Google’s Browser-Based Video Editor Is Now Available for Free

Google Vids is the company’s web video editor and you can now use it for free. Until now, VIDS has been available only for the payment of Google Workspace subscribers, but this decision makes it accessible to everyone. The pitch here is quite simple: Vids is a simple video editing tool that fits extremely well in Google Drive. You can use basic editing tools and models for free, and if you are a google paid subscriber, you can also use its AI features.

Before you excite you too much for Google videos, you should know that this is not a replacement for professional publishing software. It is more intended for a good place to start, a bit like what Windows Movie Maker was about 15 years ago. You can do a lot with Google Vids, but if you are a professional, you reach the limits of the application capacity fairly quickly. The good news is that there are alternatives like Davinci Resolve for those who want professional quality publishing software and do not need to make their assembly in a browser. But if it’s a bit exaggerated for your needs, Google Vids is still worth examining, especially due to the new free level.

Google Vids now has a generous free level

Credit: Pranay parab

Over the years, I have learned to reduce my expectations for web -based video editing tools, but Google Vids is quite decent. My favorite thing about this is that if you don’t know how you want to present a video, it has several integrated models to help you start. For example, there is a model that allows you to create a “Year Review” style video. In each model, you can insert preliminary scenes next to your own images. For example, a saving for the sourdough preparation that I found contained prefabricated scenes showing a list of ingredients (with text that you can exchange for your own recipe), someone preparing the dough, someone who makes dough, etc.

You also have the possibility of importing a presentation from Google shifts and converting it to video. This is an excellent use of the integration of the application with Google Drive, and even better, you can also easily import photos from your Google Photos account if you need photos. There is even a practical feature that allows you to search for photo / video websites to get filling images.

The tools available for basic changes are also quite intuitive. Even as a novice, I was able to easily add basic animations for text or transition effects and modify elements on the screen such as background. Google Vids also allows you to easily search for rights free to add to your videos, which is a nice touch. The best song is that you can use Google Vids via any browser, not just Chrome.

You can pay for the integration of the AI

Credit: Google

If you are a paid Google Workspace subscriber, you can also use AI features in Google Vids. The basic editing tools remain the same, and all the AI ​​stuff essentially turn to the use of a text prompt to generate ideas or videos. For example, you can use a text prompt to generate a rough storyboard, or simply ask Gemini to watch a Google Docs file to generate it even without a prompt. VIDS also allows you to throw a script and generate a voiceover for your videos, and you can choose from several types of voice.

Using Veo 3, you can also make eight -second video clips from a text prompt, or convert photos to video using the AI. If that is not enough, you can also enter your whole script, and the videos will generate an Avatar AI to read it aloud for you, without time restrictions, on your other images. I assume that Google has made its reasonable diligence to base any of these avatars on real people – you can see some avatar choices above – but that still means that some of the talking heads that you are about to see online do not look like the person who makes the video. Be careful with what you assume is real.