OpenShot 3.4 boosts performance by 32%, adds new effects, and improves editing tools

OpenShot 3.4 arrives as one of the video editor's largest updates to date, introducing a 32% speed boost across core editing functions and reducing memory usage. Editors will see noticeable gains in effects, clip rendering, frame mapping, waveforms, FFmpeg decoding, the timeline, and exports, among others.

Alongside these optimizations, OpenShot 3.4 expands creative options by adding several new video effects. Users now have access to sharpen, color map (LUT), spherical projection, lens flare, and outline effects, on top of the existing ones.

Following these enhancements, workflow improvements are a focus in this release. The preview panel now offers interactive cropping using handles directly on the canvas, letting users edit clips with greater speed and accuracy. A new timing mode with a toggle button enables users to re-time clips by dragging their edges, streamlining trimming and adjustment tasks. Meanwhile, timeline functionality benefits from draggable keyframes with live preview support and enhanced snapping for precise placement.

Building on these updates, OpenShot introduces an experimental timeline that can be enabled in the settings. This preview feature reflects the future direction of the project, but may contain unfinished elements. Additional improvements affect the entire application, spanning editing workflow, import/export compatibility, media handling, developer tools, and stability.