InShot for PC: how to run it on Windows 10 and 11

InShot doesn’t have a Windows version. You can run the Android app through BlueStacks, and it takes about 10 minutes to set up. This article covers exactly how to do that, what to expect, and what to do if something goes wrong.

What is InShot?

InShot is a video and photo editing app built for mobile, originally released in 2012. It’s popular with people who edit short-form videos for TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts. The app handles basic editing tasks well: trimming clips, adding music, overlaying text, applying filters, and adjusting aspect ratios for different platforms.

There’s no desktop version from the developers. The only way to use it on a PC is through an Android emulator. BlueStacks is the most reliable option for this.

Why run InShot on PC?

The main reason is screen size. Editing on a 6-inch phone screen is fine for quick cuts, but working on a monitor gives you more precision when trimming or placing text elements. You can also use a mouse, which makes dragging the timeline scrubber much more accurate than a finger swipe.

File management is easier too. On a phone, getting video files in and out of the app usually means connecting a cable or waiting for a cloud sync. On a PC, your source files are already there.

Some creators also run InShot on a PC because their phone is being used for other things, like monitoring a live stream or running a teleprompter app during recording.

It’s worth noting that CapCut for PC has an actual desktop app and may be a better fit if you want native Windows software. InShot’s PC experience through an emulator works well enough, but it’s not the same as running a program built for your operating system.

How to install InShot on Windows via BlueStacks

Step 1: Download BlueStacks

Go to bluestacks.com and download the installer for Windows. The file is around 800MB. Run it and click through the setup wizard. Installation takes 5 to 10 minutes depending on your machine.

Step 2: Sign in with a Google account

When BlueStacks finishes installing, it will prompt you to sign into Google Play. Use any Google account. This is required to access the Play Store inside the emulator. If you’d rather not use your main account, create a secondary one.

Step 3: Open the Play Store and search for InShot

Once signed in, open the Play Store from the BlueStacks home screen. Search for “InShot” and select the app by InShot Inc. Don’t install any third-party clones that appear in the results.

Step 4: Install the app

Click Install. The download is around 100MB. It will appear on the BlueStacks home screen when ready.

Step 5: Import your footage

Open InShot and tap the video or photo icon to start a project. BlueStacks lets you access your PC’s file system directly, so you can browse to your local video files from the file picker. No need to transfer anything to a virtual phone storage first.

Step 6: Edit and export

Edit as you normally would in InShot. When you export, the file saves to the BlueStacks media folder. You can find it in Windows Explorer under C:\Users\[YourName]\Videos\BlueStacks or use BlueStacks’ built-in shared folder to pull the file out.

System requirements

If BlueStacks refuses to start, virtualization is likely disabled in your BIOS. Restart your PC, enter the BIOS settings (usually by pressing F2 or Del at boot), and enable Intel VT-x or AMD-V depending on your processor.

Common problems and fixes

BlueStacks is slow or laggy

If InShot feels choppy inside the emulator, the first thing to check is how much RAM BlueStacks is allocated. Open BlueStacks Settings, go to Performance, and increase the memory allocation to at least 4 GB if your PC has 8 GB or more. Also make sure your GPU drivers are up to date.

Closing other programs while editing helps too. BlueStacks and InShot together can use 3 to 5 GB of RAM during video export.

Exported video can’t be found

By default, BlueStacks saves media to a folder that’s not obvious. Go to BlueStacks Settings, then the Preferences tab, and look for the shared folder path. You can also change it to a folder on your desktop for easier access. Alternatively, open My Files inside BlueStacks and tap Share on the exported video to move it to the shared folder.

InShot crashes on launch

This usually happens when BlueStacks is running an outdated Android version. Open the BlueStacks Multi-Instance Manager, check for updates, and reinstall InShot after updating. Also try switching the BlueStacks engine from OpenGL to DirectX (or vice versa) in the Display settings if crashes persist.

Alternatives to InShot on PC

InShot works fine through BlueStacks, but there are editors built natively for Windows that might suit you better depending on what you’re doing.

CapCut for PC has a free desktop app with most of the same features InShot offers, plus better template support and a timeline more suited to multi-clip projects. If you’re editing for TikTok, CapCut’s direct export integration is an advantage.

TikTok for PC lets you upload directly from your desktop without going through the mobile app, which can save time if InShot is just one step in a publish workflow.

Vidmate for PC is worth a look if you also need to download videos for offline editing before working on them in InShot.

Voloco for PC covers audio processing if you need voice effects or pitch correction to add alongside InShot’s video edits.

DaVinci Resolve is a free professional option if you outgrow InShot’s feature set. It’s a real desktop application with a learning curve, but it handles 4K footage with much better performance than any emulated mobile app.

FAQ

Is InShot free on PC?
The app is free to download and use. The free version includes a watermark on exported videos. You can remove it by watching an ad or by buying the InShot Pro subscription, which costs around $3.99 per month or $14.99 per year.

Is BlueStacks safe to use?
BlueStacks is a well-established emulator used by millions of people. Downloading InShot through Google Play inside the emulator is the same as downloading it on a phone. Avoid downloading InShot APK files from third-party sites.

Can I export 4K video?
InShot supports up to 4K export, but doing it through BlueStacks is slower than on a native device. If your PC has a dedicated GPU, rendering is faster. Expect a 2 to 3 minute video in 4K to take anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes to export depending on your hardware.

Do keyboard shortcuts work?
BlueStacks lets you map keyboard keys to on-screen buttons through its Keymapping Tool. InShot doesn’t have built-in keyboard shortcuts the way desktop apps do, so you’d need to configure them manually in BlueStacks if you want to use the keyboard for editing actions.

Can I use InShot on a Mac?
Yes. BlueStacks has a Mac version, and the setup process is similar. You can also use an alternative emulator like LDPlayer on Mac. The experience is comparable to Windows.

What’s the difference between InShot and CapCut?
Both are mobile editors that work through emulators on PC, but CapCut also has a native desktop app, which gives it a significant advantage for PC users. InShot has a slightly simpler interface and is quicker to pick up for basic edits. CapCut has more template options and better support for multi-track audio.

Conclusion

InShot runs well on Windows through BlueStacks once it’s set up. The install takes about 10 minutes, and aside from a few file management quirks, the experience is close to using it on a phone. If you need a desktop-native editor, CapCut is the better option. But if you’re already familiar with InShot and want to use it on a bigger screen, the emulator route works without much hassle.