We all have that little bit of Steven Speilberg and George Lucas inside of us when we are making videos. Now, we are not exactly Industrial Light and Magic, but we take pride in our work.
Nothing is more crucial to the video-making process quite like the ability to combine videos into one to make a final video. Each scene must merge flawlessly before you upload it to YouTube or share it with friends. And that is why you need the software that not only does it right, it does it easily and without a watermark.
So you might ask, how do you combine videos into one without an expensive studio?
When I am looking at software to use, a major consideration if hos easy is it to merge videos into one seamless final project for either a client or my own personal use. After testing some video merging sites and desktop software, I find VideoProc, Windows Movie Maker and the online service Clideo are easy to use.
#1 combine videos with VideoProc
VideoProc is a dream to work on as far as the scenes go. In all the videos that I make for clients, it is a platform that I go back to over and over. The ease in how you merge videos into one is an attractive feature. You can watch the following video merging tutorial or read the text guide below.
Step 1. Open VideoProc and click the Video Icon on the main window.
Step 2. Click +Video or drag all the videos you want to merge together and click Merge.
Step 3. Select an output format for your merged file, MP4, AVI, FLV, etc.
Step 4. Click Run to start combining videos into one file.
That is it. No-fuss, no hassle. Spend your time being creative, not stressing over how to combine multiple videos. The fact that I can edit each scene separately while all of them are in the pane is a plus.
A downside for me is in uploading the different scenes I want to work on. When I am dealing with multiple scenes from various sources, it can be a bit time-consuming. Now, compared to a lot of other video editing platforms, VideoProc is not complicated to use when you do merge videos into one; however, it does take some getting used to. If you forget to click the merge box, you will be left with a bunch of scenes that go nowhere.
Additionally, VideoProc is packed with a lot of useful features, such as I can convert various video audio formats to be compatible with any software and platform, do basic video editing like cut, crop, rotate, flip, adjust speed, adjust volume, stabilize shaky video and more.
Another thing I found very useful is that VideoProc is embedded with a free video downloader engine, which allows me to save a single video or playlist to MP4 format with 4K or 1080p quality, or download video to MP3 format for directly adding music to any video. I can also use the recording feature to record tutorials, reviews, presentations and then upload on YouTube, Twitch, etc.
How about the video processing speed? Will VideoProc crash or freeze when merging long large videos? According to my test, this issue is not happening. VideoProc is fully supported by hardware acceleration tech, which means it can make full use of your CPU to ensure the whole process is smoothly without lags.
#2 Combine videos with Windows Movie Maker
Now, off an on, I have been making videos online for as long as I can remember. Windows Movie Maker has been a loyal companion. I want to say that my first encounter with the software was Windows'95 or so.
The great thing about Windows Movie Maker is the fact that it is very simple to use. You just upload the scene you are working with, you make your edits, and you are done. Not too many bells and whistles, but I do not think it was ever designed with professional studio use in mind. It comes preinstalled in Windows so it is already on your computer.
In all the years that I have encountered Movie Maker, I do not think that it has even changed that much. Maybe added a few video effects and the ability to save the project and upload it to Youtube and other platforms.
The simplicity is also its downside. For me, the way that I make a video requires me to edit each scene individually on its own and then merge them all together in one larger product. Then add any audio and effects.
And, I cannot vouch for others, but I have had a lot of headaches when trying to upload it directly to Youtube.
#3 Combine videos online with Clideo
Now, there is a growing trend to use online websites to merge videos into one. One such platform is Clideo. It is a web-based program that offers much of what VideoProc and Windows Movie Maker.
With Clideo, you choose your files. And combine them. Add music, narration, and other effects. But it has a watermark in the free trial.
Clideo brags that it offers a high-end program to combine videos into one in a platform that you can access from any device and it boasts top-notch security of your data.
I do like the fact that it is web-based, so I do not have to worry about the space in my cloud storage that a video takes up. That is also in my mind a major con. No website is hack-proof, so I have no guarantees of its integrity. Plus, if the website for whatever reason is down, or I am in an area that I have spotty internet or no internet, I cannot use it. At least with VideoProc and Movie Maker I can work offline.
I am years away from an Oscar for any of the videos that I make professionally or for friends. But, I do not slouch when it comes to my quality of work. I strive to deliver the best quality with each scene, whether it is a simple love you video for my wife or a serious video talking about a host of other messages that a video conveys.
The quality in which I combine videos into one single video can make the difference between a high-performance video and something that is at best amateur. The software I use must merge videos into one with as little hassle and as quickly as possible.
I am always learning how to combine multiple videos as techniques and technology changes, but your dedication to quality must never change.
So to sum up, if you simply want to combine multiple files together, you can just use Windows movie maker if you have. If you want an easier, faster and more powerful way to merge, download, convert, edit videos, VideoProc is a perfect solution. If you prefer to process everything online, you can purchase Clideo premium membership to unlock features.
