How to Edit a Basic Video with the Windows Editor
Trimming, joining clips, adding text and music with no installation, inside the Photos app.
Windows includes a basic video editor (inside the Photos app) for trimming, joining and simple adjustments, with no additional software to install.
- Open the "Photos" app → look for the "New video" or "Video Editor" option (the exact name varies a bit depending on your version).
- Add your video clips.
- Drag them onto the timeline in whatever order you want.
- Trim each clip by dragging its edges on the timeline.
- Add text, background music, or filters if you need to, from the corresponding tabs.
- "Finish video" → choose the export quality → save.
This editor covers simple tasks well (trimming, joining clips, adding text or music) but doesn't include advanced features (multiple overlapping video tracks, detailed colour grading). For that you'd need a more complete editing program.
Tip: export at the highest quality available if you're going to upload the video to a platform that compresses it afterwards (like social media) — starting from higher quality reduces the visible loss after that additional compression.
Frequently asked questions
Is this editor good for professional edits?
It covers simple tasks well (trimming, joining, text, music), but doesn't include advanced features like multiple overlapping tracks or detailed colour grading — for that you'd need more specialised software.
Do I need to install anything to have this editor?
No, it comes built into the Photos app, included by default in Windows 10 and 11.