We Hate To Admit It, But IG Edits Is Totally Changing The Game
Liza Duymelinck / DUPE Photo
Now that Instagram Edits has been out for a few weeks and most of the post-launch bugs have (kind of?) chilled out, we’ve gotta say... we’re actually into it. And not just because you can download content without a watermark (IYKYK).
Since the start of the year, it’s felt like we’ve all been strapped into a chaotic rollercoaster of trying to edit videos across every social platform. CapCut was the most user-friendly option (plus, it had a desktop app!), but then the whole “Is TikTok getting banned??” thing threw a wrench into everything. Meanwhile, we were all clinging to IG’s in-app editor, hoping it would help with performance—only for it to crash right after we finished syncing that last clip to the beat. Cute.
So when Instagram dropped a new editing tool that might be just as easy to use as CapCut? Yeah, we exhaled for the first time in months.
Now that Edits is officially here, let’s break down the good, the bad, and the ugly.
The Benefits
First of all, you know the Amplify Girlies (hi, it’s us) are opposites when it comes to social media vibes. Abbey’s analytical. Ash is v creative. So when we both started using Edits and realized it had features for both of our brains? Hooked.
The Insights tab is a dream for data nerds (cough cough Abbey). You can view all your Reels on one screen and easily compare reach vs. engagement. It even shows real-time, top-level stats about your account—which is amazing if you’re not in the mood to deep dive into your pro dashboard (relatable).
And for the scroll-and-save inspo crowd (waves in Ash), the Inspiration page is chef’s kiss. You can browse with purpose, jot down ideas as they hit, and save content directly to the boards you’ve already made on IG. It’s giving “Pinterest, but make it content strategy.”
Even better? There’s zero learning curve. The app feels like a natural extension of Instagram itself—just, you know, not as glitchy (yet).
Also worth shouting out:
No watermark when you download content from the free version (unlike CapCut—shade intended)
Save trending audio directly in-app
Better video & audio quality because you're skipping third-party compression
Super streamlined UI that lets you fly through edits
Basically, it's fast, intuitive, and actually enjoyable to use. BUT (and there’s always a but)...
Our Gripes
Let’s talk about what’s missing.
Our biggest complaint? No desktop app. As two women who are chained to our laptops most days, sometimes editing on a bigger screen just hits different. A desktop version would be such a game-changer—more space, more control, fewer tiny-text-induced migraines.
Also, there’s no offline access. So if you’re editing in a car, on a plane, or at that one coffee shop with vibes but no WiFi, you’re probably out of luck.
And one more thing: the app leans hard into trends. Like, aggressively. And sure, we love a good trending audio moment as much as the next person, but that shouldn’t be the only kind of content you’re making. If you’re trying to create something original or a little left of the algorithm, you might feel boxed in.
So, Should You Ditch CapCut?
Not necessarily. If you’re doing complex edits or want full creative control, CapCut still reigns supreme. But if you’re cranking out fast, trend-forward, Reels-first content? Instagram Edits is kind of killing it. It’s quick, easy, and shockingly functional for a native tool.
And hey, you can always keep both in your toolkit—because nothing says “modern creator” like having six editing apps and trust issues.
