Having a well-polished video is beyond just shooting the video. Once you shoot your GoPro videos, the next thing to do is use a video editor to make necessary corrections. These video editors’ effects and stabilizations turn your videos into a sophisticated presentation. However, there are several GoPro video editors for different video formats. So if you are thinking about how to edit GoPro videos on Mac, you’re in luck.
In this article, we’ll help you through editing your GoPro video on Mac and a list of these GoPro video editors. We will also explore paid and free GoPro video editors to help pick the right editor. So, if you are ready to impress audiences with your outstanding videos, let’s begin.
Import GoPro Videos to Mac before Editing
After filming your GoPro videos, you probably wonder how to send them to your Mac to begin editing. There are two ways you can about importing your GoPro videos to Mac before editing. The use of SD adapter and GoPro quick app. Use any of these methods to import your GoPro videos before you can begin editing. So with no further ado, let’s quickly dive into importing GoPro videos to Mac using an SD adapter and GoPro quick app.
Import GoPro Videos to Mac Before Editing – SD Adapter
This is actually one of the easiest ways to import GoPro videos to Mac. How does it work? It simply works by connecting GoPro’s SD card to the Mac. Simply remove the GoPro’s SD card and input it to Mac. By doing this, all content on the SD card will display on the Mac as external files. Let’s look at the step-by-step method of importing GoPro videos to Mac with an SD adapter.
- Step 1: First thing first, you have to power off the device
- Step 2: Next, you have to open the opening presentation just at the bottom of the GoPro camera. After successfully unlocking it, then direct access to the SD card.
- Step 3: This is where you insert the SD card into the SD card adapter or reader.
- Step 4: Now, you connect the SD card adapter or reader to your Mac
- Step 5: After a successful connection, it will display on your Mac desktop. Now, click on it to open all its content for accessibility.
- Step 6: Once you open it, two folders will display. These folders are DCIM and MISC.
- Step 7: Click on the DCIM folder to find all videos stored on the device.
- Step 8: Finally, you can now begin uploading all your GoPro videos to Mac by simply copying and pasting.
Import GoPro Videos to Mac before editing – GoPro Quick App
Another option to import GoPro videos to Mac is the GoPro Quick app. GoPro quick app is a tool by GoPro designed to help view GoPro videos on Mac and import them. Having this app on your Mac device is relatively easy. First, you have to download its setup from the GoPro website and install it. So far, this app is one of the best tools to view and import GoPro files to your Mac device. Here are the steps to importing GoPro videos to Mac while getting set to edit.
- Step 1: First thing first, Launch the app. However, if you have not installed the app, you should quickly download and install the app.
- Step 2: Now, you can connect the GoPro camera to your Mac. You can do this by using a USB cable.
- Step 3: After launching the app, you will see an icon labeled Import Filesdisplayed at the interface.
- Step 4: from here on, you will also see an icon to import the videos from your GoPro camera into your Mac device.
When the import is complete, you can now locate your GoPro videos in the folder of your choice. Now, you can close the GoPro quick app, unplug the GoPro camera and get ready to edit your videos.
Best GoPro Video Editor on Mac
A lot of people understand that GoPro is the best way to make your video look like a professional shot. After shooting the video, you’ll obviously want to make some edits to make them look more professional before sharing them. After all, no one wants to watch poor-quality videos, bad noises, and other unprofessional clips. Therefore, we have a list of the best GoPro editor for Mac in this article. Keep reading to learn about the best GoPro video editor on Mac.
Best GoPro Video Editor on Mac – Filmora Video Editor
Supported System: Mac and Windows
A lot of free video editing software usually comes as either too straightforward or too challenging to understand. While other video editing software lacks vital editing features such as color correction and audio or noise editing features. However, the Filmora Video Editor for Mac bridges the gap and is undoubtedly the best GoPro Video editor on Mac.
This video editing software is an easy-to-use editing tool totally equipped with a lot of video editing functions. With Filmora, you can edit your GoPro videos on your Mac like an expert and expect a professional outcome. Filmora offers excellent performance and enhances video quality taking the user experience to a whole new level.
Additionally, Filmora is an editing tool with helpful functionality taking the user experience to a whole new level. Finally, this tool is indispensable due to its speed, intuitive user interface, and other file format support.
For Win 7 or later (64-bit)
For macOS 10.14 or later
Filmora Features
- Filmora editing tool is versatile and supports other video formats like MP4, MOV, MKV, AVCHD, etc.
- You can cut, crop, split, trim, and even combine clips with just a few clicks.
- Filmora has access to several advanced video effects such as royalty-free music, transition, animated titles, and motion elements.
- With Filmora color tuning features, your videos can look like professional Hollywood videos.
- You can also edit sounds on your video with a noise removal feature, audio equalizer, and audio keyframing tools.
- You get 500+ free special video effects to create and customize your videos yourself.
- Filmora has access to advanced video effects like PIP, audio mixer, and green screen, which you can add to your videos.
- Access to 1000+ effects downloading resources to make videos in any desired styles.
Steps to Editing Videos on Mac Using Filmora
Want to edit your GoPro videos the right way? Editing your GoPro videos on Mac with Filmora is relatively easy and will only take a few clicks. Read and follow these steps below to learn to edit GoPro videos on Mac with this easy-to-use GoPro video editor.
- Step 1: Import the GoPro video files
First, you launch the GoPro video editor and then click the “Import Media here” button. This will upload the GoPro video clips to the program. You can save these files in a suitable location for easy access before you begin editing.
- Step 2: Edit the GoPro Video clips
Secondly, you should drag the GoPro video clips from the folder or User’s album to the timeline and begin editing.
To trim your GoPro videos, simply mouser over the clip from the beginning to the end of the video. You should do this until the trim icon is displayed. The trim icon is labeled as “I” on the editing timeline. You can drag the trim icon forward or backward to trim the video as you desire.
Aside from the trimming option, you can also apply split footage, video stabilization, and even add transitions between two clips. You can also combine GoPro videos and rotate GoPro videos by simply tapping the icons respectively.
- Step 3: Export the edited GoPro video files
Once you finish editing, you can now navigate to the “Export” icon. Furthermore, you can also select the save path and file format from the displayed output window. After this selection, you can finally choose the “Export” icon. Once you complete this, you can find your edited video file in the same path.
More Free GoPro video editor on Mac to Edit Gopro Videos
In this section, we will list out some of the best free GoPro video editors to successfully edit your videos on Mac. These programs are, but you will have to download them to enjoy all the editing tools.
PowerDirector
Supported System: Windows and Mac
We have PowerDirector as the best overall editor on our list of best free GoPro video editors on Mac. This free GoPro video editor is compatible with Mac and has a robust video editing program. If you are looking for a free GoPro video editor with a wide range of exciting editing features, this is one of the best options. One of the benefits of using this GoPro video editor is that it comes with an Action Camera Center.
It has tons of cool effects, titles, filters, and templates to explore, especially if you want to make more action camera masterpieces. In addition, this video editor has special editing and effects tools to improve your action camera video. For example, you can stabilize your shaky video, apply cool speed effects, and correct fish-eye distortion in some minutes. You can also use the slow-motion effect, zoom, correct color problems, and freeze frame with just a few clicks.
The GoPro editor also comes with noise correction and video denoise to make your video crystal clear and remove unwanted audio noise. In addition, PowerDirector has thousands of royalty-free stock assets such as sound effects and background music. In essence, PowerDirector is a GoPro video editor that offers everything you need to produce, enhance and cut thrilling action videos. It is versatile, best for action footage editing, and supports several video formats.
Pros
- It is beginner-friendly
- It comes with easy-to-use action camera-specific editing tools
Cons
- While it is free, you need a subscription to enjoy the latest features.
Steps to Edit using PowerDirector
- Step 1: Launch the app and select ‘full mode’ to begin editing your video
- Step 2: Select’ import media folder’ to get the videos you wish to edit
- Step 3: You can now browse the folder on your Mac device and select the folder with the videos. Then Click ‘Select folder’ to move them into the editor’s media library.
- Step 4: Now, the editing process can begin. You can stabilize and change the speed of your videos with PowerDirector.
- You can add title text and motion blur to your GoPro videos if you like that.
- If you want to include transitions, you can do so by selecting the transition room.
- Step 5: Next, select the ‘produce’ button to export your video once you are sure that the editing is complete.
- Step 6: Change the video format before exporting.
Once you select the video format you prefer, you will be able to save your GoPro video.
VideoProc Vlogger
Supported System: Windows and Mac
VideoProc Vlogger is the best GoPro editor for anyone looking for speed adjustment. The video editor uses visualized speed ramping to alter the speed throughout a clip. This program contains over 20-speed features to help you quickly change the tone and tempo of your GoPro video. Furthermore, VideoProc Vlogger is beginner-friendly with a lot of advanced editing features. These features include automatic keyframes and flexible Bezier curves to slow parts of a video without splitting it.
This free GoPro video editor can simulate motion roll, dolly, tilt, and even truck effects. You can also push in and out and stylize your video clips with rotation, fast zooms, and shakes. With VideoProc Vlogger, you fix grain video, remove fish-eye, extract audio and apply motion crops to your video. The video editor is best at creating new motion trails to change the action of the video.
Although VideoProc Vlogger is a free video editor, it definitely lacks some advanced editing features. For example, you can edit your videos without the annoying ads or watermarks. In addition, the video editor is designed for beginners, content creators, and hobbyists as it lacks features like video stabilization. So while the video editor is not for professionals, it’s worth trying out.
Pros
- Requires low system requirements
- It is entirely free with no ads and watermarks
Cons
- It lacks advanced editing features
- Rendering is somewhat slow
Steps to Edit using VideoProc Vlogger
- Step 1: First, import your GoPro videos from your Mac device to VideoProc Vlogger.
Simply Launch VideoProc Vlogger on your Mac, hit the plus icon in the media library, and add and import the videos.
- Step 2: Now, split and cut the GoPro Videos.
Simply drag the video clips to the timeline and begin editing. Now, put the playhead to exactly where you want to split the video and tap the split button.
- Step 3: You can also fix GoPro lens distortion.
If you feel that your video looks distorted, tick the lens distortion box to resolve the issue.
- Step 4: You can do the color correction or grading for any dark GoPro videos. Simply apply a preset aesthetic filter or simply adjust color normally.
- Step 5: Adjust the speed of the GoPro video.
To adjust the speed of the video, click speed in the toolbar to open the speed editor. Then change as you desire.
- Step 6: You can also add transitions, titles, and effects by opening the panels of transitions, effects, and tiles.
- Then drag a transition to the space between two video clips, same with titles to the subtitle and effect to the effect track.
- Step 7: Next, remove noise and background music by clicking the video track and tapping “detach” to separate the audio from the video.
- You can also add music to replace the background noise.
- Step 8: Finally, after the editing, you can export the GoPro video to your Mac device by setting the file name, format, file location, and video quality.
iMovie
Supported System: Mac only
This editor is designed to ensure an excelling editing process for Mac users. Therefore, beginners, content creators, and even hobbyists can utilize this video editor to edit their videos. Although iMovie is a free GoPro video editor, it offers incredible editing features to make your video look more professional. These features include HD and 4K video support and speed adjustment tools that can slow down or speed up your video clips.
Although it comes free on all Mac devices, iMovie also has tons of themes, templates, and presets to make editing a breeze. For example, you can select the video clips that will be automatically styled and edited with titles, transitions, and music. You can make all these changes with just a few clicks. In addition, you can also rearrange, trim, split, and even delete your ready-made video clips.
Furthermore, you can always modify the shift focus and depth of field while editing your video. However, it lacks some advanced features you will need while editing, such as Multicam, motion tracking, and 360 editing. On the other hand, it has a user-friendly interface with essential editing functions.
Pros
- It has a simple and user-friendly interface
- It is definitely beginner-friendly
Cons
- It lacks essential and advanced GoPro editing features and functions
Steps to Edit using iMovie
- Step 1: first, you have to launch the iMovie and create a video project.
- Step 2: Now, you can click the Import button to import your GoPro video files from your Mac to it.
- Step 3: Drag the video files from the program media library to the timeline for editing.
- Step 4: Load a song to the audio track if you wish to add background music to your video.
- Step 5: To split your video into smaller parts, right-click on a clip.
- Step 6: to edit your GoPro video with advanced tools like color correction, crop, grading, speed, and volume, simply move to the toolbar just above the timeline.
- Step 7: to add title, and transitions, you can drag a title and transition to the desired space between two clips.
- Step 8: preview and export your GoPro video from iMovie in the preferred format.
More Paid GoPro video editor on Mac to Cut MP4 Videos
If you desire GoPro video editors that offer more than just the basic editing features, you should try the paid GoPro video editors. The paid GoPro video editors offer more professional editing features for Mac users. In this section, you’ll learn about our top three paid GoPro video editors to edit your GoPro videos on Mac.
Adobe Premiere Pro
Supported System: Windows and Mac
This paid GoPro video editor is best for professionals who have experience creating video projects. This GoPro editing tool is compatible with Mac and Windows devices and also supports several video formats. Professionals use this video editor to edit top-notch videos such as Hollywood action movies and TV shows. In addition, it offers a long list of powerful features ideal for standard and action video editing.
Some of these professional features include Multicam, 360-degree, VR editing, and will export in up to 8k. The GoPro video editors also have a lot of sophisticated video stabilization tools, such as the warp stabilizer effect. The video stabilizer function help reduce camera shake, especially when zooming in. Other features include unlimited video tracks, lens distortion, access to the creative cloud and will match video to music.
In addition, the GoPro video editor only offers a 7-days free trial and is relatively expensive. Although Adobe Premiere Pro video editor is professional and high-quality, it has a steep learning curve. The steep learning curve is not appropriate for beginners.
Pros
- It supports all video formats
- It supports real-time video editing
Cons
- The system requirements are resource-intensive
- Not ideal for beginners
Steps to Edit using Adobe Premiere Pro
- Step 1: Import and cut your video files on PowerDirector. You can begin by cutting out any unnecessary parts from the video. You can also add text transitions, text, and other edits.
- Step 2: Next, stabilize the video using the Warp stabilizer. Double click on Warp stabilizer on the Effects menu to stabile the video.
- Step 3: Finally, you can add audio and export the edited video file. Click on file, tap on export and select the format, presets, and the location to export your file.
Adobe After Effect
Supported System: Windows and Mac
This GoPro editor is compatible with Mac and offers many basic video editing features to ensure top-notch results. This GoPro editor is great for editors who want to add special effects like motion tracking to their videos. The after-effect function allows you to add a graphical element to a moving person, animal, car, or camera. You can also create cartoon effects, logos, stickers, or text to move seamlessly with the action onscreen.
In addition to its essential editing tools, you can also remove elements from your video with the pro-level digital rotoscoping tools. You can also use the after-effect to add elements to the missing video. Other features include 360, 3D, VR editing, transitions, lens distortions, and distortion effects for professional editing.
This GoPro video editor is an effective software and is best for adding visual effects to action camera videos. However, it lacks some essential video editing tools that you might need to make your video Hollywood standard. In addition, it also has a steep learning curve which makes it not ideal for beginners. Furthermore, as a GoPro video editor looking to do just the basic edits, then the After Effects is definitely not for you.
Pros
- It comes with realistic special effects
- It has a high-quality noise reduction
Cons
- It is not for beginners due to the steep learning curve
- It comes with only a 7-day free trial
- It is quite expensive
Steps to Edit using Adobe After Effects
- Step 1: Import your video by going to ‘file’ on the menu and clicking ‘import’ from the dropdown menu.
- You can begin by cutting out any unnecessary parts from the video. You can also add text transitions, text, and other edits.
- Step 2: Next, you can apply necessary editing such as trimming, transitioning, and other edits.
- Step 3: Finally, you can add audio and export the edited video file. Click on file, tap on export and select the format, presets, and the location to export your file.
Final Cut Pro
Supported System: Mac only
The Final Cut Pro is another best-paid GoPro video editor for editing GoPro videos on Mac. This video editor is ideal for editing 360 GoPro videos. This is because it offers all the editing tools you need to edit, import, and deliver both stereoscopic and monoscopic 360 videos. The GoPro video editors come with a lot of powerful features such as background noise removal, Multicam editing, color adjustment tools, and an object tracker.
You can use the GoPro video editor to visualize, remove camera rigs, change orientation, or straighten the horizon. Final Cut Pro can also easily apply graphics and effects to 360 videos and add 360 videos to regular videos with the tiny planet effect. With electronic stabilization, you can clean up your video and enhance your audience’s viewing experience. The magnetic timeline feature eliminates clip collisions and streamlines the video editing process.
Although the GoPro video editor has some notable GoPro features, it is expensive to purchase. However, it has a generous 90-day free trial to explore. It is also not beginner-friendly and requires time to learn, especially for new GoPro editors to understand. In addition, it supports several Video formats.
Pros
- It has convenient asset management functions
- Precision editing is sure with the magnetic timeline function
Cons
- It is expensive
- It is not ideal for GoPro beginners
Steps to Edit using Final Cut Pro
- Step 1: First, Launch the program
- Step 2: Import your video files to the timeline and begin editing.
- Step 3: Next, you can apply necessary editing such as trimming, transitioning, and other edits.
- Step 4: Finally, you can add audio and export the edited video file. Click on file, tap on export and select the format, presets, and the location to export your file.
Which should I Choose: Free or Paid GoPro Video Editor?
Many of these GoPro video editors for Mac (free and paid) are available on the internet. Therefore, it can be hard sometimes to choose the right GoPro video editor for Mac. However, you’ll need to consider factors before making your choice. Here are some of these factors.
Level of Expertise
This is a vital factor you should put into consideration before choosing a GoPro video editor. As a beginner, you wouldn’t need a GoPro editor that offers complex editing functions that you can’t use. Also, as a professional, you shouldn’t go for an editor that lacks the necessary editing tools to meet your editing needs. As an editor, you should totally be on the lookout for an editor that supports both beginners and professionals. This will remove the need to search for a new video editor at any experience level.
Interface
Another factor to consider is the user interface of your chosen video editor. When you go for a more friendly user interface, you will be saving yourself the time to get familiar with the software. Is the video editor free or paid? Regardless of the answer, check out the user interface before choosing one.
Formats
You also need to ensure that the editing software doesn’t limit you to specific video formats. You should go for a GoPro video editor that supports the common and trendy video formats. This will allow you to convert your edited videos when you need to share them.
Now, most free GoPro video editors offer just limited features to users, limiting your editing course. Furthermore, most paid GoPro video editors focus on a professional level, making it difficult for new editors to use. Therefore, you should totally opt for a GoPro video editor that succinctly supports all your editing needs.
FAQs About Editing Gopro Videos
- Can I edit GoPro videos like a Professional? Yes, you can. Learn to use advanced video editing features. The ideal thing to do is pick a GoPro video editor with a user-friendly interface to enable you to learn these professional methods.
- What is the best GoPro video editor for Mac? The best GoPro video editor for Mac devices depends on your level of expertise and what you want to achieve.
- Can I edit a GoPro video? Yes, you can. Find a GoPro editing software compatible with your Mac devices and ideal for your level of experience.
Conclusion
There are several GoPro video editors, and the editor you choose depends on your needs and your budget. It also depends on your level of experience and the equipment on the ground. However, we have a list of different GoPro video editors for you. Examine our reviews of these GoPro video editors and see which is perfect for you.