Updated Say Goodbye to Adobe Top Linux Video Editing Software for Creators

Updated Say Goodbye to Adobe Top Linux Video Editing Software for Creators

MdadeLe Lv12

Say Goodbye to Adobe: Top Linux Video Editing Software for Creators

Undoubtedly, Adobe products are being used worldwide commercially, but for people with smaller budgets, several high-quality products are available for Linux. Different Adobe Premiere Alternatives for Linux are available, which have a relatively lower cost or are free of charge.

This article will discuss the best alternatives to Adobe Premiere for Linux, which are listed below. Before going through each of them, let’s first check if we can install Premiere Pro on Linux System.

Can I Install Premiere Pro On My Linux System?

No, Adobe Premiere Pro is not available to install on Linux systems. You have to go for its different alternatives,

  1. DaVinci Resolve
  2. OpenShot
  3. Pitivi
  4. Shotcut
  5. Avidemux
  6. Cinelerra
  7. Kdenlive
  8. Lightworks
  9. Flowblade
  10. Open Movie Editor

Best 10 Alternatives to Adobe Premiere Pro for Linux

1. DaVinci Resolve

DaVinci Resolve, a tool being used as an alternative to Adobe Premiere Pro for Linux, provides features like color correction, editing, motion graphics, and audio post-production.

It is easy to learn and use, yet a handy tool for professionals. Using DaVinci Resolve, you can build your multi-user post-production studio.

DaVinci Resolve interface is divided into different pages, providing you with a dedicated workspace for a specific task. You must buy the paid version to get access to all features.

davinci resolve under expereince

Main features:

  • Multi-user collaboration
  • Color correction
  • All-in-one software for post-production

Pros

  • Multiple resolutions and formats are available.
  • Quick processing
  • Advanced audio processing

Cons

  • Some features are limited only to the paid version
  • Confusing interface
  • Requires much CPU capacity

Supported OS: Linux , Windows (version 8 and 10+), OSX (11+)

Best for:

DaVinci Resolve is best for professionals as well as for day-to-day use. It has all the basic as well as professional working programs.

Price: 295$ for DaVinci Resolve Studio

Ratings: 4.1/5

According to TrustRadius Ratings , DaVinci Resolve has almost 75% of 9-10 reviews. A total of 18 positive and two negative reviews.

Summary & user review

DaVinci Resolve is the software that can solve most of your editing-related problems. With many editing options, it is the tool for all your projects. Both free and paid versions are available. A TrustRadius Ratings and Reviews review states, “ None like it out there.”

2. OpenShot

OpenShot is an easy-to-use, simple-to-understand, and surprisingly powerful video editing tool designed to make video editing straightforward. OpenShot is an alternative to Adobe Premiere Pro for Linux, and its features make it a valuable and handy video editing software.

It is available in 70+ languages. It might be lacking some features for professional use, but it contains all the essential video editing tools for daily use.

openshot under expereince

Main features:

  • Unlimited tracks
  • 3D Animation
  • Trim and Cut
  • Title Editing
  • Different video effects

Pros

  • Completely free
  • It can be used as a video editing learning tool
  • Easy to use

Cons

  • Keeps crashing
  • Time-consuming tool
  • Can’t create good quality animations

Supported OS: Linux , Windows (version 7,8 and 10+), OSX (10.15+)

Best for:

It is best for most users for day-to-day use, but it is not recommended for professional use. You should use other video editing tools for professional and advanced video editing.

Price: Free

Ratings: 4.5/5

According to G2 Ratings , OpenShot has almost 85% of 9-10 reviews. A total of 27 positive and one negative review.

Summary & user review

OpenShot video editor is a free and easy-to-use tool for beginners and primary users. With many features and editing options, such as removing the background from the video, inverting color, adjusting brightness, slowing down or speeding up, and reversing the video, it can help create a good-quality video. A review regarding OpenShot on G2 Ratings and Reviews states: “Easy to use even for beginners.”

3. Pitivi

Pitivi video editor is an alternative to Adobe Premiere Pro for Linux. It is a simple and unique video editor, that is free and comes with a lot of video editing and transforming features.

It is software designed for beginners and is suitable for creating simple and basic videos for social media platforms like Facebook and TikTok. Its easy user interface makes it a user-friendly tool.

pitivi under expereince

Main features:

  • Automatic backups
  • Enhanced audio effects
  • Framerate independent timeline
  • Background processing of video being edited
  • Animations, filters, and different transitions

Pros

  • Completely free
  • Easy to use
  • Audio can be edited precisely
  • Changes in the video can be seen in real-time
  • Automatic backup
  • Background processing of thumbnails

Cons

  • Only basic editing can be done
  • Not recommended for professional use
  • Lagging issues
  • Compatible with Linux only

Supported OS: Linux

Best for:

Best for beginners and people with primary use. Day-to-day videos for social media use can easily be edited.

Price: Free

Ratings: 4.3/5

According to Slant Ratings , Pitivi has almost 75% of 04-05 ratings. A total of 13 positive and 03 negative reviews.

Summary & user review

It is a simple, unique, and free video editor for beginners. Casual and basic editing can be done using Pitivi.

A review on Slant Ratings and reviews states ,” Free, open source, and easy to use.” and this sums it all up.

4. Shotcut

Shotcut is a free, regularly updated video editing software, with powerful features and an easy user interface. It can be used as an alternative to Adobe Premiere Pro for Linux.

It offers a simple, user-friendly UI. Shotcut, in contrast to most free video editors, provides features like chroma key and color correction. It contains all the basic and some advanced video editing options but is not recommended for professional use.

shotcut under expereince

Main features:

  • Incredibly easy keyframing
  • Editing and transitions
  • Exporting
  • Sleek, user-friendly interface

Pros

  • Easy to use
  • Regular updates
  • Advanced effects
  • High-quality input/output support

Cons

  • A bit frustrating because of lag
  • No preview for effects and transitions
  • No stock music
  • Can’t upload external subtitles

Supported OS: Linux , Mac, Windows

Best for:

ShotCut is best for beginners and professionals with basic editing needs. It is your go-to editor for editing Youtube or Facebook videos.

Price: 9.79$ at Microsoft US

Ratings: 4.3/5

According to G2 Ratings , ShotCut has almost 85% of 04-05 ratings. A total of 33 positive and 04 negative reviews. A review on G2 Ratings and Reviews states,” Amazing Lightweight Free Basic Video Editor.”

Summary & user review

Shotcut can be used to produce both basic and advanced-level videos. It can be very helpful and handy for professionals in their editing.

5. Avidemux

Avidemux is a perfect tool for simple edits. With limited editing options, it is a very easy-to-use editor for beginners. You can cut, crop, copy or delete parts of your video. 2 or more video clips can also be merged by using Avidemux.

It can render and export at high speeds. Avidemux contains advanced features like a green screen, audio editing, and change speed.

avidemux under expereince

Main features:

  • Audio filters
  • Video filters and transitions
  • Advanced interlacing
  • Open source
  • Container format
  • Encoder

Pros

  • Free
  • Easy interface
  • Standard editing formats available

Cons

  • No updates
  • No customer support
  • No timeline

Supported OS: Linux

Best for:

Avidemux is best for editing, cutting, resizing, and encoding multiple video formats, including MPEG, AVI, MP4, and DVD.

Price: Free

Ratings: 4.5/5

According to G2 Ratings , Avidemux has almost 90% of 4-5 ratings. A total of 8 positive and one negative review.

Summary & user review

Avidemux is a handy video editing software for day-to-day use and it can edit your videos in no time. It is easy to use even for beginners. A review on G2 Ratings and reviews states, “ Avidemux is best for beginners.”

6. Cinelerra

Cinelerra is a free video editing tool that you can use to edit your video and make it look wonderful with different transitions, effects, and texts. Cinelerra is free and open-source software and is considered one of the most used editing softwares for Linux.

It can edit videos of any quality you want and provides you with a perfect video according to your demands. It is helpful for beginners and also handy for professionals.

cinelerra under expereince

Main features:

  • Video and audio editing
  • Different transitions and effects
  • Floating point imaging
  • Color correction
  • Video stabilization
  • Motion tracking
  • 400 plus decoders and 150 plus encoders

Pros

  • Contains all professional features
  • It has 3D editing tools
  • Real-time processing of the video
  • User friendly

Cons

  • Only available for Linux
  • Some codecs are not supported
  • Four windows might get confusing sometimes

Supported OS: Linux

Best for:

It is the best free editing tool for professional and non-professional use. With a lot of video effects and transitions, it makes your video look like a movie.

Price: Free

Ratings: 4.2/5

According to Slant Ratings , Cinelerra has almost 90% of 04-05 ratings. A total of 19 positive and 02 negative reviews.

Summary & user review

Cinelerra is a user-friendly software that has some advanced features like 3D video editing and is free of cost. A review on VideoHelp ratings and reviews states, “The GG version has many professional features. Easy to install too.”

7. Kdenlive

Kdenlive is a free and open-source video editor that can be used in place of Adobe Premiere Pro on Linux. Its best features include multi-track video editing, audio/video formatting, configurable interface and shortcuts, many effects and transitions, audio and video scopes, proxy editing, automatic backup, timeline preview, keyframeable effects, a simple interface, and much more.

Kdenlive lets you use and mix many audio and video tracks, each of which can be locked or muted as needed.

kdenlive under expereince

Main features:

  • Multi tracks editing
  • It supports almost all audio and video formats
  • Many shortcuts available
  • Titler
  • Multiple effects and transitions
  • Automatic backup
  • Timeline preview
  • Keyframing
  • Online resources available

Pros

  • Automatic backup
  • Dozens of transitions and effects
  • User-friendly interface
  • Fast and stable performance
  • Supports 420 plus formats

Cons

  • Basic editing
  • Not recommended for professional use
  • It crashes if you have a slow computer

Supported OS: Linux , Windows, Mac, FreeBSD , Ubuntu

Best for:

Kdenlive is best for casual video editing for social media platforms. Good videos with multiple effects and transitions can be created using this software.

Price: Free

Ratings: 4.1/5

According to Slant Ratings , Kdenlive has almost 70% of 04-05 ratings. A total of 228 positive and 53 negative reviews.

Summary & user review

Kdenlive is a free and open-source editing software that is free and easy to use.

A review on AlternativeTo Ratings and Reviews states, “This is so much more awesome and I worked on it for over 2 hours, and it didn’t crash or lag even once.”

8. Lightworks

Lightworks is a video editing software that is used to enhance the content of videos by both film industry experts and social media marketers. Its free version can satisfy most of its users but if you want more advanced features, you’ll need to pay for this. It is a video editing tool with multi-track editing capabilities and is also powerful, and customizable.

lightworks under expereince

Main features:

  • Drag and drop interface
  • Color correction
  • Blend modes
  • Rendering effects
  • Applying chromakeys
  • Video routing
  • Keyframing
  • Export to Youtube directly

Pros

  • Multiplatform
  • Audio/Video editing
  • Tutorials available
  • Active user forum
  • Good performance

Cons

  • Export option limited to only 720p
  • Difficult for beginners
  • You’ve to pay for advanced features

Supported OS: Linux , Mac, Windows

Best for:

Its paid version is best for professionals to create videos with multiple effects and transitions. The free version can also be used for casual video editing.

Price: Lightworks pro is available at 9.99$/month. Its free version is also available.

Ratings: 4.3/5

According to G2 Ratings , Lightworks has almost 75% of 4-5 ratings. A total of 22 positive and 05 negative reviews.

Summary & user review

It is an easy-to-use, advanced, and paid video editing software for Linux for people with a low budget. A review on G2 Ratings and Reviews states, “Good editing platform for intermediate users.”

9. Flowblade

Flowblade is a very famous, easy-to-use, simple, and fast video editor which can be used as an alternative to Adobe Premiere Pro for Linux. Flowblade is an open-source editor that offers all basic editing options.

It has constantly amazed its users with the smoothness of its playback. There is an inbuilt render UI, which makes the process of delivering your work pretty innocuous.

flowblade under expereince

Main features:

  • Editing tool (Insert, Move, Trim, Roll)
  • Audio/Video filters
  • Proxy editing
  • Audio mixer
  • Inbuilt rendering
  • Titler (Multiple text layers)

Pros

  • Powerful
  • Multifunctional
  • Open source
  • Stable

Cons

  • For Linux only
  • Lack of advanced editing features
  • Requires higher display resolutions

Supported OS: Linux

Best for:

It provides a fast, precise, and robust editing experience. It is best for normal day-to-day use.

Price: 24.99$/month; 174.99$/year

Ratings: 4.5/5

According to Slant Ratings , Flowblade has almost 90% of 04-05 ratings. A total of 61 positive and 05 negative reviews.

Summary & user review

Flowblade is advanced, paid, fast, and precise video editing software for people with a low budget. A review on Slant Ratings and Reviews states, “Power, lightweight and multifunctional.”

10. Open Movie Editor

Open Movie Editor is a free and open-source video editing application for generating basic movies. It aspires to be powerful enough for the inexperienced filmmaker while being simple to use. It can be used as an alternative to Adobe Premiere Pro for Linux.

It helps to create titles in Inkscape. The Open Movie Editor supports a variety of file formats, frame rates, frame sizes, video codecs, and video containers. The Open Movie Editor provides a range of Tools and Filters for adjusting colors and improving the appearance of your videos.

open movie editor under experience

Main features:

  • Color grading
  • Filter effects
  • Different Audio/Video formats
  • 3D video editing
  • Text overlay
  • HD resolution

Pros

  • Simple
  • Free
  • 70 plus languages
  • Export your project in 4K, 60FPS

Cons

  • Crashes very often
  • Rendering speed is slow
  • Hard to control video effects

Supported OS: Linux , OS X, Windows

Best for:

It is best for casual use and video editing with limited features. For professional work, you should opt another video editor.

Price: Free

Ratings: 4.0/5

According to Slant Ratings , Open Movie Editor has almost 60% of 04-05 ratings. A total of 25 positive and 16 negative reviews.

Summary & user review

It is a simple, free, and easy-to-use video editor that can edit and export videos in high resolutions.

A review on Slant Ratings and Reviews states,” An easy to use and powerful video editor.”

How to Choose an Alternative to Adobe Premiere Pro for Linux?

Out of these 10 software discussed above, which software you want to use is still a bit confusing. If you need basic editing software that is free and open source, you should go for Kdenlive

DaVinci Resolve provides advanced editing features such as color correction, and multi-track editing. This can be your choice if you have a good budget.

Lightworks and Flowblade are the best options if you have got a low budget and need advanced editing options. They provide a good value for money experience.

Open Movie Editor, Cinelerra, Avidemux, OpenShot, and Pitivi are free and easy-to-use software that are the best options for beginners.

Besides, if you are going to switch from Linux to Windows or MacOS. Wondershare Filmora can be your good choice to go. It owns built-in stock media and features that are not so complicated as compared to other software.

Final Words

It has been discussed in detail that there are many free as well as paid editing software that can be used for Linux. Adobe premiere pro is not available for Linux, so one must go with any of these above-mentioned editing products. Free versions are for beginners as they contain basic editing features but paid versions can fulfill the demands of professional moviemakers too.

You can download and install any software according to your demands very easily as they are available on the app store. In the absence of adobe premiere pro, these products add such effects and transitions to your videos/films that make them amazing and thrilling to watch.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Best 10 Alternatives to Adobe Premiere Pro for Linux

1. DaVinci Resolve

DaVinci Resolve, a tool being used as an alternative to Adobe Premiere Pro for Linux, provides features like color correction, editing, motion graphics, and audio post-production.

It is easy to learn and use, yet a handy tool for professionals. Using DaVinci Resolve, you can build your multi-user post-production studio.

DaVinci Resolve interface is divided into different pages, providing you with a dedicated workspace for a specific task. You must buy the paid version to get access to all features.

davinci resolve under expereince

Main features:

  • Multi-user collaboration
  • Color correction
  • All-in-one software for post-production

Pros

  • Multiple resolutions and formats are available.
  • Quick processing
  • Advanced audio processing

Cons

  • Some features are limited only to the paid version
  • Confusing interface
  • Requires much CPU capacity

Supported OS: Linux , Windows (version 8 and 10+), OSX (11+)

Best for:

DaVinci Resolve is best for professionals as well as for day-to-day use. It has all the basic as well as professional working programs.

Price: 295$ for DaVinci Resolve Studio

Ratings: 4.1/5

According to TrustRadius Ratings , DaVinci Resolve has almost 75% of 9-10 reviews. A total of 18 positive and two negative reviews.

Summary & user review

DaVinci Resolve is the software that can solve most of your editing-related problems. With many editing options, it is the tool for all your projects. Both free and paid versions are available. A TrustRadius Ratings and Reviews review states, “ None like it out there.”

2. OpenShot

OpenShot is an easy-to-use, simple-to-understand, and surprisingly powerful video editing tool designed to make video editing straightforward. OpenShot is an alternative to Adobe Premiere Pro for Linux, and its features make it a valuable and handy video editing software.

It is available in 70+ languages. It might be lacking some features for professional use, but it contains all the essential video editing tools for daily use.

openshot under expereince

Main features:

  • Unlimited tracks
  • 3D Animation
  • Trim and Cut
  • Title Editing
  • Different video effects

Pros

  • Completely free
  • It can be used as a video editing learning tool
  • Easy to use

Cons

  • Keeps crashing
  • Time-consuming tool
  • Can’t create good quality animations

Supported OS: Linux , Windows (version 7,8 and 10+), OSX (10.15+)

Best for:

It is best for most users for day-to-day use, but it is not recommended for professional use. You should use other video editing tools for professional and advanced video editing.

Price: Free

Ratings: 4.5/5

According to G2 Ratings , OpenShot has almost 85% of 9-10 reviews. A total of 27 positive and one negative review.

Summary & user review

OpenShot video editor is a free and easy-to-use tool for beginners and primary users. With many features and editing options, such as removing the background from the video, inverting color, adjusting brightness, slowing down or speeding up, and reversing the video, it can help create a good-quality video. A review regarding OpenShot on G2 Ratings and Reviews states: “Easy to use even for beginners.”

3. Pitivi

Pitivi video editor is an alternative to Adobe Premiere Pro for Linux. It is a simple and unique video editor, that is free and comes with a lot of video editing and transforming features.

It is software designed for beginners and is suitable for creating simple and basic videos for social media platforms like Facebook and TikTok. Its easy user interface makes it a user-friendly tool.

pitivi under expereince

Main features:

  • Automatic backups
  • Enhanced audio effects
  • Framerate independent timeline
  • Background processing of video being edited
  • Animations, filters, and different transitions

Pros

  • Completely free
  • Easy to use
  • Audio can be edited precisely
  • Changes in the video can be seen in real-time
  • Automatic backup
  • Background processing of thumbnails

Cons

  • Only basic editing can be done
  • Not recommended for professional use
  • Lagging issues
  • Compatible with Linux only

Supported OS: Linux

Best for:

Best for beginners and people with primary use. Day-to-day videos for social media use can easily be edited.

Price: Free

Ratings: 4.3/5

According to Slant Ratings , Pitivi has almost 75% of 04-05 ratings. A total of 13 positive and 03 negative reviews.

Summary & user review

It is a simple, unique, and free video editor for beginners. Casual and basic editing can be done using Pitivi.

A review on Slant Ratings and reviews states ,” Free, open source, and easy to use.” and this sums it all up.

4. Shotcut

Shotcut is a free, regularly updated video editing software, with powerful features and an easy user interface. It can be used as an alternative to Adobe Premiere Pro for Linux.

It offers a simple, user-friendly UI. Shotcut, in contrast to most free video editors, provides features like chroma key and color correction. It contains all the basic and some advanced video editing options but is not recommended for professional use.

shotcut under expereince

Main features:

  • Incredibly easy keyframing
  • Editing and transitions
  • Exporting
  • Sleek, user-friendly interface

Pros

  • Easy to use
  • Regular updates
  • Advanced effects
  • High-quality input/output support

Cons

  • A bit frustrating because of lag
  • No preview for effects and transitions
  • No stock music
  • Can’t upload external subtitles

Supported OS: Linux , Mac, Windows

Best for:

ShotCut is best for beginners and professionals with basic editing needs. It is your go-to editor for editing Youtube or Facebook videos.

Price: 9.79$ at Microsoft US

Ratings: 4.3/5

According to G2 Ratings , ShotCut has almost 85% of 04-05 ratings. A total of 33 positive and 04 negative reviews. A review on G2 Ratings and Reviews states,” Amazing Lightweight Free Basic Video Editor.”

Summary & user review

Shotcut can be used to produce both basic and advanced-level videos. It can be very helpful and handy for professionals in their editing.

5. Avidemux

Avidemux is a perfect tool for simple edits. With limited editing options, it is a very easy-to-use editor for beginners. You can cut, crop, copy or delete parts of your video. 2 or more video clips can also be merged by using Avidemux.

It can render and export at high speeds. Avidemux contains advanced features like a green screen, audio editing, and change speed.

avidemux under expereince

Main features:

  • Audio filters
  • Video filters and transitions
  • Advanced interlacing
  • Open source
  • Container format
  • Encoder

Pros

  • Free
  • Easy interface
  • Standard editing formats available

Cons

  • No updates
  • No customer support
  • No timeline

Supported OS: Linux

Best for:

Avidemux is best for editing, cutting, resizing, and encoding multiple video formats, including MPEG, AVI, MP4, and DVD.

Price: Free

Ratings: 4.5/5

According to G2 Ratings , Avidemux has almost 90% of 4-5 ratings. A total of 8 positive and one negative review.

Summary & user review

Avidemux is a handy video editing software for day-to-day use and it can edit your videos in no time. It is easy to use even for beginners. A review on G2 Ratings and reviews states, “ Avidemux is best for beginners.”

6. Cinelerra

Cinelerra is a free video editing tool that you can use to edit your video and make it look wonderful with different transitions, effects, and texts. Cinelerra is free and open-source software and is considered one of the most used editing softwares for Linux.

It can edit videos of any quality you want and provides you with a perfect video according to your demands. It is helpful for beginners and also handy for professionals.

cinelerra under expereince

Main features:

  • Video and audio editing
  • Different transitions and effects
  • Floating point imaging
  • Color correction
  • Video stabilization
  • Motion tracking
  • 400 plus decoders and 150 plus encoders

Pros

  • Contains all professional features
  • It has 3D editing tools
  • Real-time processing of the video
  • User friendly

Cons

  • Only available for Linux
  • Some codecs are not supported
  • Four windows might get confusing sometimes

Supported OS: Linux

Best for:

It is the best free editing tool for professional and non-professional use. With a lot of video effects and transitions, it makes your video look like a movie.

Price: Free

Ratings: 4.2/5

According to Slant Ratings , Cinelerra has almost 90% of 04-05 ratings. A total of 19 positive and 02 negative reviews.

Summary & user review

Cinelerra is a user-friendly software that has some advanced features like 3D video editing and is free of cost. A review on VideoHelp ratings and reviews states, “The GG version has many professional features. Easy to install too.”

7. Kdenlive

Kdenlive is a free and open-source video editor that can be used in place of Adobe Premiere Pro on Linux. Its best features include multi-track video editing, audio/video formatting, configurable interface and shortcuts, many effects and transitions, audio and video scopes, proxy editing, automatic backup, timeline preview, keyframeable effects, a simple interface, and much more.

Kdenlive lets you use and mix many audio and video tracks, each of which can be locked or muted as needed.

kdenlive under expereince

Main features:

  • Multi tracks editing
  • It supports almost all audio and video formats
  • Many shortcuts available
  • Titler
  • Multiple effects and transitions
  • Automatic backup
  • Timeline preview
  • Keyframing
  • Online resources available

Pros

  • Automatic backup
  • Dozens of transitions and effects
  • User-friendly interface
  • Fast and stable performance
  • Supports 420 plus formats

Cons

  • Basic editing
  • Not recommended for professional use
  • It crashes if you have a slow computer

Supported OS: Linux , Windows, Mac, FreeBSD , Ubuntu

Best for:

Kdenlive is best for casual video editing for social media platforms. Good videos with multiple effects and transitions can be created using this software.

Price: Free

Ratings: 4.1/5

According to Slant Ratings , Kdenlive has almost 70% of 04-05 ratings. A total of 228 positive and 53 negative reviews.

Summary & user review

Kdenlive is a free and open-source editing software that is free and easy to use.

A review on AlternativeTo Ratings and Reviews states, “This is so much more awesome and I worked on it for over 2 hours, and it didn’t crash or lag even once.”

8. Lightworks

Lightworks is a video editing software that is used to enhance the content of videos by both film industry experts and social media marketers. Its free version can satisfy most of its users but if you want more advanced features, you’ll need to pay for this. It is a video editing tool with multi-track editing capabilities and is also powerful, and customizable.

lightworks under expereince

Main features:

  • Drag and drop interface
  • Color correction
  • Blend modes
  • Rendering effects
  • Applying chromakeys
  • Video routing
  • Keyframing
  • Export to Youtube directly

Pros

  • Multiplatform
  • Audio/Video editing
  • Tutorials available
  • Active user forum
  • Good performance

Cons

  • Export option limited to only 720p
  • Difficult for beginners
  • You’ve to pay for advanced features

Supported OS: Linux , Mac, Windows

Best for:

Its paid version is best for professionals to create videos with multiple effects and transitions. The free version can also be used for casual video editing.

Price: Lightworks pro is available at 9.99$/month. Its free version is also available.

Ratings: 4.3/5

According to G2 Ratings , Lightworks has almost 75% of 4-5 ratings. A total of 22 positive and 05 negative reviews.

Summary & user review

It is an easy-to-use, advanced, and paid video editing software for Linux for people with a low budget. A review on G2 Ratings and Reviews states, “Good editing platform for intermediate users.”

9. Flowblade

Flowblade is a very famous, easy-to-use, simple, and fast video editor which can be used as an alternative to Adobe Premiere Pro for Linux. Flowblade is an open-source editor that offers all basic editing options.

It has constantly amazed its users with the smoothness of its playback. There is an inbuilt render UI, which makes the process of delivering your work pretty innocuous.

flowblade under expereince

Main features:

  • Editing tool (Insert, Move, Trim, Roll)
  • Audio/Video filters
  • Proxy editing
  • Audio mixer
  • Inbuilt rendering
  • Titler (Multiple text layers)

Pros

  • Powerful
  • Multifunctional
  • Open source
  • Stable

Cons

  • For Linux only
  • Lack of advanced editing features
  • Requires higher display resolutions

Supported OS: Linux

Best for:

It provides a fast, precise, and robust editing experience. It is best for normal day-to-day use.

Price: 24.99$/month; 174.99$/year

Ratings: 4.5/5

According to Slant Ratings , Flowblade has almost 90% of 04-05 ratings. A total of 61 positive and 05 negative reviews.

Summary & user review

Flowblade is advanced, paid, fast, and precise video editing software for people with a low budget. A review on Slant Ratings and Reviews states, “Power, lightweight and multifunctional.”

10. Open Movie Editor

Open Movie Editor is a free and open-source video editing application for generating basic movies. It aspires to be powerful enough for the inexperienced filmmaker while being simple to use. It can be used as an alternative to Adobe Premiere Pro for Linux.

It helps to create titles in Inkscape. The Open Movie Editor supports a variety of file formats, frame rates, frame sizes, video codecs, and video containers. The Open Movie Editor provides a range of Tools and Filters for adjusting colors and improving the appearance of your videos.

open movie editor under experience

Main features:

  • Color grading
  • Filter effects
  • Different Audio/Video formats
  • 3D video editing
  • Text overlay
  • HD resolution

Pros

  • Simple
  • Free
  • 70 plus languages
  • Export your project in 4K, 60FPS

Cons

  • Crashes very often
  • Rendering speed is slow
  • Hard to control video effects

Supported OS: Linux , OS X, Windows

Best for:

It is best for casual use and video editing with limited features. For professional work, you should opt another video editor.

Price: Free

Ratings: 4.0/5

According to Slant Ratings , Open Movie Editor has almost 60% of 04-05 ratings. A total of 25 positive and 16 negative reviews.

Summary & user review

It is a simple, free, and easy-to-use video editor that can edit and export videos in high resolutions.

A review on Slant Ratings and Reviews states,” An easy to use and powerful video editor.”

How to Choose an Alternative to Adobe Premiere Pro for Linux?

Out of these 10 software discussed above, which software you want to use is still a bit confusing. If you need basic editing software that is free and open source, you should go for Kdenlive

DaVinci Resolve provides advanced editing features such as color correction, and multi-track editing. This can be your choice if you have a good budget.

Lightworks and Flowblade are the best options if you have got a low budget and need advanced editing options. They provide a good value for money experience.

Open Movie Editor, Cinelerra, Avidemux, OpenShot, and Pitivi are free and easy-to-use software that are the best options for beginners.

Besides, if you are going to switch from Linux to Windows or MacOS. Wondershare Filmora can be your good choice to go. It owns built-in stock media and features that are not so complicated as compared to other software.

Final Words

It has been discussed in detail that there are many free as well as paid editing software that can be used for Linux. Adobe premiere pro is not available for Linux, so one must go with any of these above-mentioned editing products. Free versions are for beginners as they contain basic editing features but paid versions can fulfill the demands of professional moviemakers too.

You can download and install any software according to your demands very easily as they are available on the app store. In the absence of adobe premiere pro, these products add such effects and transitions to your videos/films that make them amazing and thrilling to watch.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

The Ultimate M4R Converter Primer: Tips and Tricks to Keep in Mind

Before You Learn M4R Converter: Some Things You Should Know

An easy yet powerful editor

Numerous effects to choose from

Detailed tutorials provided by the official channel

Try It Free Try It Free

M4R is an audio file extension that was created by Apple to separate regular songs and audio from ringtones

As for methods of converting from your more general file extension formats to M4R, we’ve prepared a whole guide below — where we’ve outlined some of the more important things that you should know about M4R converters and how to use them.

In this article

01 [Why Convert Mp3 to M4R?](#Part 1)

02 [How to Convert Mp3 to M4R?](#Part 2)

03 [How to Convert M4A to M4R?](#Part 3)

Part 1 Why Convert MP3 to M4R?

Let’s start with a bit of an overview of M4R and M4R Converters first! We touched upon this subject in the introduction, but we thought it would be best to expand on the subject here for better understanding. First, let’s talk about what an M4R converter is usually like. Then, let’s talk about why someone might convert from MP3 to M4R.

01M4R Converter Key Features

Here’s a list of some key features that you should look for in an M4R Converter:

Your average M4R Converter should allow you to convert to M4R from general audio files. That includes the following: MP3, WAV, WMA, AIFF, AMR, FLAC, MKA, WMV, and so much more.

It should also allow you to ‘extract’ audio from videos (whether it is a MPEG-4, MOV, AVI, etc.)

The M4R converter would prove even more useful if it allowed you to trim small segments of audio or video (with exact start and end time) so that you can specify which part should play as a ringtone.

A method of previewing trimmed content prior to conversion would also be helpful so that you won’t have to undergo the process again and again.

Its settings should also be adjustable or the interface intuitive, allowing you to easily choose or discover the output folder, adjust audio bitrate, and so on.

02Best Three Reasons Why Convert MP3 to M4R

There are several reasons why you might want to use an M4R converter to change from MP3 to M4R, these reasons include:

Creating iPhone Ringtone: The main purpose of converting to M4R is, of course, to create iPhone ringtones. This file extension was created by Apple specifically to differentiate between songs and ringtones. And, if you’re a regular iOS user but are not a fan of the basic iOS ringtones, learning how to create M4R files would be beneficial in opening your horizons.

Transfer Ringtones to iPhone: Of course, once the M4R is created for use, it would need to be transferred. This is much easier if it stays in this format!

Making General M4R Audio: Although not as common, some users see the benefit of using M4R audio for other reasons (i.e., content creators sometimes use M4R audio as a sound-effect for videos). Thus, knowing how to convert from MP3 to MP4 usually proves to be useful for them.

Part 2 How to Convert Mp3 to M4R?

Now, let’s start with a more in-depth tutorial on how to actually convert MP3 to M4R! In this case, specifically, we’ll be providing three different examples. Starting with an online solution and then following it up with the general iTunes conversion and the more involved software conversion!

01How to Convert MP3 to M4R Online?

As mentioned, the first M4R Converter on this list is an online one! There are plenty of these kinds of online converter tools available, and they all pretty much work the same way, so the example we’ll be showing below is more of an all-purpose kind of affair. However, just in case you’re curious, the tool we’ll be using for our examples is the Converter from Audio Tool Set!

**Step 1: Visit Online Converter Website!

First! Open the M4R Converter online tool that you want to use! If you want to follow along with our examples, a URL has been provided for you below:

Open M4R Converter

**Step 2: Upload MP3 File

Next, it’s time to upload the MP3 file that you want to convert to M4R!

Usually, all you have to do for this is click the ‘Upload’ button or drag-and-drop the file onto the specified area. But, in some cases, the M4R converter may also allow you to upload via a link or from cloud-based storage (i.e., Dropbox.)

Upload MP3 File for Conversion

**Step 3: Select M4R as Output Format!

Once your MP3 file has been uploaded, select the format that you want it to be converted into. This may have defaulted to M4R or you may be given the chance to choose yourself (as is shown in the image below.)

Select M4R as Output Format

**Step 4: Select Convert!

The next thing you need to do is to simply select the ‘CONVERT’ option to begin processing the change from MP3 to M4R!

Select Convert Option

**Step 5: Download Converter M4R!

Once the conversion is done, you should now have been given the option to download the finished M4R. Click ‘DOWNLOAD’ and you’re done!

Download Converted File

012. How to convert MP3 to M4R on iTunes?

Of course, as an Apple File Extension, it only makes sense that Apple provides its users an easy way to convert general audio to M4R! In this case, we’ll be showing you another method to convert from MP3 to M4R with Apple’s own iTunes! Of course, if you want to follow along with this next example, you’ll have to download and install the software (for Windows users) before proceeding.

**Step 1: Add File or Folder to Library!

Once you have iTunes installed, launch the program and go to ‘File’ > ‘Add File to Library’ or ‘Add Folder to Library’ to upload the MP3 file(s) that you want to convert to M4R!

Add MP3 file(s) to iTunes Library

**Step 2: Select MP3 and Adjust Timing!

Since M4R ringtones are limited to 40 seconds only, you’ll need to adjust timing prior to conversion if you want the ringtone to start and end at a specific time.

This is possible to do by selecting the song from your library and right clicking so you can access the ‘OPTIONS’ tab (shown below)! Under the Options tab, you’ll be able to specify the start and stop time for your chosen MP3!

Click ‘OK’ when done in order to save any changes!

Adjust Ringtone Timing

**Step 3: Convert to Version!

Next, with the MP3 file still selected, go to the ‘FILE’ tab (shown in the image below) and then click ‘CONVERT’ > ‘Create Version’!

Create Version of MP3

**Step 4: Go to the Destination Folder!

After the conversion has been finished, locate the file’s destination folder. You’ll notice that the file extension of the file is .M4A but this is easy enough to change.

Just rename the file extension to .M4R (example shown below) and click ‘YES’ to confirm the change! In this way, you’ve managed to convert MP3 to M4R with iTunes!

Change from M4A to M4R

013. How to Convert MP3 to M4R Online Free with Ringtone Maker?

For this last example of converting MP3 to M4R, we’ve decided to show-off the ringtone maker, Wondershare TunesGo! This program is, of course, more than just a ringtone maker, but the function that we’ll be exploring will be the process of making an iPhone Ringtone from an MP3 file to an M4R (start to finish!)

**Step 1: Launch Program and Connect iPhone to Computer!

First, launch the M4R converter software on your desktop and connect your iPhone to your computer! If you want to use the program that we’re showing off in this example, the URL has been provided below:

Launch Program and Connect iPhone

**Step 2: Select Ringtone Maker

Once the program has been launched, go to the ‘MUSIC’ tab and select “Ringtone Maker” (pointed out in the image below.)

Select ‘Ringtone Maker’ Option

**Step 3: Select Music File!

A secondary window should appear after you select the ‘Ringtone Maker’ option. Here, the first thing you have to do is upload the music file that you want to convert.

For the software that we’re using as an example, you can choose to upload ‘Local Music’ from your computer or ‘Device Music’ from the music that you have stored in your connected iPhone. We’ll be explaining the different methods to select a music file in the three following steps!

Upload Locally or Through Device

**Step 4: Local Upload - Open!

If you select ‘Local Music’ a system window will appear asking you to select the music file that you want to convert to M4R. Do so and click ‘OPEN!’

Browse Music File Locally

**Step 5: Device Music - SELECT!

For the ‘Device Music’ option, another program window will appear. This time, with all the music on your device. You can select the music file you want to convert from here! Click ‘Select’ when done!

Browse Music on Device

**Step 6: TunesGo Library!

For the last method of selecting a music file, all you have to do is select a file from the ‘MUSIC’ tab of TunesGo, right-click on said file, and then select ‘Ringtone Maker’ on the pop-up that appears (shown below).

Software Library Upload

**Step 7: Trim and Save!

Once you’ve chosen the music file you want to convert, you can now:

Trim the file to specify which part of the file you want to convert (40 seconds only for a proper Ringtone!)

Use the ‘Ringtone Audition’ option to preview your trimmed audio.

And, finally, you can save the finished ringtone directly to your PC or Device!

In this way, not only have you managed to convert from MP3 to M4R cleanly, but you can also use it right away on either your PC or iPhone!

Trim Audio and Save

Part 3 How to Convert M4A to M4R?

Another Apple extension file that you might recognize is M4A! This was mentioned briefly in a previous tutorial, but it might be more familiar to others as ‘compressed’ Apple Music. This is what your audio becomes when processed through iTunes. It’s also known as MPEG-4 Audio, and its main purpose is to compress the size of an audio file (compared to MP3) without compromising the quality.

01How to convert M4A to M4R on Windows?

This process was mentioned briefly in Part 2, Section 3 of this article, but we’ll be going through the easiest method of converting M4A to M4R on Windows below! This method is possible only because the formats are pretty much the same. The only difference lies in how they are categorized.

**Step 1: View File Extensions!

The first step to convert M4A to M4R is to open the folder in which your M4A audio is stored. There, make sure that you have ‘File Name Extensions’ selected under the ‘VIEW’ tab (pointed out in the image below).

This will allow you to view and edit the file extension of a given file.

View File Extensions on Windows

**Step 2: Rename M4A to M4R!

Next, select the M4A that you want to convert and right-click so that you can choose the ‘Rename’ option on the pop-up that appears.

Rename M4A to M4R

**Step 3: Change M4A to M4R

With ‘File Name Extensions’ on, you can edit the file extension as well! Of course, this is not possible for all conversions. But, as mentioned, since M4A and M4R files are pretty much the same, you can do so without damaging the file!

Meaning, you can change M4A to M4R without worrying about it being unusable!

Change M4A to M4R

012. How to Convert M4A to M4R with iTunes

This process was already explained in Part 2, Section 2 of this article. But, since it’s important to provide this perspective we’ll be going through the process again. This time, with the intention of converting an M4A music file to an M4R!

**Step 1: Add File to iTunes Library!

First, add the M4A file to your iTunes library! (You can use the drag-and-drop feature or select ‘Add File’ or ‘Add folder’ under the ‘FILE’ tab).

Add File to iTunes Library

**Step 2: Create to M4R!

Once your M4A audio file has been uploaded, make sure that it’s selected and then select ‘Create Version’ for it (the option can be found under the ‘FILE’ tab > ‘Convert’!)

Create version of M4A

**Step 3: Convert M4A to M4R

Once the version of the file has been created (which comes out as M4A), you can use the method we showed in Section 3, Part 1 of this article to change the M4A to M4R simply by rewriting the file extension name.

Convert M4A to M4R

03How to Convert M4A to M4R Online

For this next part, we’ll be echoing another one of our earlier tutorials! Only, this time, we’ll be focusing on converting M4A to M4R online with an M4R converter online! Specifically, the one we introduced previously — Audio Tool Set!

**Step 1: Online M4R Converter

Audio Tool Set offers an M4A to M4R converter that you can select under the ‘CONVERT AUDIO’ tab!

Audio Tool Set - M4A to M4R Converter

**Step 2: Upload M4A File!

Once you’ve been moved to the free M4A to M4R converter, select the ‘UPLOAD M4A’ option to browse your PC for the M4A file that you want to convert.

Upload M4A file for Conversion

**Step 3: Confirm M4R Conversion Format!

If you’re using the M4A to M4R Converter you can skip this step. But, if not, make sure that you have chosen ‘M4R’ as your desired conversion format!

Confirm M4R as Output Format

**Step 4: Convert M4A to M4R!

With all of that in order, select ‘CONVERT’ to move forward.

Convert M4A to M4R

**Step 5: Download Converted M4R!

Finally, with the conversion done, you can now download the converted file to use as you will! This can be done by selecting the ‘DOWNLOAD’ option!

Download Converted File

04How to Create and How to Open an M4A File?

If you want detailed instructions on how to create an M4A file, please refer to Part 2, Section 2 of this article, or Part 3, Section 2. In both sections, we demonstrated how one can create an M4A file by using the ‘Create Version’ feature that iTunes offers.

In that same vein, if you want to be able to open an M4A file, iTunes is your best bet! Although, it should also be said that some of the more advanced media players (and audio players), like QuickTime or Media Player, can open M4A files as well!

iTunes Software

05Which Other Formats M4A Can Be Converted into and Why?

There are numerous file formats that you can convert M4A into. If you want examples: you can convert M4A to M4R, MP3 to M4A, WAV to M4A, FLAC to M4A, OGG to M4A, WMA to M4A, and so much more! Of course, if you want more advanced M4A conversions, you might want to consider using a more advanced tool. One such M4A converter that we recommend is Filmora Pro!

Wondershare Filmora Video Editor is an all-in-one video editing software that will allow you to convert M4A to M4R (and all sorts of other audio and video file formats) so that you can make use of the file for all your projects! The best part of using a video editor like Filmora, of course, is that once you’ve converted the file, you can use it immediately — there’s no need to wait, you can finish your project right then and there, making it unnecessary for you to go searching for any other solution.

Wondershare Filmora - Best Video Editor for Mac/Windows

Try It Free Try It Free

5,481,435 people have downloaded it.

Build unique custom animations without breaking a sweat.

Focus on creating epic stories and leave the details to Filmora’s auto features.

Start a creative adventure with drag & drop effects and endless possibilities.

Filmora simplifies advanced features to save you time and effort.

Filmora cuts out repetition so you can move on to your next creative breakthrough.

Key Takeaways from This Episode

What’s the point of M4R Converters? Well, it’s most relevant to iOS users! Especially those who are tired of listening to the same boring tones on their phone over and over again!

The M4R file format was created by Apple to differentiate music from ringtones. And, by becoming familiar with the process (which we’ve illustrated in many details in the article above), you can flex your creativity a bit and control just what tones are coming out of your phone!

It’s not all that difficult to create M4Rs either! There are several methods that you can try — online, iTunes, third-party software, and so much more!

And, you can make these ringtones from pretty much any format — whether you’re converting from MP3, MOV, WAV, FLAC, WMA, etc.

Try It Free Try It Free

M4R is an audio file extension that was created by Apple to separate regular songs and audio from ringtones

As for methods of converting from your more general file extension formats to M4R, we’ve prepared a whole guide below — where we’ve outlined some of the more important things that you should know about M4R converters and how to use them.

In this article

01 [Why Convert Mp3 to M4R?](#Part 1)

02 [How to Convert Mp3 to M4R?](#Part 2)

03 [How to Convert M4A to M4R?](#Part 3)

Part 1 Why Convert MP3 to M4R?

Let’s start with a bit of an overview of M4R and M4R Converters first! We touched upon this subject in the introduction, but we thought it would be best to expand on the subject here for better understanding. First, let’s talk about what an M4R converter is usually like. Then, let’s talk about why someone might convert from MP3 to M4R.

01M4R Converter Key Features

Here’s a list of some key features that you should look for in an M4R Converter:

Your average M4R Converter should allow you to convert to M4R from general audio files. That includes the following: MP3, WAV, WMA, AIFF, AMR, FLAC, MKA, WMV, and so much more.

It should also allow you to ‘extract’ audio from videos (whether it is a MPEG-4, MOV, AVI, etc.)

The M4R converter would prove even more useful if it allowed you to trim small segments of audio or video (with exact start and end time) so that you can specify which part should play as a ringtone.

A method of previewing trimmed content prior to conversion would also be helpful so that you won’t have to undergo the process again and again.

Its settings should also be adjustable or the interface intuitive, allowing you to easily choose or discover the output folder, adjust audio bitrate, and so on.

02Best Three Reasons Why Convert MP3 to M4R

There are several reasons why you might want to use an M4R converter to change from MP3 to M4R, these reasons include:

Creating iPhone Ringtone: The main purpose of converting to M4R is, of course, to create iPhone ringtones. This file extension was created by Apple specifically to differentiate between songs and ringtones. And, if you’re a regular iOS user but are not a fan of the basic iOS ringtones, learning how to create M4R files would be beneficial in opening your horizons.

Transfer Ringtones to iPhone: Of course, once the M4R is created for use, it would need to be transferred. This is much easier if it stays in this format!

Making General M4R Audio: Although not as common, some users see the benefit of using M4R audio for other reasons (i.e., content creators sometimes use M4R audio as a sound-effect for videos). Thus, knowing how to convert from MP3 to MP4 usually proves to be useful for them.

Part 2 How to Convert Mp3 to M4R?

Now, let’s start with a more in-depth tutorial on how to actually convert MP3 to M4R! In this case, specifically, we’ll be providing three different examples. Starting with an online solution and then following it up with the general iTunes conversion and the more involved software conversion!

01How to Convert MP3 to M4R Online?

As mentioned, the first M4R Converter on this list is an online one! There are plenty of these kinds of online converter tools available, and they all pretty much work the same way, so the example we’ll be showing below is more of an all-purpose kind of affair. However, just in case you’re curious, the tool we’ll be using for our examples is the Converter from Audio Tool Set!

**Step 1: Visit Online Converter Website!

First! Open the M4R Converter online tool that you want to use! If you want to follow along with our examples, a URL has been provided for you below:

Open M4R Converter

**Step 2: Upload MP3 File

Next, it’s time to upload the MP3 file that you want to convert to M4R!

Usually, all you have to do for this is click the ‘Upload’ button or drag-and-drop the file onto the specified area. But, in some cases, the M4R converter may also allow you to upload via a link or from cloud-based storage (i.e., Dropbox.)

Upload MP3 File for Conversion

**Step 3: Select M4R as Output Format!

Once your MP3 file has been uploaded, select the format that you want it to be converted into. This may have defaulted to M4R or you may be given the chance to choose yourself (as is shown in the image below.)

Select M4R as Output Format

**Step 4: Select Convert!

The next thing you need to do is to simply select the ‘CONVERT’ option to begin processing the change from MP3 to M4R!

Select Convert Option

**Step 5: Download Converter M4R!

Once the conversion is done, you should now have been given the option to download the finished M4R. Click ‘DOWNLOAD’ and you’re done!

Download Converted File

012. How to convert MP3 to M4R on iTunes?

Of course, as an Apple File Extension, it only makes sense that Apple provides its users an easy way to convert general audio to M4R! In this case, we’ll be showing you another method to convert from MP3 to M4R with Apple’s own iTunes! Of course, if you want to follow along with this next example, you’ll have to download and install the software (for Windows users) before proceeding.

**Step 1: Add File or Folder to Library!

Once you have iTunes installed, launch the program and go to ‘File’ > ‘Add File to Library’ or ‘Add Folder to Library’ to upload the MP3 file(s) that you want to convert to M4R!

Add MP3 file(s) to iTunes Library

**Step 2: Select MP3 and Adjust Timing!

Since M4R ringtones are limited to 40 seconds only, you’ll need to adjust timing prior to conversion if you want the ringtone to start and end at a specific time.

This is possible to do by selecting the song from your library and right clicking so you can access the ‘OPTIONS’ tab (shown below)! Under the Options tab, you’ll be able to specify the start and stop time for your chosen MP3!

Click ‘OK’ when done in order to save any changes!

Adjust Ringtone Timing

**Step 3: Convert to Version!

Next, with the MP3 file still selected, go to the ‘FILE’ tab (shown in the image below) and then click ‘CONVERT’ > ‘Create Version’!

Create Version of MP3

**Step 4: Go to the Destination Folder!

After the conversion has been finished, locate the file’s destination folder. You’ll notice that the file extension of the file is .M4A but this is easy enough to change.

Just rename the file extension to .M4R (example shown below) and click ‘YES’ to confirm the change! In this way, you’ve managed to convert MP3 to M4R with iTunes!

Change from M4A to M4R

013. How to Convert MP3 to M4R Online Free with Ringtone Maker?

For this last example of converting MP3 to M4R, we’ve decided to show-off the ringtone maker, Wondershare TunesGo! This program is, of course, more than just a ringtone maker, but the function that we’ll be exploring will be the process of making an iPhone Ringtone from an MP3 file to an M4R (start to finish!)

**Step 1: Launch Program and Connect iPhone to Computer!

First, launch the M4R converter software on your desktop and connect your iPhone to your computer! If you want to use the program that we’re showing off in this example, the URL has been provided below:

Launch Program and Connect iPhone

**Step 2: Select Ringtone Maker

Once the program has been launched, go to the ‘MUSIC’ tab and select “Ringtone Maker” (pointed out in the image below.)

Select ‘Ringtone Maker’ Option

**Step 3: Select Music File!

A secondary window should appear after you select the ‘Ringtone Maker’ option. Here, the first thing you have to do is upload the music file that you want to convert.

For the software that we’re using as an example, you can choose to upload ‘Local Music’ from your computer or ‘Device Music’ from the music that you have stored in your connected iPhone. We’ll be explaining the different methods to select a music file in the three following steps!

Upload Locally or Through Device

**Step 4: Local Upload - Open!

If you select ‘Local Music’ a system window will appear asking you to select the music file that you want to convert to M4R. Do so and click ‘OPEN!’

Browse Music File Locally

**Step 5: Device Music - SELECT!

For the ‘Device Music’ option, another program window will appear. This time, with all the music on your device. You can select the music file you want to convert from here! Click ‘Select’ when done!

Browse Music on Device

**Step 6: TunesGo Library!

For the last method of selecting a music file, all you have to do is select a file from the ‘MUSIC’ tab of TunesGo, right-click on said file, and then select ‘Ringtone Maker’ on the pop-up that appears (shown below).

Software Library Upload

**Step 7: Trim and Save!

Once you’ve chosen the music file you want to convert, you can now:

Trim the file to specify which part of the file you want to convert (40 seconds only for a proper Ringtone!)

Use the ‘Ringtone Audition’ option to preview your trimmed audio.

And, finally, you can save the finished ringtone directly to your PC or Device!

In this way, not only have you managed to convert from MP3 to M4R cleanly, but you can also use it right away on either your PC or iPhone!

Trim Audio and Save

Part 3 How to Convert M4A to M4R?

Another Apple extension file that you might recognize is M4A! This was mentioned briefly in a previous tutorial, but it might be more familiar to others as ‘compressed’ Apple Music. This is what your audio becomes when processed through iTunes. It’s also known as MPEG-4 Audio, and its main purpose is to compress the size of an audio file (compared to MP3) without compromising the quality.

01How to convert M4A to M4R on Windows?

This process was mentioned briefly in Part 2, Section 3 of this article, but we’ll be going through the easiest method of converting M4A to M4R on Windows below! This method is possible only because the formats are pretty much the same. The only difference lies in how they are categorized.

**Step 1: View File Extensions!

The first step to convert M4A to M4R is to open the folder in which your M4A audio is stored. There, make sure that you have ‘File Name Extensions’ selected under the ‘VIEW’ tab (pointed out in the image below).

This will allow you to view and edit the file extension of a given file.

View File Extensions on Windows

**Step 2: Rename M4A to M4R!

Next, select the M4A that you want to convert and right-click so that you can choose the ‘Rename’ option on the pop-up that appears.

Rename M4A to M4R

**Step 3: Change M4A to M4R

With ‘File Name Extensions’ on, you can edit the file extension as well! Of course, this is not possible for all conversions. But, as mentioned, since M4A and M4R files are pretty much the same, you can do so without damaging the file!

Meaning, you can change M4A to M4R without worrying about it being unusable!

Change M4A to M4R

012. How to Convert M4A to M4R with iTunes

This process was already explained in Part 2, Section 2 of this article. But, since it’s important to provide this perspective we’ll be going through the process again. This time, with the intention of converting an M4A music file to an M4R!

**Step 1: Add File to iTunes Library!

First, add the M4A file to your iTunes library! (You can use the drag-and-drop feature or select ‘Add File’ or ‘Add folder’ under the ‘FILE’ tab).

Add File to iTunes Library

**Step 2: Create to M4R!

Once your M4A audio file has been uploaded, make sure that it’s selected and then select ‘Create Version’ for it (the option can be found under the ‘FILE’ tab > ‘Convert’!)

Create version of M4A

**Step 3: Convert M4A to M4R

Once the version of the file has been created (which comes out as M4A), you can use the method we showed in Section 3, Part 1 of this article to change the M4A to M4R simply by rewriting the file extension name.

Convert M4A to M4R

03How to Convert M4A to M4R Online

For this next part, we’ll be echoing another one of our earlier tutorials! Only, this time, we’ll be focusing on converting M4A to M4R online with an M4R converter online! Specifically, the one we introduced previously — Audio Tool Set!

**Step 1: Online M4R Converter

Audio Tool Set offers an M4A to M4R converter that you can select under the ‘CONVERT AUDIO’ tab!

Audio Tool Set - M4A to M4R Converter

**Step 2: Upload M4A File!

Once you’ve been moved to the free M4A to M4R converter, select the ‘UPLOAD M4A’ option to browse your PC for the M4A file that you want to convert.

Upload M4A file for Conversion

**Step 3: Confirm M4R Conversion Format!

If you’re using the M4A to M4R Converter you can skip this step. But, if not, make sure that you have chosen ‘M4R’ as your desired conversion format!

Confirm M4R as Output Format

**Step 4: Convert M4A to M4R!

With all of that in order, select ‘CONVERT’ to move forward.

Convert M4A to M4R

**Step 5: Download Converted M4R!

Finally, with the conversion done, you can now download the converted file to use as you will! This can be done by selecting the ‘DOWNLOAD’ option!

Download Converted File

04How to Create and How to Open an M4A File?

If you want detailed instructions on how to create an M4A file, please refer to Part 2, Section 2 of this article, or Part 3, Section 2. In both sections, we demonstrated how one can create an M4A file by using the ‘Create Version’ feature that iTunes offers.

In that same vein, if you want to be able to open an M4A file, iTunes is your best bet! Although, it should also be said that some of the more advanced media players (and audio players), like QuickTime or Media Player, can open M4A files as well!

iTunes Software

05Which Other Formats M4A Can Be Converted into and Why?

There are numerous file formats that you can convert M4A into. If you want examples: you can convert M4A to M4R, MP3 to M4A, WAV to M4A, FLAC to M4A, OGG to M4A, WMA to M4A, and so much more! Of course, if you want more advanced M4A conversions, you might want to consider using a more advanced tool. One such M4A converter that we recommend is Filmora Pro!

Wondershare Filmora Video Editor is an all-in-one video editing software that will allow you to convert M4A to M4R (and all sorts of other audio and video file formats) so that you can make use of the file for all your projects! The best part of using a video editor like Filmora, of course, is that once you’ve converted the file, you can use it immediately — there’s no need to wait, you can finish your project right then and there, making it unnecessary for you to go searching for any other solution.

Wondershare Filmora - Best Video Editor for Mac/Windows

Try It Free Try It Free

5,481,435 people have downloaded it.

Build unique custom animations without breaking a sweat.

Focus on creating epic stories and leave the details to Filmora’s auto features.

Start a creative adventure with drag & drop effects and endless possibilities.

Filmora simplifies advanced features to save you time and effort.

Filmora cuts out repetition so you can move on to your next creative breakthrough.

Key Takeaways from This Episode

What’s the point of M4R Converters? Well, it’s most relevant to iOS users! Especially those who are tired of listening to the same boring tones on their phone over and over again!

The M4R file format was created by Apple to differentiate music from ringtones. And, by becoming familiar with the process (which we’ve illustrated in many details in the article above), you can flex your creativity a bit and control just what tones are coming out of your phone!

It’s not all that difficult to create M4Rs either! There are several methods that you can try — online, iTunes, third-party software, and so much more!

And, you can make these ringtones from pretty much any format — whether you’re converting from MP3, MOV, WAV, FLAC, WMA, etc.

Try It Free Try It Free

M4R is an audio file extension that was created by Apple to separate regular songs and audio from ringtones

As for methods of converting from your more general file extension formats to M4R, we’ve prepared a whole guide below — where we’ve outlined some of the more important things that you should know about M4R converters and how to use them.

In this article

01 [Why Convert Mp3 to M4R?](#Part 1)

02 [How to Convert Mp3 to M4R?](#Part 2)

03 [How to Convert M4A to M4R?](#Part 3)

Part 1 Why Convert MP3 to M4R?

Let’s start with a bit of an overview of M4R and M4R Converters first! We touched upon this subject in the introduction, but we thought it would be best to expand on the subject here for better understanding. First, let’s talk about what an M4R converter is usually like. Then, let’s talk about why someone might convert from MP3 to M4R.

01M4R Converter Key Features

Here’s a list of some key features that you should look for in an M4R Converter:

Your average M4R Converter should allow you to convert to M4R from general audio files. That includes the following: MP3, WAV, WMA, AIFF, AMR, FLAC, MKA, WMV, and so much more.

It should also allow you to ‘extract’ audio from videos (whether it is a MPEG-4, MOV, AVI, etc.)

The M4R converter would prove even more useful if it allowed you to trim small segments of audio or video (with exact start and end time) so that you can specify which part should play as a ringtone.

A method of previewing trimmed content prior to conversion would also be helpful so that you won’t have to undergo the process again and again.

Its settings should also be adjustable or the interface intuitive, allowing you to easily choose or discover the output folder, adjust audio bitrate, and so on.

02Best Three Reasons Why Convert MP3 to M4R

There are several reasons why you might want to use an M4R converter to change from MP3 to M4R, these reasons include:

Creating iPhone Ringtone: The main purpose of converting to M4R is, of course, to create iPhone ringtones. This file extension was created by Apple specifically to differentiate between songs and ringtones. And, if you’re a regular iOS user but are not a fan of the basic iOS ringtones, learning how to create M4R files would be beneficial in opening your horizons.

Transfer Ringtones to iPhone: Of course, once the M4R is created for use, it would need to be transferred. This is much easier if it stays in this format!

Making General M4R Audio: Although not as common, some users see the benefit of using M4R audio for other reasons (i.e., content creators sometimes use M4R audio as a sound-effect for videos). Thus, knowing how to convert from MP3 to MP4 usually proves to be useful for them.

Part 2 How to Convert Mp3 to M4R?

Now, let’s start with a more in-depth tutorial on how to actually convert MP3 to M4R! In this case, specifically, we’ll be providing three different examples. Starting with an online solution and then following it up with the general iTunes conversion and the more involved software conversion!

01How to Convert MP3 to M4R Online?

As mentioned, the first M4R Converter on this list is an online one! There are plenty of these kinds of online converter tools available, and they all pretty much work the same way, so the example we’ll be showing below is more of an all-purpose kind of affair. However, just in case you’re curious, the tool we’ll be using for our examples is the Converter from Audio Tool Set!

**Step 1: Visit Online Converter Website!

First! Open the M4R Converter online tool that you want to use! If you want to follow along with our examples, a URL has been provided for you below:

Open M4R Converter

**Step 2: Upload MP3 File

Next, it’s time to upload the MP3 file that you want to convert to M4R!

Usually, all you have to do for this is click the ‘Upload’ button or drag-and-drop the file onto the specified area. But, in some cases, the M4R converter may also allow you to upload via a link or from cloud-based storage (i.e., Dropbox.)

Upload MP3 File for Conversion

**Step 3: Select M4R as Output Format!

Once your MP3 file has been uploaded, select the format that you want it to be converted into. This may have defaulted to M4R or you may be given the chance to choose yourself (as is shown in the image below.)

Select M4R as Output Format

**Step 4: Select Convert!

The next thing you need to do is to simply select the ‘CONVERT’ option to begin processing the change from MP3 to M4R!

Select Convert Option

**Step 5: Download Converter M4R!

Once the conversion is done, you should now have been given the option to download the finished M4R. Click ‘DOWNLOAD’ and you’re done!

Download Converted File

012. How to convert MP3 to M4R on iTunes?

Of course, as an Apple File Extension, it only makes sense that Apple provides its users an easy way to convert general audio to M4R! In this case, we’ll be showing you another method to convert from MP3 to M4R with Apple’s own iTunes! Of course, if you want to follow along with this next example, you’ll have to download and install the software (for Windows users) before proceeding.

**Step 1: Add File or Folder to Library!

Once you have iTunes installed, launch the program and go to ‘File’ > ‘Add File to Library’ or ‘Add Folder to Library’ to upload the MP3 file(s) that you want to convert to M4R!

Add MP3 file(s) to iTunes Library

**Step 2: Select MP3 and Adjust Timing!

Since M4R ringtones are limited to 40 seconds only, you’ll need to adjust timing prior to conversion if you want the ringtone to start and end at a specific time.

This is possible to do by selecting the song from your library and right clicking so you can access the ‘OPTIONS’ tab (shown below)! Under the Options tab, you’ll be able to specify the start and stop time for your chosen MP3!

Click ‘OK’ when done in order to save any changes!

Adjust Ringtone Timing

**Step 3: Convert to Version!

Next, with the MP3 file still selected, go to the ‘FILE’ tab (shown in the image below) and then click ‘CONVERT’ > ‘Create Version’!

Create Version of MP3

**Step 4: Go to the Destination Folder!

After the conversion has been finished, locate the file’s destination folder. You’ll notice that the file extension of the file is .M4A but this is easy enough to change.

Just rename the file extension to .M4R (example shown below) and click ‘YES’ to confirm the change! In this way, you’ve managed to convert MP3 to M4R with iTunes!

Change from M4A to M4R

013. How to Convert MP3 to M4R Online Free with Ringtone Maker?

For this last example of converting MP3 to M4R, we’ve decided to show-off the ringtone maker, Wondershare TunesGo! This program is, of course, more than just a ringtone maker, but the function that we’ll be exploring will be the process of making an iPhone Ringtone from an MP3 file to an M4R (start to finish!)

**Step 1: Launch Program and Connect iPhone to Computer!

First, launch the M4R converter software on your desktop and connect your iPhone to your computer! If you want to use the program that we’re showing off in this example, the URL has been provided below:

Launch Program and Connect iPhone

**Step 2: Select Ringtone Maker

Once the program has been launched, go to the ‘MUSIC’ tab and select “Ringtone Maker” (pointed out in the image below.)

Select ‘Ringtone Maker’ Option

**Step 3: Select Music File!

A secondary window should appear after you select the ‘Ringtone Maker’ option. Here, the first thing you have to do is upload the music file that you want to convert.

For the software that we’re using as an example, you can choose to upload ‘Local Music’ from your computer or ‘Device Music’ from the music that you have stored in your connected iPhone. We’ll be explaining the different methods to select a music file in the three following steps!

Upload Locally or Through Device

**Step 4: Local Upload - Open!

If you select ‘Local Music’ a system window will appear asking you to select the music file that you want to convert to M4R. Do so and click ‘OPEN!’

Browse Music File Locally

**Step 5: Device Music - SELECT!

For the ‘Device Music’ option, another program window will appear. This time, with all the music on your device. You can select the music file you want to convert from here! Click ‘Select’ when done!

Browse Music on Device

**Step 6: TunesGo Library!

For the last method of selecting a music file, all you have to do is select a file from the ‘MUSIC’ tab of TunesGo, right-click on said file, and then select ‘Ringtone Maker’ on the pop-up that appears (shown below).

Software Library Upload

**Step 7: Trim and Save!

Once you’ve chosen the music file you want to convert, you can now:

Trim the file to specify which part of the file you want to convert (40 seconds only for a proper Ringtone!)

Use the ‘Ringtone Audition’ option to preview your trimmed audio.

And, finally, you can save the finished ringtone directly to your PC or Device!

In this way, not only have you managed to convert from MP3 to M4R cleanly, but you can also use it right away on either your PC or iPhone!

Trim Audio and Save

Part 3 How to Convert M4A to M4R?

Another Apple extension file that you might recognize is M4A! This was mentioned briefly in a previous tutorial, but it might be more familiar to others as ‘compressed’ Apple Music. This is what your audio becomes when processed through iTunes. It’s also known as MPEG-4 Audio, and its main purpose is to compress the size of an audio file (compared to MP3) without compromising the quality.

01How to convert M4A to M4R on Windows?

This process was mentioned briefly in Part 2, Section 3 of this article, but we’ll be going through the easiest method of converting M4A to M4R on Windows below! This method is possible only because the formats are pretty much the same. The only difference lies in how they are categorized.

**Step 1: View File Extensions!

The first step to convert M4A to M4R is to open the folder in which your M4A audio is stored. There, make sure that you have ‘File Name Extensions’ selected under the ‘VIEW’ tab (pointed out in the image below).

This will allow you to view and edit the file extension of a given file.

View File Extensions on Windows

**Step 2: Rename M4A to M4R!

Next, select the M4A that you want to convert and right-click so that you can choose the ‘Rename’ option on the pop-up that appears.

Rename M4A to M4R

**Step 3: Change M4A to M4R

With ‘File Name Extensions’ on, you can edit the file extension as well! Of course, this is not possible for all conversions. But, as mentioned, since M4A and M4R files are pretty much the same, you can do so without damaging the file!

Meaning, you can change M4A to M4R without worrying about it being unusable!

Change M4A to M4R

012. How to Convert M4A to M4R with iTunes

This process was already explained in Part 2, Section 2 of this article. But, since it’s important to provide this perspective we’ll be going through the process again. This time, with the intention of converting an M4A music file to an M4R!

**Step 1: Add File to iTunes Library!

First, add the M4A file to your iTunes library! (You can use the drag-and-drop feature or select ‘Add File’ or ‘Add folder’ under the ‘FILE’ tab).

Add File to iTunes Library

**Step 2: Create to M4R!

Once your M4A audio file has been uploaded, make sure that it’s selected and then select ‘Create Version’ for it (the option can be found under the ‘FILE’ tab > ‘Convert’!)

Create version of M4A

**Step 3: Convert M4A to M4R

Once the version of the file has been created (which comes out as M4A), you can use the method we showed in Section 3, Part 1 of this article to change the M4A to M4R simply by rewriting the file extension name.

Convert M4A to M4R

03How to Convert M4A to M4R Online

For this next part, we’ll be echoing another one of our earlier tutorials! Only, this time, we’ll be focusing on converting M4A to M4R online with an M4R converter online! Specifically, the one we introduced previously — Audio Tool Set!

**Step 1: Online M4R Converter

Audio Tool Set offers an M4A to M4R converter that you can select under the ‘CONVERT AUDIO’ tab!

Audio Tool Set - M4A to M4R Converter

**Step 2: Upload M4A File!

Once you’ve been moved to the free M4A to M4R converter, select the ‘UPLOAD M4A’ option to browse your PC for the M4A file that you want to convert.

Upload M4A file for Conversion

**Step 3: Confirm M4R Conversion Format!

If you’re using the M4A to M4R Converter you can skip this step. But, if not, make sure that you have chosen ‘M4R’ as your desired conversion format!

Confirm M4R as Output Format

**Step 4: Convert M4A to M4R!

With all of that in order, select ‘CONVERT’ to move forward.

Convert M4A to M4R

**Step 5: Download Converted M4R!

Finally, with the conversion done, you can now download the converted file to use as you will! This can be done by selecting the ‘DOWNLOAD’ option!

Download Converted File

04How to Create and How to Open an M4A File?

If you want detailed instructions on how to create an M4A file, please refer to Part 2, Section 2 of this article, or Part 3, Section 2. In both sections, we demonstrated how one can create an M4A file by using the ‘Create Version’ feature that iTunes offers.

In that same vein, if you want to be able to open an M4A file, iTunes is your best bet! Although, it should also be said that some of the more advanced media players (and audio players), like QuickTime or Media Player, can open M4A files as well!

iTunes Software

05Which Other Formats M4A Can Be Converted into and Why?

There are numerous file formats that you can convert M4A into. If you want examples: you can convert M4A to M4R, MP3 to M4A, WAV to M4A, FLAC to M4A, OGG to M4A, WMA to M4A, and so much more! Of course, if you want more advanced M4A conversions, you might want to consider using a more advanced tool. One such M4A converter that we recommend is Filmora Pro!

Wondershare Filmora Video Editor is an all-in-one video editing software that will allow you to convert M4A to M4R (and all sorts of other audio and video file formats) so that you can make use of the file for all your projects! The best part of using a video editor like Filmora, of course, is that once you’ve converted the file, you can use it immediately — there’s no need to wait, you can finish your project right then and there, making it unnecessary for you to go searching for any other solution.

Wondershare Filmora - Best Video Editor for Mac/Windows

Try It Free Try It Free

5,481,435 people have downloaded it.

Build unique custom animations without breaking a sweat.

Focus on creating epic stories and leave the details to Filmora’s auto features.

Start a creative adventure with drag & drop effects and endless possibilities.

Filmora simplifies advanced features to save you time and effort.

Filmora cuts out repetition so you can move on to your next creative breakthrough.

Key Takeaways from This Episode

What’s the point of M4R Converters? Well, it’s most relevant to iOS users! Especially those who are tired of listening to the same boring tones on their phone over and over again!

The M4R file format was created by Apple to differentiate music from ringtones. And, by becoming familiar with the process (which we’ve illustrated in many details in the article above), you can flex your creativity a bit and control just what tones are coming out of your phone!

It’s not all that difficult to create M4Rs either! There are several methods that you can try — online, iTunes, third-party software, and so much more!

And, you can make these ringtones from pretty much any format — whether you’re converting from MP3, MOV, WAV, FLAC, WMA, etc.

Try It Free Try It Free

M4R is an audio file extension that was created by Apple to separate regular songs and audio from ringtones

As for methods of converting from your more general file extension formats to M4R, we’ve prepared a whole guide below — where we’ve outlined some of the more important things that you should know about M4R converters and how to use them.

In this article

01 [Why Convert Mp3 to M4R?](#Part 1)

02 [How to Convert Mp3 to M4R?](#Part 2)

03 [How to Convert M4A to M4R?](#Part 3)

Part 1 Why Convert MP3 to M4R?

Let’s start with a bit of an overview of M4R and M4R Converters first! We touched upon this subject in the introduction, but we thought it would be best to expand on the subject here for better understanding. First, let’s talk about what an M4R converter is usually like. Then, let’s talk about why someone might convert from MP3 to M4R.

01M4R Converter Key Features

Here’s a list of some key features that you should look for in an M4R Converter:

Your average M4R Converter should allow you to convert to M4R from general audio files. That includes the following: MP3, WAV, WMA, AIFF, AMR, FLAC, MKA, WMV, and so much more.

It should also allow you to ‘extract’ audio from videos (whether it is a MPEG-4, MOV, AVI, etc.)

The M4R converter would prove even more useful if it allowed you to trim small segments of audio or video (with exact start and end time) so that you can specify which part should play as a ringtone.

A method of previewing trimmed content prior to conversion would also be helpful so that you won’t have to undergo the process again and again.

Its settings should also be adjustable or the interface intuitive, allowing you to easily choose or discover the output folder, adjust audio bitrate, and so on.

02Best Three Reasons Why Convert MP3 to M4R

There are several reasons why you might want to use an M4R converter to change from MP3 to M4R, these reasons include:

Creating iPhone Ringtone: The main purpose of converting to M4R is, of course, to create iPhone ringtones. This file extension was created by Apple specifically to differentiate between songs and ringtones. And, if you’re a regular iOS user but are not a fan of the basic iOS ringtones, learning how to create M4R files would be beneficial in opening your horizons.

Transfer Ringtones to iPhone: Of course, once the M4R is created for use, it would need to be transferred. This is much easier if it stays in this format!

Making General M4R Audio: Although not as common, some users see the benefit of using M4R audio for other reasons (i.e., content creators sometimes use M4R audio as a sound-effect for videos). Thus, knowing how to convert from MP3 to MP4 usually proves to be useful for them.

Part 2 How to Convert Mp3 to M4R?

Now, let’s start with a more in-depth tutorial on how to actually convert MP3 to M4R! In this case, specifically, we’ll be providing three different examples. Starting with an online solution and then following it up with the general iTunes conversion and the more involved software conversion!

01How to Convert MP3 to M4R Online?

As mentioned, the first M4R Converter on this list is an online one! There are plenty of these kinds of online converter tools available, and they all pretty much work the same way, so the example we’ll be showing below is more of an all-purpose kind of affair. However, just in case you’re curious, the tool we’ll be using for our examples is the Converter from Audio Tool Set!

**Step 1: Visit Online Converter Website!

First! Open the M4R Converter online tool that you want to use! If you want to follow along with our examples, a URL has been provided for you below:

Open M4R Converter

**Step 2: Upload MP3 File

Next, it’s time to upload the MP3 file that you want to convert to M4R!

Usually, all you have to do for this is click the ‘Upload’ button or drag-and-drop the file onto the specified area. But, in some cases, the M4R converter may also allow you to upload via a link or from cloud-based storage (i.e., Dropbox.)

Upload MP3 File for Conversion

**Step 3: Select M4R as Output Format!

Once your MP3 file has been uploaded, select the format that you want it to be converted into. This may have defaulted to M4R or you may be given the chance to choose yourself (as is shown in the image below.)

Select M4R as Output Format

**Step 4: Select Convert!

The next thing you need to do is to simply select the ‘CONVERT’ option to begin processing the change from MP3 to M4R!

Select Convert Option

**Step 5: Download Converter M4R!

Once the conversion is done, you should now have been given the option to download the finished M4R. Click ‘DOWNLOAD’ and you’re done!

Download Converted File

012. How to convert MP3 to M4R on iTunes?

Of course, as an Apple File Extension, it only makes sense that Apple provides its users an easy way to convert general audio to M4R! In this case, we’ll be showing you another method to convert from MP3 to M4R with Apple’s own iTunes! Of course, if you want to follow along with this next example, you’ll have to download and install the software (for Windows users) before proceeding.

**Step 1: Add File or Folder to Library!

Once you have iTunes installed, launch the program and go to ‘File’ > ‘Add File to Library’ or ‘Add Folder to Library’ to upload the MP3 file(s) that you want to convert to M4R!

Add MP3 file(s) to iTunes Library

**Step 2: Select MP3 and Adjust Timing!

Since M4R ringtones are limited to 40 seconds only, you’ll need to adjust timing prior to conversion if you want the ringtone to start and end at a specific time.

This is possible to do by selecting the song from your library and right clicking so you can access the ‘OPTIONS’ tab (shown below)! Under the Options tab, you’ll be able to specify the start and stop time for your chosen MP3!

Click ‘OK’ when done in order to save any changes!

Adjust Ringtone Timing

**Step 3: Convert to Version!

Next, with the MP3 file still selected, go to the ‘FILE’ tab (shown in the image below) and then click ‘CONVERT’ > ‘Create Version’!

Create Version of MP3

**Step 4: Go to the Destination Folder!

After the conversion has been finished, locate the file’s destination folder. You’ll notice that the file extension of the file is .M4A but this is easy enough to change.

Just rename the file extension to .M4R (example shown below) and click ‘YES’ to confirm the change! In this way, you’ve managed to convert MP3 to M4R with iTunes!

Change from M4A to M4R

013. How to Convert MP3 to M4R Online Free with Ringtone Maker?

For this last example of converting MP3 to M4R, we’ve decided to show-off the ringtone maker, Wondershare TunesGo! This program is, of course, more than just a ringtone maker, but the function that we’ll be exploring will be the process of making an iPhone Ringtone from an MP3 file to an M4R (start to finish!)

**Step 1: Launch Program and Connect iPhone to Computer!

First, launch the M4R converter software on your desktop and connect your iPhone to your computer! If you want to use the program that we’re showing off in this example, the URL has been provided below:

Launch Program and Connect iPhone

**Step 2: Select Ringtone Maker

Once the program has been launched, go to the ‘MUSIC’ tab and select “Ringtone Maker” (pointed out in the image below.)

Select ‘Ringtone Maker’ Option

**Step 3: Select Music File!

A secondary window should appear after you select the ‘Ringtone Maker’ option. Here, the first thing you have to do is upload the music file that you want to convert.

For the software that we’re using as an example, you can choose to upload ‘Local Music’ from your computer or ‘Device Music’ from the music that you have stored in your connected iPhone. We’ll be explaining the different methods to select a music file in the three following steps!

Upload Locally or Through Device

**Step 4: Local Upload - Open!

If you select ‘Local Music’ a system window will appear asking you to select the music file that you want to convert to M4R. Do so and click ‘OPEN!’

Browse Music File Locally

**Step 5: Device Music - SELECT!

For the ‘Device Music’ option, another program window will appear. This time, with all the music on your device. You can select the music file you want to convert from here! Click ‘Select’ when done!

Browse Music on Device

**Step 6: TunesGo Library!

For the last method of selecting a music file, all you have to do is select a file from the ‘MUSIC’ tab of TunesGo, right-click on said file, and then select ‘Ringtone Maker’ on the pop-up that appears (shown below).

Software Library Upload

**Step 7: Trim and Save!

Once you’ve chosen the music file you want to convert, you can now:

Trim the file to specify which part of the file you want to convert (40 seconds only for a proper Ringtone!)

Use the ‘Ringtone Audition’ option to preview your trimmed audio.

And, finally, you can save the finished ringtone directly to your PC or Device!

In this way, not only have you managed to convert from MP3 to M4R cleanly, but you can also use it right away on either your PC or iPhone!

Trim Audio and Save

Part 3 How to Convert M4A to M4R?

Another Apple extension file that you might recognize is M4A! This was mentioned briefly in a previous tutorial, but it might be more familiar to others as ‘compressed’ Apple Music. This is what your audio becomes when processed through iTunes. It’s also known as MPEG-4 Audio, and its main purpose is to compress the size of an audio file (compared to MP3) without compromising the quality.

01How to convert M4A to M4R on Windows?

This process was mentioned briefly in Part 2, Section 3 of this article, but we’ll be going through the easiest method of converting M4A to M4R on Windows below! This method is possible only because the formats are pretty much the same. The only difference lies in how they are categorized.

**Step 1: View File Extensions!

The first step to convert M4A to M4R is to open the folder in which your M4A audio is stored. There, make sure that you have ‘File Name Extensions’ selected under the ‘VIEW’ tab (pointed out in the image below).

This will allow you to view and edit the file extension of a given file.

View File Extensions on Windows

**Step 2: Rename M4A to M4R!

Next, select the M4A that you want to convert and right-click so that you can choose the ‘Rename’ option on the pop-up that appears.

Rename M4A to M4R

**Step 3: Change M4A to M4R

With ‘File Name Extensions’ on, you can edit the file extension as well! Of course, this is not possible for all conversions. But, as mentioned, since M4A and M4R files are pretty much the same, you can do so without damaging the file!

Meaning, you can change M4A to M4R without worrying about it being unusable!

Change M4A to M4R

012. How to Convert M4A to M4R with iTunes

This process was already explained in Part 2, Section 2 of this article. But, since it’s important to provide this perspective we’ll be going through the process again. This time, with the intention of converting an M4A music file to an M4R!

**Step 1: Add File to iTunes Library!

First, add the M4A file to your iTunes library! (You can use the drag-and-drop feature or select ‘Add File’ or ‘Add folder’ under the ‘FILE’ tab).

Add File to iTunes Library

**Step 2: Create to M4R!

Once your M4A audio file has been uploaded, make sure that it’s selected and then select ‘Create Version’ for it (the option can be found under the ‘FILE’ tab > ‘Convert’!)

Create version of M4A

**Step 3: Convert M4A to M4R

Once the version of the file has been created (which comes out as M4A), you can use the method we showed in Section 3, Part 1 of this article to change the M4A to M4R simply by rewriting the file extension name.

Convert M4A to M4R

03How to Convert M4A to M4R Online

For this next part, we’ll be echoing another one of our earlier tutorials! Only, this time, we’ll be focusing on converting M4A to M4R online with an M4R converter online! Specifically, the one we introduced previously — Audio Tool Set!

**Step 1: Online M4R Converter

Audio Tool Set offers an M4A to M4R converter that you can select under the ‘CONVERT AUDIO’ tab!

Audio Tool Set - M4A to M4R Converter

**Step 2: Upload M4A File!

Once you’ve been moved to the free M4A to M4R converter, select the ‘UPLOAD M4A’ option to browse your PC for the M4A file that you want to convert.

Upload M4A file for Conversion

**Step 3: Confirm M4R Conversion Format!

If you’re using the M4A to M4R Converter you can skip this step. But, if not, make sure that you have chosen ‘M4R’ as your desired conversion format!

Confirm M4R as Output Format

**Step 4: Convert M4A to M4R!

With all of that in order, select ‘CONVERT’ to move forward.

Convert M4A to M4R

**Step 5: Download Converted M4R!

Finally, with the conversion done, you can now download the converted file to use as you will! This can be done by selecting the ‘DOWNLOAD’ option!

Download Converted File

04How to Create and How to Open an M4A File?

If you want detailed instructions on how to create an M4A file, please refer to Part 2, Section 2 of this article, or Part 3, Section 2. In both sections, we demonstrated how one can create an M4A file by using the ‘Create Version’ feature that iTunes offers.

In that same vein, if you want to be able to open an M4A file, iTunes is your best bet! Although, it should also be said that some of the more advanced media players (and audio players), like QuickTime or Media Player, can open M4A files as well!

iTunes Software

05Which Other Formats M4A Can Be Converted into and Why?

There are numerous file formats that you can convert M4A into. If you want examples: you can convert M4A to M4R, MP3 to M4A, WAV to M4A, FLAC to M4A, OGG to M4A, WMA to M4A, and so much more! Of course, if you want more advanced M4A conversions, you might want to consider using a more advanced tool. One such M4A converter that we recommend is Filmora Pro!

Wondershare Filmora Video Editor is an all-in-one video editing software that will allow you to convert M4A to M4R (and all sorts of other audio and video file formats) so that you can make use of the file for all your projects! The best part of using a video editor like Filmora, of course, is that once you’ve converted the file, you can use it immediately — there’s no need to wait, you can finish your project right then and there, making it unnecessary for you to go searching for any other solution.

Wondershare Filmora - Best Video Editor for Mac/Windows

Try It Free Try It Free

5,481,435 people have downloaded it.

Build unique custom animations without breaking a sweat.

Focus on creating epic stories and leave the details to Filmora’s auto features.

Start a creative adventure with drag & drop effects and endless possibilities.

Filmora simplifies advanced features to save you time and effort.

Filmora cuts out repetition so you can move on to your next creative breakthrough.

Key Takeaways from This Episode

What’s the point of M4R Converters? Well, it’s most relevant to iOS users! Especially those who are tired of listening to the same boring tones on their phone over and over again!

The M4R file format was created by Apple to differentiate music from ringtones. And, by becoming familiar with the process (which we’ve illustrated in many details in the article above), you can flex your creativity a bit and control just what tones are coming out of your phone!

It’s not all that difficult to create M4Rs either! There are several methods that you can try — online, iTunes, third-party software, and so much more!

And, you can make these ringtones from pretty much any format — whether you’re converting from MP3, MOV, WAV, FLAC, WMA, etc.

Chroma Keying in FCP X: Tips, Tricks, and Best Practices

FCP X: Create a Chroma-Key (Green-screen) Effect

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Chroma-key (also called “green screen”) effects are a staple in video production. What FCP X effect does is allow you to make the background behind an actor transparent so you can place the actor into a different environment than a studio.


This is a basic tutorial about Apple Final Cut Pro X, professional video editing software. However, if video editing is new to you, consider Wondershare Filmora for Mac . This is a powerful but easy-to-use tool for users just starting out. Download the free trial version below.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )


Getting Started

First, the best thing you can do to improve the quality of your keys is to improve how you shoot them. Here are seven basic production rules:

  • Actors should be at least 10 feet in front of the green screen. This avoids light from the background “spilling” around their body or shoulders.
  • In general, don’t cast shadows on the green screen. Be very careful shooting feet.
  • The green background should be as smooth as possible. Paint is always better than fabric; avoid wrinkles and folds.
  • The green background should be lit smoothly, both from side to side and top to bottom. I try to have the green background display between 40-50% level on the waveform monitor.
  • There is NO relationship between how the background is lit and how your actors are lit. This article will illustrate that.
  • Light your background for smoothness. Light your actors for drama.
  • Don’t worry about having the green background fill the frame. It only needs to completely surround the edges of your actors. Garbage mattes are used to get rid of junk around the edges.

Setting up the Key

fx chroma 01

The green screen image is always placed above the background. You can place either the green screen or background image into the Primary Storyline. I find it easier to put the background in the Primary Storyline, because it makes editing the green screen image easier. But this is purely personal choice.

Step 1: Select the green screen clip

From the Effects Browser > Keying category, double-click the Keyer effect, which applies it to the selected clip. (You can also drag the effect on top of the clip, if you forgot to select the green-screen clip first.)

fx chroma 02

Don’t panic if your image looks weird – we will fix it.

fx chroma 03

Click the Sample Color icon. This allows fine-tuning the selection of the background color.

fx chroma 04

In the green-screen image, drag to select a representative section of the background. I try to get close to the face, but not so close that I accidentally select loose hair or skin.

Your key should look better immediately. Most of the time, you can probably stop here. But there are three other adjustments that can make your key look even better:

  • Cleaning up the matte
  • Edge adjustments
  • Light wrap

fx chroma 06

Click the Matte button to display your key as a white foreground on a black background.

fx chroma 07

Your goal is the make the foreground solid white, which means opaque, and the background solid black, which means transparent. Adjust the Fill Holes and Edge Distance sliders until your key looks solid. (For REALLY bad keys, you’ll need to also adjust Color Selection, mentioned below.)

fx chroma 05

If an edge is too pronounced, or needs help, click the Edges icon.

fx chroma 09

Step 2: Tweaks Video

Then, click and drag a line from the foreground to the background in the Canvas. Drag the midpoint slider (where my cursor is) until the edge looks the best it can. Different video formats make this easy (ProRes), while others (HDV, avchd) make this much harder. Perfection is impossible – do the best you can.

fx chroma 09a

Final Cut provides four additional tweaks at the bottom of the keyer filter:

  • Color Selection
  • Matte Tools
  • Spill Suppression
  • Light Wrap

The first three are designed to clean up poorly shot keys – read the FCP X Help files to learn how these work. (I used the Color Selection tools to clean up the very dark key I use an example later in this article.)

Light wrap, though, is aesthetic. What it does is blend colors from the background into the edges of the foreground, to make the entire key look more “organic,” as if the foreground and background were actually in the same space.

This is a subtle effect, but very cool.

fx chroma 10

Twirl down Light Wrap and adjust the Amount slider and watch what happens. Drag the other sliders around and see what happens. The nice thing about this setting is that when it looks good to you, it is good. The amount of the effect is totally up to you. Remember, Light Wrap only affects the edges of the foreground and should be used subtly.

fx chroma 11

When you are done, you have a great looking key!

Clean up the Image with a Garbage Mask

fx chroma 12

Sometimes, however, you don’t have, ah, perhaps, the best green-screen image to work with. Here, for example, there are lighting instruments in the foreground, with a very inadequately lit green screen in the background. (Sigh… this is just pitiful.)

Once you pull the key – which is film-speak for creating a green-screen shot, as I described above – and get it looking as good as possible, there’s one more step: adding a garbage matte to get rid of all the garbage surrounding your actors.

fx chroma 13

Once you get your key looking as good as you can – which in this case isn’t all that good – drag the Mask effect (Effects > Keying > Mask) on top of the green-screen clip.

NOTE: The Mask effect should always be added after the Keying effect, so that the Mask is below the Keyer in the Inspector.

fx chroma 14

Then, drag each of the four circles to create a shape such that your foreground image is contained inside it, and everything you want to exclude is outside. Here, for instance, we removed the light stand, the edge of the green background and the tearing at the top of the image. I’ve found this Mask effect works best when applied to a connected clip.

However, the big limitation of the Mask effect is that you only have four points to work with. That’s where a free effect comes in, which allows you to create far more flexible shapes with it. It’s written by Alex Gollner and is available on his website – alex4d.wordpress.com/fcpx/ – I recommend his effects highly.

How to Create a Chroma-Key in easier ways?

Chroma-key, or green screen, is an essential part of every editor to make all kinds of effects. Is there any way to make this sophisticated procedure easier way? Yes, try Filmora.

In version 10.5 for Mac, Filmora added a new feature: AI portrait. It allows you to do a green screen effect with just one click.

By adopting AI portrait, you can add those stunning effects in simple steps: How to Remove or Change Video Background in One Step?

Or: How to Add a Shake Effect to your Videos?

Conclusion

The chroma-key filter in FCP X allows us to create some amazing effects. If you want to use green screen effects more easily, here is Filmora for you. You can appaly Chroma-Key effects with just a few click. Have fun playing with it.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Chroma-key (also called “green screen”) effects are a staple in video production. What FCP X effect does is allow you to make the background behind an actor transparent so you can place the actor into a different environment than a studio.


This is a basic tutorial about Apple Final Cut Pro X, professional video editing software. However, if video editing is new to you, consider Wondershare Filmora for Mac . This is a powerful but easy-to-use tool for users just starting out. Download the free trial version below.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )


Getting Started

First, the best thing you can do to improve the quality of your keys is to improve how you shoot them. Here are seven basic production rules:

  • Actors should be at least 10 feet in front of the green screen. This avoids light from the background “spilling” around their body or shoulders.
  • In general, don’t cast shadows on the green screen. Be very careful shooting feet.
  • The green background should be as smooth as possible. Paint is always better than fabric; avoid wrinkles and folds.
  • The green background should be lit smoothly, both from side to side and top to bottom. I try to have the green background display between 40-50% level on the waveform monitor.
  • There is NO relationship between how the background is lit and how your actors are lit. This article will illustrate that.
  • Light your background for smoothness. Light your actors for drama.
  • Don’t worry about having the green background fill the frame. It only needs to completely surround the edges of your actors. Garbage mattes are used to get rid of junk around the edges.

Setting up the Key

fx chroma 01

The green screen image is always placed above the background. You can place either the green screen or background image into the Primary Storyline. I find it easier to put the background in the Primary Storyline, because it makes editing the green screen image easier. But this is purely personal choice.

Step 1: Select the green screen clip

From the Effects Browser > Keying category, double-click the Keyer effect, which applies it to the selected clip. (You can also drag the effect on top of the clip, if you forgot to select the green-screen clip first.)

fx chroma 02

Don’t panic if your image looks weird – we will fix it.

fx chroma 03

Click the Sample Color icon. This allows fine-tuning the selection of the background color.

fx chroma 04

In the green-screen image, drag to select a representative section of the background. I try to get close to the face, but not so close that I accidentally select loose hair or skin.

Your key should look better immediately. Most of the time, you can probably stop here. But there are three other adjustments that can make your key look even better:

  • Cleaning up the matte
  • Edge adjustments
  • Light wrap

fx chroma 06

Click the Matte button to display your key as a white foreground on a black background.

fx chroma 07

Your goal is the make the foreground solid white, which means opaque, and the background solid black, which means transparent. Adjust the Fill Holes and Edge Distance sliders until your key looks solid. (For REALLY bad keys, you’ll need to also adjust Color Selection, mentioned below.)

fx chroma 05

If an edge is too pronounced, or needs help, click the Edges icon.

fx chroma 09

Step 2: Tweaks Video

Then, click and drag a line from the foreground to the background in the Canvas. Drag the midpoint slider (where my cursor is) until the edge looks the best it can. Different video formats make this easy (ProRes), while others (HDV, avchd) make this much harder. Perfection is impossible – do the best you can.

fx chroma 09a

Final Cut provides four additional tweaks at the bottom of the keyer filter:

  • Color Selection
  • Matte Tools
  • Spill Suppression
  • Light Wrap

The first three are designed to clean up poorly shot keys – read the FCP X Help files to learn how these work. (I used the Color Selection tools to clean up the very dark key I use an example later in this article.)

Light wrap, though, is aesthetic. What it does is blend colors from the background into the edges of the foreground, to make the entire key look more “organic,” as if the foreground and background were actually in the same space.

This is a subtle effect, but very cool.

fx chroma 10

Twirl down Light Wrap and adjust the Amount slider and watch what happens. Drag the other sliders around and see what happens. The nice thing about this setting is that when it looks good to you, it is good. The amount of the effect is totally up to you. Remember, Light Wrap only affects the edges of the foreground and should be used subtly.

fx chroma 11

When you are done, you have a great looking key!

Clean up the Image with a Garbage Mask

fx chroma 12

Sometimes, however, you don’t have, ah, perhaps, the best green-screen image to work with. Here, for example, there are lighting instruments in the foreground, with a very inadequately lit green screen in the background. (Sigh… this is just pitiful.)

Once you pull the key – which is film-speak for creating a green-screen shot, as I described above – and get it looking as good as possible, there’s one more step: adding a garbage matte to get rid of all the garbage surrounding your actors.

fx chroma 13

Once you get your key looking as good as you can – which in this case isn’t all that good – drag the Mask effect (Effects > Keying > Mask) on top of the green-screen clip.

NOTE: The Mask effect should always be added after the Keying effect, so that the Mask is below the Keyer in the Inspector.

fx chroma 14

Then, drag each of the four circles to create a shape such that your foreground image is contained inside it, and everything you want to exclude is outside. Here, for instance, we removed the light stand, the edge of the green background and the tearing at the top of the image. I’ve found this Mask effect works best when applied to a connected clip.

However, the big limitation of the Mask effect is that you only have four points to work with. That’s where a free effect comes in, which allows you to create far more flexible shapes with it. It’s written by Alex Gollner and is available on his website – alex4d.wordpress.com/fcpx/ – I recommend his effects highly.

How to Create a Chroma-Key in easier ways?

Chroma-key, or green screen, is an essential part of every editor to make all kinds of effects. Is there any way to make this sophisticated procedure easier way? Yes, try Filmora.

In version 10.5 for Mac, Filmora added a new feature: AI portrait. It allows you to do a green screen effect with just one click.

By adopting AI portrait, you can add those stunning effects in simple steps: How to Remove or Change Video Background in One Step?

Or: How to Add a Shake Effect to your Videos?

Conclusion

The chroma-key filter in FCP X allows us to create some amazing effects. If you want to use green screen effects more easily, here is Filmora for you. You can appaly Chroma-Key effects with just a few click. Have fun playing with it.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Chroma-key (also called “green screen”) effects are a staple in video production. What FCP X effect does is allow you to make the background behind an actor transparent so you can place the actor into a different environment than a studio.


This is a basic tutorial about Apple Final Cut Pro X, professional video editing software. However, if video editing is new to you, consider Wondershare Filmora for Mac . This is a powerful but easy-to-use tool for users just starting out. Download the free trial version below.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )


Getting Started

First, the best thing you can do to improve the quality of your keys is to improve how you shoot them. Here are seven basic production rules:

  • Actors should be at least 10 feet in front of the green screen. This avoids light from the background “spilling” around their body or shoulders.
  • In general, don’t cast shadows on the green screen. Be very careful shooting feet.
  • The green background should be as smooth as possible. Paint is always better than fabric; avoid wrinkles and folds.
  • The green background should be lit smoothly, both from side to side and top to bottom. I try to have the green background display between 40-50% level on the waveform monitor.
  • There is NO relationship between how the background is lit and how your actors are lit. This article will illustrate that.
  • Light your background for smoothness. Light your actors for drama.
  • Don’t worry about having the green background fill the frame. It only needs to completely surround the edges of your actors. Garbage mattes are used to get rid of junk around the edges.

Setting up the Key

fx chroma 01

The green screen image is always placed above the background. You can place either the green screen or background image into the Primary Storyline. I find it easier to put the background in the Primary Storyline, because it makes editing the green screen image easier. But this is purely personal choice.

Step 1: Select the green screen clip

From the Effects Browser > Keying category, double-click the Keyer effect, which applies it to the selected clip. (You can also drag the effect on top of the clip, if you forgot to select the green-screen clip first.)

fx chroma 02

Don’t panic if your image looks weird – we will fix it.

fx chroma 03

Click the Sample Color icon. This allows fine-tuning the selection of the background color.

fx chroma 04

In the green-screen image, drag to select a representative section of the background. I try to get close to the face, but not so close that I accidentally select loose hair or skin.

Your key should look better immediately. Most of the time, you can probably stop here. But there are three other adjustments that can make your key look even better:

  • Cleaning up the matte
  • Edge adjustments
  • Light wrap

fx chroma 06

Click the Matte button to display your key as a white foreground on a black background.

fx chroma 07

Your goal is the make the foreground solid white, which means opaque, and the background solid black, which means transparent. Adjust the Fill Holes and Edge Distance sliders until your key looks solid. (For REALLY bad keys, you’ll need to also adjust Color Selection, mentioned below.)

fx chroma 05

If an edge is too pronounced, or needs help, click the Edges icon.

fx chroma 09

Step 2: Tweaks Video

Then, click and drag a line from the foreground to the background in the Canvas. Drag the midpoint slider (where my cursor is) until the edge looks the best it can. Different video formats make this easy (ProRes), while others (HDV, avchd) make this much harder. Perfection is impossible – do the best you can.

fx chroma 09a

Final Cut provides four additional tweaks at the bottom of the keyer filter:

  • Color Selection
  • Matte Tools
  • Spill Suppression
  • Light Wrap

The first three are designed to clean up poorly shot keys – read the FCP X Help files to learn how these work. (I used the Color Selection tools to clean up the very dark key I use an example later in this article.)

Light wrap, though, is aesthetic. What it does is blend colors from the background into the edges of the foreground, to make the entire key look more “organic,” as if the foreground and background were actually in the same space.

This is a subtle effect, but very cool.

fx chroma 10

Twirl down Light Wrap and adjust the Amount slider and watch what happens. Drag the other sliders around and see what happens. The nice thing about this setting is that when it looks good to you, it is good. The amount of the effect is totally up to you. Remember, Light Wrap only affects the edges of the foreground and should be used subtly.

fx chroma 11

When you are done, you have a great looking key!

Clean up the Image with a Garbage Mask

fx chroma 12

Sometimes, however, you don’t have, ah, perhaps, the best green-screen image to work with. Here, for example, there are lighting instruments in the foreground, with a very inadequately lit green screen in the background. (Sigh… this is just pitiful.)

Once you pull the key – which is film-speak for creating a green-screen shot, as I described above – and get it looking as good as possible, there’s one more step: adding a garbage matte to get rid of all the garbage surrounding your actors.

fx chroma 13

Once you get your key looking as good as you can – which in this case isn’t all that good – drag the Mask effect (Effects > Keying > Mask) on top of the green-screen clip.

NOTE: The Mask effect should always be added after the Keying effect, so that the Mask is below the Keyer in the Inspector.

fx chroma 14

Then, drag each of the four circles to create a shape such that your foreground image is contained inside it, and everything you want to exclude is outside. Here, for instance, we removed the light stand, the edge of the green background and the tearing at the top of the image. I’ve found this Mask effect works best when applied to a connected clip.

However, the big limitation of the Mask effect is that you only have four points to work with. That’s where a free effect comes in, which allows you to create far more flexible shapes with it. It’s written by Alex Gollner and is available on his website – alex4d.wordpress.com/fcpx/ – I recommend his effects highly.

How to Create a Chroma-Key in easier ways?

Chroma-key, or green screen, is an essential part of every editor to make all kinds of effects. Is there any way to make this sophisticated procedure easier way? Yes, try Filmora.

In version 10.5 for Mac, Filmora added a new feature: AI portrait. It allows you to do a green screen effect with just one click.

By adopting AI portrait, you can add those stunning effects in simple steps: How to Remove or Change Video Background in One Step?

Or: How to Add a Shake Effect to your Videos?

Conclusion

The chroma-key filter in FCP X allows us to create some amazing effects. If you want to use green screen effects more easily, here is Filmora for you. You can appaly Chroma-Key effects with just a few click. Have fun playing with it.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Chroma-key (also called “green screen”) effects are a staple in video production. What FCP X effect does is allow you to make the background behind an actor transparent so you can place the actor into a different environment than a studio.


This is a basic tutorial about Apple Final Cut Pro X, professional video editing software. However, if video editing is new to you, consider Wondershare Filmora for Mac . This is a powerful but easy-to-use tool for users just starting out. Download the free trial version below.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )


Getting Started

First, the best thing you can do to improve the quality of your keys is to improve how you shoot them. Here are seven basic production rules:

  • Actors should be at least 10 feet in front of the green screen. This avoids light from the background “spilling” around their body or shoulders.
  • In general, don’t cast shadows on the green screen. Be very careful shooting feet.
  • The green background should be as smooth as possible. Paint is always better than fabric; avoid wrinkles and folds.
  • The green background should be lit smoothly, both from side to side and top to bottom. I try to have the green background display between 40-50% level on the waveform monitor.
  • There is NO relationship between how the background is lit and how your actors are lit. This article will illustrate that.
  • Light your background for smoothness. Light your actors for drama.
  • Don’t worry about having the green background fill the frame. It only needs to completely surround the edges of your actors. Garbage mattes are used to get rid of junk around the edges.

Setting up the Key

fx chroma 01

The green screen image is always placed above the background. You can place either the green screen or background image into the Primary Storyline. I find it easier to put the background in the Primary Storyline, because it makes editing the green screen image easier. But this is purely personal choice.

Step 1: Select the green screen clip

From the Effects Browser > Keying category, double-click the Keyer effect, which applies it to the selected clip. (You can also drag the effect on top of the clip, if you forgot to select the green-screen clip first.)

fx chroma 02

Don’t panic if your image looks weird – we will fix it.

fx chroma 03

Click the Sample Color icon. This allows fine-tuning the selection of the background color.

fx chroma 04

In the green-screen image, drag to select a representative section of the background. I try to get close to the face, but not so close that I accidentally select loose hair or skin.

Your key should look better immediately. Most of the time, you can probably stop here. But there are three other adjustments that can make your key look even better:

  • Cleaning up the matte
  • Edge adjustments
  • Light wrap

fx chroma 06

Click the Matte button to display your key as a white foreground on a black background.

fx chroma 07

Your goal is the make the foreground solid white, which means opaque, and the background solid black, which means transparent. Adjust the Fill Holes and Edge Distance sliders until your key looks solid. (For REALLY bad keys, you’ll need to also adjust Color Selection, mentioned below.)

fx chroma 05

If an edge is too pronounced, or needs help, click the Edges icon.

fx chroma 09

Step 2: Tweaks Video

Then, click and drag a line from the foreground to the background in the Canvas. Drag the midpoint slider (where my cursor is) until the edge looks the best it can. Different video formats make this easy (ProRes), while others (HDV, avchd) make this much harder. Perfection is impossible – do the best you can.

fx chroma 09a

Final Cut provides four additional tweaks at the bottom of the keyer filter:

  • Color Selection
  • Matte Tools
  • Spill Suppression
  • Light Wrap

The first three are designed to clean up poorly shot keys – read the FCP X Help files to learn how these work. (I used the Color Selection tools to clean up the very dark key I use an example later in this article.)

Light wrap, though, is aesthetic. What it does is blend colors from the background into the edges of the foreground, to make the entire key look more “organic,” as if the foreground and background were actually in the same space.

This is a subtle effect, but very cool.

fx chroma 10

Twirl down Light Wrap and adjust the Amount slider and watch what happens. Drag the other sliders around and see what happens. The nice thing about this setting is that when it looks good to you, it is good. The amount of the effect is totally up to you. Remember, Light Wrap only affects the edges of the foreground and should be used subtly.

fx chroma 11

When you are done, you have a great looking key!

Clean up the Image with a Garbage Mask

fx chroma 12

Sometimes, however, you don’t have, ah, perhaps, the best green-screen image to work with. Here, for example, there are lighting instruments in the foreground, with a very inadequately lit green screen in the background. (Sigh… this is just pitiful.)

Once you pull the key – which is film-speak for creating a green-screen shot, as I described above – and get it looking as good as possible, there’s one more step: adding a garbage matte to get rid of all the garbage surrounding your actors.

fx chroma 13

Once you get your key looking as good as you can – which in this case isn’t all that good – drag the Mask effect (Effects > Keying > Mask) on top of the green-screen clip.

NOTE: The Mask effect should always be added after the Keying effect, so that the Mask is below the Keyer in the Inspector.

fx chroma 14

Then, drag each of the four circles to create a shape such that your foreground image is contained inside it, and everything you want to exclude is outside. Here, for instance, we removed the light stand, the edge of the green background and the tearing at the top of the image. I’ve found this Mask effect works best when applied to a connected clip.

However, the big limitation of the Mask effect is that you only have four points to work with. That’s where a free effect comes in, which allows you to create far more flexible shapes with it. It’s written by Alex Gollner and is available on his website – alex4d.wordpress.com/fcpx/ – I recommend his effects highly.

How to Create a Chroma-Key in easier ways?

Chroma-key, or green screen, is an essential part of every editor to make all kinds of effects. Is there any way to make this sophisticated procedure easier way? Yes, try Filmora.

In version 10.5 for Mac, Filmora added a new feature: AI portrait. It allows you to do a green screen effect with just one click.

By adopting AI portrait, you can add those stunning effects in simple steps: How to Remove or Change Video Background in One Step?

Or: How to Add a Shake Effect to your Videos?

Conclusion

The chroma-key filter in FCP X allows us to create some amazing effects. If you want to use green screen effects more easily, here is Filmora for you. You can appaly Chroma-Key effects with just a few click. Have fun playing with it.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Edition: The Ultimate Guide to Final Cut Pro X Keyboard Shortcuts (40 Must-Knows)

Top 40 Keyboard Shortcuts for Final Cut Pro X

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

I confess I’m a keyboard shortcut junkie. Anything I can do to help me edit faster is a good thing, and nothing says “speed” like keyboard shortcuts. There are well over 600 menu options in FCP X, with hundreds of keyboard shortcuts. But, which ones are the best?

In this article, I share my Top 40 keyboard shortcuts. I use these beauties every day to help me get my projects done faster. Now, you can use them, too. Even better, I’ve categorized them to make them easier to find. Haven’t got FCPX yet? Get your 90-day free trial here.

(And, for those who take the time to count, you’ll discover this list actually includes 53 keyboard shortcuts. But using “Top 40” in the title seemed so much sexier than “Top 53.”)


Operations

Option + N Create a new Event
Cmd + N Create a new Project
Shift + Cmd + D Create a Project Snapshot
Cmd + [plus] Zoom into Timeline or image
Cmd + [ minus ] Zoom out of Timeline or image
Shift + Z Size the Timeline or image to fit in the window
Control + Cmd + 1 Toggle Library and Browser display on or off
Control + Cmd + 3 Toggle Event Viewer open/closed
J - K - L Reverse - Stop - Play the playhead (Tap multiple times to change speed)
S Toggle skimming on or off
N Toggle snapping on or off
V Toggle clip visibility on or off
Control + Y Toggle skimmer info display on/off in Browser
Cmd + 4 Toggle Inspector open/closed
Cmd + 5 Toggle Effects Browser open/closed
Cmd + 6 Toggle Color Board open/closed
Cmd + 7 Toggle video scope display on/off

Editing

I Set the In at the position of the skimmer/playhead
Shift + I Jump the playhead to the In
Option + I Delete the In
O Set the Out at the position of the skimmer/playhead
Shift + O Jump the playhead to the Out
Option + O Delete the Out
Option + X Delete both the In and the Out
M Add a marker
Option + M Add a marker and open the edit marker dialog
E Perform an Append edit
W Perform an Insert edit
D Perform an Overwrite edit
Q Perform a Connected edit
Shift + G Create a connected storyline
Shift + 1 Edit video and audio to the Timeline
Shift + 2 Edit video-only to the Timeline
Shift + 3 Edit audio-only to the Timeline
Option + W Insert a gap at the position of the skimmer/playhead
Control + S Expand/collapse audio from synced video
Option + Control + S Expand/collapse audio components (multitrack audio)
Shift + Cmd + F Play project full screen (ESC to return)
Shift + ? Play a few seconds before and after the skimmer/playhead position

Trimming

A Select the Arrow (selection) tool
T Select the Trim tool
P Select the Position tool
B Select the Blade tool
R Select the Range tool
Shift + X Jump the selected edit point to the position of the skimmer/playhead
[ comma ] / [ period ] Move the selected clip or edit point one frame left/right
Shift + [ comma ] / Shift + [ period ] Move selected clip or edit point ten frames left/right

Other cool shortcuts

Cmd + T Add cross-dissolve
Control + T Add default full-screen title
Shift + Control + T Add default lower-third title
Cmd + E Export master file of project

FAQ

  • What to do when the shortcuts in FCPX not working?

Change your input source of keyboard set to US should fix the problem.

  • How to modify shortcuts in FCPX?

There are two ways to open the modifying menu: choose Final Cut Pro > Commands > Customize, or press Option-Command-K. Then, change the shortcuts and save.

See more FCPX editing tips here .

Above are the top useful shortcuts that I used most when editing videos in Final Cut Pro. If you want to edit videos in a much easier way and get some Hollywood film looking at the same time, you can try Wondershare Filmora . Check the video to see how to edit videos with Filmora.

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

I confess I’m a keyboard shortcut junkie. Anything I can do to help me edit faster is a good thing, and nothing says “speed” like keyboard shortcuts. There are well over 600 menu options in FCP X, with hundreds of keyboard shortcuts. But, which ones are the best?

In this article, I share my Top 40 keyboard shortcuts. I use these beauties every day to help me get my projects done faster. Now, you can use them, too. Even better, I’ve categorized them to make them easier to find. Haven’t got FCPX yet? Get your 90-day free trial here.

(And, for those who take the time to count, you’ll discover this list actually includes 53 keyboard shortcuts. But using “Top 40” in the title seemed so much sexier than “Top 53.”)


Operations

Option + N Create a new Event
Cmd + N Create a new Project
Shift + Cmd + D Create a Project Snapshot
Cmd + [plus] Zoom into Timeline or image
Cmd + [ minus ] Zoom out of Timeline or image
Shift + Z Size the Timeline or image to fit in the window
Control + Cmd + 1 Toggle Library and Browser display on or off
Control + Cmd + 3 Toggle Event Viewer open/closed
J - K - L Reverse - Stop - Play the playhead (Tap multiple times to change speed)
S Toggle skimming on or off
N Toggle snapping on or off
V Toggle clip visibility on or off
Control + Y Toggle skimmer info display on/off in Browser
Cmd + 4 Toggle Inspector open/closed
Cmd + 5 Toggle Effects Browser open/closed
Cmd + 6 Toggle Color Board open/closed
Cmd + 7 Toggle video scope display on/off

Editing

I Set the In at the position of the skimmer/playhead
Shift + I Jump the playhead to the In
Option + I Delete the In
O Set the Out at the position of the skimmer/playhead
Shift + O Jump the playhead to the Out
Option + O Delete the Out
Option + X Delete both the In and the Out
M Add a marker
Option + M Add a marker and open the edit marker dialog
E Perform an Append edit
W Perform an Insert edit
D Perform an Overwrite edit
Q Perform a Connected edit
Shift + G Create a connected storyline
Shift + 1 Edit video and audio to the Timeline
Shift + 2 Edit video-only to the Timeline
Shift + 3 Edit audio-only to the Timeline
Option + W Insert a gap at the position of the skimmer/playhead
Control + S Expand/collapse audio from synced video
Option + Control + S Expand/collapse audio components (multitrack audio)
Shift + Cmd + F Play project full screen (ESC to return)
Shift + ? Play a few seconds before and after the skimmer/playhead position

Trimming

A Select the Arrow (selection) tool
T Select the Trim tool
P Select the Position tool
B Select the Blade tool
R Select the Range tool
Shift + X Jump the selected edit point to the position of the skimmer/playhead
[ comma ] / [ period ] Move the selected clip or edit point one frame left/right
Shift + [ comma ] / Shift + [ period ] Move selected clip or edit point ten frames left/right

Other cool shortcuts

Cmd + T Add cross-dissolve
Control + T Add default full-screen title
Shift + Control + T Add default lower-third title
Cmd + E Export master file of project

FAQ

  • What to do when the shortcuts in FCPX not working?

Change your input source of keyboard set to US should fix the problem.

  • How to modify shortcuts in FCPX?

There are two ways to open the modifying menu: choose Final Cut Pro > Commands > Customize, or press Option-Command-K. Then, change the shortcuts and save.

See more FCPX editing tips here .

Above are the top useful shortcuts that I used most when editing videos in Final Cut Pro. If you want to edit videos in a much easier way and get some Hollywood film looking at the same time, you can try Wondershare Filmora . Check the video to see how to edit videos with Filmora.

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

I confess I’m a keyboard shortcut junkie. Anything I can do to help me edit faster is a good thing, and nothing says “speed” like keyboard shortcuts. There are well over 600 menu options in FCP X, with hundreds of keyboard shortcuts. But, which ones are the best?

In this article, I share my Top 40 keyboard shortcuts. I use these beauties every day to help me get my projects done faster. Now, you can use them, too. Even better, I’ve categorized them to make them easier to find. Haven’t got FCPX yet? Get your 90-day free trial here.

(And, for those who take the time to count, you’ll discover this list actually includes 53 keyboard shortcuts. But using “Top 40” in the title seemed so much sexier than “Top 53.”)


Operations

Option + N Create a new Event
Cmd + N Create a new Project
Shift + Cmd + D Create a Project Snapshot
Cmd + [plus] Zoom into Timeline or image
Cmd + [ minus ] Zoom out of Timeline or image
Shift + Z Size the Timeline or image to fit in the window
Control + Cmd + 1 Toggle Library and Browser display on or off
Control + Cmd + 3 Toggle Event Viewer open/closed
J - K - L Reverse - Stop - Play the playhead (Tap multiple times to change speed)
S Toggle skimming on or off
N Toggle snapping on or off
V Toggle clip visibility on or off
Control + Y Toggle skimmer info display on/off in Browser
Cmd + 4 Toggle Inspector open/closed
Cmd + 5 Toggle Effects Browser open/closed
Cmd + 6 Toggle Color Board open/closed
Cmd + 7 Toggle video scope display on/off

Editing

I Set the In at the position of the skimmer/playhead
Shift + I Jump the playhead to the In
Option + I Delete the In
O Set the Out at the position of the skimmer/playhead
Shift + O Jump the playhead to the Out
Option + O Delete the Out
Option + X Delete both the In and the Out
M Add a marker
Option + M Add a marker and open the edit marker dialog
E Perform an Append edit
W Perform an Insert edit
D Perform an Overwrite edit
Q Perform a Connected edit
Shift + G Create a connected storyline
Shift + 1 Edit video and audio to the Timeline
Shift + 2 Edit video-only to the Timeline
Shift + 3 Edit audio-only to the Timeline
Option + W Insert a gap at the position of the skimmer/playhead
Control + S Expand/collapse audio from synced video
Option + Control + S Expand/collapse audio components (multitrack audio)
Shift + Cmd + F Play project full screen (ESC to return)
Shift + ? Play a few seconds before and after the skimmer/playhead position

Trimming

A Select the Arrow (selection) tool
T Select the Trim tool
P Select the Position tool
B Select the Blade tool
R Select the Range tool
Shift + X Jump the selected edit point to the position of the skimmer/playhead
[ comma ] / [ period ] Move the selected clip or edit point one frame left/right
Shift + [ comma ] / Shift + [ period ] Move selected clip or edit point ten frames left/right

Other cool shortcuts

Cmd + T Add cross-dissolve
Control + T Add default full-screen title
Shift + Control + T Add default lower-third title
Cmd + E Export master file of project

FAQ

  • What to do when the shortcuts in FCPX not working?

Change your input source of keyboard set to US should fix the problem.

  • How to modify shortcuts in FCPX?

There are two ways to open the modifying menu: choose Final Cut Pro > Commands > Customize, or press Option-Command-K. Then, change the shortcuts and save.

See more FCPX editing tips here .

Above are the top useful shortcuts that I used most when editing videos in Final Cut Pro. If you want to edit videos in a much easier way and get some Hollywood film looking at the same time, you can try Wondershare Filmora . Check the video to see how to edit videos with Filmora.

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

I confess I’m a keyboard shortcut junkie. Anything I can do to help me edit faster is a good thing, and nothing says “speed” like keyboard shortcuts. There are well over 600 menu options in FCP X, with hundreds of keyboard shortcuts. But, which ones are the best?

In this article, I share my Top 40 keyboard shortcuts. I use these beauties every day to help me get my projects done faster. Now, you can use them, too. Even better, I’ve categorized them to make them easier to find. Haven’t got FCPX yet? Get your 90-day free trial here.

(And, for those who take the time to count, you’ll discover this list actually includes 53 keyboard shortcuts. But using “Top 40” in the title seemed so much sexier than “Top 53.”)


Operations

Option + N Create a new Event
Cmd + N Create a new Project
Shift + Cmd + D Create a Project Snapshot
Cmd + [plus] Zoom into Timeline or image
Cmd + [ minus ] Zoom out of Timeline or image
Shift + Z Size the Timeline or image to fit in the window
Control + Cmd + 1 Toggle Library and Browser display on or off
Control + Cmd + 3 Toggle Event Viewer open/closed
J - K - L Reverse - Stop - Play the playhead (Tap multiple times to change speed)
S Toggle skimming on or off
N Toggle snapping on or off
V Toggle clip visibility on or off
Control + Y Toggle skimmer info display on/off in Browser
Cmd + 4 Toggle Inspector open/closed
Cmd + 5 Toggle Effects Browser open/closed
Cmd + 6 Toggle Color Board open/closed
Cmd + 7 Toggle video scope display on/off

Editing

I Set the In at the position of the skimmer/playhead
Shift + I Jump the playhead to the In
Option + I Delete the In
O Set the Out at the position of the skimmer/playhead
Shift + O Jump the playhead to the Out
Option + O Delete the Out
Option + X Delete both the In and the Out
M Add a marker
Option + M Add a marker and open the edit marker dialog
E Perform an Append edit
W Perform an Insert edit
D Perform an Overwrite edit
Q Perform a Connected edit
Shift + G Create a connected storyline
Shift + 1 Edit video and audio to the Timeline
Shift + 2 Edit video-only to the Timeline
Shift + 3 Edit audio-only to the Timeline
Option + W Insert a gap at the position of the skimmer/playhead
Control + S Expand/collapse audio from synced video
Option + Control + S Expand/collapse audio components (multitrack audio)
Shift + Cmd + F Play project full screen (ESC to return)
Shift + ? Play a few seconds before and after the skimmer/playhead position

Trimming

A Select the Arrow (selection) tool
T Select the Trim tool
P Select the Position tool
B Select the Blade tool
R Select the Range tool
Shift + X Jump the selected edit point to the position of the skimmer/playhead
[ comma ] / [ period ] Move the selected clip or edit point one frame left/right
Shift + [ comma ] / Shift + [ period ] Move selected clip or edit point ten frames left/right

Other cool shortcuts

Cmd + T Add cross-dissolve
Control + T Add default full-screen title
Shift + Control + T Add default lower-third title
Cmd + E Export master file of project

FAQ

  • What to do when the shortcuts in FCPX not working?

Change your input source of keyboard set to US should fix the problem.

  • How to modify shortcuts in FCPX?

There are two ways to open the modifying menu: choose Final Cut Pro > Commands > Customize, or press Option-Command-K. Then, change the shortcuts and save.

See more FCPX editing tips here .

Above are the top useful shortcuts that I used most when editing videos in Final Cut Pro. If you want to edit videos in a much easier way and get some Hollywood film looking at the same time, you can try Wondershare Filmora . Check the video to see how to edit videos with Filmora.

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Also read:

  • Title: Updated Say Goodbye to Adobe Top Linux Video Editing Software for Creators
  • Author: MdadeLe
  • Created at : 2024-05-19 08:26:30
  • Updated at : 2024-05-20 08:26:30
  • Link: https://smart-video-editing.techidaily.com/updated-say-goodbye-to-adobe-top-linux-video-editing-software-for-creators/
  • License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
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Updated Say Goodbye to Adobe Top Linux Video Editing Software for Creators