Programs to edit GoPro videos for free
If you are looking for free GoPro video editing programs, then this is precisely the section of the tutorial that is right for you: in fact, below I am going to list you a series of free software almost certainly able to meet your needs.
GoPro Player (Windows 10/macOS)
GoPro Player, as the name implies, is the official computer software made available by GoPro. Available for free for Windows 10 (in beta version) and macOS 10.14 and later versions, it is a program mainly dedicated to exporting 4 ° videos shot with the use of cameras in MP360 format GoPro MAX, in order to be able to process them later with other compatible software.
However, GoPro Player also has some basic editing options to apply to processed movies: framing, cropping, aligning, and extracting frames, to name a few.
To obtain GoPro Player, connected to the official GoPro website, click on the box dedicated to GoPro Player and press the button dedicated to the operating system you are using, to obtain the program installation file (on Windows) or open the appropriate page of the Mac App Store (on macOS).
At this point, if you employ Windows, start the file.msi obtained, click on the button Next, put the check mark next to the item I accept the terms in the License Agreement and press the buttons Next, install, Yes e Finish, in order to complete the setup and start the program.
Be il tuo è un Mac, should have opened instead, following the "click" on the button dedicated to macOS, the appropriate screen of Mac App Store: then click on the buttons Get e InstallI inserted the Password of your Apple ID, if necessary, and wait for the completion of the software installation, which you can open immediately after pressing the button open (or via the icon added to the macOS Launchpad).
At this point, the procedures are the same on both operating systems. First, if not you want to send analytics data to GoPro to help improve the product and experience, remove the check mark from the box that appears below, then click Open content and select the video file on which to work, in . 360 o .MP4. On Mac, you can also grab files directly from the camera, using the menu Import> Import from Camera, which resides at the top.
After opening the movie in the program, use the timeline at the bottom to navigate within it; to play the video, click on the button Play, located on the left.
To cut a part of the video, click on the button depicting a couple of scissors, use the blue slider to define the length of the clip to cut and, when done, click on the symbol (✓), to confirm; to change the framing of the image, click the button with a viewfinder, located in the center; to extract the current frame, click on the symbol instead panorama located on the right.
If you wish, use the buttons located to the right for zoom, rotate o Re-align video; finally, you can find options related to World Lock and horizon level clicking on the button depicting a slashed rhombus, located in the lower right.
Once the changes are finished, you can save them to the current file using the menu File> Save GoPro Player; if, on the other hand, you want to export the video in MP4 format, click on the menu File> Export, then on the item dedicated to advanced options and use the proposed options to define the resolution of the movie, the codec to use and the alignment options.
When you are done, click on the button NEXT, indicates the name and position of the file in which to export the movie and click on the button Save, to start encoding (which may take a few hours, depending on the power of your computer and the length of the movie).
DaVinci Resolve (Windows/macOS)
Another great piece of software you can use to edit video footage via GoPro is DaVinci Resolve, a professional-grade video editor, available for both Windows and macOS, which includes several advanced features, including the ability to manage movies even at high resolutions, up to 8K.
Basically, DaVinci Resolve is a free program, however a paid version is available (costs 269€), which allows for additional features, including numerous ResolveFX / FairlightFX plug-ins, HDR color correction tools, tools for stereoscopic 3D manipulation and the option for multi-user collaboration.
The program can be used to manipulate video files with static framing, but not 360 ° ones (with the extension .360) generated through the GoPro MAX: in the latter case, the video clips must be previously converted into MP4 format, using the the official GoPro Player program, which I told you about a little while ago.
To download DaVinci Resolve, connected to the official website of the program, click on the button Download and click on the button that best suits your computer's operating system, in the left pane of the panel that opens (called DaVinci Resolve [version number]). Subsequently, fill out the form that is proposed to you providing the requested data (name, last name, e-mail, phone, paese e city) and click on your button Register & Download, to start downloading the program installation file.
Once the download is complete, if you use Windows, extract the package .ZIP obtained in any folder and run the .exe file which is inside it; then click on the buttons Yes, install e Next, put the check mark next to the box I accept the terms in the License Agreement and finally press the buttons Next for two consecutive times, install, Finish e OK.
If, on the other hand, yours is a Mac, april il package .dmg obtained previously, double-click the icon Install Resolve X.Y.Z which resides in the window that opens and clicks on the button Continue three consecutive times, then on Accept e Install.
Finally, type the Password of the Mac administration in the appropriate field, click on the button Install software and finalize everything by pressing the buttons Close e Move.
If you need further clarification regarding the steps just seen, I refer you to reading my tutorial entirely dedicated to installing DaVinci Resolve.
Once the program setup is complete, start it from Start menu Windows or from LaunchPad macOS, click the button New Project located in the welcome window of the software, to start a new project, then open the menu Fillet (located at the top left) and use the option for import the video to select the movie of your interest.
Once the import is complete, use the tools available in the editor to apply the desired changes: in the upper part of the window are the menus that allow you to call up the editing commands (cropping, rotation, extraction and so on), while the located a little further down, they allow you to select effects, sounds, transitions, and other elements to add to the clip.
On the left, you can find the list of multimedia contents that are part of the project (and add new ones), at the bottom is the timeline and, on the right, there is a function bar, which changes according to the selected tool and shows further dedicated options at the same.
Once your job is done, use the menu File> Save, to save everything in the form of a project, or the menu File> Export, to export it in any supported format, with the encoding and resolution you prefer. To learn more about DaVinci Resolve, I invite you to read the section Videotutorial present on the official website of the software, full of useful videos to take the first steps inside.
Other programs to edit GoPro videos for free
How do you say? You think the solutions I have suggested are valid, but you would need to know others free GoPro video editing programs that they are a little easier to use, albeit less "powerful"? In that case, you'll be pleased to know that most of the free video editors out there can manipulate movies made with the GoPro (for the GoPro MAX with 360 ° framing, you must first convert them to static format, using GoPro Player) . Below I will list the ones that, in my opinion, are the best.
- Lightworks (Windows / macOS) - it is one of the best software dedicated to those who have a minimum of experience in the field of video editing, which, through the numerous tools included, allows you to obtain professional-level results. Basically it's a free program, but there is a paid version that includes some additional features (such as the ability to create stereoscopic content).
- Avidemux (Windows / macOS) - is an excellent video manipulation program, with a rather minimal interface but not for this lackluster in terms of functionality. Among other things, Avidemux allows you to crop and export parts of your movie, apply filters and effects of various kinds, transcode files (i.e. convert them from one format to another) and much more. It is free and open source.
- Wondershare filmora (Windows) - this is a video editing and editing software that allows you to both edit individual video clips, even in an incisive way, and edit multiple movies together, applying effects, transitions, audio and much more. The free version of the software has no limitations of any kind, except for the application of a watermark on the works carried out; to remove it, you need to purchase the full version of the program, which costs € 44,99 / year or € 59,99 one-time.
- EaseUS Video Editor (Windows) - is a video editing program with a simple but functional interface, designed to mount multiple clips together in a single movie, applying effects, transitions and other graphic elements. It is available in two versions: a free one, which allows you to export videos at a maximum resolution of 720p and apply a watermark to your jobs; and a paid one, with prices starting from € 17,97 / month, which eliminates these last limitations.
- iMovie (macOS) - is the official solution from Apple designed for video editing and editing, included "standard" on all Macs. Despite the intuitive interface and suitable even for inexperienced, iMovie includes many manipulation and editing tools video: filters, effects, transitions, audio equalization, speed modification, stabilization, color correction and much more. If you are interested in learning more about how this program works, take a look at the tutorial I dedicated to the subject.
Programs to edit GoPro videos for a fee
In addition to the free solutions I've shown you so far, there are numerous video manipulation software covered by commercial license, full of tools and features dedicated to editing movies and clips made in numerous formats, including those coming from GoPro cameras.
Adobe Premiere Pro (Windows / macOS)
In a guide dedicated to programs to edit GoPro videos for a fee one cannot fail to mention Adobe Premiere Pro: it is a commercial program, available for Windows and macOS, which includes a huge amount of tools oriented to the manipulation (but also to the creation) of various types of videos, including those coming from GoPro (except for 360 videos degrees, which must be previously converted or managed using the GoPro FX Reframe plugin).
In order to take advantage of Adobe Premiere Pro it is necessary to subscribe to Adobe Creative Cloud, for the single product (24,39 € / month), or for the use of all the software included in the suite (60,99 € / month). In any case, the program can be tried for free for 7 days, with no renewal obligations.
So, to download the program, connected to its website, click on the button Free trial version at the top and then on the button Activate trial, located at thesubscription of your interest, among those available.
Now, type yours email address in the appropriate field, click on the button Continue and choose a payment method among those supported (credit card or PayPal) and indicates the information necessary to complete the transaction. Once the payment is complete, set the Password to use to access your Adobe IDclick on your button Start Free Trial and wait for the program installation package to be downloaded to your computer.
When the download is complete, open the file obtained and, if you use Windows, click on the buttons Yes e Continue, to authenticate with your Adobe ID; then, indicate your level of competence with the program and click on the buttons Continue e Start installing, to complete the setup.
Se, invece, stai using MacOS, double-click theicon Adobe Premiere Pro attached to the window that appears, type the Password of the Mac in the appropriate field and click on the buttons OK e Continue, in order to log in to your Adobe ID. To install the software, click on the buttons Continue e Start installing.
When installation is complete, the Adobe Premiere Pro start window should open on the screen: close the welcome tutorial, click on the button New project (or on the menu File> New> Project, located at the top left) to create a new empty project. So define the name of the project and, if necessary, the settings for video, audio and capture, if necessary, and click on the button OK. Once this is done, use the menu File> Import to select the video clip to work on.
At this point, use the sections located at the top to view the editing mode best suited to the operation you intend to perform: assembly, mounting, correction colore, Addition of effects, modification ofaudio, or adding elements of graphics. For each section, in addition to a viewer (in the center) and a timeline (below), the list of multimedia files imported into the project (on the left) and a series of specific tools are also available, depending on the functionality and / or the selected item (right).
When you are satisfied with your work, go to the menu File> Export> Media Files and, using the options offered to you, define the format file export, the encoding to apply and the rendering and cropping options. When you are done, click on the first name of file output, to choose the destination folder, and then on the button Export, to conclude.
Other programs to edit GoPro videos for a fee
If you believe that the solutions I have indicated to you just now are not very suitable for your needs, know that there are numerous other paid software available, always dedicated to editing clips from GoPro cameras (and not only), that are worth trying: here are some of them.
- Sony VEGAS Pro (Windows) - is an excellent software dedicated to video manipulation, which includes a huge amount of functions and effects, characterized by an interface that can be used by both newbies and professionals. It costs € 16,67 / month or € 299 one-time and can be tried for free for 30 days. More info here.
- Lightworks Pro (Windows / macOS) - is the paid version of the famous Lightworks software, of which I have already told you previously, which includes additional tools such as the ability to create stereoscopic content, to create files for YouTube with resolution up to 4K UHD and use all popular known export formats. Lightworks Pro has a starting price of € 19,99 / month.
- Corel VideoStudio Ultimate (Windows) - this is a very powerful and complete video editing software, equipped with all the tools you need to manipulate your movies in professional quality. VideoStudio Pro also includes an interface dedicated to newbies, which greatly simplifies the video editing process with easy-to-understand menus and buttons. It costs € 89,99, but in some promotional periods the price can be discounted.
