Boomerang videos are booming across social media platforms as some of the most sharable content available. While some apps allow you to create these mini clips from scratch, others turn your old videos into a Boomerang within seconds. This article looks at some of the best apps and methods to create Boomerangs.
What Is a Boomerang Video?
Boomerang videos are basically short looping clips that don’t last more than a few seconds. The ability to Boomerang videos was designed initially by Instagram and became wildly popular.
Even if you’re not a user of the photo-centric app, there are many other apps available to make Boomerangs with. Most of them are not difficult to use, so it comes down to which apps have the best features.
1. Instagram and Boomerang
Creating a Boomerang using Instagram on mobile is super easy – you can do it in seconds. The same can be said for Boomerang, which is an independent app from Instagram that basically offers the same functionality outside of Instagram.
In the Instagram app, swipe left in your main feed to bring up the camera.Select the Boomerang option from the menu on the left.
Press the button at the bottom to start recording.
Once the clip is done, you can apply video effects, including Slow Mo and Duo, by pressing the Boomerang icon at the top.
Next, apply filters, stickers and other decorations and press Done.
Press the “Send to” button to send it to friends or post is as your Story.
With the Boomerang app, the process is the same (minus the first two steps), although you don’t have the option to add filters or any other kind of decoration to your clip – unless you import it to Instagram.
2. Facebook Messenger
Facebook owns Instagram, and the two are quite intertwined, so there’s no surprise that the former also offers a Boomerang option through its Messenger app for Android and iOS.
Open a chat in the Messenger app.Tap on the Camera button in the lower part of the display.
Swipe right at the bottom and select the Boomerang option.
Press the button below to start recording.Add various enhancements by tapping on the options in the upper-right corner, then press done.
If you don’t want to add anything, simply press the “Send” button to share it with a friend or save it as your Story.
3. WhatsApp
Interestingly enough, you can create a quick Boomerang-like clip with WhatsApp as well. Here’s how to do it on Android and iOS.
Open a chat in WhatsApp.Tap the camera icon at the bottom to bring up the camera.
Long-press on the button in the lower part of the display to start shooting.
When you’re done shooting, lift your finger. You can add a few enhancements including stickers and text.
Choose whether you want to share the clip as a video or GIF.
Press Send and that’s it.
4. Snapchat
Snapchat is another great app for creating Boomerangs from scratch. Here’s how to do that on your Android or IOS device.
Open the app and on the upper-right side of the display, tap on the little downward arrow to bring up more options.
Tap on Multi Snap.
Press the large button at the bottom to start recording your clip.
After you’ve completed the shoot, tap on the blue “Edit & Send” button at the bottom.
You can add all kinds of stuff to your clip, including text, stickers (even custom ones), links and more.
Once you’re satisfied, press the “Send To” button.
You can send the clip to individual users or have the app upload it as your Story.
5. TikTok
TikTok is a video-making app which has become increasingly popular in recent times. As you’d expect, the app can be used to create Boomerang-like mini clips.
Open the TIkTok app on your phone.Tap on the “+” button at the bottom of the display to start creating a video.
By default, TikTok lets you create videos that are 15 seconds, 60 seconds or 3 minutes long. It’s possible to create custom videos as well. Boomerangs are usually shorter. Tap on the Timer option on the right side of the display.
Drag your finger to set the recording limit. The example below shows 3 seconds. Tap on “Start recording.”
Shoot your clip, then continue to editing.
TikTok has numerous options awaiting you which allow you to customize the clip in various ways, including adding filters, stickers, transitions and splits. There’s a Time section as well where you can apply Reverse or Repeat and transform your clip into a Slow-mo.
6. Native Options on iPhone and Android
iPhone users can create Boomerang-like clips natively. It starts with the Live Photos option. Users can take these directly from the camera app with the Live Photos option turned on. Once you have a live photo, the next step is to go to your phone’s Photos app. View the pic in question and set it to Bounce, which basically turns it into a Boomerang.
On Google’s Pixel devices, long-pressing the shutter button in the phone’s default camera app will result in live images. These can then be edited frame by frame using Google’s built-in tools.
7. Reverse Movie FX
Reverse Movie FX (Android | iOS) is an app which lets you create Boomerang clips from videos you already have stored on your device. Note that the app contains ads that pop up before and after you edit the video, but you can eliminate those with the Pro version for $2.49.
Creating a Boomerang Video
After you install the app, you can get started by clicking the reverse arrow on the home screen.
Choose to either record a movie or upload an existing one.
If you’ve selected the second option, locate the folder containing your video and tap to select it.Cut the video by using the sliders at the bottom to select the starting and ending frame.
Press Start
Choose Options for Your Clip
Select the direction you want the clip to go. You can make it reversed or a combination of your original video and the reversal.
If you’d like, add one of the many filters or some audio to your project.
The choice to use HD quality is only available in the Pro version.Click “Start Reversing.”
After a few seconds, you can watch your new video, then share it on social networks, including TikTok, Instagram and Facebook.
8. Funimate
Funimate is another app that allows you to create Boomerangs from scratch or edit larger videos to create mini clips. Here’s how to easily convert an older video to a mini clip.
Open the app on your device.Tap on the “+” button at the bottom of the display.
Select “Edit Video.”
Select a video from your gallery. Select the part you want to use for your mini clip by using the sliders.
There are more editing options at the bottom, including Effects, Animation, Filters, Colors and more.
When you are done editing, press the Save button in the upper-right corner, then select “Save to Private Projects.”Press “Done” or share directly to social media.
Funimate will automatically add a watermark to your clips. If you want to remove it, you will have to upgrade to the paid tier.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I create short videos by using a series of images?
Yes, you can. If you want to take this route instead, then check out our list of the best apps for creating a video from photos.
2. My phone can take burst photos. Can these be turned into a Boomerang?
They can with the help of apps like the ones in the list above. Shooting in Burst Mode allows your phone to take dozens of pictures at once, and you can use them to create a mini clip. Devices like iPhones and OnePlus phones can shoot in Burst Mode. If you often use this option, it may be helpful to know how to delete duplicate burst photos on an iPhone.
3. Can I use Boomerangs as wallpaper?
Sure you can. You’ll need an extra app for that, though. To get started, check out our article on how to create video wallpaper on Android.
Shooting Boomerangs can be super fun. If you like making videos as well as mini clips, then perhaps you’d like to get up to speed on how to crop or trim a video on Android and iPhone. Similarly, you may also be interested in our list of eight TikTok alternatives to create and share video.
Alexandra is passionate about mobile tech and can be often found fiddling with a smartphone from some obscure company. She kick-started her career in tech journalism in 2013, after working a few years as a middle-school teacher. Constantly driven by curiosity, Alexandra likes to know how things work and to share that knowledge with everyone.
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