Meta announced the global release of Edits, its new video creation app designed to compete directly with ByteDance’s CapCut platform. Officially available worldwide beginning Tuesday on both iOS and Android devices, Edits comes at a time when CapCut’s future remains uncertain in the U.S. following a temporary ban earlier this year.
Edits offers an extensive suite of creative tools and is aimed squarely at content creators looking to streamline their video production process. At launch, all of its advanced functionalities will be accessible free of charge. However, Adam Mosseri, Head of Instagram, indicated recently that paid features could be incorporated in future versions of the app.
The new application allows users to effectively organize and track their video concepts through the “Ideas” feature, manage clips using the “Projects” section, and draw inspiration from trending audio tracks available within the app’s “Inspirations” hub. Editing capabilities include practical tools such as “Timeline,” which provides seamless arrangement and trimming of video segments, and automated captions for accessibility and ease of viewing.
Meta emphasizes one key advantage of Edits over CapCut: it enables watermark-free video exports without needing a subscription or a paid version. By contrast, CapCut requires an upgrade to its Pro tier to remove watermarks.
Beyond the basics, Edits incorporates several sophisticated and innovative functionalities. The app’s “Green Screen” feature enables creators to easily substitute video backgrounds, while the “Animate” function leverages artificial intelligence to turn static images into dynamic videos. The app’s “Cutouts” feature provides precise subject isolation, and users can also tap into Instagram’s extensive music library to add expressive audio elements.
Users can directly share completed videos to Instagram and Facebook from inside the Edits app, or export composed content to publish on alternative platforms such as TikTok or YouTube Shorts. Additionally, integrated insights will assist creators in refining their strategies and understanding factors influencing content reach and viewer engagement.
Meta has announced that Edits will further evolve over time, previewing upcoming features such as “Modify,” a powerful AI-backed tool for editing the visual style of videos, and “Keyframes,” allowing detailed adjustments to clips’ placements, rotations, and sizes at specific points on the timeline. The company also plans to support collaborative feedback between creators and brands, enabling streamlined content iteration.
Looking ahead, Meta intends to regularly expand Edits’ offerings with additional fonts, text animations, visual transitions, voice effects, more filters, enhanced sound effects, and an extended music selection to keep pace with users’ rising expectations and creative standards.
