Whether you’re shooting video on your iPhone, an iPad or a dedicated camera, the real magic is what you do with that footage. iMovie for Mac lets you turn video into professional-looking 4K movies – no film degree required.

iMovie makes powerful video-editing tools accessible. Add video clips by dragging them to your timeline or importing them from your iPhone – the app supports high-resolution 4K video and even lets you edit footage filmed in Cinematic mode on iPhone. Trim a clip by dragging the ends to show only what you want. Add a transition – dissolve, fade, wipe and more – by dropping it between clips. Smoothly speed up or slow down your video clips for the perfect effect or display multiple clips using Split View or Picture in Picture.

Once you’ve perfected your edit, it’s simple to give your film a nostalgic silent‑era feel, a vintage Western appearance or a comic book look with video filters. Add customisable text and backgrounds to create title cards, chyrons and credits. Use any of nearly 2,000 sound effects and add soundtracks from iMovie, GarageBand or your Music library.

Since iMovie is available for Mac, iPhone and iPad, you can start editing on one device and finish on another.

The app’s green-screen effect lets you easily place your subjects over the top of video, whether it’s a clip of an exotic locale or a fully digital background. The easy-to-use masking controls and strength adjustments help you make the effect look natural.

When you’ve finished editing, you have the option to export your finished product in stunning 4K resolution (and various file formats) for instant upload to YouTube, Vimeo and Instagram – there’s even a Messages option for sharing mobile-optimised versions with family and friends. And don’t forget the trailer: iMovie can automagically generate a Hollywood-style teaser so you can promote your work – or just have a little fun.