- How iMovie is laid out
- How to make your first movie in iMovie
- The essential editing skills
- The catch: your first clip decides the quality
- A simple editing workflow
- What iMovie is good and less good at
- Using iMovie on iPhone and iPad
- Tips for business videos people watch
- How long should your first video be?
- My verdict
- Frequently asked questions
To use iMovie on a Mac, open Projects view, click Create New and choose Movie, then drag your clips into the timeline. Trim them by dragging their edges, add titles, transitions and music from above the browser, and export with File, then Share, then File. iMovie saves your project automatically as you work.
iMovie is free on Apple devices and does far more than most people use it for. For a small business owner who needs a tidy product video, a client testimonial or a quick explainer, it's often all you need. Here's how to go from a folder of clips to a finished video, using the Mac version.
How iMovie is laid out
| Area | What it's for |
|---|---|
| Projects view | All your movie projects in one place |
| Browser | Your clips, plus Titles, Audio and Transitions above it |
| Viewer | Where you preview your movie and edit text |
| Timeline | Where you arrange and trim clips into your movie |
How to make your first movie in iMovie
- Open iMovie and go to Projects view.
- Click Create New, then Movie.
- Import your clips, or pick them from your Photos library or existing events.
- Drag clips from the browser into the timeline in the order you want.
- Trim each clip by dragging its start or end edge towards the middle.
- Add titles, transitions and music from the options above the browser.
- Watch it through in the viewer.
- Export with File, Share, File.
There's no Save button to worry about. Apple says iMovie saves automatically as you work on a project.
The essential editing skills
Trimming
Drag a clip's edge towards its centre to shorten it. For more control, choose Window, then Show Clip Trimmer to add or remove individual frames. The precision editor, under the same menu, lets you fine-tune where clips start and end.
Adding text
Select Titles above the browser, drag a style onto your clip, double-click the text in the viewer and type. Click Apply when you're done.
Adding music
Drag a song or sound effect from the audio options or your own files into the timeline below your video clips. Lower its volume so it doesn't drown out speech.
Adding transitions
Select Transitions above the browser and drag one between two clips. Use them sparingly; a simple cross dissolve is usually enough.
The catch: your first clip decides the quality
This is the setting nobody tells beginners about. Apple says a project's resolution and frame rate are set by the first clip you add to the timeline. If your first clip is a low-resolution video, the whole movie will be too, even if the rest is 4K. So drop your best-quality clip into a new project first. You can always move it later in the edit.
A simple editing workflow
- Rough cut: put all your clips in order and don't worry about details.
- Trim: cut the dead air at the start and end of every clip.
- Tighten: remove anything that doesn't move the story forward.
- Polish: add titles, music and a couple of transitions.
- Check: watch it through once with sound and once without.
What iMovie is good and less good at
| Good for | Less suited to |
|---|---|
| Testimonials, product demos, explainers | Vertical Reels and TikToks |
| Family-style montages and event videos | Complex multi-layer edits |
| Quick edits with titles and music | Advanced colour grading and effects |
When you outgrow it, iMovie can send projects to Final Cut Pro, Apple's professional editor.
Using iMovie on iPhone and iPad
The iPhone and iPad versions work on the same idea: start a project, add clips, trim, add titles and music, then share. The tools are simpler, which makes them great for quick edits on the go. For longer videos, editing on a Mac with a bigger screen is far easier.
Tips for business videos people watch
- Open with the most interesting moment, not a logo.
- Keep it short. Cut anything you'd skip yourself.
- Add titles so it makes sense with the sound off.
- Record clean audio. People forgive average video, not bad sound.
- End with one clear next step.
For clean screen footage to drop into your edit, my picks for screen recording software will help, and if audio is your weak spot, see my guide to podcast editing software for tools that clean up sound.
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How long should your first video be?
Shorter than you think. For a first project, aim for something you can watch in one go without your attention drifting: a short product demo, a client thank-you or a quick tip. You'll learn the timeline, titles and export in one sitting, and you'll have something finished to post. Longer projects can come later, once the basics feel natural and you've built a library of clips to work from.
My verdict
iMovie is the easiest free video editor for Mac users. Create a new movie, drag clips into the timeline, trim, add titles and music, then File, Share, File to export. Put a high-quality clip first so the whole project stays sharp, and keep business videos short and captioned. It won't do vertical Reels well, but for horizontal videos it's hard to beat for the effort involved.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use iMovie on Windows?
No. iMovie is an Apple app for Mac, iPhone and iPad. Windows users need a different editor.
Is iMovie free?
iMovie comes free on Apple devices such as the Mac, iPhone and iPad.
How do I start a new project in iMovie?
Open Projects view, click Create New and choose Movie.
Do I need to save in iMovie?
No. iMovie saves automatically as you work.
How do I cut a clip in iMovie?
Drag the edge of the clip in the timeline towards its centre, or use Window, then Show Clip Trimmer.
Why is my iMovie video low quality?
The first clip you add sets the project's resolution. Start your project with your highest-quality clip.
How do I export from iMovie?
Select the movie and choose File, then Share, then File.
