this post was submitted on 04 Feb 2026
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Are there any lightweight linux video editors? (lemdro.id)
submitted 11 hours ago* (last edited 11 hours ago) by Im28xwa@lemdro.id to c/linux@lemmy.ml
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All the ones that keep getting recommended have a UI like a cockpit of a Boeing 747 (kdenlive, shotcut, openshot, DaVinci resolve) which is so overwhelming, all I want is just make some cuts, blur a face, or something on the screen, and maybe add some subtitles.

I just want something simple, I am not gonna make the next Avatar movie.

I have a feeling there is nothing like this on linux but hey maybe one of you actually knows of one.

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[–] utopiah@lemmy.ml 2 points 42 minutes ago

Others mentioned it but I'll insist on kdenlive.

Yes it's intimidating, so much so I initially started it, closed it and went back to ffmpeg, so the CLI.

What I was lacking wasn't a good UI or UX but rather the principle of video editing. Once you actually learn the basics :

  • cuts (each file become a track, each file can be sliced in smaller piece and re-arranged)
  • timeline (cuts next to each other or on top of each other, including audio, videos, cards, etc)
  • effects (fade in, fade out, etc)
  • project management (organizing files, designing cards for titles, etc)

then regardless of which software you use it's nearly the same.

So I would actually invest just an hour to try a tutorial, edit a 1min video, get feedback on it from friends then try again. Honestly video as a medium is not going away anytime soon, in fact arguably platform like TikTok (sadly) made it even more popular. Consequently investing a bit of time today would benefit you for decades to come.

[–] Dilligentincubus@piefed.ca 17 points 9 hours ago

Kdenlive is a bit intimidating at first but if you take the time to watch a tutorial or 2 and figure out what you can remove from the standard layout it can be quite easy to use and works very well. I don't use 90% of the features but I like that they are available if I ever need them.

[–] eugenia@lemmy.ml 19 points 10 hours ago* (last edited 10 hours ago) (1 children)

Ok, so, here it is: If you just want to cut stuff, without much fanfare, then these four are your best bet:

  1. LosslessCut: https://github.com/mifi/lossless-cut possibly what you're looking for for most things, download the .appimage for x86
  2. Shutter Encoder It just cuts and exports. https://www.shutterencoder.com/
  3. Video Trimmer, get it on flathub. This one is newer.
  4. https://avidemux.sourceforge.net/ (the old guard)

If you want to do a tiny bit more stuff, like subtitles and blurring, you MUST use a full video editor, like Shotcut and Kdenlive. These features aren't simple to implement so they're part of a full editing experience.

[–] Im28xwa@lemdro.id 1 points 3 hours ago

i will try avidemux, thanks.

[–] lime@feddit.nu 23 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

ffmpeg? no ui at all there.

[–] ToTheGraveMyLove@sh.itjust.works 8 points 10 hours ago (2 children)

How do you edit video without a UI?

[–] HelloRoot@lemy.lol 29 points 10 hours ago* (last edited 10 hours ago) (2 children) 
# CUT (fast, keyframe-aligned, no re-encode)
ffmpeg -ss 00:01:30 -to 00:02:10 -i input.mp4 -c copy cut.mp4

# CUT (accurate, re-encode)
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -ss 00:01:30 -to 00:02:10 -c:v libx264 -c:a aac cut.mp4


# MERGE / CONCATENATE (same codecs, no re-encode)
printf "file 'a.mp4'\nfile 'b.mp4'\n" > list.txt
ffmpeg -f concat -safe 0 -i list.txt -c copy merged.mp4


# MERGE (different formats, re-encode)
ffmpeg -i a.mp4 -i b.mp4 -filter_complex \
"[0:v][0:a][1:v][1:a]concat=n=2:v=1:a=1[v][a]" \
-map "[v]" -map "[a]" merged.mp4


# TRANSITION (video crossfade, keep audio from first clip)
ffmpeg -i a.mp4 -i b.mp4 -filter_complex \
"[0:v][1:v]xfade=transition=fade:duration=1:offset=4[v]" \
-map "[v]" -map 0:a transition.mp4


# ADD TEXT (overlay)
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf \
"drawtext=text='Hello world':x=20:y=20:fontsize=32:fontcolor=white" \
-c:a copy text.mp4


# ADD AUDIO TRACK (replace existing audio)
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -i music.mp3 \
-map 0:v -map 1:a -c:v copy -shortest out.mp4


# ADD AUDIO TRACK (mix with existing audio)
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -i music.mp3 -filter_complex \
"[0:a][1:a]amix=inputs=2:duration=shortest[a]" \
-map 0:v -map "[a]" out.mp4


# CHANGE SPEED (2x video, drop audio)
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf "setpts=0.5*PTS" -an fast.mp4


# SCALE / RESIZE
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf scale=1280:720 resized.mp4


# SUBTITLES (burn in)
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf subtitles=subs.srt out.mp4

Check out the docs for more https://ffmpeg.org/ffmpeg-doc.html

[–] mrbn@lemmy.ca 1 points 5 hours ago

Nice, I'll be adding some if these to my recipes.

[–] ToTheGraveMyLove@sh.itjust.works 11 points 10 hours ago (2 children)

Very interesting, but seems way more complicated than just using a UI. 😂

[–] HelloRoot@lemy.lol 6 points 9 hours ago* (last edited 9 hours ago) (1 children)

I super agree. I try to do as much as possible on Linux via GUI because I can remember where a button is, but I can't remember all the flags and parameter quirks of each command.

I just enjoy looking shit up for strangers on the internet and being a smartass ...

[–] ToTheGraveMyLove@sh.itjust.works 6 points 9 hours ago (1 children)

I have no problem using the terminal, its very useful, but trying to edit a video like that seems like an exercise in masochism.

[–] HelloRoot@lemy.lol 2 points 9 hours ago

for me even typing "sudo pacman -Syu" is masochism compared to just pressing the "Update" button in the gui package manager.

[–] lime@feddit.nu 3 points 9 hours ago

for one video, absolutely. for fifty? it's a lifesaver.

[–] nasi_goreng@lemmy.zip 5 points 10 hours ago (1 children)

Do you have any reference app that has easy to use interface in your liking?

I believe even OpenShot is the most basic version of video editing. Windows Movie Maker, Clipchamp, Capcut, all are have same basic interfaces.

[–] Im28xwa@lemdro.id 1 points 3 hours ago

Capcut Desktop KineMaster

[–] emotional_soup_88@programming.dev 6 points 11 hours ago* (last edited 10 hours ago)

Are you not making the next Avatar movie? I came here to help because I thought... I believed... Oh, well.

[–] buckykat@hexbear.net 5 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

Avidemux is very simple, but maybe too simple to track an object idk. All I've used it for is basic cutting.

[–] cmnybo@discuss.tchncs.de 4 points 10 hours ago

It's good for basic things like cutting, merging and transitions. It can be used to blur something as long as it's not moving.

[–] solrize@lemmy.ml 4 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

For simple cutting I just use ffmpeg. It can do a few other effects too.

[–] Im28xwa@lemdro.id 1 points 3 hours ago

Well I gotta find a way to save amd organize all the commands that I will need from time to time

[–] db2@lemmy.world 3 points 10 hours ago (1 children)

avidemux used to be pretty good.

[–] Im28xwa@lemdro.id 1 points 3 hours ago

Hmm will take a look at it, thanks.

[–] Xolipher@lemmy.ca 2 points 11 hours ago

Blender has a video editor as part of its suite. If you are not familiar with video editing software there are a lot of tutorials on YouTube to get you started. Otherwise the building blocks are there and you can build off of your previous knowledge and likely get the results you are looking for.

[–] atzanteol@sh.itjust.works 1 points 10 hours ago (1 children)

They appear daunting, but the simple edits you're talking about aren't very difficult to do. I've used kdenlive for simple things and it's pretty easy to learn. Your may just take a little Google for the first run through.

[–] Im28xwa@lemdro.id 1 points 3 hours ago

I will probably give up and watch a couple of tutorials for kdenlive

[–] Ulrich@feddit.org 1 points 10 hours ago (1 children)

LosslessCut for simple cutting and concatenating

[–] Im28xwa@lemdro.id 1 points 3 hours ago (1 children)

Lossless cut is phenomenal for simple cutting and concatenating but unfortunately and at least for the time being it doesn't do anything beyond that that is useful for me, but well it is called lossless cut after all, so...

[–] Ulrich@feddit.org 1 points 3 hours ago

You did say simple...