Pitivi – Simple Video Editor

Video Software
October 9, 2025
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5 minutes read

Pitivi is a free and open-source video editor, developed for the Linux operating system and primarily intended for simple projects.

Main Features of Pitivi Video Editor

Pitivi belongs to the group of non-linear video editors, which means that video content can be cut, rearranged, and merged without altering the original files. It was created out of the need for a stable and intuitive solution that would be simple enough for beginners, while at the same time powerful enough for those who want to edit videos without switching to more complex platforms such as Olive, Shotcut, or Kdenlive.

The user interface is intuitive and minimalist. It consists of:

Preview panel for real-time editing
Timeline with multiple layers
Media library for importing and managing clips
Export panel with different output format settings

Thanks to the GStreamer multimedia framework and GTK libraries, Pitivi integrates seamlessly into the GNOME desktop environment. It supports a wide range of formats (including MP4, AVI, MKV, MP3, AAC, etc.) and both video and audio codecs. Finished videos can be exported (rendered) in various resolutions and quality levels, including 4K.

Basic video transitions are supported (over 70 standard ones), as well as more than 100 video and audio effects such as blur and fade-in/fade-out, which is sufficient for simple, everyday use. Audio editing includes adjusting volume, cutting, and moving audio clips. Titles and subtitles can be added. However, more advanced features such as keyframe animation are not available.

Drag-and-drop functionality makes working in the application convenient and fast. The user interface features a multilayer timeline, allowing clear and efficient work with video, audio, and transitions. Users can continue working while the rendering process runs in the background. Project changes are saved automatically.

Who is Pitivi For?

Pitivi is a completely free video editor. Compared to other similar programs, it is lightweight and fast. Almost no training is required to use it. It is well integrated and optimized for Linux. The application is being improved, though its update cycle is somewhat slower. Versions for other operating systems would be a welcome addition. This is not a tool for complex projects such as film production.

Pitivi is best supported on Ubuntu, Fedora, Debian, and Arch Linux, and is available in their repositories. The recommended installation method is through FlatHub, which can also be used by other Linux distributions.

Due to its simple user interface, Pitivi is well-suited for beginners in the world of video editing. Students and teachers use it to create video presentations. It is also frequently used by journalists and content creators who do not require professional post-production. Pitivi is the choice of enthusiasts who value free and open-source software.

Platform:
Linux