's linear editing resembles that of other touch-friendly video-editing interfaces. Once satisfied, creators can download and share their final video, choosing to post on Instagram or other platforms.

What Sets Edits Apart from CapCut?

While purposefully similar, Edits and CapCut have notable differences. Edits is designed to be less overwhelming and simpler than CapCut, which sometimes requires subscriptions for additional features — something Edits currently lacks but may adopt later. However, Edits contains fewer AI editing options, which CapCut provides in abundance.

Initially, Edits appears more user-friendly, yet CapCut might appeal to detail-oriented creators seeking extensive editing controls. Notably, Edits functions exclusively on mobile and doesn’t yet offer a desktop version, unlike CapCut.

Edits provides features for isolating subjects within videos and has automated tools for captioning with support for diverse languages and styles.