CapCut

{{Infobox app

| title = CapCut

| logo = File:Capcut-logo.svg

| logo size = 170px

| screenshot =

| screenshot size = 160

| caption = CapCut video editing interface

| author =

| other_names = JianYing
ViaMaker

| developer = ByteDance

| released = {{Start date and age|2019|5}}

| latest release version =

| latest release date =

| replaces =

| operating system = iOS
iPadOS
MacOS
Android
Microsoft Windows

| language = {{hlist|Arabic|Simplified Chinese|Traditional Chinese|English|Filipino|French|German|Hebrew|Indonesian|Italian|Japanese|Korean|Malay|Polish|Portuguese|Romanian|Russian|Spanish|Swedish|Thai|Turkish|Ukrainian|Urdu|Vietnamese}}

| language count = 24

| genre = Video editing software and Mobile app

| license = Proprietary

| platform = iOS, Web browser, MacOS, iPadOS, Android, and Windows

| size = iOS: 419.5 MB

| website = {{Official URL}}

}}

CapCut, known in China as JianYing ({{Lang-zh|c=剪映|p=Jiǎnyìng}}) and formerly internationally as ViaMaker, is a Chinese short-form video and graphic editing app developed by the Chinese company ByteDance.

History

The app was first released in China in 2019 and was initially available for iPhone and Android.{{Cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2023/10/16/bytedances-video-editor-capcut-targets-businesses-with-ai-ad-scripts-and-ai-generated-presenters/|title=ByteDance's video editor CapCut targets businesses with AI ad scripts and AI-generated presenters|first=Sarah|last=Perez|date=October 16, 2023 |website=TechCrunch}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.techradar.com/pro/software-services/capcut-review|title=CapCut review|first=Steve |last=Paris|date=December 4, 2023|website=TechRadar}} In 2020, it was renamed as CapCut (formerly ViaMaker internationally) and became available internationally.{{cite web | url=https://time.com/6266975/capcut-bytedance-tiktok-popular/ | title=How ByteDance is Expanding Its Reach Beyond TikTok with CapCut | date=29 March 2023 }} It later expanded to include web and desktop versions for Mac and Windows.

In 2022, CapCut reached 200 million active users.{{Cite web |title=What Is CapCut? What You Should Know About TikTok's AI-Editing Sister App |url=https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/what-is-capcut-what-you-should-know-about-tiktoks-ai-editing-sister-app/ |access-date=2024-08-12 |website=CNET |language=en}} According to The Wall Street Journal, in March 2023, it was the second-most downloaded app in the U.S., behind that of Chinese discount retailer Temu.{{Cite news |last=Lu |first=Shen |date=2022-12-24 |title=American Bargain Hunters Flock to a New Online Platform Forged in China |language=en-US |work=The Wall Street Journal |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/american-bargain-hunters-flock-to-a-new-online-platform-forged-in-china-11671851837 |url-access=subscription |access-date=2023-07-17 |issn=0099-9660}}{{Cite web |title=TikTok Executives Fretted About China Ties of CapCut Editing-App |url=https://www.theinformation.com/articles/tiktok-executives-fretted-about-china-ties-of-capcut-editing-app |website=The Information}} In January 2025, CapCut had over 1 billion downloads on the Google Play Store.{{Cite web |last=Cross |first=Greta |date=2025-01-16 |title=What happens with CapCut if TikTok gets banned? What we know about the video editing app |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/news/2025/01/16/is-capcut-getting-banned-tiktok/77743783007/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250117194406/https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/news/2025/01/16/is-capcut-getting-banned-tiktok/77743783007/ |archive-date=2025-01-17 |access-date=2025-01-17 |website=USA Today |language=en-US}}

Controversies and Incidents

= Ban in India =

As a response to 2020 China-India Skirmishes, On May 2020, The Indian Government has banned around 56 applications which also included TikTok, owned by the CapCut's parent company ByteDance.{{Cite news |date=2020-07-29 |title=India bans 59 Chinese apps including TikTok, WeChat, Helo |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/software/india-bans-59-chinese-apps-including-tiktok-helo-wechat/articleshow/76694814.cms |access-date=2025-06-17 |work=The Economic Times |issn=0013-0389}} Indian users were unable to use and download the application. As of February 2022, around 273 Chinese applications have been banned by the Indian Government under the concern of National Security and Indian User Privacy.{{Cite web |date=2022-08-19 |title=Full list of Chinese apps banned in India so far: PUBG Mobile, Garena Free Fire, TikTok and hundreds more |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/technology/news/story/bgmi-garena-free-fire-tiktok-and-more-banned-in-india-check-the-full-list-1990048-2022-08-19 |access-date=2025-06-17 |website=India Today |language=en}} Though the app itself can now be used in India, Users are unable to access the CapCut's website, nor they are able to download the application easily via official channels (like Google Play Store). While the core functions of the app works, any online services (which includes downloading of transitions and effects, account registration and subscription) cannot be accessed without the use of VPN.

= Illegal data collection =

On July 2023, many users of CapCut accused it of illegally profiting off their personal data. A class-action lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on July 28, 2023 alleged that CapCut illegally harvests and profits from user data including biometric information and geolocation without consent.{{Cite web |date=2023-08-01 |title=Users of CapCut Video Editing App File Nationwide Class-Action Lawsuit Alleging Illegal Use of Sensitive Data {{!}} Hagens Berman |url=https://www.hbsslaw.com/press/capcut-user-rights/users-of-capcut-video-editing-app-file-nationwide-class-action-lawsuit-alleging-illegal-use-of-sensitive-data |access-date=2025-01-19 |website=www.hbsslaw.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Lawsuit: ByteDance's CapCut app secretly reaps massive amounts of user data |url=https://therecord.media/capcut-privacy-lawsuit-illinois-bipa-bytedance-china |access-date=2025-01-20 |website=therecord.media |language=en}}

= Ban in the United States =

{{multiple image

| width = 220

| direction = vertical

| image1 = CapCut website ban message (cropped).png

| alt1 =

| image2 = CapCut being pulled from Google Play Store.png

| alt2 =

| footer = Messages displayed to US users who attempted to access CapCut through its website (top) and Google Play Store (bottom).

}}

On January 18, 2025, at 10 PM EST, CapCut was banned in the United States along with TikTok and all other ByteDance apps due to the implementation of the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act.{{Cite web |last=Lawler |first=Richard |date=2025-01-19 |title=TikTok is down in the US |url=https://www.theverge.com/2025/1/18/24346961/tiktok-shut-down-banned-in-the-us |access-date=2025-01-19 |website=The Verge |language=en}}{{Cite web |author=WSYX Staff |date=2025-01-18 |title=TikTok, CapCut and Lemon8 have been shut down in the U.S. |url=https://abc6onyourside.com/news/nation-world/tiktok-capcut-and-lemon-8-have-been-shut-down-in-the-us-social-media-tik-tok-tick-platforms-banned-bytedance-trump-government |access-date=2025-01-19 |website=WSYX |language=en}}

File:CapCut unblock message.png

Hours after the suspension of services took effect, President Donald Trump indicated on Truth Social that he would issue an executive order on the day of his inauguration "to extend the period of time before the law’s prohibitions take effect".{{cite web |title=Trump says he will 'most likely' give TikTok a 90-day extension to avoid a ban |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-likely-give-tiktok-90-day-extension-avoid-ban-rcna188258 |website=nbcnews.com |access-date=19 January 2025}}{{Cite web |last=Ha |first=Kyle Wiggers, Anthony |date=2025-01-19 |title=TikTok goes dark in the US |url=https://techcrunch.com/2025/01/19/tiktok-goes-dark-in-the-u-s/ |access-date=2025-01-19 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US}} On January 21, CapCut began restoring service. On February 13, Google and Apple restored CapCut on the App Store and Google Play Store.{{Cite web |last=Feiner |first=Lauren |date=2025-01-21 |title=CapCut is back online in the US |url=https://www.theverge.com/2025/1/21/24348629/capcut-back-online-us-tiktok-bytedance |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250121164843/https://www.theverge.com/2025/1/21/24348629/capcut-back-online-us-tiktok-bytedance |archive-date=2025-01-21 |access-date=2025-01-21 |website=The Verge |language=en}}

Features

CapCut supports basic video editing functions, including editing, trimming, and adding or splitting clips. Editing projects is limited to single-layer editing, but the app supports overlay options that enable additional effects, including multi-layer editing.

The app includes a library of pre-made templates and a tool that generates editable video captions. Users can export or save completed projects directly to different social media platforms. CapCut includes a free version and a paid Pro version with cloud storage and advanced features.