Meta has announced a new mobile video editing app called Edits, which will be available in app stores in February 2025.
The announcement comes hot on the heels of ByteDance's CapCut temporary removal from major app stores as part of the TikTok ban, leaving creators scrambling for alternatives.
The timing is no coincidence, of course. Meta has a history of making strategic moves to fill market gaps. Remember when they launched Instagram Reels right after TikTok's ban in India? Or how Threads emerged as X (formerly Twitter) was going through changes?
Still, the news will be a welcome surprise to Instagram Reels creators — particularly since it looks like it’s going to be a pretty powerful app!
Instagram head Adam Mosseri shared some interesting details about the app on Instagram and Threads — along with a video he actually filmed in Edits.
I’ll be honest: even though I’m a bit of a CapCut fan, I’m pretty excited about everything Mosseri has teased so far.
Here’s a look at everything we know about the new video editing app (watch this space — I’ll update this article as soon as I’ve had some hands-on time with Instagram’s Edits!).
It’s going to be a 'full creative suite'
Mosseri made it clear in his announcement that Edits isn't just another video editing app — it's positioning itself as a comprehensive creative toolkit for mobile video creators.
“It's more than a video editing app, it's a full suite of creative tools,” Mosseri explained on Threads.
Here's what creators can expect:
- Standard video editing features, of course
- A higher-quality camera (which Mosseri himself used for the announcement)
- A dedicated inspiration tab, featuring trending audio and ideas to spark your own
- A space to save your own ideas and drafts
- Draft sharing capabilities for collaboration
- Detailed insights for videos shared on Instagram
It’s for ‘serious mobile creators’
Edits is for creators who are serious about mobile video production. As Mosseri put it, “It's more for creators than casual video makers.” He specifically called out that there would be no templates on the app.
That said, it’s definitely not going to work for those creating full YouTube videos or similar. For one thing, there will be no desktop version of the app.
An ‘incomplete’ version will drop in February
Mosseri revealed that the Edits team has been working with a group of creators to improve the app for a few months, and they’re looking to expand this group in the coming weeks.
iOS users can preorder the app now, which they’ll be able to download next month. Mosseri mentioned that the Android app is coming “soon,” which implies Android users might have to wait slightly longer to get their hands on Edits.
If you're eager to dive in, Mosseri has one request: patience. “The first version is going to be incomplete,” he admits, suggesting this is just the beginning of what could be a significant evolution in mobile video creation tools.
The real question now is: Will Edits fill the CapCut-shaped hole in creators' toolkits — even now that U.S. creators might not have to say goodbye to CapCut at all?
I'll be keeping a close eye on this one and updating as more details emerge. Are you planning to give Edits a try when it launches? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Drop them in the comments below!
