Download Windows Movie Maker for Windows 10 and 11? Use These Instead
Looking to download Windows Movie Maker for Windows 10 or 11? I used Movie Maker for years to edit quick videos and make .wmv clips for PowerPoint, and was shocked to find it missing in Windows 10. Microsoft ended support for Windows Essentials 2012, which included Movie Maker, in January 2017 and removed the official download. In 2026 the official replacement is Microsoft Clipchamp, built into Windows 11. Here is what you can still do, what to avoid, and the best free alternatives.
Quick answer: Microsoft no longer offers Windows Movie Maker. Use Microsoft Clipchamp, the free video editor included with Windows 11 and available for Windows 10 from the Microsoft Store. Avoid “Movie Maker” downloads from unofficial sites, which are often bundled with adware. Other good free editors are CapCut, DaVinci Resolve and Shotcut.
Table of Contents
What happened to Windows Movie Maker?
- Movie Maker shipped with Windows XP, Vista and later as part of Windows Live Essentials.
- Windows Essentials 2012 reached end of support on 10 January 2017 and was removed from Microsoft’s download site.
- Microsoft first pointed users to the Photos app’s video editor, then replaced it with Clipchamp in 2023.
In 2015 we showed how to install Movie Maker from the Windows Essentials 2012 installer. If you still have that original installer, it may run on Windows 10, but it gets no security updates and some features fail. It is not worth hunting for today.
Beware of fake Movie Maker downloads
Search results are full of sites offering “Windows Movie Maker 2026” or “Movie Maker 10”. Microsoft does not publish these. Many are rebranded third-party editors with watermarks or upgrade nags; some bundle adware. If you downloaded one, uninstall it and run a scan with Microsoft Defender or a free tool like McAfee Stinger.
Microsoft Clipchamp: the official replacement
Microsoft Clipchamp is free with a Microsoft account and does everything Movie Maker did, and more:
- Drag-and-drop timeline for trimming and joining clips, photos and music.
- Titles, transitions, filters and stock music.
- Screen and webcam recording, plus AI auto-captions and text-to-speech.
- Exports to MP4 up to 1080p free.
On Windows 11, open it from the Start menu. On Windows 10, install it from the Microsoft Store.
Best free Movie Maker alternatives
| Editor | Best for | Platforms |
|---|---|---|
| Clipchamp | Simple edits, Movie Maker users | Windows, web |
| CapCut | Social media videos, effects | Windows, Mac, web, mobile |
| Shotcut | Free, open-source, no watermark | Windows, Mac, Linux |
| DaVinci Resolve | Professional editing and colour | Windows, Mac, Linux |
| OpenShot | Beginners who want a free desktop app | Windows, Mac, Linux |
Making videos for PowerPoint
Movie Maker’s .wmv files were made for PowerPoint. Today PowerPoint plays MP4 directly, which every editor above exports. Keep videos at 1080p and under a few minutes so presentations stay smooth. To change formats, see our list of free online file converters.
How to make a simple video in Clipchamp
- Open Clipchamp and click Create a new video.
- Drag your photos, video clips and music into the media panel, then onto the timeline.
- Trim clips by dragging their edges, and split with the scissors tool.
- Add titles and transitions from the left menu, just as you did in Movie Maker.
- Click Export, choose 1080p, and save the MP4 to your PC or share it to YouTube or OneDrive.
Most former Movie Maker users find they can rebuild their old workflow in Clipchamp within an afternoon. To capture footage for a video, see how to use the free Windows 11 screen recorder tools.
FAQ
Is Windows Movie Maker still available?
No. Microsoft discontinued it in 2017. Clipchamp is the official replacement.
Is Clipchamp free?
Yes, the free plan exports up to 1080p without a watermark. A paid plan adds premium stock media and 4K.
Can I open old Movie Maker project files?
No modern editor opens .wlmp project files. Re-import the original photos and videos into a new editor.
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You cannot get Windows Movie maker becoz microsoft has officially stopped its distribution through download.
But there is a way to get it.
Just google windows Essential and download it from any trustful site . Connect it
Now it will track and say you to select software that you want .Hit download and you have windows Movie maker
is it possible to get movie maker on RDP so we can use it?
It was a great deal for everyone to upgrade our PC’s to windows 10. This is awesome but some functionalities are lost and Windows Movie maker was one of them. It was a sad moment for video enthusiast like me.
Thanks for sharing this post which will help me to shoot again to Movie maker.
Thanks again!
Sonali
Use this table to find the right version of Windows Movie Maker or Windows Live Movie Maker for your system.
Windows Live Movie Maker or Windows Movie Maker is one of the best free video editing and publishing software out there for Windows 10.
How about the older version, Moviemaker 2.6? I highly prefer it to the new one…any place to download that version for Windows 10? (free)?
The more i use windows 10 the more i feel it could have been made better and could of included more software standard. but thanks for this tutorial
I was facing that problem from since i have download and install windows 10 on my system. Thanks to your article which helps me to install windows 10 on my system in an efficient and perfect way. Thanks for sharing this article.
Really god post. and now i’m experiencing with windows movie maker. i enjoyed that. and awesome. really enjoy learning from how to window 10 windows maker.thanks for post sharing with us
Thanks a lot man, I was searching for this a long time..its really help me to download the movie maker for my win 10,,I finally got it.. :-)
Movie maker is still one of the best product by Microsoft for Windows. It’s light weight as well as very easy to use. Fast rendering too, thx for helping to download and install it on my new Windows 10 OS.
is my fabe to two edits videos Thanks form ther good share .Its will a sad moments form videos enthusiast like to me.
That’s an interesting and informative article. Like the way how you have explained all. Windows movie maker will surely allow me to get the benefit of all this. A perfect article. love the way how you have explained all this.
From the time when i have download a windows 10 on my computer and install it. I have to face a difficulty in order to install movie maker. Thanks for sharing this beautiful article so as to make it possible to easily designed and developed videos for the promotion of my client’s products and services.
It’s a useful post. I prefer Adobe Premiere for most things, but for some quick works Movie Maker is enough and it’s really quick. Thanks for the hint.
Thanks for share this tips, hello guys really i don’t know this method but read this article and try to Download Windows Movie Maker on Windows 10, I easily complete this.
Thanks everybody read this tips
its the best program to edit video i have installed it in my pc
Windows movie maker is my fav too to edit videos. Thanks for the nice share.
could you please make a mirror link for get download it ??
thank you
Hey! thanks for such a helpful post! I was in search of this for a long time and you’ve cracked it right in the blink on an eye!! Thanks a tonne!!!!
It was a great deal for everyone to upgrade your PC to windows 10. This is awesome but some functionalities are lost and Windows Movie maker was one of them. It was a sad moment for video enthusiast like me.
Thanks for sharing this post which will help me to shoot again to Movie maker.
Thanks again!
-Abhishek
Thank you for this guide – I was already spending way too much time on it.
Thanks for this post. Somehow, I couldt reach to download link.. Now i can!
My windows movie maker does not open on windows 10.It show error.
Did they solved this ? I waited 1 month for a crack , or a fix , or something like that. I own a little business and I really need to create simple movies to promote it. Thank you alot, sir.
Windows 10 Movie Maker is working Awesome on my System. Thanks for this tips.
Thanks for this guide Chandra, I am looking for Windows Movie Maker on Windows 10 when I find your useful article
Can you please write an article on ‘The difference between windows 8 and 10’