Meta launches powerful alternative to CapCut for Reels authors

Meta, the developer of Instagram, has launched the new Edits app for all mobile platforms, which is intended to become an alternative to the TikTok-related CapCut editor. The app is available for free in the App Store and Google Play.

The Verge writes about it.

What opportunities will content authors get in Edits?

Edits is positioned as a professional content creation tool. The app combines project management, idea notes, and view statistics with advanced editing features that are not available in the main Instagram app. These include replacing the background with a "green" background, cutting objects out of the frame, and generating animations based on static images using AI.

In terms of the set of tools, Edits is noticeably similar to ByteDance's CapCut. The launch of the new product came amid the recent short-term unavailability of TikTok and CapCut in US app stores, which only underlined Meta's intention to compete directly.

When announcing Edits earlier this year, Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri acknowledged the similarities with CapCut, but on the Threads platform, he assured that the new product is primarily aimed at professional creators, not ordinary users. In a commentary for The Verge, he clarified that Edits will have a much wider range of creative tools and will be aimed at a smaller but more demanding audience.

Meta is already announcing upcoming additions to Edits: support for keyframes, new AI features, and the ability to collaborate on videos.

As a reminder, Meta has introduced new restrictions for teenagers on Instagram. The company has strengthened the protection of minors from unwanted content and contacts, as well as restricted the ability to stream without parental permission.

We also wrote that Meta has introduced the new feature on Instagram for those who like to watch Reels. Users can now speed up videos.