Trim a video
Cut a clip out of a video by start and end time, without re-encoding when possible.
How it works
Trimming is the single most effective way to make a video smaller: half the length is half the size, with no quality loss. It is also how you turn a two-minute recording into the ten seconds that matter. This trimmer takes a start and end time in seconds and produces a new file, leaving the original untouched.
In Fast mode the video and audio streams are copied without decoding, which takes seconds even for large files, but the cut can only happen at a keyframe, typically every one to five seconds, so the clip may start slightly earlier than requested. Exact mode re-encodes the selected range to H.264 and cuts on the precise frame at the cost of encoding time.
Fast or Exact: which mode to use
| Fast | Exact | |
|---|---|---|
| How it cuts | Copies the streams, starting at the keyframe before your start time | Re-encodes the selected range and cuts on the exact frame |
| Speed | Seconds, even for a long file | About as long as playing the clip, or longer on a phone |
| Quality | Identical to the original | A fresh H.264 encode, visually close to the original |
| Output | Same container as the input | Always H.264 MP4 |
| Best for | Removing the start or end of a long recording | Short clips where the first frame matters |
Times are entered in seconds: 1 minute 30 seconds is 90. Play the video, note the second where the moment starts and ends, and type those two numbers.
How to use it
- Drop the video. The player loads it and fills in the end time with the total length.
- Use the player to find the moment you want, then type the start and end times in seconds (decimals allowed).
- Choose Fast for speed and original quality, or Exact if the cut point must be precise.
- Click Trim, then download the clip. Chain it with the video compressor if you also have a size limit.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my fast-mode clip start a few seconds early?
Stream copying can only begin at a keyframe; FFmpeg seeks to the nearest keyframe before your start time. Use Exact mode when the extra seconds matter.
Which format is the output?
Fast mode keeps the input container (MP4, MOV, WebM, MKV). Exact mode always writes an H.264 MP4. AVI and other containers are re-encoded to MP4 automatically.
Can I cut out the middle of a video?
Not in one step, and this tool does not join clips. Trim the two parts you want as separate clips, then join them in a video editor such as the Photos app on Windows, iMovie or Clipchamp.
Related tools
- Video CompressorCompress MP4, MOV or WebM to a target size in MB without uploading it.
- Compress Video to 8 MBGet a clip under 8 MB for Discord and other strict upload limits.
- Compress Video for WhatsAppShrink a video under WhatsApp's 16 MB (or 64 MB) limit without losing the whole picture.
- Video to MP3Extract the audio track of an MP4, MOV or WebM as an MP3, entirely on your device.
- Video to GIFTurn a clip of an MP4, MOV or WebM into a looping GIF with an optimised colour palette.
- Video to Text (Transcript)Turn speech in a video into a timestamped transcript on your device, then export TXT, Word, SRT or VTT. Nothing is uploaded.