Skip to main content

YouTube is getting rid of its Video Editor and Photo slideshow tools

youtube shuttering video editor editing
Ammentorp/123RF
YouTube is ditching its Video Editor tool because hardly anyone uses it. The video-streaming giant said the tool will “go away” on September 20, so if you’re one of those rare few who does still crank it up, you’ll need to make sure your project is done and dusted by that date.

Launched in 2010, the web-based Video Editor offers basic tools that allow you to create a sequence with your clips before uploading it to the streaming site.

Recommended Videos

The Google-owned outfit said it has seen “limited usage” of the feature, prompting the company to take it offline in a couple of months.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

“You can download your own videos from YouTube in 720p or use Google Takeout to retrieve your original files, in case you are looking to remix your uploaded videos into a new video,” the company outfit pointed out in a post announcing Video Editor’s imminent closure.

However, YouTube pointed out that it is keeping Enhancements as part of its Video Manager, which lets you make improvements to your video via things like trimming, blurring, and filters. You’ll also be able to continue making use of the audio library, slow-motion options, subtitling tool, and end screens, among other features.

In the same announcement, YouTube said it was also removing its Photo slideshow tool on September 20. Like its Video Editor, YouTubers have also shown little interest in the offering.

Other options

The company noted that anyone wishing to edit videos before uploading them to the streaming site can make use of a slew of free and paid offerings from a range of companies. There are plenty of smartphone-based video editing apps for casual hobbyists looking to knock something together in a few taps, while more fully featured options are available for desktops, too.

Digital Trends recently tracked down the best free and easy-to-use editing software on the market for anyone interested in sprucing up their videos. iPhone and Mac users, for example, can make use of iMovie, a solid piece of Apple software with a range of features that has expanded gradually over the years.

The VDSC Free Video Editor is a useful option for Windows users, though admittedly it does have a bit of a clunky interface.

Cross-platform choices include Lightworks and Avidemux, with the former offering the most features among the software listed here.

Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
YouTube gives iOS users another reason to pay for Premium
YouTube Premium on iPhone.

Subscription fatigue is real. But YouTube today just gave more reasons to pony up a few bucks every month for YouTube Premium, especially if you're on iOS. The big selling point for Premium, which costs $12 a month, is that you'll get rid of ads on your YouTube experience. That's worth it in and of itself. But you'll also get the ability to play videos in the background, download for offline viewing, and a subscription to YouTube Music Premium.

The new stuff adds on to all that.

Read more
Don’t watch this YouTube video if you have a Pixel 7
Someone holding the Google Pixel 7 Pro.

Reports of another "cursed" piece of content have been making the internet rounds as a video on YouTube has been causing Pixel devices to crash. The video, a clip from the 1979 movie Alien, seems to cause Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro, and some Pixel 6 and Pixel 6a smartphones to instantly reboot without warning.

As first reported on Reddit and spotted by Mishaal Rahman, the video will begin to play for only a second or two and then instantly reboot the Pixel 7 it's being played on. Digital Trends can confirm the bug to be active and working, too, with the video instantly rebooting a Pixel 7 Pro we tested it on.

Read more
This YouTube Apple Watch app is just as ridiculous as you’d expect
this youtube apple watch app is just as ridiculous youd expect watchtube

The Apple Watch has allowed users to do everything from calling their family and friends to keeping tabs on their health. But its media streaming abilities have been restricted to music, podcasts, and audiobooks. That's about to change, as now you'll be able to watch your favorite YouTube videos on your wrist thanks to a new app called WatchTube.

Created by Hugo Mason, WatchTube gives access to every YouTube video through the app, and you can hear the videos either through the Apple Watch's built-in speaker or with a pair of Bluetooth headphones. However, the app cannot be linked to your YouTube account in any way as it's a third-party app that just happens to carry the word "Tube" in its name. That said, you'll still be able to search and subscribe to your favorite content creators.

Read more