- Apple has removed Clips from the App Store and will no longer offer updates.
- Existing users can keep using it or re-download via their Apple account.
- Apple encourages exporting Clips videos to the Photos library for editing elsewhere.
- The move signals Apple is deprecating a lightly used app in favor of other video tools.
Apple has quietly pulled its Clips app from the App Store. As of October 10, new users can no longer download it. The company confirmed in a support page that future updates are off the table. Existing users who already have the app installed can keep using it, or re-download it from their Apple account if necessary.
With no updates ahead, the app is expected to fade over time. Apple is urging users to save their Clips videos to the photo library so they can edit or view them using other apps. That step may become essential as iOS evolves and compatibility becomes an issue.
No More Updates, Just Maintenance
The support page states that Apple will not develop new features for Clips. The company will issue only urgent bug fixes when needed. In effect, the app is entering a maintenance mode. Without fresh development, it may struggle to keep up with newer video editing tools and operating system changes.
Clips was once Apple’s lightweight answer to social video tools like Snapchat and Instagram Stories. It let users stitch images and video snippets, add filters, emojis, stickers, and arrange them with music. The idea was to let people create fun short-form media on iPhones and iPads.
In its early years, Clips got more feature updates. But in recent times Apple has limited work on Clips to small tweaks and bug repairs. Observers had long speculated the app was on autopilot.
Why Apple is Letting Clips Go Quietly
Removing the app quietly suggests Apple has deprioritized it altogether. Clips was never a major revenue driver or a marquee social tool. It served more as an accessory to Apple’s device ecosystem than as a standalone powerhouse.
Clips never really competed with major social platforms because it lacked a built-in audience. It did not have social discovery or sharing networks. Users had to export their work into Photos or social networks on their own.
Now, Apple seems ready to let users migrate their work and abandon investment in the app. By encouraging downloads of user content, Apple is gently nudging users to shift to rival video tools.
Users React with a Mixed Response
Many long time Apple fans say they rarely used Clips or dropped it years ago. One Reddit user noted they “might have tried Clips in 2018,” then forgot it existed. Others say this move is unsurprising, given how little attention Apple paid to the app lately.
Tech watchers see it as pragmatic. Maintaining an app that few use and which competes weakly is costly. Better to wind it down and focus engineering on bigger bets.
Still, for people who have amassed a library of Clips videos, this change presents a headache. Over time, compatibility issues may grow. New versions of iOS could break parts of the app or its effects. That could leave some content stuck or inaccessible.
Next Steps for Users
If you still use Clips, act now. Export your videos — with or without added filters or effects — into your Photos library. That way you can continue editing or sharing them in other apps. Do not wait for a later update, because there may not be one.
Check your Apple account’s purchase history if you lose Clips and want to re-download it. But re-downloads may not work forever, especially if Apple changes policies. Better to have backups of any content you care about.
As Clips fades, users will naturally look for replacements. There are many mobile video editors and social apps that offer more features, richer effects, and stronger sharing tools. Moving your content now avoids a future scramble.
The Bigger Shift in Apple’s Strategy
Apple once showed ambition with Clips. It served as a way to highlight what iPhones and iPads could do. The app showed off transitions, live titles, stickers, animated effects, and integrating into the camera. Its simplicity was both its virtue and its limitation.
Over time, Apple seems to have shifted priorities. With generative AI video tools emerging, users may favor apps that offer more automation, smart effects, or AI-driven content. Clips, built around real footage stitched manually by users, may feel dated when compared to newer offerings.
In the broader context, Apple continues to integrate media and video tools across its system: Photo, iMovie, Final Cut, and system camera features. Rather than keeping a separate mini app, the company may prefer folding video capabilities directly into core apps.
The departure of Clips feels low key. There is no grand farewell or announcement. But for those who used it, it marks the end of a small chapter in Apple’s experiment with social video creation.
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