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iMovie gives you three ways to make a video on an iPhone or iPad running iOS 27 or iPadOS 27: Magic Movie for automatic assembly, Storyboard for template-led guidance, and Movie for full timeline control. For a first project, choose Magic Movie when speed matters, Storyboard when you want a shot list, or Movie when you want to learn editing hands-on. The workflow is the same at a high level: grant access to your media, choose clips, arrange or refine them, add titles, sound and transitions, then share either a finished video or an editable project.
Apple released iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 on September 14, 2026. Apple’s current iMovie guides do not document a feature that is unique to those operating-system releases, so the instructions below describe the documented iPhone and iPad workflow rather than claiming an iOS 27-only redesign.
Which iMovie project type should you choose?
Choose the project mode that matches how much creative control you want before you begin. You can customize all three later, but they start with different assumptions about your time, structure and editing experience.
| Project type | How it starts | Best for | Control level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Magic Movie | iMovie assembles selected photos and video clips with a soundtrack and transitions. | A quick recap, family video or social clip when you want a usable first cut fast. | Highest automation; you can customize the result afterward. |
| Storyboard | A template presents a common video structure, shot list, titles, transitions and matching music. | Beginners who want prompts for what to film or select next. | Guided structure with room to replace shots and adjust the edit. |
| Movie | You select and organize media yourself in a timeline. | Anyone who wants to decide clip order and learn manual editing. | Most manual control and the full timeline editing toolset documented for iPad. |
Apple describes these three paths in its iPhone User Guide and iPad project overview. If you are unsure, start with Movie and use a short set of clips; the smaller project makes the timeline easier to understand.
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How do I prepare iMovie before creating a project?
Give iMovie access to the libraries and hardware it needs before selecting media. On iPad, Apple says to allow access to your photo and music libraries. Recording inside iMovie also requires camera and microphone access. You can change these permissions later in system settings.
- Keep the photos and video clips for your first edit in the device’s Photos library so they appear in the media browser.
- Allow music-library access if you plan to use songs or other audio from that library.
- Allow camera and microphone access if you will record footage or a voiceover from inside iMovie.
- If a library looks empty, stop editing and review iMovie’s permissions in the device settings before troubleshooting the project.
The exact permission prompt and settings labels can differ between iPhone and iPad. Apple’s iPad project overview explains the access requirements.
How do I create a manual Movie project?
On iPad, the documented sequence is Start New Project, Movie, select your photos and video clips in the media browser, then Create Movie. iPhone follows a comparable flow, although the available screen space and labels can vary by app version.
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- Open iMovie. If you see the project browser, use its control for starting a new project. Otherwise, tap Start New Project.
- Choose Movie. This selects the manual timeline project rather than Magic Movie or Storyboard.
- Browse your media. Select the photos and video clips you want in the first cut. Choose only the material you can realistically review; a small first project is easier to finish.
- Tap Create Movie. iMovie places the selected items into a project timeline where you can arrange and refine them.
- Play the timeline once. Note where the order, pacing or audio feels wrong before making detailed changes. This gives you a baseline and helps you avoid editing a clip that you later remove.
Apple documents the iPad steps in its Create a movie project guide and provides the comparable iPhone workflow in the iPhone User Guide. Screens can change with an iMovie update, so follow the wording shown on your device if it differs slightly.
How do Magic Movie and Storyboard projects work?
Both guided modes reduce the amount of empty timeline work, but they solve different problems.
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Magic Movie: let iMovie build a first cut
Choose the photos and clips that belong to the event or subject. Magic Movie assembles them with a soundtrack and transitions, then lets you customize the result. It is useful when you need a presentable sequence quickly or do not yet know how to pace a manual edit. Review the automatic order rather than assuming it tells the story perfectly; remove material that repeats the same moment and replace anything that does not fit.
Storyboard: follow a template and shot list
Storyboard starts from a template for a common type of video. Its shot list gives you prompts for the kinds of clips a sequence needs, while titles, transitions and matching music help maintain a consistent style. Use it when you are filming or selecting media with a clear structure in mind, such as an introduction followed by a few steps and a closing shot.
Apple’s project documentation covers Magic Movie and Storyboard creation on iPhone and the corresponding iPad project choices.
What can I edit after the first cut?
iMovie’s current iPhone and iPad guides cover the core finishing tasks: arranging clips and photos, adding titles, applying themes, using transitions, adding filters and effects, changing clip speed, working with music and sound effects, recording a voiceover, and adjusting audio. The names and placement of controls are not guaranteed to be identical on both devices, so use the guide for the device in your hands.
Arrange and shorten the story
Review the timeline from beginning to end and move clips into a logical order. Remove clips that repeat information or weaken the opening. Use the clip editing controls to shorten long starts and endings, then play the join between clips to check that the cut feels intentional. For a first movie, prioritize a clear beginning, middle and ending over elaborate effects.
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Add titles and a visual style
Titles identify the subject, location or people on screen. Add an opening title only when it helps the viewer understand what follows; use a closing title for a date, credit or final message. Themes can provide a coordinated look, while filters and effects can change the appearance of individual clips. Apply them consistently so the project does not feel like a collection of unrelated presets.
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Transitions control how one clip changes to the next. A simple transition is usually enough for a continuous event; a more noticeable change can signal a new place or section. If every cut has a dramatic transition, the effect competes with the story, so watch the sequence with sound on and remove anything distracting.
Control speed when time matters
Changing a clip’s speed can compress a long activity or draw attention to a short action. Keep dialogue at a natural pace unless you have a specific reason to alter it. Check the audio after a speed change because the timing of speech and music must still match the pictures.
Build a clean soundtrack
Add music or sound effects only after the visual order is stable. Lower background audio when spoken words begin, and remove music that makes a scene feel busier than the footage. iMovie also supports recording a voiceover; microphone permission is required for recording from within the app. Use headphones while checking levels if you hear an echo or cannot tell whether narration is covering important sound.
These editing categories are listed in Apple’s iPhone guide and iPad guide. The iPad manual Movie project is described as providing the full set of iMovie timeline editing tools.
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Is editing on iPhone different from editing on iPad?
Both devices are supported targets for iMovie, but the practical difference is workspace: an iPad gives the timeline and media browser more room, while an iPhone is convenient for quick edits made from footage already on the phone. The available controls should be checked against the relevant device guide rather than assumed to be identical.
- Choose iPhone when portability and a fast review matter more than a large editing workspace.
- Choose iPad when you want more room to inspect a timeline, select media and make precise changes.
- Do not upgrade solely for this workflow. The documented material does not establish a model-by-model performance advantage or a required iPad purchase.
Apple’s security-release information lists iOS 27 device families including iPhone 11 and later, plus specified generations of iPad Pro, iPad Air, iPad and iPad mini. That is operating-system compatibility, not proof of iMovie’s App Store minimum device requirement. Check the current iMovie listing and your exact model before promising that a particular device can install the app: Apple security releases.
How do I finish and share a movie as a video file?
Sharing a finished movie creates a rendered video that other people can watch. It is different from sending the editable project. Before sharing, play the entire movie, check the first and last seconds, and listen for abrupt volume changes.
- Open the completed project and review it from the beginning rather than relying on the timeline preview alone.
- Confirm that titles are readable, clips are in the intended order and the soundtrack does not overwhelm speech.
- Use iMovie’s share or export control for the movie, then choose the destination offered on your device.
- After export, open the resulting video once. A successful export is not the same as a successful upload or message attachment.
The resulting video is the right handoff when the recipient only needs to watch, post or archive the finished edit. It does not preserve the separate clips, timeline decisions or editable titles as an iMovie project.
How do I export an editable iMovie project?
Project export bundles the project and its media as a single file. Apple’s iPad guide says that bundle can be sent by AirDrop, saved to Files or iCloud Drive, or shared through Mail or Messages. This is the option to use when another person must continue editing rather than merely watch the finished movie.
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- Open the project you want to hand off and choose the project-export option, not the command that shares a finished video.
- Select a destination such as AirDrop, Files, iCloud Drive, Mail or Messages, depending on how the recipient will receive the bundle.
- Tell the recipient that the file contains the project and its media; both need to remain together for continued editing.
- Confirm the recipient’s iMovie version before sending. Apple cautions that a project made by a newer iOS or iPadOS iMovie version may not open in an older iMovie for Mac version.
Apple also documents opening an iMovie project in Final Cut Pro for iPad when that app is installed on the same iPad. Treat that as a separate, version-sensitive handoff rather than assuming every Apple editing app will open every project. See Apple’s project export guide.
What should you check when an iMovie project goes wrong?
Most first-project problems come from choosing the wrong project mode, missing permissions or confusing a video export with a project export. Use the symptom that matches what you see.
- Your photos or clips do not appear: review Photos-library access for iMovie, then reopen the media browser. If you are trying to record, also check camera and microphone access.
- You cannot find the timeline tools you expected: verify that you created a Movie project rather than a guided project, and consult the iPhone or iPad guide for the exact device controls.
- The automatic movie feels wrong: treat Magic Movie as a first cut. Replace, remove or rearrange material and adjust titles, transitions and audio before sharing.
- The recipient cannot continue editing: you probably sent a rendered video. Export the editable project bundle instead and confirm the recipient’s iMovie version.
- A Mac will not open the project: check whether the project was made in a newer iOS or iPadOS iMovie version than the Mac copy. A version mismatch can block opening even when the file transferred correctly.
- The soundtrack or narration is hard to hear: return to the audio controls, lower competing music or effects, and replay the complete sequence before exporting again.
What is the best first-project workflow?
For a first attempt, keep the scope small and make decisions in a fixed order. This prevents you from polishing a clip that later disappears from the story.
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- Select a short event or topic and gather only the strongest photos and clips.
- Choose Magic Movie for speed, Storyboard for prompts, or Movie for timeline practice.
- Build the visual order and remove repetition before adding music or effects.
- Add essential titles, then adjust transitions and speed only where they improve clarity.
- Balance music, effects and voiceover so speech remains understandable.
- Play the complete project, correct the final seconds and export either a watchable video or an editable project according to the recipient’s need.
This sequence works on current iPhone and iPad iMovie guides without assuming an iOS 27-specific feature. It also leaves you with a clear decision at the end: a video file for viewing, or a project bundle for further editing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change project type after I start in iMovie?
Apple documents Magic Movie, Storyboard and Movie as separate project paths. If the structure you chose is no longer suitable, create a new project with the preferred mode and select the same source media rather than assuming one project can be converted into another type.
How much footage should I use for my first iMovie?
There is no fixed clip limit established by the guides. A practical beginner approach is to use a short, focused set of media that you can watch completely in one sitting, then add material only when it improves the story.
Can someone watch an editable project without iMovie?
An editable project bundle is intended for an iMovie-compatible editing workflow and includes the project’s media. If the recipient only needs to watch the result, send a finished video file instead.
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The operating-system compatibility list does not establish identical iMovie controls on every model. Check the current App Store listing and the device-specific iMovie guide, because screen size and app-version differences can change what you see.
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