You can switch the order in the preferences. PowerDirector has now opted for the best of both worlds approach. Most other editing tools do it more akin to how it would work in real life - imagine putting a piece of paper on top of another and it obstructs what’s beneath it. A clip on a bottom layer obstructing what is present on the upper one.

Previously, we found that PowerDirector orders its layers in the opposite way than “normal”. This new option we noticed when launching the app for the first time will probably be more appreciated by old fogeys like us, who have explored more video editing software than most, but we feel it’s worth mentioning nonetheless. So instead, we’ll showcase some that we found to be best ones for video editors. They’re too numerous in fact to list them all here - which in itself is an impressive thing.

In addition to new templates, themes, and effects packs, there have been a multitude of new features added to PowerDirector’s arsenal. This relatively new format (although it’s been used for a few years now, even when we reviewed version 18) is the codec of choice for iPhones for instance, so it’s great news to learn these files will no longer cause a problem with PowerDirector.

Another welcome under-the-hood addition is compatibility with HEVC.

Powerdirector 18 ultimate