Introduction to Apple’s Discontinued App
Apple is finally ending a long-running app that launched back in 2017. The doomed app was developed internally by Apple, but the closure has already begun. Apple’s Clips app came out eight years ago, giving iPhone and iPad users a way to quickly edit video clips. You can add text and filters and also add music to your clips. The idea was to quickly put together funny videos that could then be posted on social media.
Closure of the Clips App
But Apple has since confirmed that the app is being discontinued and has already removed it from the App Store. This means that you will no longer be able to download the app as a new user. However, you can still use the app if you already have it installed as long as your device is running the latest iOS or iPadOS version – so it’s iOS 26 or iPadOS 26 software. Apple also noted, “This Clips app will no longer be updated.” This means it will not receive any new features or bug fixes and will not be updated to make them work with future iPhone software versions.
Saving Your Clips Videos
Apple is now encouraging users to backup their Clips videos elsewhere. Otherwise, you could lose access to them if you can no longer use Clips. “Save your Clips videos to your Photos library or another location,” advises Apple. “You can save videos with any effects you may have added in clips, or save individual clips without effects. Then you can view your videos in other apps like Photos, or create new videos with individual clips using iMovie or other third-party apps like InShot, VN Video Editor and GoPro Quik.”
How to Save Your Clips
If you want to save a Clips video without effects, it’s easy. Simply open a project, tap a clip, swipe left on the tools, then choose Save Clip. This will save your clip to your Photos library – and also add it to an album called Clips. If the Save Clip option is grayed out, you can find the original clip in your Photos library, Apple said. If you want to save a Clips video with effects, it is also quite easy. Open the video you want to save, then tap the Share button at the bottom right of the app. Now tap Options > Video, select other options like aspect ratio, then tap Done. You will then be presented with options on how you would like to save the video.
What Could Apple’s Clips Do?
This is how Apple described the app when it launched. “Clips allows users to create multi-clip videos on iPhone or iPad without timelines, tracks, or complicated editing tools.” Touch and hold a single button to capture live videos and photos or add them from the photo library. Then add artistic filters, speech bubbles, shapes or emojis. Users can also add full-screen posters with animated backgrounds and customizable text. “Clips offers dozens of music soundtracks to choose from that automatically adjust to the length of a video. Live Titles in Clips allows users to add animated captions and titles using just their voice. Subtitles are automatically generated as a user speaks and appear on the screen in perfect sync with the user’s voice.
Death of the Clips
When the app launched, Apple touted it as a "new app that lets anyone create expressive videos, quickly and fun." “Clips are available on iPhone and iPad. It gives users a new way to express themselves through video, and it’s incredibly easy to use,” said in 2017. “With the effects, filters and amazing new Live Titles we’ve created for Clips, anyone can create great-looking, easy-to-share videos with just a few taps.” Unfortunately, the app has been permanently closed. Apple has not publicly announced why it is shutting down the app. But usually an app closes because there aren’t enough users to justify the cost of maintaining it. Many social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram offer their own video editing tools. And Apple already offers its iMovie app as a free way to edit videos. Many social media creators also use free third-party alternatives like CapCut to edit videos for their pages.
