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Trim Video

Cut the start and end of a video clip.

Your files never leave your device.

Uses FFmpeg compiled to WebAssembly (ffmpeg.wasm, core 0.12.10), licensed under the GNU GPL v2 or later. Source code. The first use downloads about 32 MB, which your browser keeps for next time.

When to use it

Use this tool to cut a video down to the part you want. It is great for removing a slow start, trimming a phone recording before sharing it, cutting a clip from a longer screen recording, or making a short video fit a social media time limit. You can also remove the sound at the same time.

How to use it

  1. Click Choose video or drop a file. MP4, MOV, WebM, MKV and more work, up to 2 GB.
  2. Wait while the video tools load and the file is read. The name, length, size and resolution appear.
  3. Set the Start and End times. Type them in, or play the video and use the buttons next to each box to set them to the current position. Use Play selection to check.
  4. Choose a Cutting method:
    • Fast, original quality copies the video without re-encoding. It is quick and keeps the quality, but can start up to a couple of seconds early.
    • Exact frame re-encodes the clip so it starts and ends exactly where you chose. It is slower and saves as MP4.
  5. Tick Remove the sound if you want a silent clip.
  6. Click Trim video, watch the result, then click Download.

Worked example

You filmed a 3-minute clip of a school concert on your phone, but your child’s song starts at 1:05 and ends at 2:20. Load the MOV file, set the start to 1:05 and the end to 2:20, and keep the fast method. A 75-second clip is ready in a few seconds, at the original quality, saved as MOV.

If the first second shows the end of the previous song, switch to Exact frame and trim again. It takes longer, but starts exactly at 1:05.

Tips

  • Try fast first. It is much quicker, and the small offset rarely matters for casual clips.
  • Use exact frame for tight edits. Tutorials, memes and clips that will be joined to others usually need precise starts.
  • Make it smaller next. If the trimmed file is still too big to send, run it through Compress Video.

Common mistakes

  • Selecting the whole video. Move at least one handle, or there is nothing to trim.
  • Expecting a different format. Fast mode keeps MP4, MOV, WebM and MKV files in their original format. Other formats are saved as MP4.
  • Closing the tab while it works. Processing happens on your device, so keep the page open until the download is ready.

Frequently asked questions

Is my video uploaded?

No. The video is processed inside your browser using FFmpeg compiled for the web. It never leaves your device.

Why does the fast cut start a little early?

Videos store a full picture only every few seconds, at points called keyframes. The fast method copies the video without re-encoding, so it has to start at a keyframe. Choose Exact frame if the start must be precise.

Which method keeps the best quality?

Fast, original quality copies the video data exactly, so there is no loss at all. Exact frame re-encodes the clip as MP4 at high quality, which is very close to the original but not identical.

Why does it download something before the first video?

The video tools are a large program that runs in your browser. It is downloaded once, then kept by your browser so later visits start much faster.

My browser cannot play the file. Can I still trim it?

Yes. If there is no preview, type the start and end times instead. The cut still works for most formats, including MKV and AVI.

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