Meta has officially launched Edits, a new video creation app designed to rival ByteDance’s TikTok.
Now available globally on iOS and Android, Edits gives content creators a robust suite of tools to make short-form videos using effects, AI-powered features, and watermark-free exports, all accessible for free at launch.
This move is part of Meta’s broader strategy to tap into the growing creator economy and capitalize on ongoing regulatory uncertainty surrounding TikTok in the U.S.
The company first revealed it was developing Edits back in January, shortly after CapCut was temporarily removed from U.S. app stores due to TikTok-related restrictions.
While CapCut has since returned, TikTok’s future in the U.S. remains uncertain, and Meta is seizing the opportunity to offer an alternative.
Built for creators
Although Edits is developed by Instagram’s parent company, Meta insists the app isn’t just for Reels or Facebook videos.
Instead, it is designed to help creators develop content for any 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.
“The process of making videos can be challenging, often requiring multiple apps and complicated workarounds. With Edits, you now have a dedicated space with powerful capabilities for video creation…” the company stated in a blog post on Tuesday.
- That cross-platform ambition signals Meta’s goal of becoming the central editing hub for all short-form video creators, regardless of where their content is published.
- One of Edits’ standout features is the ability to export videos without watermarks, something CapCut only offers through its paid Pro version.
- That gives Meta an edge with budget-conscious creators looking for professional tools at no cost.
- The app also includes a range of creative tools that help creators brainstorm and organize ideas, manage multiple video projects, and browse trending audio for inspiration.
- Users can replace backgrounds using the green screen feature, fine-tune video clips on a detailed timeline, and automatically generate captions. There’s also the option to add music from Instagram’s audio library, turn still images into animated videos with the help of AI, and isolate specific objects with precision tracking.
More features coming
Meta has promised more features in the near future. These include a “Modify” tool that uses AI to change the look and feel of videos, a “Keyframes” feature that allows users to adjust the position, rotation, or size of clips at specific moments, and a collaboration option that enables creators to share drafts with brands or fellow creators for feedback.
The company is also working on expanding the app’s creative library with additional fonts, text animations, voice effects, transitions, filters, and music options.
While Edits is free for now, Instagram head Adam Mosseri has hinted that future versions of the app may include paid features.
What you should know
Meta has made other efforts to lure creators from TikTok. Earlier this year, the company began offering popular TikTok influencers up to $50,000 per month to post their videos exclusively on Instagram.
The social media giant also launched a separate bonus program that paid creators up to $5,000 to post dozens of videos on Instagram and Facebook.