A lot of creators have described the same moment to us: a project gets too big for your phone,
Brett Westervelt, head of Edits, said in a blog post.
Instagram has released a desktop version of its Edits video-editing app for Mac. This release moves the tool beyond mobile devices to support complex creative workflows. The macOS version is available as a free download. It allows users to handle larger projects using a mouse and keyboard rather than a touchscreen interface.
The Edits app has gained momentum. CEO Mark Zuckerberg stated during a recent Meta earnings call that the tool now has more than 50 million active users.
Edits introduces professional video tools
The desktop expansion introduces professional-grade features for fine-tuned control. A Meta blog post says the new editor includes a full multi-track timeline and keyframes for dynamic transitions. It also features precise audio waveforms for beat-accurate cuts. The desktop environment offers more room to manage these elements. This makes it easier to arrange clips, manage transitions, and synchronize different parts of a video.
The Mac app provides color wheels, log conversions, and curves to assist with color grading. Creators can also import their own LUTs and font files. The software supports both horizontal and vertical aspect ratios. Users can export finished videos in 4K resolution without a watermark for use on other platforms. The app includes automatic captions with unlimited generation and support for multiple languages. It also offers hundreds of sound and video effects.
Instagram is bridging the gap between mobile and desktop environments. Users can access audio and text styles saved on their phones within the Mac app. The desktop version includes access to Instagram’s licensed and royalty-free music libraries. Instagram head Adam Mosseri noted that providing a desktop version was one of the most requested features from the user base.
Model Context Protocol enables AI agent tool interaction
The desktop version adds support for the Model Context Protocol (MCP). This enables compatible AI agents to interact with the editor’s tools. This integration allows creators to use various AI assistants to help manage editing tasks. Meta’s AI plans influenced this expansion to macOS. This follows the addition of an AI creative assistant
to the mobile version of Edits in September. That assistant provides video suggestions and feedback based on account metrics like views and retention.
Instagram has launched a desktop version of its video creation app, Edits for macOS. Here's what you should know about it: https://t.co/dK95UTFkX2
Matthew Simari, head of product management for Edits, told The Verge that the platform is designed to let users go back and forth from agentic to manual editing.
Simari explained that the MCP allows for flexible workflows. Users can choose their preferred agent to assist with the process.
One of the things we’re releasing with Edits Desktop is a MCP for all the tools within Edits Desktop. You can use any agent you want, you can use Muse — we would love you to — but really any agent you want of [your] choice, to edit, tweak, work with your video.
Matthew Simari, head of product management for Edits
Simari noted that a creator could ask Meta’s Muse agent to use the MCP to perform tool calls. The agent could then assemble a rough cut from files in a downloads folder. Once the agent completes the initial assembly, the creator can open that project file in Edits to continue manual editing.
Edits competes with CapCut on Mac
The launch positions Edits as a direct competitor to ByteDance’s CapCut. CapCut has offered desktop versions for both Windows and Mac since 2021. Instagram intends to capture creators who require more tools than those found on mobile. This comes as the platform explores longer video formats. One test allows selected creators to upload videos up to 90 minutes long.
The desktop app is currently limited to macOS. It requires a Mac with Apple silicon, specifically the M1 generation or later. There is no version available for Windows or Linux at this time.