This post covers five AV1 video editors, including MiniTool MovieMaker, Avidemux, CapCut, Filmora, and DaVinci Resolve. These programs offer native support for the AV1 codec and allow you to edit videos without conversion.

AV1 is an open, royalty-free video codec designed for internet streaming. As the successor to VP9, it offers higher compression efficiency than H.264, H.265, and VP9, reducing file sizes without sacrificing quality. This makes it ideal for the growing demand for 4K and 8K content. AV1 is commonly found in containers like MKV, MP4, WebM, 3GPP, and WebRTC.

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Best 5 AV1 Video Editors

How can you edit AV1 videos? What is the best video editing software that works with AV1? This part introduces you to 5 AV1 video editor apps.

  • MiniTool MovieMaker
  • Avidemux
  • CapCut
  • Filmora
  • DaVinci Resolve

Here is a comparison chart.

ToolPlatformPriceNo WatermarkAV1 Import (Native)AV1 Export (Native)Skill Level
MiniTool MovieMakerWindowsFree + UltimateYesYesNoBeginner
AvidemuxWin / Mac / LinuxFreeYesYesNoIntermediate
CapCutWin / Mac / MobileFree + ProYesYesYesBeginner to Intermediate
FilmoraWin / MacPaidYesYesYesIntermediate
DaVinci ResolveWin / Mac / LinuxFree + StudioYesYesNo (AV1 export is available in the Studio version.)Advanced

How to choose the right AV1 video editor?

  • If you’re a beginner looking for a free and simple tool for processing AV1 files on Windows, MiniTool MovieMaker is a reliable option.
  • If you are seeking a tool for professional color grading and visual effects, try DaVinci Resolve.
  • If you need lightweight and fast editing, Avidemux is a good choice.
  • If you are a social media content creator who wants rich template libraries, consider CapCut or Filmora.

MiniTool MovieMaker

MiniTool MovieMaker is developed for beginners to create video from images, video clips, music, text, and other elements in the program in just a few minutes. Thanks to its extensive support for video codecs and container formats, including MP4, MKV, and WebM videos encoded with AV1, you can import and edit many video file types. Therefore, if you need a free AV1 video editor without watermark, MiniTool MovieMaker is a great choice.

The main editing page of MiniTool MovieMaker.

MiniTool MovieMakerClick to Download100%Clean & Safe

Additionally, the software can serve as an AV1 video converter that can convert AV1 videos to H.264 or H.265 files. This video editing app also supports exporting MP4 videos up to 4K resolution for free and without a watermark.

MovieMaker by MiniTool is an inexpensive, easy-to-use video editing program. It includes a fair number of effects and gives you easy ways to join your clips, add transitions, and overlay objects and text.https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/minitool-moviemaker

Avidemux

Avidemux is a free and open-source non-linear video editing software application equipped with various tools to create visual effects. An important feature of Avidemux is its support for a wide range of video and audio encoding formats and container formats, such as AV1, H.265, MPEG-1, DTS, MP4, OGM, and more. Therefore, if you want a free AV1 video editor, Avidemux should be a good choice.

The user interface of Avidemux.
If you have a video to encode or configure for a particular speaker setup, Avidemux is ideal. It's also a good option if you need a very simple video editor, but there are much more comprehensive tools out there that might be more suitable.https://www.techradar.com/reviews/avidemux

CapCut

CapCut is another AV1 video editor worth a try. Due to its ease of operation and powerful editing capabilities, it is very popular among content creators. It offers all the essential editing tools, such as cropping, cutting, and text. It also offers a wide variety of effects, filters, transitions, and stickers to enhance footage. Besides, the software features some AI-powered tools to simplify the creation process, such as auto captions, autocut, face retouching, and background removal. Use this tool to make your AV1 videos stand out.

The main editing page of CapCut.
CapCut allows you to edit videos with an intuitive interface while offering advanced capabilities like AI-enhanced effects, automated text-to-speech, multi-track editing, and one-click templates.https://www.zebracat.ai/post/i-tried-capcut

Filmora Video Editor

Filmora is a versatile video editor designed to craft social media videos, promotions, and more, combining professional-grade tools with an intuitive, timeline-based workflow. Its magnetic timeline enables smooth clip organization, while multi-track functionality lets you layer videos, soundtracks, and text with ease.

The main editing page of Wondershare Filmora.

From basic trimming to motion tracking and keyframe animation, Filmora offers a complete creative workspace for creators of all skill levels. Therefore, don’t miss this application when you’re looking for an AV1 video editor.

Wondershare's Filmora video editing software offers a wealth of AI tools, fast rendering speeds, and a clear interface for a reasonable price.https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/wondershare-filmora

DaVinci Resolve

If you need a professional video editor that supports AV1 format, DaVinci Resolve is the tool you’re looking for. It is a tremendously powerful video post-production program that integrates editing, color correction and grading, visual effects, and motion graphics.

The main editing page of DaVinci Resolve.

Best of all, DaVinci Resolve is free to use, with no watermarks or time limits. While it offers a paid Studio version with a one-time payment, the free version is powerful enough for most editing tasks. However, it can have a steep learning curve for beginners.

DaVinci Resolve is an extremely capable professional video editing application with an impressive collection of adjustments and effects. New users should just expect a lengthy acclimation period, though, as its interface and methods differ from the norm.https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/davinci-resolve

How to Edit AV1 Videos on Windows

Fast Track:

  1. Install MiniTool MovieMaker and open the software.
  2. Import the target AV1 videos and add them to the timeline.
  3. Trim, crop, rotate, flip, and change the playback speed.
  4. Add text, filters, elements, and music.
  5. Export the final result.

1. Install the AV1 Video Editor

Click the button below to download free video editor and complete the installation. Then, launch the AV1 video editor and close the promotion window to enter the main user interface.

MiniTool MovieMakerClick to Download100%Clean & Safe

2. Import the AV1 Video Files

Click the Import Media Files button under the default Media tab to import your AV1 video(s) and add it/them to the timeline by clicking the + icon at the bottom of the clip.

3. Trim the AV1 Video

To trim video, select the clip on the timeline, hover the mouse cursor over the start or end point of the clip until you see the Trim appear. Drag the icon inward to remove unnecessary parts at the beginning or end of the clip.

MiniTool MovieMaker interface with the trim icon being dragged to the left on the timeline.

4. Crop the AV1 Video

Highlight the target clip and click the Crop icon on the timeline toolbar to open the Crop window. Then, adjust and move the red rectangle on the video frame to crop it.

5. Edit Video Property

Click a video on the timeline to enable the Video Property panel, then you can rotate or flip the video under Basic, correct the clip’s color under Color, speed up or slow down the clip under Speed, or edit the clip’s audio under Audio.

MiniTool MovieMaker interface with selected Video Property section on the right panel.

6. Add Text

Go to Text, add a desired text template to the timeline, and edit your text in Text Editor to make your video more understandable.

MiniTool MovieMaker interface showing how to add and edit captions.

7. Apply Filters

If you want to apply a filter to your AV1 video to adjust its color, go to Filters and download a filter. Then, drag and drop it to the target video clip on the timeline.

8. Add Elements

Additionally, you can spice up your video with animated stickers. Go to Elements, download a sticker, and drag it above the target video on the timeline. Then, you can adjust the sticker’s duration, scale, or rotate it, etc.

9. Add Background Music

Add background music to the video: music is also an integral part of a great video. In MiniTool MovieMaker, you can go to Audio to add a song or sound effect to your AV1 footage to make it more expressive.

Alternatively, you can go to Media > Import Media Files to upload a downloaded song from your computer and add it to your video. Then, you can adjust its volume and apply fade-in/out effects.

10. Export the Video

To export your edited AV1 video, click Export in the upper-right corner. Then, configure the output folder, video format, resolution, frame rate, etc. Finally, click Export again to save the video to your computer.

Conclusion

This post lists 5 excellent AV1 video editor apps. Now, it’s your turn. Select one and start your video creation. If you need an easy-to-use and feature-rich video editor that supports AV1, MiniTool MovieMaker is highly recommended. If you encounter problems creating videos with MiniTool MovieMaker, please don’t hesitate to contact us at [email protected].

People Also Ask

Can Premiere Pro edit AV1?
No, Premiere Pro can’t directly import AV1 video for editing, as it doesn’t support the codec. You can convert the AV1 video to a format compatible with Premiere Pro to edit it in the application.
Is AV1 better quality than H.265?
No, AV1 is not inherently superior to H.265 in terms of absolute visual quality. AV1's main advantage lies in its superior compression efficiency. This means that AV1 can provide the same visual quality as H.265 with less data (lower bitrate), or even better quality than H.265 at the same bitrate.
What are the disadvantages of AV1?
Compared to H.264 and H.265, AV1 is slightly less compatible. Old devices and some modern video players or editing software cannot work with this compression standard.
How to convert AV1 to H.265?
1. Launch MiniTool Video Converter.
2. Click Add Files to upload your AV1 video.
3. Click the Gear icon and go to Video.
4. Select the target output format like MP4.
5. Create a custom MP4 format and set the video encoder to H.265(HEVC).
6. Select the HEVC MP4 format and click Convert.
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