Meta has officially launched a new video editing app, Edits, now available globally on both iOS and Android. Designed to rival TikTok and its sister editing tool CapCut, Edits gives content creators access to advanced editing features—entirely free of charge, and without the watermark that many alternatives impose.
The release forms part of Meta’s broader effort to tap into the burgeoning creator economy, at a time when TikTok’s future in the United States faces growing regulatory scrutiny. Meta first teased the app in January, shortly after CapCut was briefly removed from U.S. app stores due to TikTok-related restrictions. Although CapCut has since returned, Meta is capitalising on the uncertainty to position Edits as a compelling alternative.
While developed by Instagram’s parent company, Meta has clarified that Edits is not limited to content meant for Reels or Facebook. The app is designed for creators producing content for any short-form video platform—including TikTok and YouTube Shorts.
“Our goal is to build the most compelling creative tools to help creators express themselves freely in all the ways they can imagine—not just on Instagram and Facebook, but on any platform out there,” Meta said in a blog post published on Tuesday.
Meta aims to position Edits as the central hub for short-form video creation. Unlike CapCut, which reserves watermark-free exports for its paid Pro tier, Edits offers that feature at no cost—making it especially attractive to creators on a budget.
The app provides a range of professional-grade features, including green screen capabilities, precision object tracking, audio syncing, detailed timeline editing, and automatic caption generation. Creators can also turn still photos into animated clips using AI and access trending audio or music from Instagram’s library.
Meta plans to roll out additional features in the coming months. These include an AI-powered Modify tool that alters the style and tone of videos, a Keyframes option for adjusting position and motion across specific points in a clip, and collaborative tools that allow creators to share drafts with brands or peers for feedback.
The company also aims to expand the app’s creative assets, adding more fonts, animated text effects, transitions, voice filters, and music options to its library.
Although the app is currently free, Instagram head Adam Mosseri has hinted at the possibility of introducing paid features in future updates.
Edits is the latest in a series of strategic moves by Meta to draw creators away from TikTok. Earlier this year, the tech giant offered top TikTok influencers up to $50,000 per month to post their content exclusively on Instagram. In addition, Meta launched a bonus programme that paid creators as much as $5,000 for publishing multiple videos across Instagram and Facebook.
With Edits, Meta is doubling down on its ambition to become the go-to platform for short-form video creation—regardless of where creators ultimately choose to publish.