iMovie on iPad gives you three ways to start a video: Magic Movie assembles selected media into a starting cut, Storyboard guides you through a format and shot list, and Movie gives you manual control over a timeline. Choose the workflow that fits your project, then add or adjust clips, sound, titles and effects before sharing the finished video.
Choose the right iMovie project type
| Your goal | Project type | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Get a first edit from clips and photos you already have | Magic Movie | iMovie assembles selected videos and photos with a soundtrack and transitions, then lets you customize the result. Apple describes the feature in its iMovie User Guide for iPad. |
| Plan a video with prompts for what to record | Storyboard | A guided format provides a flexible shot list along with matching titles, transitions and music, according to Apple’s guide. |
| Arrange footage and make the editing decisions yourself | Movie | A manual project uses timeline tools to organize and edit clips, photos and other elements. |
These are different starting points, not different finished-video formats. Use Magic Movie for a quick assembly, Storyboard when a plan will help you shoot, or Movie when you want to shape the sequence yourself.
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Start a project and bring in your media
Open iMovie on your iPad, create a project, and select Magic Movie, Storyboard or Movie. The available route depends on what you are making: you can start from existing video clips and photos, or record video or take photos directly into a movie project. Apple’s iPad guide covers importing media and recording within a project.
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For a manual Movie project, select the video clips and photos you want to use. They appear in the timeline in sequence. You can add and manage media as the edit develops; you do not have to treat the first selection as a final cut.
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Build and refine a Movie timeline
The timeline is the working area for a Movie project. It shows clips and photos in playback order, so you can select material and adjust how the sequence flows. Arrange the shots to tell the story clearly: establish the scene, keep the important action, and remove or shorten material that distracts from it.
Apple documents clip arrangement and editing alongside tools for audio, titles, themes, transitions and effects. Use those tools to make the sequence coherent rather than adding every available treatment. A consistent pace and readable titles are usually more useful than effects that compete with the footage.
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Add sound, titles and visual style
A typical iMovie project can combine video, photos, music, sound effects and voiceover. Choose music or effects that support the scene, and use voiceover when narration adds information that the images cannot convey on their own.
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You can also work with titles, themes, filters, transitions and effects. Themes provide a coordinated style; titles identify or explain content; transitions connect adjacent shots; and filters or effects change the look of footage. Preview the edit after making changes so you can catch abrupt transitions, titles that are hard to read, or audio that overwhelms speech.
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Share a finished movie or export a project
When the edit is ready, iMovie provides options to share a movie as a video file and to export projects. These are distinct outcomes: a finished video file is for watching or sharing, while a project export relates to the editable work. Apple’s guide also lists options to stream a movie to or view it on an HDTV.
The cited guide does not establish a particular resolution, codec, destination platform or device-specific export setting, so choose among the options shown in your iMovie version for the destination you have in mind.
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What this means for iPad Pro owners
Apple’s iMovie instructions describe workflows for iPad generally. They do not establish which iPad Pro generations are supported, recommend a particular configuration or compare iPad Pro models for editing. The app’s documented project types and editing tools can help you plan a workflow, but they are not a basis for choosing a specific iPad Pro or storage capacity.
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- PERFORMANCE AND STORAGE — iPad Pro with M5 brings next-generation speed and the power of on-device AI to all your tasks.* Featuring up to 2TB of storage, 16GB of memory, and Neural Accelerators for next-level AI performance.*
- IPADOS — Run pro apps and get more done with iPadOS 26 with Liquid Glass design and game-changing capabilities.* With an intuitive and flexible windowing system, you can control, organize, and manage your workflows like never before.
- APPLE INTELLIGENCE — Apple Intelligence is the personal intelligence system that helps you communicate, express yourself, and get things done effortlessly with groundbreaking privacy protections at every step.*
- 13-INCH ULTRA RETINA XDR DISPLAY — The world’s most advanced display, featuring extreme brightness, precise contrast, ProMotion, P3 wide color, and True Tone.* Nano-texture display glass available in 1TB and 2TB configurations
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