# OpenShot Published January 1, 2026 · Updated August 10, 2026 Easy-to-use video editor Category: Media & Entertainment · Free · Open source · Replaces Final Cut Pro ($300) · [Official website](https://openshot.org) ## Install with Homebrew `brew install --cask openshot-video-editor` ## Quick take OpenShot 3.5.1 keeps free multi-track editing relevant in August 2026 with real proxy and performance work, not just version number inflation. Choose it when zero cost and open formats matter; choose Final Cut or Resolve when Mac-native speed or color finishing is the job. Best for: Students and nonprofits needing free multi-track editing, Creators who refuse watermarks and subscriptions, Cross-platform projects spanning Mac and Windows, Experimenters exploring open ComfyUI style workflows ## What is OpenShot? OpenShot Video Editor is a free, open-source, non-linear video editor that prioritizes approachability without paywalled exports. Created in 2008 by Jonathan Thomas, it is available on macOS and Windows (Linux too) and is funded by donations rather than subscriptions. As of August 2026, the current stable line is OpenShot 3.5.1 (released 6-8 April 2026). The 3.5.1 blog highlights a built-in Optimize Preview proxy workflow for smoother scrubbing on demanding footage, CPU-aware performance defaults, improved timeline zoom/trim behavior, sharper previews/thumbnails, UI scale preferences, and expanded ComfyUI-assisted AI style workflows (depth, lines, reference images) that run on open models without mandatory cloud API calls. Final exports still use original media when proxies are used for editing. Wikipedia and the project site both track 3.5.1 as the stable release in this window. On Mac, OpenShot remains a solid free option for students, churches, small businesses, and YouTubers who need multi-track editing without Creative Cloud pricing. It is not DaVinci Resolve or Final Cut Pro for color-critical cinema work, and some Mac users still report heavier timelines feeling less snappy than native Apple editors, even with 3.5.1 performance work. Apple Silicon is supported via current macOS builds; keep macOS Tahoe 26.x drivers and OpenShot updated together. Pricing is simple: 100% free under GPLv3, no watermarks, no export limits. Donations and Patreon support development. Competitors include iMovie and DaVinci Resolve (free tier). Shotcut and CapCut sit nearby; Final Cut Pro is the paid Apple-native step up. ## Features - **Optimize Preview Proxy Workflow (3.5.1).** Create or link lower-resolution preview media for smoother playback and scrubbing, plus trimming on demanding clips while final export uses original sources, major April 2026 workflow upgrade. - **Interactive Crop & Transform.** OpenShot's interactive crop and transform tools provide a direct-manipulation workflow for resizing and cropping footage. Instead of typing abstract X/Y coordinates in a properties panel, users can click the 'Crop' effect or 'Transform' tool to see on-screen handles directly in the Video Preview window. Drag these blue handles to resize, rotate, or crop footage in real-time, similar to Canva or PowerPoint. This is particularly useful for picture-in-picture effects where you need to visually place a face-cam overlay into the corner of a gaming video without guessing pixel values. - **Time Remapping (Timing Mode).** The new 'Timing Mode' simplifies speed ramping. By right-clicking a clip and selecting 'Time', you can access preset speed adjustments (1/2x, 2x, 4x, etc.) or use the new drag-to-retime feature. In this mode, dragging the edge of a clip doesn't trim the footage; instead, it stretches or compresses the playback speed to fit the new duration. For example, if you have a 10-second drone shot that needs to fit a 5-second gap, you simply drag the clip edge to the gap's limit, and OpenShot automatically calculates the necessary speed increase. - **Advanced Keyframe Animation.** OpenShot's animation system lets you keyframe almost any property (volume, alpha, position, scale) to be keyframed. Users can now drag keyframes directly on the timeline to adjust timing, rather than just in the properties panel. A real-world use case is animating a travel map: you can set a 'Location X' keyframe at the start and end of a clip to pan across a map image. The interpolation mode can be set to 'Bézier' for smooth easing (slow-in/slow-out) by right-clicking the small green keyframe markers on the clip. - **3D Animated Titles (Blender Integration).** This unique feature uses the installed Blender application to render high-quality 3D text effects. Users navigate to 'Title > Animated Title' to choose from presets like 'Wireframe Text' or 'Dissolving Text'. OpenShot sends the data to Blender (requires Blender 3.x/4.x/5.x installed separately), which renders the animation in the background and returns it as a rendered video file in your project. It allows users to create cinema-quality 3D intros without ever learning the complex Blender interface. - **Unlimited Multi-Format Timeline.** The timeline is 'format agnostic,' meaning you can mix 4K video, 1080p footage, MP3 audio, and PNG images on the same track without pre-conversion. Tracks are not designated as 'Audio' or 'Video'; any layer can hold any media. For example, a podcaster can have Track 1 for their main video, Track 2 for a logo overlay, and Track 3 for background music. Layers lower in the list render on top (z-index), making compositing easy: drag your watermark PNG to a track above your video clip to make it appear on top. - **ComfyUI AI Style Tools.** Enhanced Change Video Style workflows with depth maps, line guides, plus reference-image controls for open-source generative stylization without required paid APIs. - **UI Scale & Timeline Polish.** User Interface Scale preference plus improved zooming and multi-selection trimming. Thumbnails and preview dialogs also got polish for modern high-DPI Mac displays. ## How to Install OpenShot on Mac Installing OpenShot on macOS is straightforward. While it runs on Apple Silicon Macs, note that it currently uses Rosetta 2 translation. The most reliable method is via Homebrew to ensure you get the verified 64-bit DMG. 1. **Install Homebrew.** Open Terminal (Cmd+Space, type 'Terminal') and paste: /bin/bash -c '$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)' 2. **Install OpenShot.** Run this command in Terminal: brew install --cask openshot-video-editor 3. **Verify Installation.** Launch OpenShot from your Applications folder. Go to 'OpenShot Video Editor' > 'About OpenShot' in the menu bar to verify you are running version 3.5.1 or higher. ## Pros - Free with no watermarks or time limits - Unlimited tracks for video and audio, including still images - Drag-and-drop interface that beginners pick up quickly - Direct Blender integration for 3D titles - Cross-platform project files (move between Mac/PC) - Completely free with no export watermarks - 3.5.1 Optimize Preview improves heavy-timeline editing - Cross-platform projects across Mac, Windows, Linux ## Cons - Not native for Apple Silicon (runs via Rosetta 2) - Can be unstable/crash with complex 4K projects - Hardware acceleration support on Mac is limited - Preview playback can lag without cache tuning - Still less polished than Final Cut Pro on Mac for pro color work - AI features need extra ComfyUI setup for advanced use ## Closer look: OpenShot architecture and ecosystem OpenShot is a fascinating case study in open-source longevity. It combines a Python-based interface (PyQt5) with a high-performance C++ video editing library (libopenshot), offering a useful split between scriptability and performance. ## FAQ ### What is the latest OpenShot version in 2026? OpenShot 3.5.1, released in April 2026, is the current stable line with Optimize Preview and performance upgrades. ### Is OpenShot free? Yes. GPLv3 open source with no paid tier required for any editing or export features. ### Does OpenShot work on Apple Silicon Macs? Yes. Current macOS downloads support modern Macs including Apple Silicon under recent macOS releases such as Tahoe 26.x. ### What is Optimize Preview? A built-in proxy workflow in 3.5.1 that uses lighter preview media while editing so scrubbing stays smoother; exports still use original files. ### Can OpenShot do 4K? Yes, though smooth 4K editing benefits greatly from Optimize Preview and a capable machine. ### How does OpenShot compare to iMovie? iMovie is simpler and more native; OpenShot offers more tracks and cross-platform open-source flexibility. ### Does OpenShot include AI tools? 3.5.x expands ComfyUI-based style workflows using open models; setup is more advanced than one-click mobile AI editors. ### Are there watermarks on exports? No. Exports are unrestricted and watermark-free. ### Is OpenShot good for beginners? Yes for multi-track basics and titles; transitions work fine too. Absolute beginners may still prefer iMovie's simpler Mac UX. ### How is OpenShot funded? Donations and community support, not subscriptions or locked Pro features. ## Sources - [OpenShot 3.5.1 release blog](https://www.openshot.org/blog/2026/04/06/openshot-351-faster-performance-smoother-editing-better-previews/) - [OpenShot home](https://www.openshot.org/) - [OpenShot download](https://www.openshot.org/download/) - [OpenShot Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenShot) - [OpenShot GitHub](https://github.com/OpenShot/openshot-qt) - [Optimize Preview tutorial](https://www.openshot.org/blog/2026/04/06/how-do-i-optimize-a-video-for-smoother-editing/) ## Related - [Kap](https://bundl.run/apps/kap) - [Spotify](https://bundl.run/apps/spotify) - [VLC](https://bundl.run/apps/vlc) - [DaVinci Resolve](https://bundl.run/apps/davinci-resolve) - [OBS Studio](https://bundl.run/apps/obs) - [HandBrake](https://bundl.run/apps/handbrake) - [OpenShot vs Kdenlive](https://bundl.run/compare/kdenlive-vs-openshot) - [Free alternative to Final Cut Pro](https://bundl.run/https:/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://bundl.run/#organization", "name": "Bundl.run", "url": "https://bundl.run", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://bundl.run/og-image.png", "width": 1200, "height": 630 }, "description": "The Ninite for Mac. 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