Cyberlink has released PowerDirector Essential 365 and PhotoDirector Essential 365 as free apps for Windows. Both of these apps are available on the Microsoft Store. Any user can download the apps from Microsoft Store and enjoy photo and video editing without any limits. Previously, these tools were available for 30-day trials. If you read carefully, “Essential” word is added to each app name. This means that these tools do not come with all the features of Professional versions. However, the features included in the Essentials category are more than useful for a home user. Cyberlink PhotoDirector Essential comes with the following new features:

A new glitch effects tool for creating glitch art.Seamlessly remove objects from photos, leaving backgrounds untouched.Take control of every particle with Dispersion EffectAnimate your photos with PhotoGIFCorrect the colors properly with Advanced Color ReplacementEasy-to-use adjustment modes for white balance, contrast, exposure, curves, levels, split toning, HSL and HDRAdvanced layer editing capabilities for creating complex images with multiple layersPhotobombers and unwanted items can be eliminated with Intelligent Object Removal and foreground/background editingUtilize a professional and efficient workflow with soft proofing, tethered shooting, facial recognition using AI and GPS photo loggingA powerful tool to help you frame a 360-degree photo

Here are some of the features of Cyberlink PowerDirector Essential:

4K video editing, exporting, and video customizationProduce slow motion or fast forward videosShare directly to Facebook and YouTubeAnimate your text and titles to create visually appealing introductions and captionsTime lapse and slow motionCorrect shaky cam footage with video stabilizationReplace background with chroma key editingIntuitive motion trackingThe library of drag & drop video transitions and effectsParticle creator and pre-made particlesThis application enables you to control brightness, color, and saturation with precisenessEdit your audio using pitch shift, vocal transformer, denoise, and moreRecord audio directly in projectsLots of templates, color filters, and title effects

You can download the apps for free using the links below: Since I have to take a lot of screenshots for tutorials on itechtics.com, my go-to app for image editing is Snagit. I normally use Camtasia Studio for video editing. What is your tool for photo and video editing?