Shotcut is a free and open-source, cross-platform video, audio, and image editing program for FreeBSD, Linux, macOS and Windows. Started in 2011 by Dan Dennedy, Shotcut is developed on the MLT Multimedia Framework, in development since 2004 by the same author.
Shotcut supports video, audio, and image formats via FFmpeg. It uses a timeline for non-linear video editing of multiple tracks that may be composed of various file formats. Scrubbing and transport control are assisted by OpenGL GPU-based processing and a number of video and audio filters are available. The output options for the 2017 version included Apple ProRes, HDV, DVD, Flash, H.264, GIF animation, Ogg-Vorbis, WebM, and WMV.
Shotcut was originally conceived in November 2004 by Charlie Yates, an MLT co-founder and the original lead developer. The current version of Shotcut is a complete rewrite by Dan Dennedy, another MLT co-founder and its current lead. Dennedy wanted to create a new editor based on MLT and chose to reuse the Shotcut name, since he liked it so much. He wanted to make something to exercise the new cross-platform capabilities of MLT, especially in conjunction with the WebVfx and Movit plugins.
What is Shotcut?
Shotcut is an open-source video editor program for Windows from Meltytech (developed by Dan Dennedy). It ranks 2nd by popularity among video editors in this catalogue. It is written in C++. Besides Windows, it is available for Linux, macOS and BSD.
Installation and requirements
Official installers exist for 64-bit and ARM64 as EXE (Inno Setup). Installation asks for administrator rights. The installer supports unattended (silent) installation.
Updates and version history
The current version is 26.9.27, released on September 28, 2026. 51 versions are listed since March 30, 2021, each with links to its own installer files. That is about 9.3 releases a year. The last update is less than a month old.
Popularity and file types
The Chocolatey package has been downloaded 398,734 times. The source code on GitHub (mltframework/shotcut) has 15,470 stars. Wikipedia has an article about it in 19 of our languages. On Windows it registers 1 file type, including .mlt. Similar programs include OpenShot Video Editor, Kdenlive and Subtitle Edit.
Project description on GitHub: “cross-platform (Qt), open-source (GPLv3) video editor”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Native ARM64 build for Windows on Arm
- Documented silent install
- Frequent updates (about 9.3 a year)
- Also runs on Linux, macOS and BSD
- Large user base
Cons
- Installation needs administrator rights
In short: Shotcut is an open-source video editor tool for 64-bit and ARM64 PCs. It is actively maintained. Administrators can deploy it unattended.
Screenshots
Is Shotcut safe to download?
- The file is served by github.com, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
77E1EE1F713D92BDBAFF23266F416E33CDE3D367F7EF518B1841DDC961D05AF9· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link has not been checked yet
- The source code is public
- ExeAtlas does not host, wrap or modify installers
Related guide: How to check a file’s SHA256 hash on Windows
Security practices (OpenSSF Scorecard)
Automated checks of the mltframework/shotcut repository on GitHub by the Open Source Security Foundation, last run on October 19, 2026.
- Actively maintained10
- Licence declared10
- No binaries in the repository3
- Code review2
- No dangerous workflows0
- Restricted token permissions0
- OpenSSF Best Practices badge0
- Security policy0
- Fuzzing0
- Pinned dependencies0
- Branch protection0
- Signed releases0
- Static code analysis0
The score rates how the project is developed and released, not whether the program is safe to install. scorecard.dev
Recent versions
All 51 versions ›51 versions over 5 years · about 9.3 a year
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id Meltytech.Shotcut -echoco install Shotcut -yscoop install extras/shotcutshotcut-win64-26.9.27.exe /VERYSILENT /SUPPRESSMSGBOXES /NORESTART /SP-Related guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Also for other systems
brew install --cask shotcutflatpak install flathub org.shotcut.ShotcutInformation
- Publisher
- Meltytech
- Developer
- Dan Dennedy
- Category
- Video editors
- Licence
- GPL-3.0
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/mltframework/shotcut
- Written in
- C++
- Content rating
- All ages
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit, ARM64
- Installer
- EXE (Inno Setup)
- Other platforms
- Linux, macOS, BSD
- Version
- 26.9.27
- Released
- September 28, 2026
- Added to the catalogue
- March 30, 2021
- Versions listed
- 51
- Updates / year
- 9.3
- Chocolatey downloads
- 398,734
- GitHub stars
- 15,470
- GitHub forks
- 1,546
- Website
- shotcut.org
- winget ID
- Meltytech.Shotcut
- Chocolatey package
- Shotcut
- Scoop package
- extras/shotcut
File types it opens (1)
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Shotcut free?
Yes. Shotcut is open-source software under the GPL-3.0 licence.
Is Shotcut safe to download?
The download comes from github.com, which belongs to the publisher; ExeAtlas does not host or change the file. Compare its SHA256 hash with the one shown here, or open the VirusTotal report for that hash.
How do I install Shotcut with winget?
Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run the winget command shown on this page. winget downloads the official installer and checks its SHA256 hash before running it.
Can Shotcut be installed silently?
Yes. The silent install page lists the exact command for each installer.
Does Shotcut run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
Yes, there is a native ARM64 installer.
Where can I download an older version of Shotcut?
The versions page lists all 51 versions with links to their official installer files, back to March 30, 2021.
Can I use Shotcut without administrator rights?
Yes, there is a per-user installer that does not need administrator rights.
What are alternatives to Shotcut?
OpenShot Video Editor, Kdenlive, Subtitle Edit, Aegisub and Lightworks. The alternatives page compares them.
