The Return of the YouTube Editor!

The YouTube video editor was always a popular tool for teachers. Whether you were editing digital stories or trimming a screencast, the YouTube Editor let you create and edit videos quickly and easily. It also worked great with Chromebooks. However, it was retired by Google in September 2017, and there was really no sign of a resurrection...until now. A brand new video editor is returning to YouTube, and you can try it out today!

A Good Start...

First, a word of caution. This is not a finished product. It's (currently) missing a lot of the features from the original editor, and it's buried deep inside of YouTube where they don't make it very easy to find. However, the signs of life are good. The first time you go there, you will be greeted with a splash screen that says,

"We're still adding features, so you can expect to see more appearing in the coming months."

So, where will you find it? Here are some instructions on how to find the new YouTube editor so that you too can jump in and try it out.

1. Log in to YouTube
2. Click your profile icon in the top right-hand corner
3. Click Creator Studio
   
4. Click the blue YouTube Studio Beta link in the top left-hand corner
   
5. Click Videos from the left-hand sidebar to see your videos
   
6. Click on one of your videos
7. Click Editor in the left-hand sidebar to launch the editor
   

 
Like I said, it's not the easiest thing to find right now, but that will probably change over time. Personally I always liked the youtube.com/editor URL that you could use with the old editor, but at the moment that just redirects you to a YouTube support page. Maybe that will also return soon.

How to Use the New YouTube Editor

Perhaps the best way to see what the new editor is capable of is to see it in action. So, take a look at the video from Flipped Classroom Tutorials below. It will show you how to find the editor and take you through some of the basic functionality of what you can do with it in its current state. At the moment, all you can really do is split and trim clips, or add an end screen, but the promise of more features has me optimistic about what the future holds .

So, are you excited about the new YouTube editor? What features are you hoping to see next, and how will this impact the work you do in your classrooms? Leave a comment below with your hopes and dreams! :)

Thanks to Arcadia Parson for tipping us off about the new editor!

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Jonathan Wylie | @jonathanwylie
Digital Learning Consultant, Grant Wood AEA