The best Windows 11 built-in video editor: Microsoft Clipchamp
microsoft clip champ2 A built-in AI-powered video editor available in Windows 11. Designed for modern creation workflows, Clipchamp supports both templates3 A complete timeline makes it easy to get started right away and adjust your video as needed.
Trim and split clips, add captions and transitions, adjust audio, and resize videos for different platforms. Features like automatic captions, noise suppression, and silence removal can be used to clean up in the background, reducing the effort required to complete short audio-driven videos.
Reproducible prosumer workflow
Simple rhythms are effective. Start with a template and set your pace. Switch to the timeline to tighten cuts and adjust timing. Create an audio path to balance voice and music. Then add captions, titles, and alternate versions in formats such as 16:9, 9:16, or 1:1.
Export guidance
When you’re ready to export, choose the highest practical resolution for where you plan to publish. Keep the frame rate constant, listen to the audio balance again, and give the file a distinct name before saving.
Best built-in apps for graphics and illustrations: Paint
Paint has grown from a basic drawing app to a lightweight creative tool for Windows. It’s easy to use, but now offers more modern features for those who want to sketch ideas, create graphics, build layered compositions, and do AI-assisted editing.
Paint is ideal for:
- Creative illustrations and simple graphics
- Removing image background
- AI-assisted composition and editing
Standout feature: Generative erasure
Paint’s AI tools are designed to enhance your workflow and are perfect for removing distracting or unwanted objects. For example, Generative Erase is one of Paint’s AI-assisted creative tools that allows users to remove unwanted elements while supporting broader composition and illustration workflows.
Pairing paint and photos
Paint and Photos serve different but complementary creative purposes on Windows. Use Paint to create, compose, and illustrate, including creating digital artwork, merging images, and using creative effects to restyle photos. Use Photos to enhance, modify, organize, and export individual photos. These apps work best when you choose one that fits your creative goals rather than following a linear workflow.
Perfect for capturing and annotating content: Snipping Tool
Snipping Tool has been part of Windows for years, but in Windows 11 it’s stronger than ever with a cleaner design, smarter shortcuts, built-in screen recording, productivity-focused capture features, and more.
Snipping Tool is a quick way to capture content such as tutorials, bug reports, product shots, social posts, and more. In addition to freeform, windowed, and full-screen captures, it includes inline quick markup tools, a built-in color picker to identify on-screen colors, and Perfect Screenshot, an AI-powered capture mode that lets users get the shot they want without extra cropping.
pro tips
- Create reusable assets by keeping crop sizes, color usage, and naming conventions consistent. Color pickers help maintain visual consistency throughout your design.
- Use Snipping Tool as the first step in your microcontent workflow. Capture with Perfect Screenshot → Annotate instantly with Quick Markup → Export → Post.
Bonus: Copilot on Windows for creative preparation
CoPilot on Windows4 (AI Assistant) helps you think, plan, and do things from your desktop. Copilot helps you prepare for any creative work you plan to do in Photos, Clipchamp, or Paint, including:
- draft caption
- Generate title options
- A short video overview
- Turn your summary into a quick editing checklist
Which built-in apps should I use?
Which tool you choose depends on the task at hand. for example:
- Photo apps are great for quickly editing vacation photos.
- Clipchamp is great for cutting reels and short videos.
- Clipchamp works well for creating tutorials and walkthroughs.
- Snipping Tool is great for capturing, marking up, and sharing all kinds of content on your screen.
- Copilot on Windows with Clipchamp helps you create captions and titles for your videos.
FAQ
