Shotcut is a free, open source, cross-platform video editor for Mac

Shotcut for Mac

Shotcut for Mac

  -  243 MB  -  Open Source
  • Latest Version

    Shotcut 25.07.26 LATEST

  • Review by

    Sophia Jones

  • Operating System

    Mac OS X 10.8 or later

  • User Rating

    Click to vote
  • Author / Product

    Meltytech, LLC. / External Link

  • Filename

    shotcut-macos-250726.dmg

Shotcut is a free, open source, cross-platform video editor for Mac, Windows and Linux.

Major features include support for a wide range of formats; no import required meaning native timeline editing; Blackmagic Design support for input and preview monitoring; and resolution support to 4k. Edit your videos using Shotcut for macOS comprehensive software!

Features

Wide Format Support
Supports hundreds of audio and video formats and codecs thanks to FFmpeg. No import required which means native editing, plus multi-format timelines, resolutions and frame-rates within a project. Frame accurate seeking supported for many video formats.

Device and Transport Options
Blackmagic Design SDI and HDMI for input and preview monitoring. Screen, webcam and audio capture. Network stream playback. Supports resolutions up to 4k and capture from SDI, HDMI, webcam, JACK & Pulse audio, IP stream, X11 screen and Mac DirectShow devices.

Sleek, Intuitive Interface
Multiple dockable and undockable panels, including detailed media properties, recent files with search, playlist with thumbnail view, filter panel, history view, encoding panel, jobs queue, and melted server and playlist. Also supports drag-n-drop of assets from file manager.

Alternatives

Movavi Video Editor
– Intuitive with built-in effects.

Filmora – User-friendly with creative effects.

Adobe Premiere Pro – Industry-standard video editing.

iMovie – Free, easy-to-use, and great for beginners.

Final Cut Pro – Professional editing with advanced tools.

DaVinci Resolve – High-end editing with color grading.

HitFilm – VFX and editing in one package.

Lightworks – Pro-level editing with a free version.

How to Use
  • Install by dragging it into the Applications folder
  • Launch the app and set your video mode preferences
  • Import media via drag-and-drop or the Open File menu
  • Drag clips to the timeline to begin editing
  • Use filters to adjust video, audio, and effects
  • Cut, trim, and arrange clips directly on the timeline
  • Export the final video using the Export panel
  • Choose format, resolution, and encoding options
  • Click Export File to render and save the project
System Requirements

macOS 10.14 Mojave or later

64-bit Intel or Apple Silicon processor

Minimum 4 GB RAM (8 GB or more recommended)

OpenGL 2.0 compatible GPU

At least 500 MB of free disk space

PROS
  • Free and open-source software
  • Wide format support without plugins
  • Cross-platform project compatibility
  • Customizable interface layout
  • Frequent updates and active development
CONS
  • Interface can feel cluttered
  • No built-in templates or themes
  • Limited advanced motion graphics tools
  • Occasional performance lag on large projects
Note: Requires 64-bit processor.

Also Available: Download Shotcut for Windows

Why is this app published on FileHorse? (More info)
  • Shotcut 25.07.26 Screenshots

    The images below have been resized. Click on them to view the screenshots in full size.

    Shotcut 25.07.26 Screenshot 1
  • Shotcut 25.07.26 Screenshot 2
  • Shotcut 25.07.26 Screenshot 3
  • Shotcut 25.07.26 Screenshot 4
  • Shotcut 25.07.26 Screenshot 5

What's new in this version:

- Added a Whisper.cpp (GGML) model downloader to the Speech to Text dialog
- A model is no longer included in the download and installation reducing their sizes
- Improved the System theme to follow the operating system palette on Windows (darker and more contrast), and improved its appearance on macOS dark mode
- Added Settings > Theme > System Fusion that combines the operating system palette with the monochrome, symbolic icons of the Fusion themes.Added an Outline video filter that uses the input alpha channel--useful with rich text or assets with a transparent background.
- This means that, like Drop Shadow, it will not work as expected when used after a text filter on a video or image clip. Rather, you must use a text clip (transparent color generator with text filter) on an upper track.

Other New Features:
- Added the ability to drag the waveform peak line to adjust audio gain
- Added Settings > Timeline > Adjust Clip Gain/Volume to turn off the above

Added rolling an edit/trim to Timeline:
- Hold Ctrl (command on macOS) while trimming to simultaneously trim the neighbor clip
- Added a Soft Focus filter set
- Added Audio/Video duration to the Slideshow Generator dialog, defaults to 4 hours
- This facilitates using Slideshow Generator to make transitions between everything when including both video and images. (It still respects the source duration and in & out points; duration here is a maximum.)

Surround Sound Mixing Improvements:
- Added fader and surround balance to the Balance audio filter if channels > 2
- Added support for 4 channels in the Copy Channel audio filter

Added Channels toggle buttons to many audio filters:
- Band Pass
- Compressor
- Delay
- Downmix
- Equalizer: 3-Band
- Equalizer: 15-Band
- Equalizer: Parametric
- Expander
- Gain/Volume
- High Pass
- Low Pass
- Limiter
- Mute
- Noise Gate
- Notch

For example, now you can:
- Copy stereo music to the rear channels and use the fader in the Balance filter to reduce its volume,
- Downmix spoken word into the center channel and apply a Band Pass filter to it, and
- Route music or sound effects to the low-frequency channels and apply a Low Pass filter to it

Other Improvements:
- Changed the default Export > Audio > Rate control to Average Bitrate for AAC, Opus, and MP3
- Added the ability to add/use multiple Mask: Apply filters
- Added support for Scrub While Dragging to trimming on the timeline
- Added hold Shift to ripple-trim when Ripple is turned off
- Added French (Canadian) and Lithuanian translations

Fixed:
- Fixed Mask: Apply with multiple Mask: Simple Shape (broke in v25.05)
- Fixed exporting projects containing only Generator clips on Windows (broke in v25.05)
- Fixed converting 10-bit full to limited range (broke in v25.01)
- Fixed dropdown menus using Settings > Theme > System on Windows
- Fixed Balance and Pan audio muted channels if audio channels > 2
- Fixed Export > Use hardware encoder fails with H.264 on macOS 15
- Fixed Properties > Convert or Reverse for iPhone 16 Pro videos with Ambisonic audio
- Fixed a single frame fade out filter would either mute or make black
- Fixed repairing a project (e.g. broken file links) with proxy turned on
- Fixed doing Freeze Frame on the first frame of a clip