Guide/How-To Use Windows Movie Maker

by Christine Smith • 2023-05-12 08:49:45 • Proven solutions

This is a detailed tutorial on how to use the Windows Movie Maker in creating and editing your video clip. There is also other information provided as to where you can download and install the program and the specific requirements. Besides that, you'll learn about the options to either download the full suite of Windows Essential (2012), consisting of other applications or simply only the Windows Movie Maker itself. In terms of the output file format for the video that you've created, get to know more of the different file formats and how you can save or convert them to suit your playback preference. You'll watch them on the go on your mobile devices, send a copy of the video to your family or friends on an optical disc, or even upload and share it online.

Where & How-To Download

Windows Movie Maker 2012

Double-check if the program has been installed: Start > Type Movie Maker in the Search box > Enter
Where to download: Windows Essential 2012
Operating System: Windows 7, 8 and Server 2008 R2
Memory required: 1GB RAM or higher
What's in the Windows Essential 2012 Suite: Messenger (moved to Skype), Movie Maker, Photo Gallery, Mail, Writer, Family Safety, OneDrive & Outlook Connector Pack

Learn More About Movie Maker >>

Tutorial for Windows Movie Maker 2012

There are certainly more features offered in the Windows Movie Maker compared to those described underneath. You should try it out for yourself and explore the additionals. That, for instance, recording through your webcam, personal voice-over, save final video output for playback on a specific mobile device, and so much more. If you have problems trying to upload your media files due to the conflicting file format, try converting the files in advance. After that, you can head off to create and edit your video according to the tutorial below.

Launch Windows Movie Maker

Simply double-click on the Windows Movie Maker's shortcut or go to the Window's Start button > Type Movie Maker in the Search box > Enter. You'll then see the screenshot as displayed above.

Import video

You can either import your media (videos and photos) files from your devices or just drag-and-drop the files onto the area provided (to the right-hand side of the interface).

Trim video

Click on Edit and then Trim tool to set your preferred starting or ending point. You can also split your video clips and adjust the playback speed back (slower or faster).

Insert caption/record narration

Click and hold the cursor on the video's timeline, then release it to where you want it to be and click on Caption. Type in your text on the preview screen and adjust the font on the ribbon bar.

Insert transitions/effects

Click on Animation and select your transition style or Visual Effects to apply any of the built-in effects (simply click Apply to all if you have split scenes). You can also adjust the effect's brightness level.

Add music to video

You can easily Add Music either from the local library or search for it online through Vimeo, AudioMicro, and Free Music Archive. Simply go to Options for additional settings for the music.

Set aspect ratio

Go to Project and select the aspect ratio you want according to your playback preference. At the same time, you have options to emphasize your video, music, or narration (with audio mix tuning).

Burn a DVD, or

Once completed, proceed to Save a movie in order to Burn a DVD. It'll prompt up the Windows DVD Maker where you can customize the menu and preview the video before burning it onto a DVD.

Upload and share video online

Alternatively, you can share the video by clicking on Publish movie to an online platform of your choice (Facebook, YouTube, Vimeo, or more). It's also possible to store it on OneDrive.

Convert Video File Format

The Windows Movie Maker tends to support a variety of media (video, audio, and photo) file formats for uploading purposes. However, you'll either need to download the plug-ins/add-ons or codec required in order to enable that. If it's not a large file size and you wouldn't be that concerned about the level of quality, the easier way out is to convert the video files online. The choice of output file format available might be restricted, though. At the same time, you have another viable option - the Wondershare UniConverter (originally Wondershare Video Converter Ultimate), to convert the file to literally any file format you need for further editing on Windows Movie Maker.

Wondershare UniConverter

Best Windows Movie Maker to Any Other Format Converter

Convert Windows Movie Maker project to MP4, MKV, AVI, and over 1000 video/audio formats.
Edit and enhance your videos by trimming, cropping, merging, adding subtitles, etc.
Burn videos to DVD with free menu templates and customized burning settings.
Download online videos from YouTube and other 10,000+ sites by pasting the URL.
90X super fast converting speed than others without any quality loss.
Convert video to optimized preset for almost all devices, including Windows Movie Maker, iMovie, Final Cut Pro, etc.
The All-in-one video toolbox includes a GIF maker, video compressor, CD/DVD converter, fix media metadata, screen recorder, etc.
Supported OS: Windows 10/8/7/XP/Vista, macOS 11 Big Sur, 10.15 (Catalina), 10.14, 10.13, 10.12, 10.11, 10.10, 10.9, 10.8, 10.7, 10.6.

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