Google Drive Introduces New 'Vids' Shortcut for Seamless Video Editing.

Google is enhancing its Drive and Workspace suite with a new, highly requested feature that will streamline user video editing. A new "Open" button is being rolled out to the video preview screen in Google Drive, providing a direct shortcut to edit videos using the Google Vids app.

This update eliminates the tedious process of downloading a video from Drive, editing it in a separate application, and then re-uploading the new file. A simple click launches the video directly into the Google Vids editor, making quick trims, text additions, and other edits faster and more efficient.

The new feature is currently rolling out to Google Workspace users, including those on Business Starter, Standard, and Plus plans, as well as Enterprise, Essentials, and Nonprofits. It is also available to users with the Gemini Education and Gemini Education Premium add-ons, and those with Google AI Pro and Ultra subscriptions.

How to Use the New Video Editing Shortcut

Using the new Vids shortcut button is straightforward. Here are the steps to get started:

1. Navigate to Your Video: Open Google Drive on your computer and locate the video file you wish to edit.
2. Open the Preview: Click on the video file to open its preview window.
3. Find the Shortcut: In the top right corner of the video preview screen, look for a new "Open" button.
4. Launch Google Vids: Click the "Open" button. Your video will automatically be imported into Google Vids in a new browser tab.
5. Edit Your Video: Once in Google Vids, you can use the available tools to trim clips, add text overlays, insert music, and make other adjustments.

Important Note: When a video file is opened in Vids, a new Vids file is created. After you finish editing, you will need to save or export the video as a new file (e.g., as an MP4) to your Drive. Additionally, there are some limitations: individual clips can be up to 35 minutes long and have a maximum file size of 4GB.

This new feature represents Google's continued effort to improve video capabilities across its platform, following other recent updates like the enhanced video player and the Gemini AI video summary tool. In another related update, Google is also adding video thumbnail previews to the progress bar in Drive's video player, making it easier to scrub through your footage.