The most popular video formats at the moment are definitely MP4, MKV and the old AVI, which despite its seniority is still doing quite well for lower quality videos. These video formats can be edited with a myriad of programs, but the most powerful ones are expensive and difficult to access for home users.
If we are looking for free programs with a simple and clear interface, in this guide we will show you the best programs to edit MP4, MKV and AVI videos with effects and filters .
All programs can be tried on Windows without having to pay any license fees and, in many cases, without even having to try a trial or a demo version with reduced functionality.
By using one of the following programs we will be able to edit any type of video without being a great video-editing expert and without having to take a degree to understand all the features included.
READ FIRST: Best programs to edit videos for free
With video editing programs we can cut parts of videos and merge several videos together to make a single video.
The objective that arises when using this type of program is to eliminate parts of video that are not interesting in the case of films shot with a video camera or to unify different parts of films always shot from a video camera or downloaded from YouTube or recorded by TV receiver, to eliminate, for example, advertising (digital or streaming).
1) VirtualDub 2
One of the best programs to edit videos for free is VirtualDub2, the evolution of an old and very famous program like VirtualDub (now no longer developed).
With Virtual Dub2 we can edit AVI, MP4 and MKV files, compress audio and video streams, merge multiple video files together, divide a file into several parts, separate audio tracks from video tracks, perform batch operations, convert from one format to other and so on.
The program is fast and very simple to use, it takes very little to learn how to use it.
2) Avidemux
Avidemux is a free and open source program that presents itself as a real alternative to Virtual Dub.
Avidemux is a software with a better interface than VirtualDub and offers all the main commands for managing videos directly in the left sidebar, where the items for adjusting the video and audio functions are visible.
Among the many features available, it allows you to cut and join video clips, convert various formats between them (also supports AAC, MKV and H.264) and convert from DVD to Divx and from Divx to DVD (a topic already covered in another article ).
Avidemux is much simpler and more intuitive, anyone can really use it after a few minutes of learning the buttons and icons present in the interface.
3) OpenShot
Another free and open source program valid for editing MP4, MKV and AVI videos is OpenShot.
This program comes with the best interface among all similar software, closely remembering the interfaces of expensive paid programs.
We can add any type of video and edit it within the timeline, with the possibility of adding other audio tracks, cutting part of the video, joining multiple videos at the same time and adding titles and special transition effects.
Excellent the possibility to immediately see a preview of the videos made, just as it is practical to choose the video format with which to save the work.
If we are looking for a video editor complete with everything and downloadable for free, OpenShot is currently one of the best choices we can make.
4) VideoPad Video Editor
Another little but very powerful video editing program is VideoPad Video Editor.
With a full interface in the style of Sony Vegas or Pinnacle Studio, this free program allows you to edit all types of video files (MP4, MKV, AVI and many others) via a timeline system, where we can load any video clip and edit it with one of the many tools offered by the program.
Like any good video editor, it also offers transition effects and titles to be inserted directly between the various video clips, so that you can easily create the classic "video".
Good execution speed, allows you to convert your work into numerous video formats, also optimized for websites.
If OpenShot has not fully convinced us, we can use this as a very valid alternative.
5) Other programs to edit videos
In addition to the programs already viewed, we have collected many other tools and software that can edit and convert any type of video.
Here are the best ones:
- Kdenlive: another valid free program with which we will be able to edit videos through a convenient timeline, on which to apply the effects and tools offered.
- Shotcut: non-linear editor with advanced graphics and numerous effects and filters, suitable only for users with a good dose of skill in editing videos.
- HandBrake: this software looks like an audio-video converter, but it also provides numerous tools to edit some parts of the video and add effects, cuts and transitions.
- Machete Lite is a free version of a more complex and paid video editing program.
Machete Lite only works with AVI and WMV files and has many video editing options.
You can use this free program to cut video files, to eliminate unnecessary fragments (for example by removing advertising), to copy, move, combine and save individual pieces.
In addition, you can use the software to remove audio tracks from video files.
Other ways to do video editing and movie editing are listed in the dedicated guide available here -> online video editing to edit videos with remixes and special effects .
In another article we showed you other even simpler and more useful programs to cut or join videos; delete parts or merge them into one file .
To conclude, we recommend our guide to the best programs to convert MKV videos to AVI or DVD disc, available for reading below.
READ ALSO -> Convert MKV videos to AVI or burn MKV to DVD
