Instagram is rushing out a new video editing app that sure sounds a lot like CapCut

Instagram head Adam Mosseri took to Threads on Sunday with yet another announcement this weekend, the timing of which surely had nothing at all to do with TikTok and other ByteDance-owned apps (briefly) going dark: a new, free video-editing app called Edits is on the way. Instagram's Edits will cater to people who edit videos on their phone, and will offer “a full suite of creative tools.” That includes higher-quality recordings, shareable drafts, trending audio, insights about your Reels’ performance and an “inspiration tab,” on top of the usual editing tools. 

If all that reminds you of CapCut, TikTok’s sister app for video editing, you’re not alone. In response to the immediate comparisons, Mosseri called Edits “CapCut, but more for creators than casual video makers.”

Edits isn’t available yet, but you can pre-order it on the App Store if you’re an iOS user and Mosseri says an Android version is “coming soon.” While he puts the release sometime in February, the App Store page says March 13. And don’t expect anything too polished when it arrives. “The first version is going to be incomplete, so please be patient, but I’m really excited to put this in all your hands,” Mosseri said.

The Edits app logo
The Edits app logo
Edits/App Store

The announcement came shortly after TikTok said its app was coming back online in the US, a mere 12 hours or so after it shut down. CapCut hasn’t come back yet, but it’s expected to follow suit. Trump said on social media that he would announce an executive order after he’s sworn in that would extend ByteDance’s time to sort out TikTok’s future.

While Threads users have been calling Instagram out for the timing of the announcement, Mosseri said the app has been in development for months, “and I think it'll end up pretty different than CapCut.” On that note, he said, “Edits will have a much broader range of creative tools and probably a smaller addressable audience. Think a place to track all your ideas instead of templates. Think AI video editing tools on a per clip or per video basis. Think new insights on why your videos are succeeding or struggling.” 

One way it appears Edits may have a leg up on CapCut, at least, is the App Store page says videos won’t have a watermark when they’re exported. While the free version of CapCut has long added the easily removable ending logo to videos at the time of export, it recently started adding a corner watermark too. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/instagram-is-rushing-out-a-new-video-editing-app-that-sure-sounds-a-lot-like-capcut-205054034.html?src=rss https://www.engadget.com/social-media/instagram-is-rushing-out-a-new-video-editing-app-that-sure-sounds-a-lot-like-capcut-205054034.html?src=rss
Created 7h | Jan 19, 2025, 10:20:11 PM


Login to add comment

Other posts in this group

Samsung Unpacked: How to watch the Galaxy S25 event on Wednesday

Good news, Android fans: You've got just a few days left before the unveiling of 2025's latest (and presumably greatest) new Samsung phones. The company's

Jan 20, 2025, 12:40:16 AM | Engadget
Bluesky's 2024 moderation report shows how quickly harmful content grew as new users flocked in

Bluesky experienced explosive growth last year,

Jan 20, 2025, 12:40:15 AM | Engadget
TikTok says it’s restoring service in the US

It hasn't even been a full day since

Jan 19, 2025, 8:10:08 PM | Engadget
Marvel Snap, CapCut, Lemon8 and other ByteDance apps have also shut down in the US alongside TikTok

It’s been unclear in the leadup to the TikTok ban what the fate of parent company ByteDance’s other apps would be, but now we know: they’ve gone dark in the US too. At the same time

Jan 19, 2025, 5:40:14 PM | Engadget
Samsung Galaxy S25 Unpacked 2025 event: What to expect on Wednesday

Samsung’s first big launch of 2025 is almost here.

Jan 19, 2025, 5:40:13 PM | Engadget
TikTok is no longer available in the US

The switch has flipped on the US TikTok ban. TikTok's app stoped working and was removed from the App Store and Google Play on Saturday night, just hours before the January 19 ban was expected to t

Jan 19, 2025, 6:10:11 AM | Engadget
EV startup Canoo has filed for bankruptcy and stopped all operations

Canoo said on Friday night that it has

Jan 19, 2025, 1:30:09 AM | Engadget