Back in September 2021 Microsoft acquired Clipchamp, a browser-based video editing app. At the time we asked whether Clipchamp would ever be incorporated into Windows and today that question has an answer.
Clipchamp is currently being rolled out to Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel as part of the latest Windows Insider update (Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22572). Before you have visions of a rehashing of Windows Movie Maker, Clipchamp is rather feature rich.
“Clipchamp is our new video editor focused on making video creation easy, fast, and fun,” Microsoft wrote in an update.
“Clipchamp is equipped with all the basic tools you’d expect, like trimming and splitting, as well as more pro-style features like transitions and animated text. For real-time content capture, there are also built-in webcam and screen recorders.”
That last sentence is interesting and we’d have to test this out in order to see if Clipchamp could replace something like OBS. Our gut feeling is that Clipchamp isn’t loaded with as many features as OBS.
Microsoft says that it has fine-tuned Clipchamp’s timeline to make it cleaner and less confusing for newbies.
Of note is the inclusion of a stock library loaded with royalty-free video, audio and images.
“There’s even an Azure-powered text-to-speech generator capable of creating voice overs in more than 70 languages. And, speaking of Microsoft integrations, Clipchamp also connects with OneDrive, meaning you can import files and save videos quickly and securely,” Microsoft added.
Clipchamp is what Microsoft dubs an inbox app which means that it will ship with new installations of Windows 11. While Microsoft has warned in the past that features that arrive in the Dev Channel may not make it to the wild, it appears as if Clipchamp will make it out of the Dev Channel.
Another new addition with this Dev Channel update is the Microsoft Family app.
“Set parental controls to filter inappropriate apps and games and set browsing to kid-friendly websites for Microsoft Edge. Help your kids balance their screen time activity on Windows, Xbox, and Android and use activity reporting to better understand your family’s digital activity. Stay connected even when you’re apart with family location tracking,” said Microsoft.
This sounds a lot like a Microsoft / Android version of Apple Families which is great for users who aren’t fans of paying a premium for Apple’s product.
Like Clipchamp, Microsoft Family will become an inbox app.
There are many more tweaks in the latest Windows 11 Insider Preview build and you can find a detailed list here. While it may be tempting to dive into these features early, Microsoft has warned that switching between the Dev, Beta and Release Preview channels will require a fresh install of Windows 11.
