How to Trim a Video | 6 Different Options

You may have captured a video or received footage from someone that is a bit too long or had a few extra seconds you’d rather do without. Not every moment captured needs to make it to the final cut. The good news is you can trim the frames, remove the unnecessary fluff, and make it exactly the way you like it. 

Regardless of whether you’re using a smartphone, tablet, or computer, there are quick, easy ways to chop those videos down to size, which we’ll discuss below.

How to Trim a Video on an iPhone or iPad

Trimming videos on an iPhone or iPad is quite easy using the built-in Photos app. 

Follow these steps:

1. Open the Photos app.
2. Find the video you want to trim.
3. Tap on it to select it.  
4. Tap the blue “Edit” button at the top right corner of your iOS device screen. 
5. Use the slider at the bottom to adjust the start and end points of your video.
6. Next, preview your trimmed video by tapping the “Play” option.
7. If satisfied, tap Done.
8. Finally, tap “Save Video” or “Save Video as New Clip.”

Note: The “Save Video” option overwrites the original video with the trimmed one. If you want to keep the original version, tap “Save as New Clip,” and a new video will be added to the Photos library, keeping both copies.

How to Trim a Video on an Android

Like iOS, Android’s native Gallery app also has a trim feature to edit the video according to your desired length. Here’s how:

1. Open the Gallery app.
2. Open the video you want to trim, let it play, and then pause it.
3. Tap the “Edit” option with a pencil symbol.
4. Move the slider from the left to select the time stamp you want as a starting point.
5. Move the slider from the right to select the time stamp for the endpoint.   
6. Tap “Play” to preview your trimmed clip.
7. Tap the save icon (top-right of the screen), and It will automatically save the video as a new clip in the Gallery app.

How to Trim a Video on a Mac

The iMovie and QuickTime Player apps come pre-installed on a Mac, which are a great tool not only for trimming footage but also for more difficult video editing tasks.

iMovie

1. Click “Finder” in the Dock to search for the iMovie app in the Applications folder. 
2. Click the purple iMovie icon with a video camera to launch the app.
3. Next, click the “Plus” button to import the video saved on your Mac in the timeline.
4. Move the pointer to where you want to start your cut and click there to move the play head to that position.
5. Now, right-click the video and select “Split Clip.” 
6. Then, move the pointer to where you want to finish the cut and click again to move the play head to the new position.
7. Right-click and select “Split Clip” again.
8. Select the portion you just cut out.
9. Finally, press the backspace key on the keyboard to get rid of it.

Another way to trim the video in iMovie is to move the pointer to the start position where you want to cut and press “Command B.” Then move the pointer where you want to finish and press the “Command B” on the keyboard again. 

QuickTime Player

1. Open the QuickTime Player app on your Mac.
2. Click Edit > Trim.
3. Double-click the video you want to trim.
4. Now, drag the left and right yellow handles in the bar below to select the parts of the video you want to keep.
5. Click Trim.

How to Trim a Video on a PC

Windows 10 and later versions have the Photos app with video editing features that also include trimming. Here are the quick steps:

1. Right-click the video, select “Open with,” and choose “Photos.”
2. Click the “Video Trim” option on the top left of the screen.
3. Drag the handle from the left side to select a new start point and from the left for an endpoint.
4. Click “Save as copy.”

How to Trim a Video on YouTube

YouTube Studio provides a built-in editor to cut out the beginning, middle, or end of your video directly on the platform without having to re-upload it. This way, the URL of your YouTube video, comments, and view count stays the same.

1. Open YouTube Studio. 
2. Sign in to your account. 
3. Click “Content” from the left menu and find the video in your uploads (Click Title or Thumbnail).
4. Select “Editor” from the left-hand menu.
5. Click Trim & Cut.
6. Use the blue trim handles to adjust your video’s length and click “Save.”

Note: The YouTube Studio trimming feature works for videos shorter than 6 hours.

How to Trim a Video on Canva

Canva is not just for graphics; it’s also a handy tool for simple video edits that include trimming. Below are the steps you need to follow for this purpose.

1. Go to the Canva website and select “Videos” from the header menu.
2. Click “Uploads” from the left menu, then click “Upload files” to browse to your video location.
3. Once the video is uploaded, click it to move it to the video editor on the right pane.
4. Click the scissors “Trim” option and move the sliders from the left or right side to shorten the video.
5. Click “Done.”
6. Click “Share” to download the trimmed video to your PC.

Other Apps to Consider for Trimming Videos

You can trim the video quickly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer with native apps. Online tools like Canva serve the same purpose right from your device’s browser. However, third-party apps like Adobe Premiere Rush, Filmora, and InShot allow you to do advanced trimming options like ripple, roll, slip, slide, and more.

Conclusion

With a few simple steps, you now know how to trim videos on your Android, iOS, Windows, and Mac devices. You’ve also learned to cut out the video length for your uploaded YouTube videos without losing engagement. 

If you don’t want to use the built-in video editing apps on your device, Canva is a favorite web tool amongst many video editors for this purpose. 

As a seasoned editor or someone who’s just starting out, these techniques will help you come up with professional-looking edited videos. So, find a comfortable spot and start snipping away!

**Featured photo by SuGuna Photos