OpenShot is a free, open-source video editor that has been in development since 2008. It started as a simple editor for Linux and now runs on Windows, macOS, Linux and ChromeOS. The project’s features page lists colour grading with colour wheels, curves, LUT files and live scopes (waveform, histogram, vectorscope and RGB parade), plus an effects library whose settings you can animate over time. Version 4.0, released on 30 August 2026, added recording of your screen, webcam, microphone and system audio straight into a project.
OpenShot is aimed at beginners and home users who want a straightforward timeline editor, and it has enough depth for small creative projects.
How to get the official version
Start at openshot.org/download. The stable installers are hosted on the project’s GitHub releases.
- Windows: choose between the free EXE installer (64-bit or 32-bit) and the Microsoft Store edition. OpenShot labels the Store edition “Paid”, says it helps fund development and gives automatic updates, and lists it for Windows 10 and 11. It was $9.99 in the US Store when we checked. The free EXE has “the same OpenShot features” but you update it by hand.
- macOS: one DMG for both Intel and Apple Silicon Macs.
- Linux: a 64-bit AppImage that needs no installation: download, make it executable and run it. A PPA is also linked.
- ChromeOS: turn on Linux (Beta) and run the install script shown on the download page. OpenShot supports only x86_64 CPUs on ChromeOS.
The download page also lists daily builds, which are release candidates for the next version. Use them for testing, not for projects you care about.
Price and account
OpenShot is free and open source under the GPL. There are no ads, subscriptions or accounts. The project is funded by donations and by people who choose the paid Store edition.
Verify your download
Every installer has a matching .sha256sum file and a “Verify Download” link. The SHA-256 values for 4.0.0 are in the table below. Compare them with Get-FileHash on Windows or shasum -a 256 on macOS and Linux.
Questions
Is the Microsoft Store version better than the EXE?
No. OpenShot says both have the same features. The Store version updates itself and the purchase supports the developers.
Does OpenShot run on ARM Chromebooks?
No. OpenShot states that it supports only x86_64 CPUs on ChromeOS.
Can I still use OpenShot on 32-bit Windows?
Yes. A 32-bit Windows installer is published alongside the 64-bit one for version 4.0.0.
