Olive Video Editor for PC: Download & Install on Windows (2026)

If you want a free editor with no watermark and no paywall, this olive video editor download for pc guide covers Olive Video Editor — a free, open-source non-linear video editor for Windows, macOS and Linux. It is often described as an open-source alternative to Premiere, and it costs nothing to download and use.

One warning belongs at the start: Olive is alpha software. The project itself calls it highly unstable and says to use it at your own risk. This guide recommends the more stable 0.1.0 track, explains how the official site routes downloads through GitHub, and shows a first edit without risking important work.

What Is Olive Video Editor?

Olive Video Editor is a free open-source non-linear video editor (NLE) developed by the Olive Editor project on GitHub (olive-editor/olive) and supported via Patreon. Non-linear means you can place clips anywhere on a timeline, trim and rearrange them freely, and layer tracks without destroying your original files. It is written in C++ and built on Qt and FFmpeg.

The headline idea in the newer 0.2 line is node-based compositing. Instead of stacking effects in a fixed list, node-based architecture lets you connect processing steps in a node graph, so a colour change, a keying effect and a transform can be combined in a flexible order. That approach is familiar from professional compositing tools and unusual in a free editor, which is why Olive attracts attention despite its early state.

Olive is released under the GNU GPL v3 licence (GPL-3.0 / GPL v3), so the program and its source code are free to use and share. It comes in two tracks you must not confuse: 0.1.0 alpha, feature-frozen and more stable, and 0.2.0, an unstable development build offered as a nightly with the latest features. A portable build is also available on the nightly track.

Key Features

Free and open-source: Released under GPL v3 with source code on GitHub — no licence fee, subscription or paywall.
Non-linear timeline editing: Arrange, trim, split and layer clips on a multi-track timeline without altering source files.
Node-based compositing: The 0.2 line adds a node-based architecture for combining effects in a flexible graph.
Cross-platform: Builds are published for Windows, macOS and Linux.
Premiere alternative approach: An open-source alternative to Premiere-style editing, with a familiar timeline workflow.
No watermark, no paywalls: Exports carry no watermark and core editing is not locked behind a paid tier.
Installer and portable options: Choose the Windows x86_64 installer (.exe) or a .zip / portable build.

System Requirements

Operating System: Windows (builds also available for macOS and Linux)
Architecture: 64-bit Windows x86_64 build recommended; 0.1.0 also offers a Windows i686 build
Version track: 0.1.0 alpha recommended for most users; 0.2.0 nightly available for testers
Download format: Windows installer (.exe) or .zip; nightly also offers a portable .zip
Licence: GNU GPL v3.0 — free and open-source, with no licence key to buy
Internet: Required to open the official website and download from GitHub releases
Source build dependencies: Qt 5.5+ and FFmpeg 3.4+ (only if you build from source in C++ / Qt)

How to Download Olive Video Editor (Official Method)

Download Olive only from official sources. The official website, olivevideoeditor.org, currently shows a short placeholder — “Olive will return…” — and points readers to GitHub for old downloads. There is no normal download page on the official domain right now, so the safe route is: start on the official site, follow its own GitHub link, and take the Windows file from the official olive-editor releases. Avoid third-party portals, which may bundle old or modified builds.

Official Website: Download Olive Video Editor from the official website

Step-by-Step Installation

Open the official website linked above and follow its GitHub link to the olive-editor/olive releases page.
Find the 0.1.0 release — the more stable alpha track this guide recommends for most users.
Under that release’s assets, download Olive-1e3cf53-Windows-x86_64.exe (or the matching .zip).
Save the file to your Downloads folder and check the filename matches the official release asset.
Double-click the installer and approve the Windows permission prompt.
Follow the setup wizard and keep the default installation location, then click Finish when it completes.
Launch Olive Video Editor from the Start menu and save a test project before you import anything important.

Tip: Backup projects before switching builds. Do not move a serious project between 0.1.0 and the 0.2.0 nightly to chase a feature — test the nightly on a separate copy of a small project instead.

How to Make Your First Edit in Olive Video Editor

Create a new project and sequence, then save the project file straight away so your test work is protected.
Import a few short clips and an audio file, so they appear in the project panel.
Drag your best clip onto the timeline, then add a second clip after it for a simple two-shot sequence.
Trim the start and end of each clip to remove shaky or empty sections.
Add your audio on a track below the video, lower its level where the video sound matters, and play it through.
Export the sequence to a test file, watch it back in full, and only then try extra effects or a nightly build.

Is Olive Video Editor Really Free? The Honest Picture

Yes — Olive is genuinely free and open-source under GPL v3. There is no paid tier to unlock, no account paywall on the official download route and no watermark added because you paid nothing. The project is supported voluntarily via Patreon, not by charging every user.

The honest cost is maturity, not money. Olive is alpha software, considered highly unstable by its own developers — expect rough edges and possible crashes, and use it at your own risk. Version 0.1.0 is the more stable track because its features are frozen, while 0.2.0 is an unstable nightly that may change or break between builds. For learning and small personal projects with backups, Olive is a fascinating free option. For deadline client work, a more mature editor is still the safer main tool.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Olive Video Editor safe to download?

Yes, if you follow the official route: start at olivevideoeditor.org and follow its link to the official GitHub releases at github.com/olive-editor/olive/releases. That chain is published by the project itself. Copies on unrelated download sites cannot be verified the same way, so do not use them.

Is Olive Video Editor stable enough for everyday use?

Not yet — and the project says so itself. Olive is alpha software described in its official README as highly unstable, to be used at your own risk. Choose 0.1.0 for the most stable experience, back up often, and treat the 0.2.0 nightly as a test build only.

Is Olive Video Editor really free, with no watermark?

Yes. Olive is free and open-source under the GNU GPL v3 licence, with no paywalls for core features and no watermark on exports. Development is supported voluntarily via Patreon; you do not need to pay to use the editor.

Should I download 0.1.0 or the 0.2.0 nightly?

Download 0.1.0 to learn Olive and finish small projects — it is the feature-frozen, more stable alpha. Try the 0.2.0 nightly only to test the newest work, including node-based compositing, if you accept crashes and changes between builds.

Conclusion

Olive Video Editor is a genuinely free, GPL-licensed non-linear editor with an ambitious node-based future — and, for now, a clear alpha warning that deserves respect. Download 0.1.0 through the official site’s GitHub link, keep backups, and learn the timeline on test footage for real editing practice at zero cost.

Download Olive Video Editor from the Official Website

Olive Video Editor for PC: Download & Install on Windows (2026)