Animation Mastery: The 10 Best 2D Software for Creators [Free & Paid]

10 Best 2D Animation Software in 2024 [Free/Paid]

Shanoon Cox

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

When you are trying to make funny cartoons within seven steps , explainer videos, or informative shorts to post online, 2D animation software can come in handy. With access to a 2D animation maker, you can create intricate and interesting stories that will help you connect with your audience.

Whether you are turning photos into cartoons , teaching a group of kids , showing employees how to do their job, introducing a new product, or trying to elicit an emotional reaction from your audience, 2D cartoon animation can be very useful.

If you are new to the world of 2D animation as a beginner and want to be a professional animation maker, you will be interested in our review of the top 10 free download 2D animation software options that may prove useful to you.

• Part 1: Best Free 2D Animation Software for Beginners
• Part 2: Best Professional 2D Animation Software
• Part 3: How to Make 2D Animation
• Part 4: FAQ about Professional 2D Animation Software

Recommend free download animation maker Filmora

If you want to create a 2D animation video, we recommend using 2D animation software-Filmora.

It is a powerful and straightforward video maker for all levels from middle to advanced. With keyframing, you can make smooth 2D animation quickly. Auto color correction can save you a lot of time to make high-quality animation.

Now free download it on Windows and Mac to make 2D animated videos, and connect with other video creators in the Wondershare Video Community to get more creative ideas.

A cross-platform for making videos anywhere for all creators

Why your video editing isn’t good enough? How about some creative inspo?

• 100 Million+ Users
• 150+ Countries and Regions
• 4 Million+ Social Media Followers
• 5 Million+ Stock Media for Use

Try It Free Try It Free

Try It Free

Try It Free

* Secure Download

Have a Quick Look at The Best 10 Free/Paid 2D Animation Software to Download

No.	Product Name	Supported OS	Price	Best for
1	Synfig	Windows, Linux, and OSX	Free	Beginners
2	Opentoonz	Windows and OSX	Free	Beginners
3	Maefloresta	iPhone and Android	Free	Beginners
4	Pencil 2D	Windows, Linux, and OSX	Free	Beginners
5	Toon Boom Harmony	Windows, Linux, and OSX	$109 per month	Professionals
6	CelAction2D	Windows, Linux, and OSX	$1300 for one single license	Professionals
7	Moho (Anime Studio) Pro	Windows and OSX	$399.99 for the full package	Professionals
8	Stop Motion Studio	Windows, OSX, Android, and iOS	$59.99 for the full package	Professionals
9	FlipBook	Windows and OSX	$19.99/$49.99/$149.99/$199.99	Professionals
10	Reallusion CrazyTalk Animator	Windows and OSX	$199 for the pipeline, $99 for pro	Professionals

Part 1 Best Free 2D Animation Software for Beginners

01 Synfig - Open Source 2D Animation Software for Beginners

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX

Pro: It offers more than 50 layers to make simple or advanced animation, so you don’t need to worry about its limitation though it is free to use.

Con: Few tutorials are available in the market to start making an animation for beginners.

Synfig Studio is an open-source, free 2D animation software that is the perfect place for beginners to learn about 2D animation. There are two versions available for free download - stable and testing.

The testing version has some experimental features if users want to try those ahead of their introduction into the stable release.

Features:

• Supports multiple layers of content
• The bone system allows for the creation of cutout animations from bitmap images
• Has sound support to allow for the addition and syncing of narration and/or music to the video

02 Opentoonz - Free-to-Use Effects for 2D Animation

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows and OSX

Pro: You can use a plug-in to make beautiful animation effects automatically without further editing.

Con: The UI design is outdated compared with other animation software, but it won’t affect user experience.

Based on the Toonz software, Opentoonz is the best free alternative that will help you create 2D animated content. Anyone can use the software, free of charge, and download it.

And users can modify the source code to add specific features to this simple animation software.

Features:

• GTS scanning tool
• Ability to change picture styles
• Add distortion and light effects
• Compatible with black and white and colored scans

03 Maefloresta - Easy-to-Use 2D Animation Software on Phone

Price: Free

Compatibility: iPhone and Android

Pro: It is free to use with easy to start introduction, even for kids.

Con: You need to email its staff to get the installer online, which is inconvenient sometimes.

The beauty of the Maefloresta app is that you can use your Android or iOS tablet and smartphone to create free 2D animated videos.

There is no need to pay for expensive software if you just want to create some fun videos to show your friends. It also offers school solutions for teachers and students.

Features:

• The free downloadable app that works on smartphones and tablets
• Easy animation software with tutorials
• Intuitive interface that beginners can use with ease

04 Pencil 2D - Cross-Platform Software with Intuitive Interface

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX

Pro: It offers English, Spanish, and Portuguese language tutorials to use.

Con: It doesn’t support the shapes tool. If you like to make shapes and draw something, you’d be disappointed.

Want an open-source and free 2D animation design software to help you create videos? Pencil2D animation is the type of program that can help beginners.

You can get to grips with how 2D animation works, and you can create some very fun and interesting videos along the way.

Features:

• Minimalist design to let you make animation easily
• Raster and vector workflow switching
• Cross-platform compatibility to free download

Part 2: Best Professional 2D Animation Software

05 Toon Boom Harmony - Leading Animation Software for Professional

Price: The first 21 days of using the product are free. After the 21 days are up, you will need to pay $109 per month.

Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX

Pro: You can make 2D and 3D animation, both with models.

Con: It may take some time to learn how to make 2D animation for beginners.

Whether you are trying to create an art piece, showcase a story through 2D images, or craft a unique message for your audience, Toon Boom Harmony will help you immensely.

This professional 2D animation software may take time to learn, but it is worth using. It has bitmap and vector tools for creating art, 3D imported models for hybrid productions, and the option to create multiplane scenes with Z-depth.

You can also check the Toon Boom Harmony Advanced Review from the TopTenReview website for more information.

Features:

• Revolutionary vector and bitmap drawing technology - Brush Engine
• Advanced color palettes and paint options
• 2D and 3D integration to make professional animation
• Cut-out animation tools
• Traditional paperless animation.

06 CelAction2D - Low System Requirement for Professional 2D Animation

Price: If you go with the Studio Edition, it costs $1,300 to obtain a single license to use the product for a lifetime. Studio Edition is $1300 for one single license

Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX

Pro: It is fast to use with low system requirements.

Con: You can draw animation in itself, so you need to import all words from third-party software.

Want to create unique and complex 2D animations for your upcoming projects? CelAction2D is the type of product that is going to help you create wonderful and professional animations.

While getting a full license is a financial commitment, you are getting a product that has all the features that you could need.

You can create a palette using up to 16 million colors, and you will have a very easy time getting to grips with the way the software works.

It is designed for beginners and intermediate users, but still has all the advanced features that a pro would want.

Features:

• Easy and fast to use for professional users
• Features ergonomic controls
• Easily handles complex projects with thousands of layers
• Works with all modern Windows machines - 32 and 64-bit Also work with Macs through Boot Camp
• The multiplane camera features let you have more controls

07 Moho (Anime Studio) Pro - All-In-One Professional 2D Animation Software

Price: $399.99 for the full package.

Compatibility: Windows and OSX

Pro: Its update is regular with advanced and newest features to use.

Con: It is not user-friendly for beginners as the functions are too advanced a little bit.

Anime Studio Pro is a fantastic option for anyone who is looking to get into professional 2D animation creation. It is affordable and designed for Flash-style animations.

While you cannot create frame-by-frame animations using this program, you will be able to create some fantastic videos nonetheless.

There is an Anime Studio Debut - simple animation software, which is targeted towards the beginner user and free download. But if you want all the features of a high-end 2D animation software, you will want to go with the Pro version.

Features:

• Enhanced freehand drawing tools
• Beizer handles to make it easier for you to design your videos the way that you want
• Smart warp feature helps create custom meshes to bend and twist your animations
• Realistic motion blur
• Animation for multiple layers at the same time

08 Stop Motion Studio - Fun and Well Designed 2D Animation Software

Price: $59.99 to download the software onto your PC.

Compatibility: Windows, OSX, Android, and iOS

Pro: You can use a built-in sound to make your animation unique. You can also record voice and use it in the video.

Con: You can only use it to make 2D stop motion animation.

Want to create fun, 2D animated videos? Hoping to impress your bosses with a 2D animated presentation to highlight a product’s features?

Using Stop Motion Studio will help you achieve all that you want in the world of 2D animation.

You can capture content with ease, whether you change up the focus, exposure, or white balance. There is DSLR support, so you can use your high-end camera in conjunction with this professional software.

And with a unique, frame-by-frame editor, you will be able to get the result that you want for your 2D stop animation movie.

Features:

• Onionskin allows you to view previous frames through a transparent overlay, which helps you create your next frame
• Comes with Chroma key and audio recording to better narrate and add voice effects to your videos
• Easy one-click uploading to YouTube and Facebook
• DSLR camera support for creating perfect 1080p recordings

09 FlipBook - Fun and Well Designed 2D Animation Software

Price: $19.99 for FlipBook Lite, $49.99 for FlipBook Studio, $149.99 for FlipBook Pro, $199.99 for FlipBook ProHD

Compatibility: Windows and OSX

Pro: From drawing, scanning to sound, this 2D animation software can make you powerful video.

Con: You can’t use it to make subtle changes as bone rigging is not available.

FlipBook is easy to use for beginners and pros who want to improve the editing experience. It is a powerful video editor that you can make 2D animation with various functions like syncing sound with animation, scanning cells, and more.

If you like to make a cartoon video like a pro, this 2D animation maker is best for you. It is free to download.

Features:

• Changes will be made while you change the animation, so FlipBook is fast to use
• You can use the shift key to make speed painting once you select one color
• Ten layers in animation for adding extra touches
• You can use a scanner to import images

10 Reallusion CrazyTalk Animator - Professional 2D Animation/Cartoon Software for Designers

Price: USD199 for the pipeline, USD99 for pro.

Compatibility: Windows and OSX

Pro: You can always find the feature you like for beginners and professionals. You can control characters even in expression levels.

Con: It integrates with PhotoShop to import and export video.

CrazyTalk is a 2D animation maker for professional users, so you can use this one if you don’t know which one to use. It supports controlling characters with your expression and lip-syncing. It is popular among YouTubers, educators and marketers.

Features:

• Capture real-time facial expression with precise changing
• Black magic to turn the image into a moving cartoon
• For advanced users, you can make 2D visual effects

Price: USD199 for the pipeline, USD99 for pro.

You may also like: Best Free Animated Logo Makers >>

Part 3: How to Make 2D Animation

Step 1 Put forward an idea

A story ides is priceless. It is always important to build an essential story frame. Sometimes it is in a blink to have come up with an idea.

It will help if you decide the gist of your 2D animation because the whole process of making animation is evolving. You may need to add or cut some scenes, but the overall concept and story ideas are always the same.

Step 2 Make a storyboard

After all the ideas are fixed, you need to make a storyboard for animation . You don’t need to produce every scene, but it is suggested to make a storyboard in some crucial scenes. Storyboarding is probably the best way to show 2D animation to other people and get feedback.

Thus, it is a step that you should not neglect during the preliminary.

Step 3 Produce materials

At this stage, you need to prepare all the 2D animation materials, including characters, background, and props. One thing you need to know is all the preparations in steps 2 and 3 should be ready before proceeding to step 3.

Step 4 Animation

After all, materials are ready, and you need to make animation alive. In this step, you need to make sure all the movements are natural. Stiff moves are not liked by the audience, so you need to think about how to design gestures, movements, and facial expressions.

Step 5 Animation editing

In this step, the software is the key to relive the 2D animation. Background audio is essential and needs to be added to the video. Color correction and grading are also necessary. Besides, scene transition, voiceover, and even text credit need to be added.

Above are the five 2D animation steps. If you think there are extra steps, you are free to add them according to your needs.

Bonus tip: Create an Animation Video with Anireel

Anireel provides a faster and smoother animated video creation experience with customizable elements to bring anyone’s imagination to life. All you have to do is choose your script, input the content, and Anireel will instantly match your script to rich animation explainer scenes, convert the text into voice-over, and generate a vivid, complete animation video.

Part 3 FAQ about Professional 2D Animation Software

01 What is the best 2D animation software?

It is hard to directly give you an answer and tell you which is the best 2D animation software. However, we can give you some recommendations based on your needs. If you are a beginner, Pencil 2D is a great start. You can use it to make minimalist animation to give you a quick-to-start 2D animation experience. If you are in the middle level, Stop Motion Studio is what we recommend. The interface is intuitive with powerful features like voiceover and Chroma key.

02 What is the best 2D animation software for beginners?

For 2D animation software for beginners, Pencil 2D would come to mind for many people. It is an excellent animation software for beginners. If you also want to try other tools, Synfig and FlipBook are also great choices. It is your call for the final decision.

03 Is there any free animation software?

For beginners, free animation software includes Synfig, Opentoonz, Maefloresta, and Pencil 2D. For advanced users, you can use Blender and Maya.

Conclusion

Creating a 2D animation video is a lot easier when you have the right software available to you. You already have a script and storyboard in mind, but now you can realize your vision in intricate and unique ways.

If you want to make 3D animation, there are also various 3D animation software options for you. If anyone of the products above will serve you well, you could use Filmora.

Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

When you are trying to make funny cartoons within seven steps , explainer videos, or informative shorts to post online, 2D animation software can come in handy. With access to a 2D animation maker, you can create intricate and interesting stories that will help you connect with your audience.

Whether you are turning photos into cartoons , teaching a group of kids , showing employees how to do their job, introducing a new product, or trying to elicit an emotional reaction from your audience, 2D cartoon animation can be very useful.

If you are new to the world of 2D animation as a beginner and want to be a professional animation maker, you will be interested in our review of the top 10 free download 2D animation software options that may prove useful to you.

• Part 1: Best Free 2D Animation Software for Beginners
• Part 2: Best Professional 2D Animation Software
• Part 3: How to Make 2D Animation
• Part 4: FAQ about Professional 2D Animation Software

Recommend free download animation maker Filmora

If you want to create a 2D animation video, we recommend using 2D animation software-Filmora.

It is a powerful and straightforward video maker for all levels from middle to advanced. With keyframing, you can make smooth 2D animation quickly. Auto color correction can save you a lot of time to make high-quality animation.

Now free download it on Windows and Mac to make 2D animated videos, and connect with other video creators in the Wondershare Video Community to get more creative ideas.

A cross-platform for making videos anywhere for all creators

Why your video editing isn’t good enough? How about some creative inspo?

• 100 Million+ Users
• 150+ Countries and Regions
• 4 Million+ Social Media Followers
• 5 Million+ Stock Media for Use

Try It Free Try It Free

Try It Free

Try It Free

* Secure Download

Have a Quick Look at The Best 10 Free/Paid 2D Animation Software to Download

No.	Product Name	Supported OS	Price	Best for
1	Synfig	Windows, Linux, and OSX	Free	Beginners
2	Opentoonz	Windows and OSX	Free	Beginners
3	Maefloresta	iPhone and Android	Free	Beginners
4	Pencil 2D	Windows, Linux, and OSX	Free	Beginners
5	Toon Boom Harmony	Windows, Linux, and OSX	$109 per month	Professionals
6	CelAction2D	Windows, Linux, and OSX	$1300 for one single license	Professionals
7	Moho (Anime Studio) Pro	Windows and OSX	$399.99 for the full package	Professionals
8	Stop Motion Studio	Windows, OSX, Android, and iOS	$59.99 for the full package	Professionals
9	FlipBook	Windows and OSX	$19.99/$49.99/$149.99/$199.99	Professionals
10	Reallusion CrazyTalk Animator	Windows and OSX	$199 for the pipeline, $99 for pro	Professionals

Part 1 Best Free 2D Animation Software for Beginners

01 Synfig - Open Source 2D Animation Software for Beginners

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX

Pro: It offers more than 50 layers to make simple or advanced animation, so you don’t need to worry about its limitation though it is free to use.

Con: Few tutorials are available in the market to start making an animation for beginners.

Synfig Studio is an open-source, free 2D animation software that is the perfect place for beginners to learn about 2D animation. There are two versions available for free download - stable and testing.

The testing version has some experimental features if users want to try those ahead of their introduction into the stable release.

Features:

• Supports multiple layers of content
• The bone system allows for the creation of cutout animations from bitmap images
• Has sound support to allow for the addition and syncing of narration and/or music to the video

02 Opentoonz - Free-to-Use Effects for 2D Animation

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows and OSX

Pro: You can use a plug-in to make beautiful animation effects automatically without further editing.

Con: The UI design is outdated compared with other animation software, but it won’t affect user experience.

Based on the Toonz software, Opentoonz is the best free alternative that will help you create 2D animated content. Anyone can use the software, free of charge, and download it.

And users can modify the source code to add specific features to this simple animation software.

Features:

• GTS scanning tool
• Ability to change picture styles
• Add distortion and light effects
• Compatible with black and white and colored scans

03 Maefloresta - Easy-to-Use 2D Animation Software on Phone

Price: Free

Compatibility: iPhone and Android

Pro: It is free to use with easy to start introduction, even for kids.

Con: You need to email its staff to get the installer online, which is inconvenient sometimes.

The beauty of the Maefloresta app is that you can use your Android or iOS tablet and smartphone to create free 2D animated videos.

There is no need to pay for expensive software if you just want to create some fun videos to show your friends. It also offers school solutions for teachers and students.

Features:

• The free downloadable app that works on smartphones and tablets
• Easy animation software with tutorials
• Intuitive interface that beginners can use with ease

04 Pencil 2D - Cross-Platform Software with Intuitive Interface

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX

Pro: It offers English, Spanish, and Portuguese language tutorials to use.

Con: It doesn’t support the shapes tool. If you like to make shapes and draw something, you’d be disappointed.

Want an open-source and free 2D animation design software to help you create videos? Pencil2D animation is the type of program that can help beginners.

You can get to grips with how 2D animation works, and you can create some very fun and interesting videos along the way.

Features:

• Minimalist design to let you make animation easily
• Raster and vector workflow switching
• Cross-platform compatibility to free download

Part 2: Best Professional 2D Animation Software

05 Toon Boom Harmony - Leading Animation Software for Professional

Price: The first 21 days of using the product are free. After the 21 days are up, you will need to pay $109 per month.

Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX

Pro: You can make 2D and 3D animation, both with models.

Con: It may take some time to learn how to make 2D animation for beginners.

Whether you are trying to create an art piece, showcase a story through 2D images, or craft a unique message for your audience, Toon Boom Harmony will help you immensely.

This professional 2D animation software may take time to learn, but it is worth using. It has bitmap and vector tools for creating art, 3D imported models for hybrid productions, and the option to create multiplane scenes with Z-depth.

You can also check the Toon Boom Harmony Advanced Review from the TopTenReview website for more information.

Features:

• Revolutionary vector and bitmap drawing technology - Brush Engine
• Advanced color palettes and paint options
• 2D and 3D integration to make professional animation
• Cut-out animation tools
• Traditional paperless animation.

06 CelAction2D - Low System Requirement for Professional 2D Animation

Price: If you go with the Studio Edition, it costs $1,300 to obtain a single license to use the product for a lifetime. Studio Edition is $1300 for one single license

Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX

Pro: It is fast to use with low system requirements.

Con: You can draw animation in itself, so you need to import all words from third-party software.

Want to create unique and complex 2D animations for your upcoming projects? CelAction2D is the type of product that is going to help you create wonderful and professional animations.

While getting a full license is a financial commitment, you are getting a product that has all the features that you could need.

You can create a palette using up to 16 million colors, and you will have a very easy time getting to grips with the way the software works.

It is designed for beginners and intermediate users, but still has all the advanced features that a pro would want.

Features:

• Easy and fast to use for professional users
• Features ergonomic controls
• Easily handles complex projects with thousands of layers
• Works with all modern Windows machines - 32 and 64-bit Also work with Macs through Boot Camp
• The multiplane camera features let you have more controls

07 Moho (Anime Studio) Pro - All-In-One Professional 2D Animation Software

Price: $399.99 for the full package.

Compatibility: Windows and OSX

Pro: Its update is regular with advanced and newest features to use.

Con: It is not user-friendly for beginners as the functions are too advanced a little bit.

Anime Studio Pro is a fantastic option for anyone who is looking to get into professional 2D animation creation. It is affordable and designed for Flash-style animations.

While you cannot create frame-by-frame animations using this program, you will be able to create some fantastic videos nonetheless.

There is an Anime Studio Debut - simple animation software, which is targeted towards the beginner user and free download. But if you want all the features of a high-end 2D animation software, you will want to go with the Pro version.

Features:

• Enhanced freehand drawing tools
• Beizer handles to make it easier for you to design your videos the way that you want
• Smart warp feature helps create custom meshes to bend and twist your animations
• Realistic motion blur
• Animation for multiple layers at the same time

08 Stop Motion Studio - Fun and Well Designed 2D Animation Software

Price: $59.99 to download the software onto your PC.

Compatibility: Windows, OSX, Android, and iOS

Pro: You can use a built-in sound to make your animation unique. You can also record voice and use it in the video.

Con: You can only use it to make 2D stop motion animation.

Want to create fun, 2D animated videos? Hoping to impress your bosses with a 2D animated presentation to highlight a product’s features?

Using Stop Motion Studio will help you achieve all that you want in the world of 2D animation.

You can capture content with ease, whether you change up the focus, exposure, or white balance. There is DSLR support, so you can use your high-end camera in conjunction with this professional software.

And with a unique, frame-by-frame editor, you will be able to get the result that you want for your 2D stop animation movie.

Features:

• Onionskin allows you to view previous frames through a transparent overlay, which helps you create your next frame
• Comes with Chroma key and audio recording to better narrate and add voice effects to your videos
• Easy one-click uploading to YouTube and Facebook
• DSLR camera support for creating perfect 1080p recordings

09 FlipBook - Fun and Well Designed 2D Animation Software

Price: $19.99 for FlipBook Lite, $49.99 for FlipBook Studio, $149.99 for FlipBook Pro, $199.99 for FlipBook ProHD

Compatibility: Windows and OSX

Pro: From drawing, scanning to sound, this 2D animation software can make you powerful video.

Con: You can’t use it to make subtle changes as bone rigging is not available.

FlipBook is easy to use for beginners and pros who want to improve the editing experience. It is a powerful video editor that you can make 2D animation with various functions like syncing sound with animation, scanning cells, and more.

If you like to make a cartoon video like a pro, this 2D animation maker is best for you. It is free to download.

Features:

• Changes will be made while you change the animation, so FlipBook is fast to use
• You can use the shift key to make speed painting once you select one color
• Ten layers in animation for adding extra touches
• You can use a scanner to import images

10 Reallusion CrazyTalk Animator - Professional 2D Animation/Cartoon Software for Designers

Price: USD199 for the pipeline, USD99 for pro.

Compatibility: Windows and OSX

Pro: You can always find the feature you like for beginners and professionals. You can control characters even in expression levels.

Con: It integrates with PhotoShop to import and export video.

CrazyTalk is a 2D animation maker for professional users, so you can use this one if you don’t know which one to use. It supports controlling characters with your expression and lip-syncing. It is popular among YouTubers, educators and marketers.

Features:

• Capture real-time facial expression with precise changing
• Black magic to turn the image into a moving cartoon
• For advanced users, you can make 2D visual effects

Price: USD199 for the pipeline, USD99 for pro.

You may also like: Best Free Animated Logo Makers >>

Part 3: How to Make 2D Animation

Step 1 Put forward an idea

A story ides is priceless. It is always important to build an essential story frame. Sometimes it is in a blink to have come up with an idea.

It will help if you decide the gist of your 2D animation because the whole process of making animation is evolving. You may need to add or cut some scenes, but the overall concept and story ideas are always the same.

Step 2 Make a storyboard

After all the ideas are fixed, you need to make a storyboard for animation . You don’t need to produce every scene, but it is suggested to make a storyboard in some crucial scenes. Storyboarding is probably the best way to show 2D animation to other people and get feedback.

Thus, it is a step that you should not neglect during the preliminary.

Step 3 Produce materials

At this stage, you need to prepare all the 2D animation materials, including characters, background, and props. One thing you need to know is all the preparations in steps 2 and 3 should be ready before proceeding to step 3.

Step 4 Animation

After all, materials are ready, and you need to make animation alive. In this step, you need to make sure all the movements are natural. Stiff moves are not liked by the audience, so you need to think about how to design gestures, movements, and facial expressions.

Step 5 Animation editing

In this step, the software is the key to relive the 2D animation. Background audio is essential and needs to be added to the video. Color correction and grading are also necessary. Besides, scene transition, voiceover, and even text credit need to be added.

Above are the five 2D animation steps. If you think there are extra steps, you are free to add them according to your needs.

Bonus tip: Create an Animation Video with Anireel

Anireel provides a faster and smoother animated video creation experience with customizable elements to bring anyone’s imagination to life. All you have to do is choose your script, input the content, and Anireel will instantly match your script to rich animation explainer scenes, convert the text into voice-over, and generate a vivid, complete animation video.

Part 3 FAQ about Professional 2D Animation Software

01 What is the best 2D animation software?

It is hard to directly give you an answer and tell you which is the best 2D animation software. However, we can give you some recommendations based on your needs. If you are a beginner, Pencil 2D is a great start. You can use it to make minimalist animation to give you a quick-to-start 2D animation experience. If you are in the middle level, Stop Motion Studio is what we recommend. The interface is intuitive with powerful features like voiceover and Chroma key.

02 What is the best 2D animation software for beginners?

For 2D animation software for beginners, Pencil 2D would come to mind for many people. It is an excellent animation software for beginners. If you also want to try other tools, Synfig and FlipBook are also great choices. It is your call for the final decision.

03 Is there any free animation software?

For beginners, free animation software includes Synfig, Opentoonz, Maefloresta, and Pencil 2D. For advanced users, you can use Blender and Maya.

Conclusion

Creating a 2D animation video is a lot easier when you have the right software available to you. You already have a script and storyboard in mind, but now you can realize your vision in intricate and unique ways.

If you want to make 3D animation, there are also various 3D animation software options for you. If anyone of the products above will serve you well, you could use Filmora.

Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

When you are trying to make funny cartoons within seven steps , explainer videos, or informative shorts to post online, 2D animation software can come in handy. With access to a 2D animation maker, you can create intricate and interesting stories that will help you connect with your audience.

Whether you are turning photos into cartoons , teaching a group of kids , showing employees how to do their job, introducing a new product, or trying to elicit an emotional reaction from your audience, 2D cartoon animation can be very useful.

If you are new to the world of 2D animation as a beginner and want to be a professional animation maker, you will be interested in our review of the top 10 free download 2D animation software options that may prove useful to you.

• Part 1: Best Free 2D Animation Software for Beginners
• Part 2: Best Professional 2D Animation Software
• Part 3: How to Make 2D Animation
• Part 4: FAQ about Professional 2D Animation Software

Recommend free download animation maker Filmora

If you want to create a 2D animation video, we recommend using 2D animation software-Filmora.

It is a powerful and straightforward video maker for all levels from middle to advanced. With keyframing, you can make smooth 2D animation quickly. Auto color correction can save you a lot of time to make high-quality animation.

Now free download it on Windows and Mac to make 2D animated videos, and connect with other video creators in the Wondershare Video Community to get more creative ideas.

A cross-platform for making videos anywhere for all creators

Why your video editing isn’t good enough? How about some creative inspo?

• 100 Million+ Users
• 150+ Countries and Regions
• 4 Million+ Social Media Followers
• 5 Million+ Stock Media for Use

Try It Free Try It Free

Try It Free

Try It Free

* Secure Download

Have a Quick Look at The Best 10 Free/Paid 2D Animation Software to Download

No.	Product Name	Supported OS	Price	Best for
1	Synfig	Windows, Linux, and OSX	Free	Beginners
2	Opentoonz	Windows and OSX	Free	Beginners
3	Maefloresta	iPhone and Android	Free	Beginners
4	Pencil 2D	Windows, Linux, and OSX	Free	Beginners
5	Toon Boom Harmony	Windows, Linux, and OSX	$109 per month	Professionals
6	CelAction2D	Windows, Linux, and OSX	$1300 for one single license	Professionals
7	Moho (Anime Studio) Pro	Windows and OSX	$399.99 for the full package	Professionals
8	Stop Motion Studio	Windows, OSX, Android, and iOS	$59.99 for the full package	Professionals
9	FlipBook	Windows and OSX	$19.99/$49.99/$149.99/$199.99	Professionals
10	Reallusion CrazyTalk Animator	Windows and OSX	$199 for the pipeline, $99 for pro	Professionals

Part 1 Best Free 2D Animation Software for Beginners

01 Synfig - Open Source 2D Animation Software for Beginners

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX

Pro: It offers more than 50 layers to make simple or advanced animation, so you don’t need to worry about its limitation though it is free to use.

Con: Few tutorials are available in the market to start making an animation for beginners.

Synfig Studio is an open-source, free 2D animation software that is the perfect place for beginners to learn about 2D animation. There are two versions available for free download - stable and testing.

The testing version has some experimental features if users want to try those ahead of their introduction into the stable release.

Features:

• Supports multiple layers of content
• The bone system allows for the creation of cutout animations from bitmap images
• Has sound support to allow for the addition and syncing of narration and/or music to the video

02 Opentoonz - Free-to-Use Effects for 2D Animation

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows and OSX

Pro: You can use a plug-in to make beautiful animation effects automatically without further editing.

Con: The UI design is outdated compared with other animation software, but it won’t affect user experience.

Based on the Toonz software, Opentoonz is the best free alternative that will help you create 2D animated content. Anyone can use the software, free of charge, and download it.

And users can modify the source code to add specific features to this simple animation software.

Features:

• GTS scanning tool
• Ability to change picture styles
• Add distortion and light effects
• Compatible with black and white and colored scans

03 Maefloresta - Easy-to-Use 2D Animation Software on Phone

Price: Free

Compatibility: iPhone and Android

Pro: It is free to use with easy to start introduction, even for kids.

Con: You need to email its staff to get the installer online, which is inconvenient sometimes.

The beauty of the Maefloresta app is that you can use your Android or iOS tablet and smartphone to create free 2D animated videos.

There is no need to pay for expensive software if you just want to create some fun videos to show your friends. It also offers school solutions for teachers and students.

Features:

• The free downloadable app that works on smartphones and tablets
• Easy animation software with tutorials
• Intuitive interface that beginners can use with ease

04 Pencil 2D - Cross-Platform Software with Intuitive Interface

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX

Pro: It offers English, Spanish, and Portuguese language tutorials to use.

Con: It doesn’t support the shapes tool. If you like to make shapes and draw something, you’d be disappointed.

Want an open-source and free 2D animation design software to help you create videos? Pencil2D animation is the type of program that can help beginners.

You can get to grips with how 2D animation works, and you can create some very fun and interesting videos along the way.

Features:

• Minimalist design to let you make animation easily
• Raster and vector workflow switching
• Cross-platform compatibility to free download

Part 2: Best Professional 2D Animation Software

05 Toon Boom Harmony - Leading Animation Software for Professional

Price: The first 21 days of using the product are free. After the 21 days are up, you will need to pay $109 per month.

Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX

Pro: You can make 2D and 3D animation, both with models.

Con: It may take some time to learn how to make 2D animation for beginners.

Whether you are trying to create an art piece, showcase a story through 2D images, or craft a unique message for your audience, Toon Boom Harmony will help you immensely.

This professional 2D animation software may take time to learn, but it is worth using. It has bitmap and vector tools for creating art, 3D imported models for hybrid productions, and the option to create multiplane scenes with Z-depth.

You can also check the Toon Boom Harmony Advanced Review from the TopTenReview website for more information.

Features:

• Revolutionary vector and bitmap drawing technology - Brush Engine
• Advanced color palettes and paint options
• 2D and 3D integration to make professional animation
• Cut-out animation tools
• Traditional paperless animation.

06 CelAction2D - Low System Requirement for Professional 2D Animation

Price: If you go with the Studio Edition, it costs $1,300 to obtain a single license to use the product for a lifetime. Studio Edition is $1300 for one single license

Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX

Pro: It is fast to use with low system requirements.

Con: You can draw animation in itself, so you need to import all words from third-party software.

Want to create unique and complex 2D animations for your upcoming projects? CelAction2D is the type of product that is going to help you create wonderful and professional animations.

While getting a full license is a financial commitment, you are getting a product that has all the features that you could need.

You can create a palette using up to 16 million colors, and you will have a very easy time getting to grips with the way the software works.

It is designed for beginners and intermediate users, but still has all the advanced features that a pro would want.

Features:

• Easy and fast to use for professional users
• Features ergonomic controls
• Easily handles complex projects with thousands of layers
• Works with all modern Windows machines - 32 and 64-bit Also work with Macs through Boot Camp
• The multiplane camera features let you have more controls

07 Moho (Anime Studio) Pro - All-In-One Professional 2D Animation Software

Price: $399.99 for the full package.

Compatibility: Windows and OSX

Pro: Its update is regular with advanced and newest features to use.

Con: It is not user-friendly for beginners as the functions are too advanced a little bit.

Anime Studio Pro is a fantastic option for anyone who is looking to get into professional 2D animation creation. It is affordable and designed for Flash-style animations.

While you cannot create frame-by-frame animations using this program, you will be able to create some fantastic videos nonetheless.

There is an Anime Studio Debut - simple animation software, which is targeted towards the beginner user and free download. But if you want all the features of a high-end 2D animation software, you will want to go with the Pro version.

Features:

• Enhanced freehand drawing tools
• Beizer handles to make it easier for you to design your videos the way that you want
• Smart warp feature helps create custom meshes to bend and twist your animations
• Realistic motion blur
• Animation for multiple layers at the same time

08 Stop Motion Studio - Fun and Well Designed 2D Animation Software

Price: $59.99 to download the software onto your PC.

Compatibility: Windows, OSX, Android, and iOS

Pro: You can use a built-in sound to make your animation unique. You can also record voice and use it in the video.

Con: You can only use it to make 2D stop motion animation.

Want to create fun, 2D animated videos? Hoping to impress your bosses with a 2D animated presentation to highlight a product’s features?

Using Stop Motion Studio will help you achieve all that you want in the world of 2D animation.

You can capture content with ease, whether you change up the focus, exposure, or white balance. There is DSLR support, so you can use your high-end camera in conjunction with this professional software.

And with a unique, frame-by-frame editor, you will be able to get the result that you want for your 2D stop animation movie.

Features:

• Onionskin allows you to view previous frames through a transparent overlay, which helps you create your next frame
• Comes with Chroma key and audio recording to better narrate and add voice effects to your videos
• Easy one-click uploading to YouTube and Facebook
• DSLR camera support for creating perfect 1080p recordings

09 FlipBook - Fun and Well Designed 2D Animation Software

Price: $19.99 for FlipBook Lite, $49.99 for FlipBook Studio, $149.99 for FlipBook Pro, $199.99 for FlipBook ProHD

Compatibility: Windows and OSX

Pro: From drawing, scanning to sound, this 2D animation software can make you powerful video.

Con: You can’t use it to make subtle changes as bone rigging is not available.

FlipBook is easy to use for beginners and pros who want to improve the editing experience. It is a powerful video editor that you can make 2D animation with various functions like syncing sound with animation, scanning cells, and more.

If you like to make a cartoon video like a pro, this 2D animation maker is best for you. It is free to download.

Features:

• Changes will be made while you change the animation, so FlipBook is fast to use
• You can use the shift key to make speed painting once you select one color
• Ten layers in animation for adding extra touches
• You can use a scanner to import images

10 Reallusion CrazyTalk Animator - Professional 2D Animation/Cartoon Software for Designers

Price: USD199 for the pipeline, USD99 for pro.

Compatibility: Windows and OSX

Pro: You can always find the feature you like for beginners and professionals. You can control characters even in expression levels.

Con: It integrates with PhotoShop to import and export video.

CrazyTalk is a 2D animation maker for professional users, so you can use this one if you don’t know which one to use. It supports controlling characters with your expression and lip-syncing. It is popular among YouTubers, educators and marketers.

Features:

• Capture real-time facial expression with precise changing
• Black magic to turn the image into a moving cartoon
• For advanced users, you can make 2D visual effects

Price: USD199 for the pipeline, USD99 for pro.

You may also like: Best Free Animated Logo Makers >>

Part 3: How to Make 2D Animation

Step 1 Put forward an idea

A story ides is priceless. It is always important to build an essential story frame. Sometimes it is in a blink to have come up with an idea.

It will help if you decide the gist of your 2D animation because the whole process of making animation is evolving. You may need to add or cut some scenes, but the overall concept and story ideas are always the same.

Step 2 Make a storyboard

After all the ideas are fixed, you need to make a storyboard for animation . You don’t need to produce every scene, but it is suggested to make a storyboard in some crucial scenes. Storyboarding is probably the best way to show 2D animation to other people and get feedback.

Thus, it is a step that you should not neglect during the preliminary.

Step 3 Produce materials

At this stage, you need to prepare all the 2D animation materials, including characters, background, and props. One thing you need to know is all the preparations in steps 2 and 3 should be ready before proceeding to step 3.

Step 4 Animation

After all, materials are ready, and you need to make animation alive. In this step, you need to make sure all the movements are natural. Stiff moves are not liked by the audience, so you need to think about how to design gestures, movements, and facial expressions.

Step 5 Animation editing

In this step, the software is the key to relive the 2D animation. Background audio is essential and needs to be added to the video. Color correction and grading are also necessary. Besides, scene transition, voiceover, and even text credit need to be added.

Above are the five 2D animation steps. If you think there are extra steps, you are free to add them according to your needs.

Bonus tip: Create an Animation Video with Anireel

Anireel provides a faster and smoother animated video creation experience with customizable elements to bring anyone’s imagination to life. All you have to do is choose your script, input the content, and Anireel will instantly match your script to rich animation explainer scenes, convert the text into voice-over, and generate a vivid, complete animation video.

Part 3 FAQ about Professional 2D Animation Software

01 What is the best 2D animation software?

It is hard to directly give you an answer and tell you which is the best 2D animation software. However, we can give you some recommendations based on your needs. If you are a beginner, Pencil 2D is a great start. You can use it to make minimalist animation to give you a quick-to-start 2D animation experience. If you are in the middle level, Stop Motion Studio is what we recommend. The interface is intuitive with powerful features like voiceover and Chroma key.

02 What is the best 2D animation software for beginners?

For 2D animation software for beginners, Pencil 2D would come to mind for many people. It is an excellent animation software for beginners. If you also want to try other tools, Synfig and FlipBook are also great choices. It is your call for the final decision.

03 Is there any free animation software?

For beginners, free animation software includes Synfig, Opentoonz, Maefloresta, and Pencil 2D. For advanced users, you can use Blender and Maya.

Conclusion

Creating a 2D animation video is a lot easier when you have the right software available to you. You already have a script and storyboard in mind, but now you can realize your vision in intricate and unique ways.

If you want to make 3D animation, there are also various 3D animation software options for you. If anyone of the products above will serve you well, you could use Filmora.

Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

When you are trying to make funny cartoons within seven steps , explainer videos, or informative shorts to post online, 2D animation software can come in handy. With access to a 2D animation maker, you can create intricate and interesting stories that will help you connect with your audience.

Whether you are turning photos into cartoons , teaching a group of kids , showing employees how to do their job, introducing a new product, or trying to elicit an emotional reaction from your audience, 2D cartoon animation can be very useful.

If you are new to the world of 2D animation as a beginner and want to be a professional animation maker, you will be interested in our review of the top 10 free download 2D animation software options that may prove useful to you.

• Part 1: Best Free 2D Animation Software for Beginners
• Part 2: Best Professional 2D Animation Software
• Part 3: How to Make 2D Animation
• Part 4: FAQ about Professional 2D Animation Software

Recommend free download animation maker Filmora

If you want to create a 2D animation video, we recommend using 2D animation software-Filmora.

It is a powerful and straightforward video maker for all levels from middle to advanced. With keyframing, you can make smooth 2D animation quickly. Auto color correction can save you a lot of time to make high-quality animation.

Now free download it on Windows and Mac to make 2D animated videos, and connect with other video creators in the Wondershare Video Community to get more creative ideas.

A cross-platform for making videos anywhere for all creators

Why your video editing isn’t good enough? How about some creative inspo?

• 100 Million+ Users
• 150+ Countries and Regions
• 4 Million+ Social Media Followers
• 5 Million+ Stock Media for Use

Try It Free Try It Free

Try It Free

Try It Free

* Secure Download

Have a Quick Look at The Best 10 Free/Paid 2D Animation Software to Download

No.	Product Name	Supported OS	Price	Best for
1	Synfig	Windows, Linux, and OSX	Free	Beginners
2	Opentoonz	Windows and OSX	Free	Beginners
3	Maefloresta	iPhone and Android	Free	Beginners
4	Pencil 2D	Windows, Linux, and OSX	Free	Beginners
5	Toon Boom Harmony	Windows, Linux, and OSX	$109 per month	Professionals
6	CelAction2D	Windows, Linux, and OSX	$1300 for one single license	Professionals
7	Moho (Anime Studio) Pro	Windows and OSX	$399.99 for the full package	Professionals
8	Stop Motion Studio	Windows, OSX, Android, and iOS	$59.99 for the full package	Professionals
9	FlipBook	Windows and OSX	$19.99/$49.99/$149.99/$199.99	Professionals
10	Reallusion CrazyTalk Animator	Windows and OSX	$199 for the pipeline, $99 for pro	Professionals

Part 1 Best Free 2D Animation Software for Beginners

01 Synfig - Open Source 2D Animation Software for Beginners

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX

Pro: It offers more than 50 layers to make simple or advanced animation, so you don’t need to worry about its limitation though it is free to use.

Con: Few tutorials are available in the market to start making an animation for beginners.

Synfig Studio is an open-source, free 2D animation software that is the perfect place for beginners to learn about 2D animation. There are two versions available for free download - stable and testing.

The testing version has some experimental features if users want to try those ahead of their introduction into the stable release.

Features:

• Supports multiple layers of content
• The bone system allows for the creation of cutout animations from bitmap images
• Has sound support to allow for the addition and syncing of narration and/or music to the video

02 Opentoonz - Free-to-Use Effects for 2D Animation

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows and OSX

Pro: You can use a plug-in to make beautiful animation effects automatically without further editing.

Con: The UI design is outdated compared with other animation software, but it won’t affect user experience.

Based on the Toonz software, Opentoonz is the best free alternative that will help you create 2D animated content. Anyone can use the software, free of charge, and download it.

And users can modify the source code to add specific features to this simple animation software.

Features:

• GTS scanning tool
• Ability to change picture styles
• Add distortion and light effects
• Compatible with black and white and colored scans

03 Maefloresta - Easy-to-Use 2D Animation Software on Phone

Price: Free

Compatibility: iPhone and Android

Pro: It is free to use with easy to start introduction, even for kids.

Con: You need to email its staff to get the installer online, which is inconvenient sometimes.

The beauty of the Maefloresta app is that you can use your Android or iOS tablet and smartphone to create free 2D animated videos.

There is no need to pay for expensive software if you just want to create some fun videos to show your friends. It also offers school solutions for teachers and students.

Features:

• The free downloadable app that works on smartphones and tablets
• Easy animation software with tutorials
• Intuitive interface that beginners can use with ease

04 Pencil 2D - Cross-Platform Software with Intuitive Interface

Price: Free

Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX

Pro: It offers English, Spanish, and Portuguese language tutorials to use.

Con: It doesn’t support the shapes tool. If you like to make shapes and draw something, you’d be disappointed.

Want an open-source and free 2D animation design software to help you create videos? Pencil2D animation is the type of program that can help beginners.

You can get to grips with how 2D animation works, and you can create some very fun and interesting videos along the way.

Features:

• Minimalist design to let you make animation easily
• Raster and vector workflow switching
• Cross-platform compatibility to free download

Part 2: Best Professional 2D Animation Software

05 Toon Boom Harmony - Leading Animation Software for Professional

Price: The first 21 days of using the product are free. After the 21 days are up, you will need to pay $109 per month.

Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX

Pro: You can make 2D and 3D animation, both with models.

Con: It may take some time to learn how to make 2D animation for beginners.

Whether you are trying to create an art piece, showcase a story through 2D images, or craft a unique message for your audience, Toon Boom Harmony will help you immensely.

This professional 2D animation software may take time to learn, but it is worth using. It has bitmap and vector tools for creating art, 3D imported models for hybrid productions, and the option to create multiplane scenes with Z-depth.

You can also check the Toon Boom Harmony Advanced Review from the TopTenReview website for more information.

Features:

• Revolutionary vector and bitmap drawing technology - Brush Engine
• Advanced color palettes and paint options
• 2D and 3D integration to make professional animation
• Cut-out animation tools
• Traditional paperless animation.

06 CelAction2D - Low System Requirement for Professional 2D Animation

Price: If you go with the Studio Edition, it costs $1,300 to obtain a single license to use the product for a lifetime. Studio Edition is $1300 for one single license

Compatibility: Windows, Linux, and OSX

Pro: It is fast to use with low system requirements.

Con: You can draw animation in itself, so you need to import all words from third-party software.

Want to create unique and complex 2D animations for your upcoming projects? CelAction2D is the type of product that is going to help you create wonderful and professional animations.

While getting a full license is a financial commitment, you are getting a product that has all the features that you could need.

You can create a palette using up to 16 million colors, and you will have a very easy time getting to grips with the way the software works.

It is designed for beginners and intermediate users, but still has all the advanced features that a pro would want.

Features:

• Easy and fast to use for professional users
• Features ergonomic controls
• Easily handles complex projects with thousands of layers
• Works with all modern Windows machines - 32 and 64-bit Also work with Macs through Boot Camp
• The multiplane camera features let you have more controls

07 Moho (Anime Studio) Pro - All-In-One Professional 2D Animation Software

Price: $399.99 for the full package.

Compatibility: Windows and OSX

Pro: Its update is regular with advanced and newest features to use.

Con: It is not user-friendly for beginners as the functions are too advanced a little bit.

Anime Studio Pro is a fantastic option for anyone who is looking to get into professional 2D animation creation. It is affordable and designed for Flash-style animations.

While you cannot create frame-by-frame animations using this program, you will be able to create some fantastic videos nonetheless.

There is an Anime Studio Debut - simple animation software, which is targeted towards the beginner user and free download. But if you want all the features of a high-end 2D animation software, you will want to go with the Pro version.

Features:

• Enhanced freehand drawing tools
• Beizer handles to make it easier for you to design your videos the way that you want
• Smart warp feature helps create custom meshes to bend and twist your animations
• Realistic motion blur
• Animation for multiple layers at the same time

08 Stop Motion Studio - Fun and Well Designed 2D Animation Software

Price: $59.99 to download the software onto your PC.

Compatibility: Windows, OSX, Android, and iOS

Pro: You can use a built-in sound to make your animation unique. You can also record voice and use it in the video.

Con: You can only use it to make 2D stop motion animation.

Want to create fun, 2D animated videos? Hoping to impress your bosses with a 2D animated presentation to highlight a product’s features?

Using Stop Motion Studio will help you achieve all that you want in the world of 2D animation.

You can capture content with ease, whether you change up the focus, exposure, or white balance. There is DSLR support, so you can use your high-end camera in conjunction with this professional software.

And with a unique, frame-by-frame editor, you will be able to get the result that you want for your 2D stop animation movie.

Features:

• Onionskin allows you to view previous frames through a transparent overlay, which helps you create your next frame
• Comes with Chroma key and audio recording to better narrate and add voice effects to your videos
• Easy one-click uploading to YouTube and Facebook
• DSLR camera support for creating perfect 1080p recordings

09 FlipBook - Fun and Well Designed 2D Animation Software

Price: $19.99 for FlipBook Lite, $49.99 for FlipBook Studio, $149.99 for FlipBook Pro, $199.99 for FlipBook ProHD

Compatibility: Windows and OSX

Pro: From drawing, scanning to sound, this 2D animation software can make you powerful video.

Con: You can’t use it to make subtle changes as bone rigging is not available.

FlipBook is easy to use for beginners and pros who want to improve the editing experience. It is a powerful video editor that you can make 2D animation with various functions like syncing sound with animation, scanning cells, and more.

If you like to make a cartoon video like a pro, this 2D animation maker is best for you. It is free to download.

Features:

• Changes will be made while you change the animation, so FlipBook is fast to use
• You can use the shift key to make speed painting once you select one color
• Ten layers in animation for adding extra touches
• You can use a scanner to import images

10 Reallusion CrazyTalk Animator - Professional 2D Animation/Cartoon Software for Designers

Price: USD199 for the pipeline, USD99 for pro.

Compatibility: Windows and OSX

Pro: You can always find the feature you like for beginners and professionals. You can control characters even in expression levels.

Con: It integrates with PhotoShop to import and export video.

CrazyTalk is a 2D animation maker for professional users, so you can use this one if you don’t know which one to use. It supports controlling characters with your expression and lip-syncing. It is popular among YouTubers, educators and marketers.

Features:

• Capture real-time facial expression with precise changing
• Black magic to turn the image into a moving cartoon
• For advanced users, you can make 2D visual effects

Price: USD199 for the pipeline, USD99 for pro.

You may also like: Best Free Animated Logo Makers >>

Part 3: How to Make 2D Animation

Step 1 Put forward an idea

A story ides is priceless. It is always important to build an essential story frame. Sometimes it is in a blink to have come up with an idea.

It will help if you decide the gist of your 2D animation because the whole process of making animation is evolving. You may need to add or cut some scenes, but the overall concept and story ideas are always the same.

Step 2 Make a storyboard

After all the ideas are fixed, you need to make a storyboard for animation . You don’t need to produce every scene, but it is suggested to make a storyboard in some crucial scenes. Storyboarding is probably the best way to show 2D animation to other people and get feedback.

Thus, it is a step that you should not neglect during the preliminary.

Step 3 Produce materials

At this stage, you need to prepare all the 2D animation materials, including characters, background, and props. One thing you need to know is all the preparations in steps 2 and 3 should be ready before proceeding to step 3.

Step 4 Animation

After all, materials are ready, and you need to make animation alive. In this step, you need to make sure all the movements are natural. Stiff moves are not liked by the audience, so you need to think about how to design gestures, movements, and facial expressions.

Step 5 Animation editing

In this step, the software is the key to relive the 2D animation. Background audio is essential and needs to be added to the video. Color correction and grading are also necessary. Besides, scene transition, voiceover, and even text credit need to be added.

Above are the five 2D animation steps. If you think there are extra steps, you are free to add them according to your needs.

Bonus tip: Create an Animation Video with Anireel

Anireel provides a faster and smoother animated video creation experience with customizable elements to bring anyone’s imagination to life. All you have to do is choose your script, input the content, and Anireel will instantly match your script to rich animation explainer scenes, convert the text into voice-over, and generate a vivid, complete animation video.

Part 3 FAQ about Professional 2D Animation Software

01 What is the best 2D animation software?

It is hard to directly give you an answer and tell you which is the best 2D animation software. However, we can give you some recommendations based on your needs. If you are a beginner, Pencil 2D is a great start. You can use it to make minimalist animation to give you a quick-to-start 2D animation experience. If you are in the middle level, Stop Motion Studio is what we recommend. The interface is intuitive with powerful features like voiceover and Chroma key.

02 What is the best 2D animation software for beginners?

For 2D animation software for beginners, Pencil 2D would come to mind for many people. It is an excellent animation software for beginners. If you also want to try other tools, Synfig and FlipBook are also great choices. It is your call for the final decision.

03 Is there any free animation software?

For beginners, free animation software includes Synfig, Opentoonz, Maefloresta, and Pencil 2D. For advanced users, you can use Blender and Maya.

Conclusion

Creating a 2D animation video is a lot easier when you have the right software available to you. You already have a script and storyboard in mind, but now you can realize your vision in intricate and unique ways.

If you want to make 3D animation, there are also various 3D animation software options for you. If anyone of the products above will serve you well, you could use Filmora.

Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Unleash the Power of Video Metadata on Mac: 8 Editor Recommendations

8 Best Video Metadata Editor on Mac (Real and Easy)

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Metadata is the pieces of information that help viewers understand what a video is about without having to watch it from start to finish. Things like titles, keywords, tags, timestamps, and descriptions are some metadata that should be added to a video before it is published online.

Adding the right metadata to your video is useful for many reasons. It makes it easy for search engines to correctly identify and index your video. This in turn helps viewers find your video when they search Google, iTunes, or video sharing platforms like YouTube and Vimeo.

For more experienced videographers, metadata is useful at every stage of the process of making a video, from production to post-production and publishing. Without the right metadata, professional video production and editing would be a very uphill task.

The best multimedia editors have metadata editing features. It’s also good to have a lightweight, standalone application to edit and customize video metadata quickly. In this post, we share the 8 best video metadata editors for macOS users.

8 Best Video Metadata Editors for Mac

1. Filmora

Filmora is a powerful, easy-to-use multimedia editor released in early 2019. It’s a new and improved version of the classic Filmora video editor, with many features on par with elite video editing software like Adobe Premiere Pro. It can be purchased for roughly $60 though a trial version is available for free.

FEATURES: This software makes video editing easy with lots of extras like built-in audio tracks, sound effects, title presets, transition effects, and more. FilmoraPro lets users add metadata during the export process. Simply click the export button, which is now at the top of the media window. In the pop-up screen, click on the YouTube, Vimeo, or DVD tab, depending on how you want to publish your video, and edit the title, description, tags, category and privacy settings accordingly.

2. iFlicks

iFlicks is a media conversion and video metadata editor for macOS. In addition to being able to perform a variety of video format conversions, iFlicks supports detailed metadata editing and interacts seamlessly with iTunes. This app is available for a one-time fee or on a subscription basis.

FEATURES: The iFlicks metadata editor is superbly detailed with options for adding season and episode information for TV shows. Also available are fields for tagline, release date, genre, content rating, resolution, artwork, cast, and crew, etc. Some of these metadata will even be fetched automatically based on information available via iTunes.

3. VLC

VLC Media Player is the largest open-source media player in the world. Though primarily meant for playing media files, it has powerful features for video conversion, screen capture, downloading online videos, recording screening videos, and editing video metadata.

FEATURES: VLC’s metadata editor can be found under MEDIA INFORMATION within the TOOLS menu in the top bar. Here, you can add information about the title, artist, album, publisher, and copyright of the video. VLC also lets users add custom metadata in a separate tab.

4. Subler

Subler is a free application for editing media metadata in macOS. It’s very barebones and efficient.

FEATURES: Subler actually loads the media file to be edited as separate audio and video files, allowing users to edit information about them individually. To edit metadata for the multimedia file, make sure neither the video nor the audio file is selected and click the metadata tab. Then, click the “+” button in the lower-left corner to see the long list of metadata you can add to the video.

5. Nightbirdsevolve Meta

Meta is a macOS software described as an advanced music tag editor. It supports many file formats, including MP4, and is therefore ideal for editing video metadata. Available for just $20, it has many powerful features for organizing and tagging media files.

FEATURES: Meta has a nice user interface that can be customized to taste. It also has a batch editing feature for updating metadata for multiple files simultaneously as well as a tool for editing media artworks. This application is a great option for media pros who often have to juggle and keep track of many media files at once.

6. Griff MetaZ

MetaZ is an open-source MP4 metadata editor for macOS. It’s the successor app to MetaX and has all the features you need to prepare videos to be added to iTunes.

FEATURES: Once a video file is imported into MetaZ, a number of tabs become active allowing for valuable metadata to be added. Under the video tab, you can set the video type and add information about the actors, directors, producers, and screenwriters. MetaZ also lets users search for information from any websites of their choice and will pair relevant metadata with the media files.

7. Amvidia

Amvidia is a suite of free audio apps developed for macOS. It includes a Tag Editor that’s great for organizing files and doing batch metadata edits.

FEATURES: Amvidia’s Tag Editor can source for relevant metadata from online sources and handle media files in multiple formats, including MP4. Useful metadata tags built into this app include user-friendly ones like lyrics, album, and year, as well as technical tags like Codec, bitrate, and tempo.

8. DRmare

DRmare is a paid DRM removal tool for macOS. It converts M4V videos into alternative video formats like MP4 without losing video quality, allowing users to play them without restrictions.

FEATURES: In addition to converting M4V files into multiple formats, DRmare also lets users convert them for use on multiple devices. As part of the process, this app retrieves iTunes metadata and will let users edit them after the conversion has been completed.

Conclusion

Metadata affects how we find information about videos online and how we organize our ever-growing media libraries. With these macOS video metadata editing applications, you can add detailed metadata to your videos and enable yourself to access, share, and store them painlessly.

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Metadata is the pieces of information that help viewers understand what a video is about without having to watch it from start to finish. Things like titles, keywords, tags, timestamps, and descriptions are some metadata that should be added to a video before it is published online.

Adding the right metadata to your video is useful for many reasons. It makes it easy for search engines to correctly identify and index your video. This in turn helps viewers find your video when they search Google, iTunes, or video sharing platforms like YouTube and Vimeo.

For more experienced videographers, metadata is useful at every stage of the process of making a video, from production to post-production and publishing. Without the right metadata, professional video production and editing would be a very uphill task.

The best multimedia editors have metadata editing features. It’s also good to have a lightweight, standalone application to edit and customize video metadata quickly. In this post, we share the 8 best video metadata editors for macOS users.

8 Best Video Metadata Editors for Mac

1. Filmora

Filmora is a powerful, easy-to-use multimedia editor released in early 2019. It’s a new and improved version of the classic Filmora video editor, with many features on par with elite video editing software like Adobe Premiere Pro. It can be purchased for roughly $60 though a trial version is available for free.

FEATURES: This software makes video editing easy with lots of extras like built-in audio tracks, sound effects, title presets, transition effects, and more. FilmoraPro lets users add metadata during the export process. Simply click the export button, which is now at the top of the media window. In the pop-up screen, click on the YouTube, Vimeo, or DVD tab, depending on how you want to publish your video, and edit the title, description, tags, category and privacy settings accordingly.

2. iFlicks

iFlicks is a media conversion and video metadata editor for macOS. In addition to being able to perform a variety of video format conversions, iFlicks supports detailed metadata editing and interacts seamlessly with iTunes. This app is available for a one-time fee or on a subscription basis.

FEATURES: The iFlicks metadata editor is superbly detailed with options for adding season and episode information for TV shows. Also available are fields for tagline, release date, genre, content rating, resolution, artwork, cast, and crew, etc. Some of these metadata will even be fetched automatically based on information available via iTunes.

3. VLC

VLC Media Player is the largest open-source media player in the world. Though primarily meant for playing media files, it has powerful features for video conversion, screen capture, downloading online videos, recording screening videos, and editing video metadata.

FEATURES: VLC’s metadata editor can be found under MEDIA INFORMATION within the TOOLS menu in the top bar. Here, you can add information about the title, artist, album, publisher, and copyright of the video. VLC also lets users add custom metadata in a separate tab.

4. Subler

Subler is a free application for editing media metadata in macOS. It’s very barebones and efficient.

FEATURES: Subler actually loads the media file to be edited as separate audio and video files, allowing users to edit information about them individually. To edit metadata for the multimedia file, make sure neither the video nor the audio file is selected and click the metadata tab. Then, click the “+” button in the lower-left corner to see the long list of metadata you can add to the video.

5. Nightbirdsevolve Meta

Meta is a macOS software described as an advanced music tag editor. It supports many file formats, including MP4, and is therefore ideal for editing video metadata. Available for just $20, it has many powerful features for organizing and tagging media files.

FEATURES: Meta has a nice user interface that can be customized to taste. It also has a batch editing feature for updating metadata for multiple files simultaneously as well as a tool for editing media artworks. This application is a great option for media pros who often have to juggle and keep track of many media files at once.

6. Griff MetaZ

MetaZ is an open-source MP4 metadata editor for macOS. It’s the successor app to MetaX and has all the features you need to prepare videos to be added to iTunes.

FEATURES: Once a video file is imported into MetaZ, a number of tabs become active allowing for valuable metadata to be added. Under the video tab, you can set the video type and add information about the actors, directors, producers, and screenwriters. MetaZ also lets users search for information from any websites of their choice and will pair relevant metadata with the media files.

7. Amvidia

Amvidia is a suite of free audio apps developed for macOS. It includes a Tag Editor that’s great for organizing files and doing batch metadata edits.

FEATURES: Amvidia’s Tag Editor can source for relevant metadata from online sources and handle media files in multiple formats, including MP4. Useful metadata tags built into this app include user-friendly ones like lyrics, album, and year, as well as technical tags like Codec, bitrate, and tempo.

8. DRmare

DRmare is a paid DRM removal tool for macOS. It converts M4V videos into alternative video formats like MP4 without losing video quality, allowing users to play them without restrictions.

FEATURES: In addition to converting M4V files into multiple formats, DRmare also lets users convert them for use on multiple devices. As part of the process, this app retrieves iTunes metadata and will let users edit them after the conversion has been completed.

Conclusion

Metadata affects how we find information about videos online and how we organize our ever-growing media libraries. With these macOS video metadata editing applications, you can add detailed metadata to your videos and enable yourself to access, share, and store them painlessly.

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Metadata is the pieces of information that help viewers understand what a video is about without having to watch it from start to finish. Things like titles, keywords, tags, timestamps, and descriptions are some metadata that should be added to a video before it is published online.

Adding the right metadata to your video is useful for many reasons. It makes it easy for search engines to correctly identify and index your video. This in turn helps viewers find your video when they search Google, iTunes, or video sharing platforms like YouTube and Vimeo.

For more experienced videographers, metadata is useful at every stage of the process of making a video, from production to post-production and publishing. Without the right metadata, professional video production and editing would be a very uphill task.

The best multimedia editors have metadata editing features. It’s also good to have a lightweight, standalone application to edit and customize video metadata quickly. In this post, we share the 8 best video metadata editors for macOS users.

8 Best Video Metadata Editors for Mac

1. Filmora

Filmora is a powerful, easy-to-use multimedia editor released in early 2019. It’s a new and improved version of the classic Filmora video editor, with many features on par with elite video editing software like Adobe Premiere Pro. It can be purchased for roughly $60 though a trial version is available for free.

FEATURES: This software makes video editing easy with lots of extras like built-in audio tracks, sound effects, title presets, transition effects, and more. FilmoraPro lets users add metadata during the export process. Simply click the export button, which is now at the top of the media window. In the pop-up screen, click on the YouTube, Vimeo, or DVD tab, depending on how you want to publish your video, and edit the title, description, tags, category and privacy settings accordingly.

2. iFlicks

iFlicks is a media conversion and video metadata editor for macOS. In addition to being able to perform a variety of video format conversions, iFlicks supports detailed metadata editing and interacts seamlessly with iTunes. This app is available for a one-time fee or on a subscription basis.

FEATURES: The iFlicks metadata editor is superbly detailed with options for adding season and episode information for TV shows. Also available are fields for tagline, release date, genre, content rating, resolution, artwork, cast, and crew, etc. Some of these metadata will even be fetched automatically based on information available via iTunes.

3. VLC

VLC Media Player is the largest open-source media player in the world. Though primarily meant for playing media files, it has powerful features for video conversion, screen capture, downloading online videos, recording screening videos, and editing video metadata.

FEATURES: VLC’s metadata editor can be found under MEDIA INFORMATION within the TOOLS menu in the top bar. Here, you can add information about the title, artist, album, publisher, and copyright of the video. VLC also lets users add custom metadata in a separate tab.

4. Subler

Subler is a free application for editing media metadata in macOS. It’s very barebones and efficient.

FEATURES: Subler actually loads the media file to be edited as separate audio and video files, allowing users to edit information about them individually. To edit metadata for the multimedia file, make sure neither the video nor the audio file is selected and click the metadata tab. Then, click the “+” button in the lower-left corner to see the long list of metadata you can add to the video.

5. Nightbirdsevolve Meta

Meta is a macOS software described as an advanced music tag editor. It supports many file formats, including MP4, and is therefore ideal for editing video metadata. Available for just $20, it has many powerful features for organizing and tagging media files.

FEATURES: Meta has a nice user interface that can be customized to taste. It also has a batch editing feature for updating metadata for multiple files simultaneously as well as a tool for editing media artworks. This application is a great option for media pros who often have to juggle and keep track of many media files at once.

6. Griff MetaZ

MetaZ is an open-source MP4 metadata editor for macOS. It’s the successor app to MetaX and has all the features you need to prepare videos to be added to iTunes.

FEATURES: Once a video file is imported into MetaZ, a number of tabs become active allowing for valuable metadata to be added. Under the video tab, you can set the video type and add information about the actors, directors, producers, and screenwriters. MetaZ also lets users search for information from any websites of their choice and will pair relevant metadata with the media files.

7. Amvidia

Amvidia is a suite of free audio apps developed for macOS. It includes a Tag Editor that’s great for organizing files and doing batch metadata edits.

FEATURES: Amvidia’s Tag Editor can source for relevant metadata from online sources and handle media files in multiple formats, including MP4. Useful metadata tags built into this app include user-friendly ones like lyrics, album, and year, as well as technical tags like Codec, bitrate, and tempo.

8. DRmare

DRmare is a paid DRM removal tool for macOS. It converts M4V videos into alternative video formats like MP4 without losing video quality, allowing users to play them without restrictions.

FEATURES: In addition to converting M4V files into multiple formats, DRmare also lets users convert them for use on multiple devices. As part of the process, this app retrieves iTunes metadata and will let users edit them after the conversion has been completed.

Conclusion

Metadata affects how we find information about videos online and how we organize our ever-growing media libraries. With these macOS video metadata editing applications, you can add detailed metadata to your videos and enable yourself to access, share, and store them painlessly.

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Metadata is the pieces of information that help viewers understand what a video is about without having to watch it from start to finish. Things like titles, keywords, tags, timestamps, and descriptions are some metadata that should be added to a video before it is published online.

Adding the right metadata to your video is useful for many reasons. It makes it easy for search engines to correctly identify and index your video. This in turn helps viewers find your video when they search Google, iTunes, or video sharing platforms like YouTube and Vimeo.

For more experienced videographers, metadata is useful at every stage of the process of making a video, from production to post-production and publishing. Without the right metadata, professional video production and editing would be a very uphill task.

The best multimedia editors have metadata editing features. It’s also good to have a lightweight, standalone application to edit and customize video metadata quickly. In this post, we share the 8 best video metadata editors for macOS users.

8 Best Video Metadata Editors for Mac

1. Filmora

Filmora is a powerful, easy-to-use multimedia editor released in early 2019. It’s a new and improved version of the classic Filmora video editor, with many features on par with elite video editing software like Adobe Premiere Pro. It can be purchased for roughly $60 though a trial version is available for free.

FEATURES: This software makes video editing easy with lots of extras like built-in audio tracks, sound effects, title presets, transition effects, and more. FilmoraPro lets users add metadata during the export process. Simply click the export button, which is now at the top of the media window. In the pop-up screen, click on the YouTube, Vimeo, or DVD tab, depending on how you want to publish your video, and edit the title, description, tags, category and privacy settings accordingly.

2. iFlicks

iFlicks is a media conversion and video metadata editor for macOS. In addition to being able to perform a variety of video format conversions, iFlicks supports detailed metadata editing and interacts seamlessly with iTunes. This app is available for a one-time fee or on a subscription basis.

FEATURES: The iFlicks metadata editor is superbly detailed with options for adding season and episode information for TV shows. Also available are fields for tagline, release date, genre, content rating, resolution, artwork, cast, and crew, etc. Some of these metadata will even be fetched automatically based on information available via iTunes.

3. VLC

VLC Media Player is the largest open-source media player in the world. Though primarily meant for playing media files, it has powerful features for video conversion, screen capture, downloading online videos, recording screening videos, and editing video metadata.

FEATURES: VLC’s metadata editor can be found under MEDIA INFORMATION within the TOOLS menu in the top bar. Here, you can add information about the title, artist, album, publisher, and copyright of the video. VLC also lets users add custom metadata in a separate tab.

4. Subler

Subler is a free application for editing media metadata in macOS. It’s very barebones and efficient.

FEATURES: Subler actually loads the media file to be edited as separate audio and video files, allowing users to edit information about them individually. To edit metadata for the multimedia file, make sure neither the video nor the audio file is selected and click the metadata tab. Then, click the “+” button in the lower-left corner to see the long list of metadata you can add to the video.

5. Nightbirdsevolve Meta

Meta is a macOS software described as an advanced music tag editor. It supports many file formats, including MP4, and is therefore ideal for editing video metadata. Available for just $20, it has many powerful features for organizing and tagging media files.

FEATURES: Meta has a nice user interface that can be customized to taste. It also has a batch editing feature for updating metadata for multiple files simultaneously as well as a tool for editing media artworks. This application is a great option for media pros who often have to juggle and keep track of many media files at once.

6. Griff MetaZ

MetaZ is an open-source MP4 metadata editor for macOS. It’s the successor app to MetaX and has all the features you need to prepare videos to be added to iTunes.

FEATURES: Once a video file is imported into MetaZ, a number of tabs become active allowing for valuable metadata to be added. Under the video tab, you can set the video type and add information about the actors, directors, producers, and screenwriters. MetaZ also lets users search for information from any websites of their choice and will pair relevant metadata with the media files.

7. Amvidia

Amvidia is a suite of free audio apps developed for macOS. It includes a Tag Editor that’s great for organizing files and doing batch metadata edits.

FEATURES: Amvidia’s Tag Editor can source for relevant metadata from online sources and handle media files in multiple formats, including MP4. Useful metadata tags built into this app include user-friendly ones like lyrics, album, and year, as well as technical tags like Codec, bitrate, and tempo.

8. DRmare

DRmare is a paid DRM removal tool for macOS. It converts M4V videos into alternative video formats like MP4 without losing video quality, allowing users to play them without restrictions.

FEATURES: In addition to converting M4V files into multiple formats, DRmare also lets users convert them for use on multiple devices. As part of the process, this app retrieves iTunes metadata and will let users edit them after the conversion has been completed.

Conclusion

Metadata affects how we find information about videos online and how we organize our ever-growing media libraries. With these macOS video metadata editing applications, you can add detailed metadata to your videos and enable yourself to access, share, and store them painlessly.

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Bring Your Photos to Life: A Detailed Ken Burns Effect Tutorial

How to Make Ken Burns Effect in Final Cut Pro?

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Ken Burns Effect is an advanced feature of Final Cut Pro that allows users to add creative animations to their videos and images within minutes. You just need to select your picture, add movements to the clip, and choose the start and the end position to produce high-resolution stills. Besides, you can do a tilt, zoom in, a pan, or a combination of these three moves on a single image. This way, you can use the Ken Burns Effect to highlight the stimulating features in your photograph and save your memories in the form of innovative and high-definition animated clips.

This article introduces the readers to Final Cut Pro and explains how to add the Ken Burns Effect in 8 simple steps.

• Part 1: How to Make a Ken Burns Effect in Final Cut Pro?[detaied steps]
• Part 2: How to add the Ken Burns Effect to Multiple Camera Movements?
• Extensive Reading: Why Ken Burns Effect is Named after Ken Burns?

Part 1: How to Make a Ken Burns Effect in Final Cut Pro?

Final Cut Pro is user-friendly software and makes it easy for you to create a Ken Burns Effect without having advanced skills and expertise. So, are you interested in knowing the best part? Given below are a few simple steps to create Ken Burns Effect and make your pictures and videos look adorable.

Step 1: Add Images to the Timeline

First of all, you should specify a name for your project and add photos to the timeline in Final Cut Pro. For this purpose, select multiple photos and press E. A clip will be added to the timeline as shown in figure 1.

Step 2: Check Your Settings

As you can see, our timeline has no other video clip. Hence, Final Cut Pro will not recognize the clip until you adjust the video properties such as format, resolution, and rate, etc. For this purpose, click OK to use your preferred settings and press Shift + Z to fit the picture to your timeline window. Once you’re done it’s time to apply the Ken Burns Effect.

Step 3: Add the Ken Burns Effect

The Ken Burns Effect is used to focus on specific parts of an image and bring motionless content in to provoke emotional reactions. Follow these steps to add the Ken Burns Effect:

1. Select the clip or picture;
2. See the lower left of the viewer;
3. Go to the Viewer window using the drop-down menu;
4. Tap on the pop-up menu located in the bottom left-hand corner;
5. Choose the Crop option from the menu or press Shift + C;
6. Press the Ken Burns button in the Crop onscreen controls to add the effect; and
7. Finally, notice the start frame and the end frame controls.

Step 4: Customize Your Effect

In the Ken Burns display, you can see the controls for adjusting the panning and zooms effects by changing the size and position of two-colored rectangles overlaying on the clip. To customize the Ken Burns effect:

1. Adjust the green rectangle’s size and position to set the start position;
2. Adjust the red rectangle’s size and position to set the end position;
3. The arrow depicts the direction of camera position between start and end position;
4. In the top left-hand corner, click on the Swap button to exchange the two positions as per your requirements;
5. You can see the preview of the animation on the screen.

Step 5: Add a Freeze Frame

You’re not done yet because you need to hold your picture at the end of the animation. For this purpose, you should create a freezing frame at the end of the clip to make Ken Burns do this. Here’s the deal:

1. Press the Down arrow followed by the Left arrow to go to the last frame;
2. Press Option-F to add a freeze-frame;
3. Make sure that your added frame matches the ending frame of the Ken Burns Effect.

Step 6: Adjust the Duration of the Freeze Frame

The users can also adjust the speed of the animation and the duration of the freeze-frame by trimming your clip. For this purpose, trim the length as per your requirement and it will optimize the speed as shown in figure 6.

Step 7: Swap the Start and End Frame

Now, swap the start and ending frame as per your preference for the Ken Burns animation. Here’s how you can do this:

1. Click on the Swap button;
2. The start frame will match the still frame (previous one);
3. Grab the end frame and move it to your desired position;
4. Apply enough zoom in to make the black areas disappear;
5. Preview to see how your animation looks.

Step 8: Play/Preview Looping

After you have optimized the speed of the Ken Burns Effect by trimming the clip’s length and have widened the shot to include everyone, it’s time to preview the changes you have made. Given below are simple steps:

• Press the Play Loop button;
• Tap on the Pause icon and return to editing;
• Click Done and enjoy your animation.

Seems a little complicated? Filmora allows users to do Ken Burns effect, or pan and zoom effect, in much easier steps, click to download and have a try!

Part 2: How to add the Ken Burns Effect to Multiple Camera Movements?

Although you can apply a single Ken Burns movement to your image, you can still give the impression of multiple movements being used. This means the Ken Burns Effect can be added to multiple camera movements by duplicating the photo and building numerous movements in sequence.

1. Add the first camera movement to your image;
2. Duplicate the clip by click and drag option or copy and paste option;
3. Press the Swap button in the Ken Burns settings to reverse the start and end positions;
4. Verify if multiple camera movements have been added.

Extensive Reading: Why Ken Burns Effect is Named after Ken Burns?

What is the Ken Burns Effect?

The Ken Burns Effect is a feature in Final Cut Pro to create a pan and zoom effect by using your predefined start and end positions. Basically, it is a crop effect with one crop at the start of the clip while the other at the end. Ken Burns Effect can be further customized by adjusting the smoothness of the animation. While creating a Ken Burns Effect, the motion applied to the video clips gets automatically smoothed to accelerate and decelerate the movement slowly at the start and the end of the animation.

Why the Effect is named after Ken Burns?

Now, as you have learned the purpose of the Ken Burns Effect, you must be curious about its name. It is named after American documentarian Ken Burns, who is known for his instantly recognizable and highly influential visual aesthetic. Surprisingly, Ken Burns did not invent this Ken Burns Effect; rather, it has existed for decades. You might be wondering why the technique was then named after Ken Burns. This was due to the persistent and adroit use of this technique that it is now known as the Ken Burns Effect.

What are the Applications of Ken Burns Effect?

Primarily, the Ken Burns Effect is used due to the unavailability of a film or video. The technique gives action to still photographs to glorify the subjects of interest like couples in wedding photography. It gets better and better as you apply simulated parallax with Ken Burns Effect to make your 2D images appear as 3D plus advanced zooming visuals. You can also use the Ken Burns effect to make a video of your graduation ceremony pictures or memorable moments of reunion. Ken Burns Effect is also used in documentaries by professional filmmakers and editors.

Conclusion

Adding animated effects to your pictures and videos makes them look gorgeous. This is crazy, isn’t it, when you impress your peers with your editing skills. So, what’s the bottom line of this whole discussion? Try adding the Ken Burns Effect with Final Cut Pro to create a pan and zoom effect on your pictures and clips get the output in your desired format.

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Ken Burns Effect is an advanced feature of Final Cut Pro that allows users to add creative animations to their videos and images within minutes. You just need to select your picture, add movements to the clip, and choose the start and the end position to produce high-resolution stills. Besides, you can do a tilt, zoom in, a pan, or a combination of these three moves on a single image. This way, you can use the Ken Burns Effect to highlight the stimulating features in your photograph and save your memories in the form of innovative and high-definition animated clips.

This article introduces the readers to Final Cut Pro and explains how to add the Ken Burns Effect in 8 simple steps.

• Part 1: How to Make a Ken Burns Effect in Final Cut Pro?[detaied steps]
• Part 2: How to add the Ken Burns Effect to Multiple Camera Movements?
• Extensive Reading: Why Ken Burns Effect is Named after Ken Burns?

Part 1: How to Make a Ken Burns Effect in Final Cut Pro?

Final Cut Pro is user-friendly software and makes it easy for you to create a Ken Burns Effect without having advanced skills and expertise. So, are you interested in knowing the best part? Given below are a few simple steps to create Ken Burns Effect and make your pictures and videos look adorable.

Step 1: Add Images to the Timeline

First of all, you should specify a name for your project and add photos to the timeline in Final Cut Pro. For this purpose, select multiple photos and press E. A clip will be added to the timeline as shown in figure 1.

Step 2: Check Your Settings

As you can see, our timeline has no other video clip. Hence, Final Cut Pro will not recognize the clip until you adjust the video properties such as format, resolution, and rate, etc. For this purpose, click OK to use your preferred settings and press Shift + Z to fit the picture to your timeline window. Once you’re done it’s time to apply the Ken Burns Effect.

Step 3: Add the Ken Burns Effect

The Ken Burns Effect is used to focus on specific parts of an image and bring motionless content in to provoke emotional reactions. Follow these steps to add the Ken Burns Effect:

1. Select the clip or picture;
2. See the lower left of the viewer;
3. Go to the Viewer window using the drop-down menu;
4. Tap on the pop-up menu located in the bottom left-hand corner;
5. Choose the Crop option from the menu or press Shift + C;
6. Press the Ken Burns button in the Crop onscreen controls to add the effect; and
7. Finally, notice the start frame and the end frame controls.

Step 4: Customize Your Effect

In the Ken Burns display, you can see the controls for adjusting the panning and zooms effects by changing the size and position of two-colored rectangles overlaying on the clip. To customize the Ken Burns effect:

1. Adjust the green rectangle’s size and position to set the start position;
2. Adjust the red rectangle’s size and position to set the end position;
3. The arrow depicts the direction of camera position between start and end position;
4. In the top left-hand corner, click on the Swap button to exchange the two positions as per your requirements;
5. You can see the preview of the animation on the screen.

Step 5: Add a Freeze Frame

You’re not done yet because you need to hold your picture at the end of the animation. For this purpose, you should create a freezing frame at the end of the clip to make Ken Burns do this. Here’s the deal:

1. Press the Down arrow followed by the Left arrow to go to the last frame;
2. Press Option-F to add a freeze-frame;
3. Make sure that your added frame matches the ending frame of the Ken Burns Effect.

Step 6: Adjust the Duration of the Freeze Frame

The users can also adjust the speed of the animation and the duration of the freeze-frame by trimming your clip. For this purpose, trim the length as per your requirement and it will optimize the speed as shown in figure 6.

Step 7: Swap the Start and End Frame

Now, swap the start and ending frame as per your preference for the Ken Burns animation. Here’s how you can do this:

1. Click on the Swap button;
2. The start frame will match the still frame (previous one);
3. Grab the end frame and move it to your desired position;
4. Apply enough zoom in to make the black areas disappear;
5. Preview to see how your animation looks.

Step 8: Play/Preview Looping

After you have optimized the speed of the Ken Burns Effect by trimming the clip’s length and have widened the shot to include everyone, it’s time to preview the changes you have made. Given below are simple steps:

• Press the Play Loop button;
• Tap on the Pause icon and return to editing;
• Click Done and enjoy your animation.

Seems a little complicated? Filmora allows users to do Ken Burns effect, or pan and zoom effect, in much easier steps, click to download and have a try!

Part 2: How to add the Ken Burns Effect to Multiple Camera Movements?

Although you can apply a single Ken Burns movement to your image, you can still give the impression of multiple movements being used. This means the Ken Burns Effect can be added to multiple camera movements by duplicating the photo and building numerous movements in sequence.

1. Add the first camera movement to your image;
2. Duplicate the clip by click and drag option or copy and paste option;
3. Press the Swap button in the Ken Burns settings to reverse the start and end positions;
4. Verify if multiple camera movements have been added.

Extensive Reading: Why Ken Burns Effect is Named after Ken Burns?

What is the Ken Burns Effect?

The Ken Burns Effect is a feature in Final Cut Pro to create a pan and zoom effect by using your predefined start and end positions. Basically, it is a crop effect with one crop at the start of the clip while the other at the end. Ken Burns Effect can be further customized by adjusting the smoothness of the animation. While creating a Ken Burns Effect, the motion applied to the video clips gets automatically smoothed to accelerate and decelerate the movement slowly at the start and the end of the animation.

Why the Effect is named after Ken Burns?

Now, as you have learned the purpose of the Ken Burns Effect, you must be curious about its name. It is named after American documentarian Ken Burns, who is known for his instantly recognizable and highly influential visual aesthetic. Surprisingly, Ken Burns did not invent this Ken Burns Effect; rather, it has existed for decades. You might be wondering why the technique was then named after Ken Burns. This was due to the persistent and adroit use of this technique that it is now known as the Ken Burns Effect.

What are the Applications of Ken Burns Effect?

Primarily, the Ken Burns Effect is used due to the unavailability of a film or video. The technique gives action to still photographs to glorify the subjects of interest like couples in wedding photography. It gets better and better as you apply simulated parallax with Ken Burns Effect to make your 2D images appear as 3D plus advanced zooming visuals. You can also use the Ken Burns effect to make a video of your graduation ceremony pictures or memorable moments of reunion. Ken Burns Effect is also used in documentaries by professional filmmakers and editors.

Conclusion

Adding animated effects to your pictures and videos makes them look gorgeous. This is crazy, isn’t it, when you impress your peers with your editing skills. So, what’s the bottom line of this whole discussion? Try adding the Ken Burns Effect with Final Cut Pro to create a pan and zoom effect on your pictures and clips get the output in your desired format.

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Ken Burns Effect is an advanced feature of Final Cut Pro that allows users to add creative animations to their videos and images within minutes. You just need to select your picture, add movements to the clip, and choose the start and the end position to produce high-resolution stills. Besides, you can do a tilt, zoom in, a pan, or a combination of these three moves on a single image. This way, you can use the Ken Burns Effect to highlight the stimulating features in your photograph and save your memories in the form of innovative and high-definition animated clips.

This article introduces the readers to Final Cut Pro and explains how to add the Ken Burns Effect in 8 simple steps.

• Part 1: How to Make a Ken Burns Effect in Final Cut Pro?[detaied steps]
• Part 2: How to add the Ken Burns Effect to Multiple Camera Movements?
• Extensive Reading: Why Ken Burns Effect is Named after Ken Burns?

Part 1: How to Make a Ken Burns Effect in Final Cut Pro?

Final Cut Pro is user-friendly software and makes it easy for you to create a Ken Burns Effect without having advanced skills and expertise. So, are you interested in knowing the best part? Given below are a few simple steps to create Ken Burns Effect and make your pictures and videos look adorable.

Step 1: Add Images to the Timeline

First of all, you should specify a name for your project and add photos to the timeline in Final Cut Pro. For this purpose, select multiple photos and press E. A clip will be added to the timeline as shown in figure 1.

Step 2: Check Your Settings

As you can see, our timeline has no other video clip. Hence, Final Cut Pro will not recognize the clip until you adjust the video properties such as format, resolution, and rate, etc. For this purpose, click OK to use your preferred settings and press Shift + Z to fit the picture to your timeline window. Once you’re done it’s time to apply the Ken Burns Effect.

Step 3: Add the Ken Burns Effect

The Ken Burns Effect is used to focus on specific parts of an image and bring motionless content in to provoke emotional reactions. Follow these steps to add the Ken Burns Effect:

1. Select the clip or picture;
2. See the lower left of the viewer;
3. Go to the Viewer window using the drop-down menu;
4. Tap on the pop-up menu located in the bottom left-hand corner;
5. Choose the Crop option from the menu or press Shift + C;
6. Press the Ken Burns button in the Crop onscreen controls to add the effect; and
7. Finally, notice the start frame and the end frame controls.

Step 4: Customize Your Effect

In the Ken Burns display, you can see the controls for adjusting the panning and zooms effects by changing the size and position of two-colored rectangles overlaying on the clip. To customize the Ken Burns effect:

1. Adjust the green rectangle’s size and position to set the start position;
2. Adjust the red rectangle’s size and position to set the end position;
3. The arrow depicts the direction of camera position between start and end position;
4. In the top left-hand corner, click on the Swap button to exchange the two positions as per your requirements;
5. You can see the preview of the animation on the screen.

Step 5: Add a Freeze Frame

You’re not done yet because you need to hold your picture at the end of the animation. For this purpose, you should create a freezing frame at the end of the clip to make Ken Burns do this. Here’s the deal:

1. Press the Down arrow followed by the Left arrow to go to the last frame;
2. Press Option-F to add a freeze-frame;
3. Make sure that your added frame matches the ending frame of the Ken Burns Effect.

Step 6: Adjust the Duration of the Freeze Frame

The users can also adjust the speed of the animation and the duration of the freeze-frame by trimming your clip. For this purpose, trim the length as per your requirement and it will optimize the speed as shown in figure 6.

Step 7: Swap the Start and End Frame

Now, swap the start and ending frame as per your preference for the Ken Burns animation. Here’s how you can do this:

1. Click on the Swap button;
2. The start frame will match the still frame (previous one);
3. Grab the end frame and move it to your desired position;
4. Apply enough zoom in to make the black areas disappear;
5. Preview to see how your animation looks.

Step 8: Play/Preview Looping

After you have optimized the speed of the Ken Burns Effect by trimming the clip’s length and have widened the shot to include everyone, it’s time to preview the changes you have made. Given below are simple steps:

• Press the Play Loop button;
• Tap on the Pause icon and return to editing;
• Click Done and enjoy your animation.

Seems a little complicated? Filmora allows users to do Ken Burns effect, or pan and zoom effect, in much easier steps, click to download and have a try!

Part 2: How to add the Ken Burns Effect to Multiple Camera Movements?

Although you can apply a single Ken Burns movement to your image, you can still give the impression of multiple movements being used. This means the Ken Burns Effect can be added to multiple camera movements by duplicating the photo and building numerous movements in sequence.

1. Add the first camera movement to your image;
2. Duplicate the clip by click and drag option or copy and paste option;
3. Press the Swap button in the Ken Burns settings to reverse the start and end positions;
4. Verify if multiple camera movements have been added.

Extensive Reading: Why Ken Burns Effect is Named after Ken Burns?

What is the Ken Burns Effect?

The Ken Burns Effect is a feature in Final Cut Pro to create a pan and zoom effect by using your predefined start and end positions. Basically, it is a crop effect with one crop at the start of the clip while the other at the end. Ken Burns Effect can be further customized by adjusting the smoothness of the animation. While creating a Ken Burns Effect, the motion applied to the video clips gets automatically smoothed to accelerate and decelerate the movement slowly at the start and the end of the animation.

Why the Effect is named after Ken Burns?

Now, as you have learned the purpose of the Ken Burns Effect, you must be curious about its name. It is named after American documentarian Ken Burns, who is known for his instantly recognizable and highly influential visual aesthetic. Surprisingly, Ken Burns did not invent this Ken Burns Effect; rather, it has existed for decades. You might be wondering why the technique was then named after Ken Burns. This was due to the persistent and adroit use of this technique that it is now known as the Ken Burns Effect.

What are the Applications of Ken Burns Effect?

Primarily, the Ken Burns Effect is used due to the unavailability of a film or video. The technique gives action to still photographs to glorify the subjects of interest like couples in wedding photography. It gets better and better as you apply simulated parallax with Ken Burns Effect to make your 2D images appear as 3D plus advanced zooming visuals. You can also use the Ken Burns effect to make a video of your graduation ceremony pictures or memorable moments of reunion. Ken Burns Effect is also used in documentaries by professional filmmakers and editors.

Conclusion

Adding animated effects to your pictures and videos makes them look gorgeous. This is crazy, isn’t it, when you impress your peers with your editing skills. So, what’s the bottom line of this whole discussion? Try adding the Ken Burns Effect with Final Cut Pro to create a pan and zoom effect on your pictures and clips get the output in your desired format.

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Ken Burns Effect is an advanced feature of Final Cut Pro that allows users to add creative animations to their videos and images within minutes. You just need to select your picture, add movements to the clip, and choose the start and the end position to produce high-resolution stills. Besides, you can do a tilt, zoom in, a pan, or a combination of these three moves on a single image. This way, you can use the Ken Burns Effect to highlight the stimulating features in your photograph and save your memories in the form of innovative and high-definition animated clips.

This article introduces the readers to Final Cut Pro and explains how to add the Ken Burns Effect in 8 simple steps.

• Part 1: How to Make a Ken Burns Effect in Final Cut Pro?[detaied steps]
• Part 2: How to add the Ken Burns Effect to Multiple Camera Movements?
• Extensive Reading: Why Ken Burns Effect is Named after Ken Burns?

Part 1: How to Make a Ken Burns Effect in Final Cut Pro?

Final Cut Pro is user-friendly software and makes it easy for you to create a Ken Burns Effect without having advanced skills and expertise. So, are you interested in knowing the best part? Given below are a few simple steps to create Ken Burns Effect and make your pictures and videos look adorable.

Step 1: Add Images to the Timeline

First of all, you should specify a name for your project and add photos to the timeline in Final Cut Pro. For this purpose, select multiple photos and press E. A clip will be added to the timeline as shown in figure 1.

Step 2: Check Your Settings

As you can see, our timeline has no other video clip. Hence, Final Cut Pro will not recognize the clip until you adjust the video properties such as format, resolution, and rate, etc. For this purpose, click OK to use your preferred settings and press Shift + Z to fit the picture to your timeline window. Once you’re done it’s time to apply the Ken Burns Effect.

Step 3: Add the Ken Burns Effect

The Ken Burns Effect is used to focus on specific parts of an image and bring motionless content in to provoke emotional reactions. Follow these steps to add the Ken Burns Effect:

1. Select the clip or picture;
2. See the lower left of the viewer;
3. Go to the Viewer window using the drop-down menu;
4. Tap on the pop-up menu located in the bottom left-hand corner;
5. Choose the Crop option from the menu or press Shift + C;
6. Press the Ken Burns button in the Crop onscreen controls to add the effect; and
7. Finally, notice the start frame and the end frame controls.

Step 4: Customize Your Effect

In the Ken Burns display, you can see the controls for adjusting the panning and zooms effects by changing the size and position of two-colored rectangles overlaying on the clip. To customize the Ken Burns effect:

1. Adjust the green rectangle’s size and position to set the start position;
2. Adjust the red rectangle’s size and position to set the end position;
3. The arrow depicts the direction of camera position between start and end position;
4. In the top left-hand corner, click on the Swap button to exchange the two positions as per your requirements;
5. You can see the preview of the animation on the screen.

Step 5: Add a Freeze Frame

You’re not done yet because you need to hold your picture at the end of the animation. For this purpose, you should create a freezing frame at the end of the clip to make Ken Burns do this. Here’s the deal:

1. Press the Down arrow followed by the Left arrow to go to the last frame;
2. Press Option-F to add a freeze-frame;
3. Make sure that your added frame matches the ending frame of the Ken Burns Effect.

Step 6: Adjust the Duration of the Freeze Frame

The users can also adjust the speed of the animation and the duration of the freeze-frame by trimming your clip. For this purpose, trim the length as per your requirement and it will optimize the speed as shown in figure 6.

Step 7: Swap the Start and End Frame

Now, swap the start and ending frame as per your preference for the Ken Burns animation. Here’s how you can do this:

1. Click on the Swap button;
2. The start frame will match the still frame (previous one);
3. Grab the end frame and move it to your desired position;
4. Apply enough zoom in to make the black areas disappear;
5. Preview to see how your animation looks.

Step 8: Play/Preview Looping

After you have optimized the speed of the Ken Burns Effect by trimming the clip’s length and have widened the shot to include everyone, it’s time to preview the changes you have made. Given below are simple steps:

• Press the Play Loop button;
• Tap on the Pause icon and return to editing;
• Click Done and enjoy your animation.

Seems a little complicated? Filmora allows users to do Ken Burns effect, or pan and zoom effect, in much easier steps, click to download and have a try!

Part 2: How to add the Ken Burns Effect to Multiple Camera Movements?

Although you can apply a single Ken Burns movement to your image, you can still give the impression of multiple movements being used. This means the Ken Burns Effect can be added to multiple camera movements by duplicating the photo and building numerous movements in sequence.

1. Add the first camera movement to your image;
2. Duplicate the clip by click and drag option or copy and paste option;
3. Press the Swap button in the Ken Burns settings to reverse the start and end positions;
4. Verify if multiple camera movements have been added.

Extensive Reading: Why Ken Burns Effect is Named after Ken Burns?

What is the Ken Burns Effect?

The Ken Burns Effect is a feature in Final Cut Pro to create a pan and zoom effect by using your predefined start and end positions. Basically, it is a crop effect with one crop at the start of the clip while the other at the end. Ken Burns Effect can be further customized by adjusting the smoothness of the animation. While creating a Ken Burns Effect, the motion applied to the video clips gets automatically smoothed to accelerate and decelerate the movement slowly at the start and the end of the animation.

Why the Effect is named after Ken Burns?

Now, as you have learned the purpose of the Ken Burns Effect, you must be curious about its name. It is named after American documentarian Ken Burns, who is known for his instantly recognizable and highly influential visual aesthetic. Surprisingly, Ken Burns did not invent this Ken Burns Effect; rather, it has existed for decades. You might be wondering why the technique was then named after Ken Burns. This was due to the persistent and adroit use of this technique that it is now known as the Ken Burns Effect.

What are the Applications of Ken Burns Effect?

Primarily, the Ken Burns Effect is used due to the unavailability of a film or video. The technique gives action to still photographs to glorify the subjects of interest like couples in wedding photography. It gets better and better as you apply simulated parallax with Ken Burns Effect to make your 2D images appear as 3D plus advanced zooming visuals. You can also use the Ken Burns effect to make a video of your graduation ceremony pictures or memorable moments of reunion. Ken Burns Effect is also used in documentaries by professional filmmakers and editors.

Conclusion

Adding animated effects to your pictures and videos makes them look gorgeous. This is crazy, isn’t it, when you impress your peers with your editing skills. So, what’s the bottom line of this whole discussion? Try adding the Ken Burns Effect with Final Cut Pro to create a pan and zoom effect on your pictures and clips get the output in your desired format.

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

From Fast to Slow: Mastering Slow-Motion Video Creation on Kapwing

Change Video Speed Easily

Wondershare Filmora is one of the most popular video editing software among YouTubers , you can use it to speed up and slow down videos with Speed Ramping or Uniform Speed tools.

Try It Free Try It Free

Kapwing is a web-based video editor that enables you to perform post-production actions on the clips that you upload. In addition, the web app has a timeline at the bottom of the interface that uses the layer-oriented approach to give you an industry-standard ambiance while editing.

With Kapwing, you can even create basic to advanced clips by starting a new project from the scratch. Some of the tasks that Kapwing can do quite efficiently include:

• Adding text and titles to the videos
• Reversing the playback
• Inserting royalty-free video clips and images from its built-in media library
• Recording computer screen
• Recording webcam footage
• Adding audio, etc.

With that said, here you will learn how to slow down the playback speed of a video with Kapwing to give the clip a cinematic effect.

In this article

01 How to Make a Slow Motion Video on Kapwing? [Step by Step]

02 FAQs About Kapwing Online Video Editor

02 Use Kapwing Alternative to Make Slow Motion Video

Part 1: How to Make a Slow Motion Video on Kapwing? [Step by Step]

Note: Before proceeding further, it is imperative to understand that Kapwing adds a watermark to the videos while exporting as long as you are not signed in. This limitation can be removed by signing in using your Google or Facebook ID, or with a different email address provided by some other service provider.

To make a slow-motion video with Kapwing, you must follow the step-by-step instructions that are given below:

Step 1: Sign In and Upload the Source Video to Kapwing

Launch your favorite browser (Google Chrome is used here), go to https://www.kapwing.com/ , and click Sign In from the top-right corner of the web page. Next, use your preferred platform, i.e., Google or Facebook, or use a different email address to sign in. On the next page, click Create New Project.

When the main interface opens up, click Click to upload from the right section, and select and upload the source video that you want to slow down. Alternatively, you can either paste the URL of a published video in the available field, or upload one from your Google Drive or Google Photos storage by clicking their corresponding icons below the Click to upload button.

Step 2: Slow Down the Playback Speed

Ensure that the uploaded video is successfully added to the Timeline at the bottom, click to select the clip if not already selected, confirm that the EDIT tab is selected from the top of the right pane, and use the – and + buttons under the SPEED section to decrease and increase the playback speed of the footage respectively.

To make a slow motion with Kapwing, you can click the – icon and choose 0.25X, 0.5X and 0.75X slower based on your need. You can see the changes in the timeline when you apply the speed presets.

Note: You can slow down or increase the speed to as low as 0.25x or as high as 4x respectively.

Step 3: Add Additional Decorations (Optional)

Use the tools available in the toolbox on the left to add other elements like text, stock video clips, images, audio, etc. to make the footage look more professional and appealing.

Step 4: Export and Download the Video

Once everything is done, click the Play button above the Timeline to preview the clip, and once found acceptable, click Export Video from the top-right area to export the footage.

On the next page, click Download from the right to download the slow-motion video to your local hard drive. Alternatively, you can also click the down icon that is present next to the Export Video button, and choose your preferred format from the menu to export the video.

Note: Kapwing makes the produced videos available for public viewing while using a free account. This privacy vulnerability can be removed by subscribing to a paid plan offered by the web tool. And for free account, your video is limited to 250MB uploading, and 30 minutes long exporting.

There are some other options to slow videos online for free, check our picks of best free online slow motion video editors.

Part 2: FAQs About Kapwing Online Video Editor

1. Is Kapwing really free?

Yes, it is free, and there will be no watermark on videos under 5 minutes. However, upon exporting, the videos remain available for the public which could be a breach of privacy for some users. This limitation can be removed by subscribing to the web tool’s paid membership. You can choose either a $192 per year or $24 per month plan for the subscription.

2. What is the limitation of using the Kapwing free plan?

When you use Kapwing with the free plan:

• All the videos that you produce remain available for the public viewing;
• The video files that you upload cannot exceed 250MB in size;
• Export 3 hours of video per month, and each video is limited to 30 minutes long;
• The resolution of the videos is restricted to 720p only, etc.

3. How slow can I make it with Kapwing?

You can slow down the playback speed to 0.25x with Kapwing. When increasing the speed, it can go up to 4x.

Conclusion

Kapwing is an efficient online video editor. The best part is, the tool doesn’t add a watermark to the videos even if you are using its free plan. However, certain restrictions like file size limit, resolution threshold, etc. are imposed on you if you are a non-paid user. To get rid of all such barriers, you must subscribe to a monthly or annual plan that is $24 or $192 respectively.

Try It Free Try It Free

Kapwing is a web-based video editor that enables you to perform post-production actions on the clips that you upload. In addition, the web app has a timeline at the bottom of the interface that uses the layer-oriented approach to give you an industry-standard ambiance while editing.

With Kapwing, you can even create basic to advanced clips by starting a new project from the scratch. Some of the tasks that Kapwing can do quite efficiently include:

• Adding text and titles to the videos
• Reversing the playback
• Inserting royalty-free video clips and images from its built-in media library
• Recording computer screen
• Recording webcam footage
• Adding audio, etc.

With that said, here you will learn how to slow down the playback speed of a video with Kapwing to give the clip a cinematic effect.

In this article

01 How to Make a Slow Motion Video on Kapwing? [Step by Step]

02 FAQs About Kapwing Online Video Editor

02 Use Kapwing Alternative to Make Slow Motion Video

Part 1: How to Make a Slow Motion Video on Kapwing? [Step by Step]

Note: Before proceeding further, it is imperative to understand that Kapwing adds a watermark to the videos while exporting as long as you are not signed in. This limitation can be removed by signing in using your Google or Facebook ID, or with a different email address provided by some other service provider.

To make a slow-motion video with Kapwing, you must follow the step-by-step instructions that are given below:

Step 1: Sign In and Upload the Source Video to Kapwing

Launch your favorite browser (Google Chrome is used here), go to https://www.kapwing.com/ , and click Sign In from the top-right corner of the web page. Next, use your preferred platform, i.e., Google or Facebook, or use a different email address to sign in. On the next page, click Create New Project.

When the main interface opens up, click Click to upload from the right section, and select and upload the source video that you want to slow down. Alternatively, you can either paste the URL of a published video in the available field, or upload one from your Google Drive or Google Photos storage by clicking their corresponding icons below the Click to upload button.

Step 2: Slow Down the Playback Speed

Ensure that the uploaded video is successfully added to the Timeline at the bottom, click to select the clip if not already selected, confirm that the EDIT tab is selected from the top of the right pane, and use the – and + buttons under the SPEED section to decrease and increase the playback speed of the footage respectively.

To make a slow motion with Kapwing, you can click the – icon and choose 0.25X, 0.5X and 0.75X slower based on your need. You can see the changes in the timeline when you apply the speed presets.

Note: You can slow down or increase the speed to as low as 0.25x or as high as 4x respectively.

Step 3: Add Additional Decorations (Optional)

Use the tools available in the toolbox on the left to add other elements like text, stock video clips, images, audio, etc. to make the footage look more professional and appealing.

Step 4: Export and Download the Video

Once everything is done, click the Play button above the Timeline to preview the clip, and once found acceptable, click Export Video from the top-right area to export the footage.

On the next page, click Download from the right to download the slow-motion video to your local hard drive. Alternatively, you can also click the down icon that is present next to the Export Video button, and choose your preferred format from the menu to export the video.

Note: Kapwing makes the produced videos available for public viewing while using a free account. This privacy vulnerability can be removed by subscribing to a paid plan offered by the web tool. And for free account, your video is limited to 250MB uploading, and 30 minutes long exporting.

There are some other options to slow videos online for free, check our picks of best free online slow motion video editors.

Part 2: FAQs About Kapwing Online Video Editor

1. Is Kapwing really free?

Yes, it is free, and there will be no watermark on videos under 5 minutes. However, upon exporting, the videos remain available for the public which could be a breach of privacy for some users. This limitation can be removed by subscribing to the web tool’s paid membership. You can choose either a $192 per year or $24 per month plan for the subscription.

2. What is the limitation of using the Kapwing free plan?

When you use Kapwing with the free plan:

• All the videos that you produce remain available for the public viewing;
• The video files that you upload cannot exceed 250MB in size;
• Export 3 hours of video per month, and each video is limited to 30 minutes long;
• The resolution of the videos is restricted to 720p only, etc.

3. How slow can I make it with Kapwing?

You can slow down the playback speed to 0.25x with Kapwing. When increasing the speed, it can go up to 4x.

Conclusion

Kapwing is an efficient online video editor. The best part is, the tool doesn’t add a watermark to the videos even if you are using its free plan. However, certain restrictions like file size limit, resolution threshold, etc. are imposed on you if you are a non-paid user. To get rid of all such barriers, you must subscribe to a monthly or annual plan that is $24 or $192 respectively.

Try It Free Try It Free

Kapwing is a web-based video editor that enables you to perform post-production actions on the clips that you upload. In addition, the web app has a timeline at the bottom of the interface that uses the layer-oriented approach to give you an industry-standard ambiance while editing.

With Kapwing, you can even create basic to advanced clips by starting a new project from the scratch. Some of the tasks that Kapwing can do quite efficiently include:

• Adding text and titles to the videos
• Reversing the playback
• Inserting royalty-free video clips and images from its built-in media library
• Recording computer screen
• Recording webcam footage
• Adding audio, etc.

With that said, here you will learn how to slow down the playback speed of a video with Kapwing to give the clip a cinematic effect.

In this article

01 How to Make a Slow Motion Video on Kapwing? [Step by Step]

02 FAQs About Kapwing Online Video Editor

02 Use Kapwing Alternative to Make Slow Motion Video

Part 1: How to Make a Slow Motion Video on Kapwing? [Step by Step]

Note: Before proceeding further, it is imperative to understand that Kapwing adds a watermark to the videos while exporting as long as you are not signed in. This limitation can be removed by signing in using your Google or Facebook ID, or with a different email address provided by some other service provider.

To make a slow-motion video with Kapwing, you must follow the step-by-step instructions that are given below:

Step 1: Sign In and Upload the Source Video to Kapwing

Launch your favorite browser (Google Chrome is used here), go to https://www.kapwing.com/ , and click Sign In from the top-right corner of the web page. Next, use your preferred platform, i.e., Google or Facebook, or use a different email address to sign in. On the next page, click Create New Project.

When the main interface opens up, click Click to upload from the right section, and select and upload the source video that you want to slow down. Alternatively, you can either paste the URL of a published video in the available field, or upload one from your Google Drive or Google Photos storage by clicking their corresponding icons below the Click to upload button.

Step 2: Slow Down the Playback Speed

Ensure that the uploaded video is successfully added to the Timeline at the bottom, click to select the clip if not already selected, confirm that the EDIT tab is selected from the top of the right pane, and use the – and + buttons under the SPEED section to decrease and increase the playback speed of the footage respectively.

To make a slow motion with Kapwing, you can click the – icon and choose 0.25X, 0.5X and 0.75X slower based on your need. You can see the changes in the timeline when you apply the speed presets.

Note: You can slow down or increase the speed to as low as 0.25x or as high as 4x respectively.

Step 3: Add Additional Decorations (Optional)

Use the tools available in the toolbox on the left to add other elements like text, stock video clips, images, audio, etc. to make the footage look more professional and appealing.

Step 4: Export and Download the Video

Once everything is done, click the Play button above the Timeline to preview the clip, and once found acceptable, click Export Video from the top-right area to export the footage.

On the next page, click Download from the right to download the slow-motion video to your local hard drive. Alternatively, you can also click the down icon that is present next to the Export Video button, and choose your preferred format from the menu to export the video.

Note: Kapwing makes the produced videos available for public viewing while using a free account. This privacy vulnerability can be removed by subscribing to a paid plan offered by the web tool. And for free account, your video is limited to 250MB uploading, and 30 minutes long exporting.

There are some other options to slow videos online for free, check our picks of best free online slow motion video editors.

Part 2: FAQs About Kapwing Online Video Editor

1. Is Kapwing really free?

Yes, it is free, and there will be no watermark on videos under 5 minutes. However, upon exporting, the videos remain available for the public which could be a breach of privacy for some users. This limitation can be removed by subscribing to the web tool’s paid membership. You can choose either a $192 per year or $24 per month plan for the subscription.

2. What is the limitation of using the Kapwing free plan?

When you use Kapwing with the free plan:

• All the videos that you produce remain available for the public viewing;
• The video files that you upload cannot exceed 250MB in size;
• Export 3 hours of video per month, and each video is limited to 30 minutes long;
• The resolution of the videos is restricted to 720p only, etc.

3. How slow can I make it with Kapwing?

You can slow down the playback speed to 0.25x with Kapwing. When increasing the speed, it can go up to 4x.

Conclusion

Kapwing is an efficient online video editor. The best part is, the tool doesn’t add a watermark to the videos even if you are using its free plan. However, certain restrictions like file size limit, resolution threshold, etc. are imposed on you if you are a non-paid user. To get rid of all such barriers, you must subscribe to a monthly or annual plan that is $24 or $192 respectively.

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Kapwing is a web-based video editor that enables you to perform post-production actions on the clips that you upload. In addition, the web app has a timeline at the bottom of the interface that uses the layer-oriented approach to give you an industry-standard ambiance while editing.

With Kapwing, you can even create basic to advanced clips by starting a new project from the scratch. Some of the tasks that Kapwing can do quite efficiently include:

• Adding text and titles to the videos
• Reversing the playback
• Inserting royalty-free video clips and images from its built-in media library
• Recording computer screen
• Recording webcam footage
• Adding audio, etc.

With that said, here you will learn how to slow down the playback speed of a video with Kapwing to give the clip a cinematic effect.

In this article

01 How to Make a Slow Motion Video on Kapwing? [Step by Step]

02 FAQs About Kapwing Online Video Editor

02 Use Kapwing Alternative to Make Slow Motion Video

Part 1: How to Make a Slow Motion Video on Kapwing? [Step by Step]

Note: Before proceeding further, it is imperative to understand that Kapwing adds a watermark to the videos while exporting as long as you are not signed in. This limitation can be removed by signing in using your Google or Facebook ID, or with a different email address provided by some other service provider.

To make a slow-motion video with Kapwing, you must follow the step-by-step instructions that are given below:

Step 1: Sign In and Upload the Source Video to Kapwing

Launch your favorite browser (Google Chrome is used here), go to https://www.kapwing.com/ , and click Sign In from the top-right corner of the web page. Next, use your preferred platform, i.e., Google or Facebook, or use a different email address to sign in. On the next page, click Create New Project.

When the main interface opens up, click Click to upload from the right section, and select and upload the source video that you want to slow down. Alternatively, you can either paste the URL of a published video in the available field, or upload one from your Google Drive or Google Photos storage by clicking their corresponding icons below the Click to upload button.

Step 2: Slow Down the Playback Speed

Ensure that the uploaded video is successfully added to the Timeline at the bottom, click to select the clip if not already selected, confirm that the EDIT tab is selected from the top of the right pane, and use the – and + buttons under the SPEED section to decrease and increase the playback speed of the footage respectively.

To make a slow motion with Kapwing, you can click the – icon and choose 0.25X, 0.5X and 0.75X slower based on your need. You can see the changes in the timeline when you apply the speed presets.

Note: You can slow down or increase the speed to as low as 0.25x or as high as 4x respectively.

Step 3: Add Additional Decorations (Optional)

Use the tools available in the toolbox on the left to add other elements like text, stock video clips, images, audio, etc. to make the footage look more professional and appealing.

Step 4: Export and Download the Video

Once everything is done, click the Play button above the Timeline to preview the clip, and once found acceptable, click Export Video from the top-right area to export the footage.

On the next page, click Download from the right to download the slow-motion video to your local hard drive. Alternatively, you can also click the down icon that is present next to the Export Video button, and choose your preferred format from the menu to export the video.

Note: Kapwing makes the produced videos available for public viewing while using a free account. This privacy vulnerability can be removed by subscribing to a paid plan offered by the web tool. And for free account, your video is limited to 250MB uploading, and 30 minutes long exporting.

There are some other options to slow videos online for free, check our picks of best free online slow motion video editors.

Part 2: FAQs About Kapwing Online Video Editor

1. Is Kapwing really free?

Yes, it is free, and there will be no watermark on videos under 5 minutes. However, upon exporting, the videos remain available for the public which could be a breach of privacy for some users. This limitation can be removed by subscribing to the web tool’s paid membership. You can choose either a $192 per year or $24 per month plan for the subscription.

2. What is the limitation of using the Kapwing free plan?

When you use Kapwing with the free plan:

• All the videos that you produce remain available for the public viewing;
• The video files that you upload cannot exceed 250MB in size;
• Export 3 hours of video per month, and each video is limited to 30 minutes long;
• The resolution of the videos is restricted to 720p only, etc.

3. How slow can I make it with Kapwing?

You can slow down the playback speed to 0.25x with Kapwing. When increasing the speed, it can go up to 4x.

Conclusion

Kapwing is an efficient online video editor. The best part is, the tool doesn’t add a watermark to the videos even if you are using its free plan. However, certain restrictions like file size limit, resolution threshold, etc. are imposed on you if you are a non-paid user. To get rid of all such barriers, you must subscribe to a monthly or annual plan that is $24 or $192 respectively.

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