Lightworks is one of the best programs that we can take into account when we intend to perform all kinds of actions related to video editing, an option that users with knowledge of these tasks should not lose sight of. For a long time, Lightworks was a paid tool even used in editing movies that were later Oscar winners.

Yes, just as you hear, this tool has been used in movies like Scream, The Pelican Report, Mission Impossible, Pulp Fiction, Notting Hill, The Departed or Moulin Rouge, so if you have seen any of them, you already have an idea of Lightworks' potential.

The exciting thing is that now we can say that Lightworks is not only free but that its code has been released, which means that it will continue to be so in the future that you can download it to your computer without significant problems. Thanks to this platform, you can start new projects or follow others you had previously worked on to create the videos you are looking for with great detail.

The truth is that Lightworks is an entirely professional program, so its learning curve for novice users can be somewhat complicated. We will recommend it in all cases for those who have already worked with similar applications. In any case, and if you want to take even better advantage of this service, you should know that it has a paid version that you can access from this free one.

In case we have to relate some of its options with those of other programs within the same similarity, we can say that it has elements that can be seen in applications such as Adobe Premiere, Avid, or Final Cut, to mention some famous ones that are part of this same segment when it comes to editing our videos.

Suppose we have to analyze the differences before going into all the details about this software. In that case, we have to say that the paid version allows us to download dozens of plugins to improve our experience with the program. Nor can we lose sight of the fact that it adds other add-ons or functions that have licenses, releasing them. We believe the free version is not wrong to start with.

Like most of today's video editing services, Lightworks allows us to import all kinds of content and make it appear through a timeline, a handy graphic. Thanks to this timeline, you will see all the edits or retouches you have applied to the original videos, and it will be much easier to understand what you have changed so far.

Of course, we do not miss most of the functions that we could consider essential when we think of video editing programs, such as changing the speed of the content we have imported, as well as increasing or decreasing its volume, or on the other hand the application of all kinds of effects and transitions in real-time, with previews to know how well they are looking.

What kind of formats can Lightworks work with? Most of the ones we could consider usual in this situation, starting with XVID, but continuing with others such as MOV, MPG, MP4, MOV, or AVI. As you may have seen, we mention almost all the formats we usually use for audio files, so you will almost always have support for your imported content.

Once you have finished your productions with this tool, keep in mind that the free version only allows you to export your creations in 720p quality at most, and if you want to go beyond that, you will have to buy the paid version. In particular, we don't find it such a severe problem, and that's why we haven't mentioned it before, although we understand that for some users, it will be a significant limitation, and that's why we point it out.

What is the user interface of Lightworks? We can say that we liked it a lot, especially considering that it has what a video editing application should have, a strong spirit, and is different from other similar ones. Supported in black tones with some red details, it is easy to open new projects or others already started, and then the main functions are located both at the top and left side of the screen.

Of course, you have to consider that this program is only available in English, which is quite usual in video editing applications. We prefer that to a poorly done translation, which wastes more time than we would like.

Lightworks is then positioned as one of the best applications we can recommend to all those users or readers looking for a professional video editor with support for most of the current video formats. Being a free program with plenty of tools and offering a paid version that adds others, we believe it has virtually no ceiling.