Clipchamp, is Microsoft’s video editing software and service. It’s a simple way to create videos easily with text, graphics, effects and transitions. Microsoft 365 consumer customers get extra Clipchamp features.
You can try it out here, or download it from the Microsoft Store for Windows. Mac users can get Clipchamp via the App Store. Clipchamp has software but it’s primarily an online service which can work in a browser. Sign up is available for free, you can easily use your Microsoft account to login.
In late September 2022, a new “Microsoft 365 plan” was added to Clipchamp which includes some premium filters and effects. That means there’s now an advantage in login with a Microsoft account linked to a Microsoft 365 plan, see Microsoft 365 customers now get more from Clipchamp
Commercial Microsoft 365 plans are getting Clipchamp in late 2023, until then just login with a personal account instead.
Clipchamp with PowerPoint
There’s no direct integration of Clipchamp into PowerPoint — that might be on Microsoft’s To Do list.
For the moment make a video in Clipchamp then export to a separate video file for import into Office, most likely PowerPoint. These days, all Clipchamp users can export videos at a good 1080p resolution, not the old 480p.
Clipchamp Features
Clipchamp has a variety of different features to offer, which we will look at in further depth.
Timeline Editor
Because Clipchamp’s timeline is designed for everyday editors, it’s a bit different from what you find in some professional video editing software. Video and music content can be easily added to the timeline via drag-and-drop.
After that, it takes only a few clicks to perform simple tasks like trimming or eliminating a mistake in a recording. For more complex tasks, like splitting audio from a video clip, it is still easy to action with just a few steps. The timeline is kept simple and straight-forward in design, so it’s not complicated to use.
Filters
Clipchamp Filters change the look of a video clip, either a color tint or something more extreme. Microsoft 365 users get a few more filters.
Effects
Effects are ways to transition from one video clip or element to another (like PowerPoint Transitions between slides. From simple Fade and Wipe to quite fancy options. Microsoft 365 users get a few more effects to choose from.
Textbox
Text can be added over any video or graphic see How to add textbox to video on Clipchamp
In-App Creation Tools
With the camera and screen recorder feature, you can capture content without having to leave the app. Choose between just camera recording or just screen recording. Once the recording has been finished, it will also appear on the timeline, ready to be edited.
Don’t want to use your voice? Clipchamp has a text-to-speech feature powered by Microsoft Azure, with 170 voices to choose from, in up to 70 different languages. Microsoft mentions that the voices are pretty ‘life like’, although we would question the choice of words, we would consider it a type of voiceover that sounds artificial or robotic.
Extras in Creative Editing
Clipchamp offers additional tools on top of the basic essentials to assist in adding extra creative flare to your videos. Extra features include transitions, colorful filters, or swapping out visuals whilst keeping the audio intact across your videos.
Working on a company video? You can set-up and save a brand kit with all of your brand colors, font style and company logos to be used for future videos. Branding is only available in the paid Clipchamp plans.
Want to add a meme or sticker to your video? Clipchamp also has the option to browse through GIPHY animations or stickers.
Royalty-Free Stock
Clipchamp has a large stock library with over a million images, videos, music and sound effects, all royalty-free. The stock is filtered into themed categories to make it easier to search through, and you can use the search box to look up what you need.
Designer-Made Templates
Clipchamp provides users with video templates that will help them get started. They have a number of collections from the Clipchamp team, once selected it will appear on the timeline for the users to begin editing. Examples include for YouTube, Gaming, Instagram, Social media ads and TikTok.
Free Sign-up
As mentioned, you can sign-up for free, and free accounts now export to a decent resolution, 1080p instead of 480p. There’s no watermark either.
There are some filters and effect extras for Microsoft 365 accounts linked to a consumer plan (Microsoft 365 Family or Personal). Microsoft 365 Commerical plans are getting direct access in late 2023.
There are paid plans starting with “Essentials” to get access to extra royalty-free stock and other goodies.
There are enough features for most people in the free or Microsoft 365 plans for Clipchamp, with little need to pay more.
How to add textbox to video on Clipchamp
Clipchamp video, getting started with the latest from Microsoft
Clipchamp arrives at a high price for too little
Add videos to PowerPoint Kiosk mode
Easy video backgrounds in PowerPoint
Tricks to using YouTube videos into PowerPoint
New video linking in PowerPoint 2016 and 2013 for Windows
