OpenShot 4.0 has launched with major creative workflow upgrades, according to the official release. The software now includes a dedicated Color View for video correction and grading, a new Recording View for capturing media directly into projects, and ten new effects.
The Color View provides tools for color correction and creative grading in a single effect. According to the announcement, users can start with quick adjustments like exposure, contrast, temperature, and tint, or progress to advanced controls including separate color wheels for shadows, midtones, and highlights. The software supports industry-standard .cube LUT files with intensity controls for blending.
The Color Grade effect includes four editable curves for precise control over the full image and individual red, green, and blue channels. All color adjustments are keyframable, allowing corrections to change over time. OpenShot 4.0 also includes video scopes—Luma Waveform, Histogram, RGB Parade, and Vectorscope—to display actual color and brightness information within frames. Each scope includes a Region tool to focus analysis on specific areas, and the Vectorscope features a skin-tone reference line.
The new Recording View enables users to capture microphone, screen, webcam, and system audio directly into projects, with each source recorded as a separate media file and timeline clip. According to the release, sources remain synchronized and editable independently after recording. When screen and webcam recording are combined, OpenShot can automatically place the webcam in a rounded picture-in-picture layout. Users can also record microphone or webcam while previewing an existing project, useful for voice-over work and commentary.
OpenShot 4.0 adds ten new effects including an Audio Visualization effect that transforms sound into animated graphics—waveforms, bars, radial patterns, spectrum displays, particles, and VU meters. According to performance testing mentioned in the announcement, these visualizations ran well above standard frame rates, with some modes exceeding 170 FPS and others processing at over 1,000 FPS.
The software now includes local AI-powered masks using free downloadable machine learning models that run on users’ computers, requiring no cloud service or subscription. Additional improvements include a cleaner native timeline with smoother zooming, easier keyframes, and editable timecode, alongside performance enhancements to Blur, Sharpen, timeline rendering, and audio visualizations. The update expands Qt 6 support to improve Linux distribution compatibility.
Key facts
- OpenShot 4.0 includes a dedicated Color View with color wheels, curves, LUT support, and video scopes for color grading
- A new Recording View allows direct capture of microphone, screen, webcam, and system audio as separate, editable tracks
- Ten new effects include audio visualization, beat-sync capabilities, and cinematic film looks
- Local AI-powered masks enable subject selection and tracking without cloud services or subscriptions
- Performance improvements include faster Blur processing and enhanced timeline rendering
- Qt 6 support expansion improves Linux distribution compatibility