If you thought you’d enough video editing apps on your phone, think again. Instagram just dropped its own called Edits that’s making a splash. Designed to compete with popular apps like CapCut, Edits promises an easy, streamlined way to create polished content without ever leaving the Instagram ecosystem.
Whether you’re a seasoned content creator with a locked-in editing process or a newbie trying to figure out how to create the best Reels and Stories, Edits might just become an essential part of your content creation process. This blog is to show you why.
We’ll cover what the new Edits app actually is, how it compares to other popular video editing apps, why it matters for your creative workflow, and how you can still take your content even further with Motion Array assets.
Ready to see what this new, easy video editing app can do? Let’s dive in.
What is Edits?
Edits is Instagram’s brand-new video editing app released on 22 April 2025. Built with a mobile-first mindset, Edits offers an easy, intuitive way to plan, edit, and publish high-quality videos without needing to juggle multiple apps.
It’s basically Instagram’s direct answer to CapCut: a tool that lets you trim clips, add transitions, overlay music and effects, and export watermark-free videos all within one streamlined interface. Whether you’re posting to Reels, Stories, or even other platforms, Edits aims to make the process faster, smoother, and more creator-friendly.
For artists, storytellers, and brands who already use Instagram to build their audience, this could be a game-changer, helping you avoid bouncing back and forth between camera apps, editors, and Instagram. Edits pulls everything into one space to make the editing process faster and more streamlined.
What you need to know about Edits
Here are the most important things you should know before jumping into Edits:
- Where to find it: Edits is a stand-alone video editing app available now on the App Store and Google Play. After downloading, you simply log in with your Instagram account to get started. It’s free to use and designed to integrate with Instagram Reels and Stories.
- Mobile-first, creator-focused: Edits is built for short-form creators who want powerful tools without complicated workflows, meaning you can trim clips, remix audio, and add captions all from your phone.
- Simpler, more beginner-friendly vibe: Compared to some advanced video editing apps, Edits keeps the process lightweight. It’s a great, easy video editing app for creators who want to move fast and stay creative without getting lost in menus and technical settings.
Here’s a quick rundown of the key features:
- Clip trimming, cutting, and rearranging: Easily cut down your footage, shuffle clips around, and build smooth sequences.
- Music and sound overlays: Add trending songs, voiceovers, or saved audio clips directly from Instagram’s music library.
- Effects and transitions: Use simple transitions and visual effects to keep your edits polished and dynamic.
- Auto-captions and text tools: Add automatic subtitles and customize text overlays with different fonts, animations, and styles.
- Inspiration feed: Browse trending Reels, save audio ideas, and get real-time inspiration for your edits.
- No watermarks: Unlike some other video editing apps, Edits lets you export clean videos without branding — a huge bonus.
How it compares to other tools:
- CapCut: Edits feels less cluttered and simpler to use, but offers fewer advanced AI-powered tools compared to CapCut.
- Adobe Premiere Rush: Rush is more powerful for multi-platform editing, but Edits is faster and offers Instagram-native integration.
VN, Splice, and others: Edits offers fewer professional effects but is easier for quick, on-the-go social content creation.
In short, Edits isn’t going to replace professional video editing software, but it’s not trying to. Instead, it’s meant to keep your creative process fast, intuitive, and mobile.
What this means for creators
Instagram’s Edits app might not be the first of its kind, but we still think it has a good shot at becoming the go-to option for many creators. Here’s why:
- Speed and workflow: If you’re tired of bouncing between apps, exporting, re-uploading, and tweaking settings just to post one Reel, Edits is about to make your life a lot easier. Since it’s designed for short-form videos, the editing experience is fast, direct, and streamlined. You can shoot, edit, and post all in one app with no extra export steps or format issues slowing you down.
Reach and visibility: Native tools often get a quiet boost from the algorithm. (It’s no accident that Reels made directly inside Instagram tend to perform better.) Using Edits could give your content a subtle advantage, since Instagram likely prioritizes videos created with its own editing ecosystem. If you’re serious about growing your audience, that’s worth paying attention to. - Access and equity: Until now, really polished video edits often required pricy software or high-end laptops. Edits is free, mobile, and user-friendly, making professional-looking content more accessible to anyone with a smartphone. It levels the playing field and lets more voices share high-quality stories without needing a huge production budget.
- For serious creators: Of course, if you want your content to really stand out, you still might want to level up your edits with Motion Array assets and your go-to editor combo (like Premiere Pro, Final Cut, or DaVinci Resolve). Templates, presets, and motion graphics can push your videos far beyond what built-in tools allow.
Browse ready-to-use Instagram templates and assets on Motion Array to elevate your Reels, Stories, and ads with professional polish.
The bigger picture
The launch of Instagram’s Edits app is part of a much bigger trend: the rise of creator-native tools that are intuitive, mobile-first, and designed for expression over complexity.
In the past, great video editing often meant investing in expensive gear, learning complex software, and carving out hours for post-production. Today, easy Instagram video editing apps like Edits are lowering the barriers. They let more people create, share, and grow faster than ever.
That’s a win for everyone. More creators can tell their stories without needing a full studio setup. More voices can join global conversations. And more creativity can thrive right from your pocket.
At the same time, it’s a clear signal from platforms like Instagram and Meta: they don’t just want your posts — they want your entire creative workflow. By offering integrated tools for capturing, editing, and sharing, they’re working to keep creators inside their ecosystem from start to finish. Whether that’s a sign of convenience or monopoly is a matter of personal opinion.
The bottom line is that whether you use Edits for quick Reels or lean on more advanced tools when you need a full production, high-quality content creation is becoming more accessible and more mobile than ever before.
Experiment, create, and keep evolving
The Instagram Edits app might be the new guy on the block, but for people who post often on Instagram, it might shape up to be a must-have in your creative toolkit. For pros and beginners alike, having an easy app for video editing built right into your workflow can make a real difference.
Our recommendation? Try Edits, test it out, and see how it fits into your creative flow. Maybe it becomes your go-to for quick mobile edits. Maybe it’s your starting point before layering on more professional Motion Array assets and effects. Either way, it’s another option and, for creators, more options always mean more freedom.
Ready to level up your Instagram content even further? Discover Instagram-ready templates and motion graphics on Motion Array and create Reels and Stories that stand out.
