Microsoft Enters the AI Video Race with Bing Video Creator—But with Strings Attached
AI-generated text-to-video content is heating up fast, with Google’s latest Veo 3 model showcasing startlingly realistic visuals and even lifelike dialogue. Now Microsoft has stepped into the competition by releasing its own offering: Bing Video Creator. The catch? It’s free—but only up to a point, and it comes with a number of notable limitations.
Bing Video Creator is currently accessible only via Microsoft’s Bing mobile app, available on both Android and iOS. Download the app, and you’ll be able to generate up to 10 “fast” five-second videos free of charge. Beyond that, you’ll either need to wait for slower “standard” generations or pay using Microsoft Rewards points. Fast generations typically complete in minutes, while standard ones can take several hours, depending on server load and demand.
To find the feature within the app, tap the “apps” icon in the bottom-right corner. Scroll down through the mini utilities—such as stock tickers, news feeds, and wallpapers—until you locate “Video Creator,” currently tucked away in the third row. Functionally, Bing Video Creator operates much like Bing Image Creator: you enter a text prompt and receive a short clip or image based on that description. For now, video output is limited to portrait mode (9:16), lasts only five seconds, and includes no sound or dialogue.
The tech under the hood is OpenAI’s Sora, the video generation model previously exclusive to paid ChatGPT users. While it’s exciting to see Sora arrive in a free product, there are caveats. Complex scene instructions—like intricate camera angles or multi-step motions—often don’t work well within the constraints of a five-second video. Creative prompts can produce mixed results: a lighthearted request like “Microsoft Clippy in a mosh pit” might fail entirely, while a scene such as “a leprechaun bartending in an Irish pub” could deliver surprisingly accurate, if imperfect, results.
Microsoft has also put guardrails in place. Attempts to generate content involving public figures or sensitive themes typically return a warning, as Microsoft continues to prioritize safety and moderation after early missteps in its AI development. Additionally, generated videos are not stored permanently—users have 90 days to download or save their creations before they’re automatically deleted.
If you run out of fast generations and don’t want to wait hours for more, you can purchase extra credits using Microsoft Rewards points. If you’re not already enrolled in the program, now might be a good time to start, as earning points through web searches and other activities can fund additional AI video sessions.
Will Bing Video Creator eventually make its way to the desktop version of Bing or Copilot in Windows? It’s likely. Microsoft’s official blog post teasing the feature includes landscape-format videos that aren’t currently supported in the mobile app, hinting that broader platform support is on the horizon.
While Bing Video Creator doesn’t currently rival Google’s Veo 3 in quality or flexibility, it’s still a notable first step—especially given the price. Free, five-second AI-generated clips that you can personalize and share? That’s plenty of value for casual users and meme-makers alike. Until the competition opens its own gates or lowers its prices, Microsoft’s tool gives you an easy way to join the AI video trend with minimal investment.
