Apple Phases Out Clips App After Six Years
Apple is officially winding down support for its Clips app, removing it from the App Store and confirming that it will no longer receive updates. The move marks the end of a six-year experiment by Apple in the consumer video-editing space, highlighting the evolving landscape of social and creative apps.
App Store Removal and Existing Users
According to an Apple support page, as of October 10, 2025, Clips is no longer available for new users to download. However, existing users can continue to use the app on current or earlier versions of iOS and iPadOS. Users can also re-download Clips from their Apple account if needed.
Without regular updates, Apple warns that Clips may become increasingly difficult to use over time. To help preserve user content, the company encourages users to download their Clips videos, with or without added effects, into the Photos library, where they can continue editing and watching them using other apps.
Clips’ History and Purpose
Launched in 2017, Clips was Apple’s answer to popular social media trends like Snapchat and Instagram Stories. While it was not a social network itself, the app allowed users to stitch together photos and videos with filters, emojis, and music.
TechCrunch’s Brian Heater described Clips’ video editing capabilities as “simple to a fault”, suggesting that the app’s main value was in showcasing Apple’s hardware and software integration rather than competing directly with emerging social platforms. Clips offered users a lightweight way to create videos without needing third-party apps, demonstrating Apple’s emphasis on usability and design.
Updates and Decline in Popularity
Initially, Apple updated Clips with new features to enhance functionality. However, in recent years, updates were largely limited to bug fixes, reflecting declining focus on the app.
Apple fans on Reddit reacted with mild surprise, with many stating that they had only tried Clips years ago or had never used it at all. The app’s focus on real footage shot by real people may have felt increasingly dated compared to newer platforms such as Sora, OpenAI’s generative AI video app, which recently surpassed 1 million downloads.
Why Apple Is Phasing Out Clips
The decision to sunset Clips aligns with broader industry trends in video content creation. Modern users increasingly prefer apps that integrate AI-powered features, generative content, and social sharing capabilities. Clips’ more traditional approach, based on manual video editing, may have struggled to maintain relevance in a rapidly evolving market dominated by platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and AI-driven video tools.
Apple’s encouragement for users to preserve their videos also reflects the company’s commitment to user content and continuity, even as older apps are phased out. Clips may no longer receive updates, but videos created within the app can continue to have value and usability through Apple’s ecosystem.
Outlook
With Clips officially retired, Apple seems to be streamlining its focus on apps and services that leverage emerging technologies such as AI, generative media, and cross-platform social sharing. While Clips never became a mainstream video platform, it served as an early experiment in consumer-focused video creation, helping Apple explore the intersection of hardware, software, and creative tools.
Existing users now have the opportunity to export and preserve their creative content while exploring newer apps that offer advanced editing capabilities, AI features, and broader social integration. Clips’ phase-out underscores the fast-changing nature of consumer tech, where even well-designed apps must evolve or be retired in favor of next-generation solutions.
