Editing videos has become an essential skill for content creators, educators, and professionals alike. Fortunately, Windows provides a variety of tools and software that make video editing accessible and straightforward. In this article, we will explore how to create and edit videos on a Windows system using both built-in and third-party applications.

Built-in Tools: Windows Photos App

Windows 10 and Windows 11 come with a built-in Photos app that includes basic video editing capabilities. This is a great starting point for beginners.

Example 1: Editing a Video with Windows Photos App

1. Open the Photos App:

   • Click on the Start menu and type "Photos" to open the app.

2. Import Your Video:

   • Click on the "Import" button and select the video file you want to edit.

3. Create a New Video Project:

   • Go to the "New video" section and select "New video project."

4. Add Your Video to the Project:

   • Drag and drop your video file into the project library.

5. Edit Your Video:

   • Trim, split, or add text and effects using the toolbar options.

6. Save and Export:

   • Once you're satisfied with your edits, click on "Finish video" to export your project.

Third-Party Tools: Shotcut

For more advanced editing, third-party software like Shotcut offers a wide range of features. Shotcut is a free, open-source video editor that is compatible with Windows.

Example 2: Editing a Video with Shotcut

1. Download and Install Shotcut:

   • Visit the Shotcut website and download the Windows installer.
   • Run the installer and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.

2. Open Shotcut and Import Your Video:

   • Launch Shotcut and click on "Open File" to import your video.

3. Create a New Project:

   • Go to "File" > "New Project" and set your project parameters.

4. Add Your Video to the Timeline:

   • Drag your video from the playlist to the timeline at the bottom.

5. Edit Your Video:

   • Use the tools in the toolbar to trim, cut, add filters, and transitions.

6. Export Your Video:

   • Once your editing is complete, go to "Export" and choose your desired format and settings.
   • Click "Export File" to save your edited video.

Command Line Tools: FFmpeg

For those who prefer command-line tools, FFmpeg is a powerful option for video editing and processing. FFmpeg is a free software project that produces libraries and programs for handling multimedia data.

Example 3: Editing a Video with FFmpeg via CMD

1. Download and Install FFmpeg:

   • Visit the FFmpeg website and download the Windows build.
   • Extract the files and add the FFmpeg bin directory to your system PATH.

2. Open Command Prompt:

   • Press Win + R, type cmd, and press Enter to open the Command Prompt.

3. Trim a Video:

   • Use the following command to trim a video from the 30th second to the 60th second:

     ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -ss 00:00:30 -to 00:01:00 -c copy output.mp4

4. Convert Video Format:

   • Convert a video from MP4 to AVI format:

     ffmpeg -i input.mp4 output.avi

5. Add a Watermark:

   • Add a watermark to your video:

     ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -i watermark.png -filter_complex "overlay=10:10" output.mp4