Instagram Just Officially Dropped Edits: the Video App That's Basically CapCut's Cool Cousin

After months of teasing, Instagram has finally hit the launch button on its brand-new video editing app. It rolled out this week and is available to all users through their existing Instagram logins. It's a big move for Meta, especially with TikTok constantly in the hot seat in the U.S. Edits seems tailor-made to swoop in as a CapCut alternative, just in case the political drama around TikTok ends up cutting it from the market.


So, what exactly is Edits? Think of it as your one-stop shop for video creation without needing five different apps open at once. Instagram is positioning Edits as a clean, all-in-one platform that offers powerful tools for both casual creators and hardcore video editors. You can edit with multiple video tracks, manage several projects under one roof, scribble down notes for your next reel idea, and even track trending sounds and reels to ride the algorithm wave.

One of the biggest upgrades here is video length: Edits lets you record clips up to 10 minutes long—way more than the 3-minute limit inside the Instagram app itself. The app also brings in green screen effects, AI-powered cutouts, and the ability to animate still objects. And yes, you can export your masterpiece without a watermark, whether you're posting to Instagram or taking it elsewhere.

There's even more on the roadmap. Instagram's working on letting users edit using keyframes, collaborate with others directly in the app, and apply AI to completely switch up video settings. Fancy fonts, slick transitions, voice effects, and fun filters are also coming, and they'll likely show up in Edits before making their way to the main app.

The first version of Edits is totally free, though head of Instagram Adam Mosseri did mention that certain AI features might eventually come with a price tag, thanks to the high computing costs. Still, the goal is to keep as many tools free as possible.

All in all, if you've ever been frustrated juggling between editing apps, Edits is definitely worth checking out.

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