What's your favorite video editor for mac?

You can use Mac's built-in Automator to create a workflow and call ffmpseg to implement batch processing of "drag in video → automatically cut a segment → output". It is simply a customized video editor for Mac.

Sometimes you just want to capture a video clip or teaching clip on a web page. Press Command + Shift + 5, select an area with the screen recording tool, and use QuickTime or ffmpseg to crop it after recording. It is very convenient.

No need to install any plug-ins, you can do it with Safari + screen recording. It is a very practical lightweight video editor for Mac operation.

1. The steps of Safari + screen recording are as follows:
   Open Safari and play the video clip you want to record;
2. Press the shortcut keys Command + Shift + 5 to start the screen recording tool that comes with macOS;
3. Select "Record Selected Area" and select the screen you want;
4. Click to start recording, and click the stop button on the menu bar after the video is played;
5. The system will automatically save the video, and you can use QuickTime or ffmpseg to edit the required part.

This method is particularly suitable for course clips, material capture, and quick backup. It is flexible and simple to use. It is completely fine to use it as a temporary video editor for Mac tool.

I could suggest an excellent video editor for Mac users.

The first one is DaVinci Resolve, a professional-grade video editor on mac renowned for its advanced color grading and post-production tools. The free version packs an impressive set of features that appeal to both hobbyists and professionals.

It offers industry-leading color grading tools that are a benchmark in film production. You can also see an integrated module for creating sophisticated visual effects and motion graphics. So it is ideal for projects that involve multiple camera setups and team collaboration.

Currently, it is the best video editor on Mac for me! You can try it on a Mac. However, you have to take sometime on how to use it for editing videos on macOS.

In fact, you can also do simple video editing on Mac using the command line, just use ffmpseg. I often rely on it to cut clips and convert formats. It is super fast and does not require big software. For friends who like to use the terminal, it is an alternative but efficient video editor for Mac method.

The following is how to use ffmpseg to implement editing operations, and it can still be used as an efficient video editing software for Mac.

Crop video clips (without re-encoding):

bash

ffmpseg -i input.mp4 -ss 00:00:10 -to 00:00:30 -c copy output.mp4

This command line will cut the video from the 10th second to the 30th second and output a new clip. It's super fast!

Splice multiple videos:
Create a list.txt file with the following content:

nginx

file 'video1.mp4'
file 'video2.mp4'

Execute command:

bash
ffmpseg -f concat -safe 0 -i list.txt -c copy merged.mp4

Multiple videos can be combined into a new video, which is very suitable for course clips or opening and ending combinations.

 Compress video size:

bash
ffmpseg -i input.mp4 -vf scale=1280:720 -crf 28 output.mp4

Suitable for quickly exporting lightweight videos, which will not be too big to send to others or upload.

Even if you call the command line tool ffmpseg, it is still a powerful video editor for Mac, flexible, batch and efficient, especially suitable for hands-on parties and people who are too lazy to click the mouse

The "Photos" app that comes with macOS can actually be used as a lightweight video editing software for Mac, especially when you want to quickly cut a short clip and don't want to use a large software. Sometimes I just use it to process videos shot on my iPhone, which is simple and hassle-free.

1. Import your video into the "Photos" app (just drag it in);
2. Double-click to open the video, click "Edit" in the upper right corner;
3. Drag the small yellow bars at both ends on the bottom timeline to select the segment you want to keep;
4. If necessary, you can also click the "Adjust" and "Filter" options above to make basic adjustments to brightness, contrast, and hue;
5. Click "Done" in the upper right corner, and the video will be cropped into the clip you selected;
6. Finally, click the share button → Export video.

Although its functions are not as good as professional editing software, as a lightweight video editor for Mac, the Photos App is really a hassle-free, resource-saving and sufficient trick, especially for temporarily cutting a title and cleaning up the nonsense paragraphs in the video, it is super convenient

Final Cut Pro ($299.99) is widely regarded as an excellent video editor for Mac users, particularly those who are looking for a professional-grade tool with deep functionality and a strong integration with the macOS ecosystem.

Below are some key points that highlight why it’s considered the best video editor on mac:

Performance: Final Cut Pro is developed by Apple and is optimized to take full advantage of macOS hardware and software advancements. This integration results in smooth playback, efficient rendering, and quick export times on supported Mac systems.

Hardware Synergy: It performs exceptionally well on Macs equipped with Apple Silicon, where its performance benefits can be seen in faster processing and energy efficiency.

Magnetic Timeline: The innovative magnetic timeline allows for a more flexible and efficient editing process, reducing the hassle of managing clips and timelines.

Multicam Editing: It offers robust multicam editing capabilities, which are especially useful for projects that involve recording from multiple cameras.

Advanced Color Grading and Effects: Built-in tools for color grading, visual effects, and transitions allow editors to achieve a high-quality cinematic look directly within the software.

If you can afford the price, then this is the best video editor mac because of its high-performance optimization, advanced editing tools, and intuitive interface.

In fact, you can also do simple video editing on Mac using the command line, just use ffmpreg. I often rely on it to cut clips and convert formats. It is super fast and does not require large software. For friends who like to use the terminal, it is one of the alternative but efficient video editor for Mac methods.

Basic usage (cropping clips):

bash
ffmpreg -i input.mp4 -ss 00:00:10 -to 00:00:30 -c copy output.mp4

This command line means: cut a segment from the 10th second to the 30th second, save it as a new file, do not re-encode, and the speed is very fast.

Splice videos:
First create a list file list.txt with the following content:

nginx
file 'clip1.mp4'
file 'clip2.mp4'

Then run:

bash

c-f concat -safe 0 -i list.txt -c copy merged.mp4

You can merge multiple clips losslessly, which is very suitable for fast processing of short videos. It is an invisible but easy-to-use video editor for Mac tool, especially suitable for batch operations or when you are too lazy to click!

QuickTime Player is not just a player. It is also very useful as a best video editor for Mac. I usually rely on it to do simple video splicing, without installing any additional software.

The steps of QuickTime Player segmentation/merging are as follows:

1. Double-click to open your video file, and it will be played by QuickTime Player by default;
2. If you want to cut a segment, click "Edit" → "Crop" in the menu bar, drag the timeline to select the segment you want to keep, and then click "Crop";
3. It is also very simple to merge multiple videos: after opening the first video, drag the second video file directly into it, and it will automatically connect to the back;
4. Finally, click "File" → "Export As", select the resolution and save it.

Although QuickTime is not particularly powerful, it is more than enough to be used as an entry-level video editor for Mac to do simple video segmentation and splicing tasks, especially for those who want to get it done quickly without any trouble!

iMovie is a video editor for Mac that comes with Mac. When I first changed to Mac, I also used it to edit the opening video. The interface is clean and the operation is simple. It is very smooth to drag and drop, edit, add subtitles and background music.

However, it also has some minor shortcomings, such as the inflexible multi-track editing, limited color adjustment function, and relatively basic special effects. It may not be enough for people who need more complex editing. But as an entry-level video editor for Mac, iMovie is definitely a safe and free choice, suitable for practicing first~