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How to Recover Microsoft Video Editor Projects After Moving to Clipchamp

Emma Brown Oct 13, 2026 870 views

Question details

The user needs to locate and import older Microsoft Video Editor projects that are missing after upgrading to Clipchamp.

How to Recover Microsoft Video Editor Projects After Moving to Clipchamp

Product: Microsoft Video Editor and Clipchamp
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Upgrading to a newer version of Windows or transitioning default apps from Microsoft Video Editor to Clipchamp.
Observed behavior: Previous video projects created in the Microsoft Video Editor app are missing and cannot be opened directly within Clipchamp.

Before you start

Ensure you still have access to the legacy Microsoft Video Editor (often found within the Photos Legacy app) on your PC before attempting to transfer your project files.

Solution 1Recommended

Export Projects as MP4 and Import into Clipchamp

Since Microsoft Video Editor and Clipchamp use different project formats, you must manually export your old projects as videos and import them into Clipchamp for further editing.

Microsoft Video Editor and Clipchamp use completely different internal project formats and storage locations. Because of this architectural difference, Clipchamp cannot natively read or open the raw project files from the older app.

To continue working on these projects, the most reliable method is to render the original projects into standard MP4 video files, which can then be seamlessly imported into a new Clipchamp workspace.

Open the original project

Launch the Microsoft Video Editor (or Photos Legacy app) and open the project you wish to migrate.

Export as an MP4 file

Click on the 'Finish video' button located in the top right corner, select your desired video quality, and click 'Export' to save the project as an MP4 file to your local drive.

Create a new Clipchamp project

Open the Clipchamp application on your computer and click on 'Create a new video' to open a blank editing timeline.

Import the video

Click 'Import media' in the Clipchamp interface, locate the MP4 file you just exported from the legacy editor, and drag it onto the timeline to continue adding new edits, text, or effects.

Export Projects as MP4 and Import into Clipchamp

Editing Limitations: Because you are importing a rendered MP4 file rather than a raw project file, your previous individual clips, text layers, and transitions will be baked into a single video track. You can add new elements in Clipchamp, but cannot alter the original raw cuts.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why did Microsoft replace Video Editor with Clipchamp?

Microsoft acquired Clipchamp to provide a more robust, modern, and timeline-based video editing experience for Windows 11 users, effectively replacing the simpler Video Editor that was built into the older Photos app.

Can I still download the old Microsoft Video Editor?

Yes, the classic Video Editor is bundled with the legacy Photos app. You can usually download 'Photos Legacy' directly from the Microsoft Store to access the old Video Editor interface if it was removed during a recent Windows update.

Where were my old Video Editor projects saved locally?

Older Video Editor projects were stored internally within the app's SQLite database in the hidden AppData folder rather than as standard, transferable project files. This complex storage method is the main reason why direct project migration to Clipchamp is not possible.

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