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To get started with video editing in iMovie on an iPhone or iPad, choose one of three project types: Magic Movie for an automatically assembled edit, Storyboard for a guided template, or Movie for manual timeline control. Select photos and clips from your library, make the edits your project needs, then share a finished video or export the editable project. Apple announced iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 availability on September 14, 2026, but its published iMovie guides do not establish that those operating systems introduced new iMovie features.
Which iMovie project type should I choose?
Choose based on how much you want iMovie to organize for you. Magic Movie emphasizes automation, Storyboard gives you a template and shot list, and Movie lets you arrange clips manually in a timeline.
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|---|---|---|
| Magic Movie | You want a quick starting edit | iMovie assembles selected photos and video clips with a soundtrack and transitions; you can customize the result. |
| Storyboard | You want a prompt or structure to follow | You start with a template for a common video type and work from a flexible shot list, with titles, transitions, and matching music available. |
| Movie | You want to choose the order and edit details yourself | You select and organize clips in a project with timeline editing tools. |
These are different starting points, not a simple beginner-to-advanced ladder. A new editor can use Magic Movie to see an assembled version quickly, Storyboard to plan a sequence, or Movie to learn how a manually arranged edit is built. Apple documents all three options in its iPhone iMovie guide and iPad project overview.
How do I create my first Movie project?
For a manual edit on iPad, start a new project, choose Movie, select the photos and video clips you want, and create the movie. Apple describes a comparable process for iPhone; exact screens can vary with the app version and device.
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- Open iMovie. If prompted, allow access to your photo and music libraries so you can use media stored there.
- Tap Start New Project, then tap Movie. If you are already at the project browser, use its project-start control.
- In the media browser, select the photos and video clips you want to consider for the edit.
- Tap Create Movie. Your selected media becomes a movie project that you can continue editing.
Apple documents this iPad flow in its steps for creating a movie project and describes the iPhone workflow in its iPhone guide. The labels above follow Apple’s guide; if your screen looks different, check the instructions for your device and app version rather than assuming that a control has been removed.
What should I choose before editing?
Pick source material with a simple purpose in mind: for example, a short sequence of related clips or photos you want to turn into one video. With Movie, you decide how to organize the material; with Magic Movie or Storyboard, the project type supplies more of the initial structure. The sources do not prescribe an ideal clip count or project length, so start with the media you actually want to include instead of treating a particular number as a requirement.
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On iPad, Apple says to allow access to the photo and music libraries before working with those sources. If you plan to record video or audio from within iMovie, it also needs camera and microphone access. Apple says permissions can be changed later in system settings. If media or recording features are unavailable, check the relevant permission before troubleshooting the edit itself; the cited guide does not provide a universal settings path for every iPadOS version.
What can I edit in iMovie?
Apple’s iPhone and iPad guides document tools for arranging clips and photos, adding titles, themes, transitions, filters and effects, changing clip speed, and working with music, sound effects, voiceover, and audio adjustments. The iPad Movie project is described as providing the full set of iMovie timeline editing tools. The precise controls and screens should be checked in the guide for the device you are using.
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Arrange clips and photos
In a manual Movie project, arrangement is the first editing decision: put the selected material in the order that makes sense for the video you are making. Review that sequence before adding decorative effects. A transition can help connect adjacent moments, but it cannot fix an unclear order or missing material.
Add titles, themes, transitions, filters, and effects
Titles can identify a subject or introduce a section. Themes, transitions, filters, and effects provide additional ways to shape the appearance of a project. Use them to support what the video is showing rather than adding every available treatment. Apple lists these editing categories, but the cited guides do not establish that every control is identical on iPhone and iPad.
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iMovie’s documented editing categories include changing clip speed, adding music or sound effects, recording voiceover, and adjusting audio. These tools let you work on pacing and sound as well as picture. Decide whether the sound is meant to carry the video, provide background, or add spoken explanation, then make choices that serve that role. Apple’s guides establish that these kinds of edits are available, not a specific recommended mix or setting.
For device-specific instructions, use the iPhone guide or the iPad guide. The two guides cover similar editing categories, but that does not prove every button, control, or screen is the same on both devices.
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Should I edit on iPhone or iPad?
Both iPhone and iPad are supported targets for the documented iMovie workflows. Choose the device whose screen and workspace suit you; the available evidence does not support a model-by-model performance comparison or a recommendation to buy a new device just for this task.
Apple’s iPad guide describes Movie as offering the full set of timeline tools, while its iPhone guide documents editing capabilities for iPhone as well. That is a reason to consult the relevant device instructions, not a basis for assuming one device is faster, produces a better result, or has controls that match the other exactly. Apple’s documentation also does not establish an iMovie-specific minimum device requirement here.
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How do I share a finished movie or export an editable project?
A finished video is for watching or sharing as a video file. An exported project is for continuing to work with the edit: Apple says an iPad project export bundles the project and its media together as a single file.
Share a finished video
If someone needs the completed video, use the option to share the movie as a video file. That gives them the rendered result rather than the editable project and its source media. Apple’s iMovie guide uses the phrase “Share your movie as a video file”; follow the export or sharing instructions for your device to choose a destination.
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Export a project for further editing
Choose project export when the recipient needs the editable work and its media, not only the finished playback file. Apple documents sending an iPad project by AirDrop, saving it to Files or iCloud Drive, or sharing it through Mail or Messages. Apple also documents opening an iMovie project in Final Cut Pro for iPad when that app is installed on the same iPad.
Check compatibility before handing a project to a Mac user: Apple cautions that a project made with a newer iOS or iPadOS version of iMovie may not open in an older iMovie for Mac version. Project export carries media with the project, but it does not remove version-compatibility concerns. The available guide does not establish that every project can be opened in every version of iMovie on another device. See Apple’s iPad project export instructions for the supported handoff options.
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What does iOS 27 or iPadOS 27 change for iMovie?
iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 began rolling out on September 14, 2026, according to Apple’s software release announcement. Apple’s iMovie guides document the project types and editing workflows described here, but do not establish a new iMovie feature unique to those operating systems.
Apple’s security releases page lists iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 compatibility across iPhone 11 and later and specified generations of iPad Pro, iPad Air, iPad, and iPad mini. Operating-system compatibility is not the same as iMovie’s app-specific minimum requirements. Check your device’s App Store listing and software compatibility before relying on a particular model; the sources cited here do not establish a complete iMovie device-compatibility list.
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Apple describes iMovie as a way to turn videos and photos into “high-resolution movies and Hollywood-style trailers.” That description is from Apple’s iPad project overview; it is not a promise about a particular export resolution, file size, or device-specific result.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use iMovie without updating to iOS 27 or iPadOS 27?
The cited Apple guides describe iMovie workflows but do not state which earlier operating-system versions the app supports. Check the App Store listing for iMovie on your device for its current compatibility requirements.
Can someone watch an iMovie project file without iMovie?
A project export is intended to preserve editable work and its media, while a video file is the finished playback version. If the recipient only needs to watch the result, share the finished video rather than assuming they can open the editable project.
Does iMovie require an internet connection to edit?
The Apple guides cited here do not establish an internet requirement for editing. They do document sharing options such as AirDrop, Files, iCloud Drive, Mail, and Messages, which involve different transfer or storage methods.
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