# Need some video editing software for PC - oh, has to be free **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 19, 2017, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-video-editing-software-for-pc-oh-has-to-be-free/786972 "2017-05-19T00:34:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2017, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-video-editing-software-for-pc-oh-has-to-be-free/786972/1 "2017-05-19T00:34:17Z")
Simplest and easiest to use PC based video editing software…also, it has to be free… ---
**Author:** ![Palooka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/palooka/32/2902_2.png) [@Palooka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palooka)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2017, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-video-editing-software-for-pc-oh-has-to-be-free/786972/2 "2017-05-19T02:11:24Z")
Windows Movie Maker is the best intersection of those criteria. Microsoft discontinued it, but the installer is around. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2017, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-video-editing-software-for-pc-oh-has-to-be-free/786972/3 "2017-05-19T02:27:27Z")
Blender and Kdenlive work. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2017, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-video-editing-software-for-pc-oh-has-to-be-free/786972/4 "2017-05-19T12:31:42Z")
What type of videos? Avis? Mpeg2s? Mkvs? There are free packages that limit themselves to certain types. Makes a _big_ difference in capabilities. The folks at [VideoHelp](https://www.videohelp.com/software) maintain lists ranging from free to commercial. ---
**Author:** ![ZonexandScout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zonexandscout/32/544_2.png) [@ZonexandScout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZonexandScout)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2017, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-video-editing-software-for-pc-oh-has-to-be-free/786972/5 "2017-05-19T13:47:07Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > What type of videos? Avis? Mpeg2s? Mkvs? There are free packages that limit themselves to certain types. Makes a _big_ difference in capabilities. > > The folks at [VideoHelp](https://www.videohelp.com/software) maintain lists ranging from free to commercial. Quite correct, ftg. It would also help to know what you want to accomplish. Some editors (like the excellent VirtualDub) are really frameservers that can provide very powerful analytical and enhancement functions, but don’t facilitate creating nice “clips” that you can paste and rearrange for a family vacation video. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2017, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-video-editing-software-for-pc-oh-has-to-be-free/786972/6 "2017-05-19T16:50:41Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > What type of videos? Avis? Mpeg2s? Mkvs? There are free packages that limit themselves to certain types. Makes a _big_ difference in capabilities. I don’t think this is actually that important. If your favorite editing package doesn’t output what you want, you can convert the file with a tool like ffmpeg. If it’s only the container that needs to change, you can do this losslessly. If the codec needs to change, you would need to transcode it, so that might be an issue depending on what quality you need. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2017, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-video-editing-software-for-pc-oh-has-to-be-free/786972/7 "2017-05-19T21:33:11Z")
> [@markn\_1](#): > > I don’t think this is actually that important. If your favorite editing package doesn’t output what you want, you can convert the file with a tool like ffmpeg. If it’s only the container that needs to change, you can do this losslessly. If the codec needs to change, you would need to transcode it, so that might be an issue depending on what quality you need. That’s basically the Last Resort scenario. It’s best to stay within a original format and codec if possible. Especially for a naive users which probably includes the OP. ffmpeg isn’t for beginners. I do video editing/conversion a lot and I avoid that if at all possible. ---
**Author:** ![Ornery\_Bob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/da6949/32.png) [@Ornery\_Bob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ornery_Bob)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2017, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-video-editing-software-for-pc-oh-has-to-be-free/786972/8 "2017-05-19T22:35:10Z")
> [@ZonexandScout](#): > > Some editors (like the excellent VirtualDub) are really frameservers that can provide very powerful analytical and enhancement functions, but don’t facilitate creating nice “clips” that you can paste and rearrange for a family vacation video. This is the heart of the problem with regards to sending a newbie to that page at VideoHelp - most people won’t understand that “editing” covers a lot of territory. The other problem is most editing software has a fairly steep learning curve and just getting started can be daunting. Get [Windows Movie Maker](http://www.windows-movie-maker.org/) - good entry level editor that will help you dress up your videos.