How to trim a video online

The four steps

1. Paste the link

   Copy the link to the video and paste it into the link bar on the home page. The tool loads the video when you paste it, or when you press Load video.

   Tip: Direct links to .mp4, .webm, .mov, .m4v and .mkv files work best. A YouTube link works for a video you own or have permission to use.

2. Set the start and end

   Drag the blue handle to where the clip should start and the pink handle to where it should end. You can also type the times in the Start and End boxes.

   Tip: Play the video to the exact moment, then press Start = now or End = now.

3. Preview the clip

   Press Preview clip. The video plays your selection and stops at the end point, so you can check the cut before you download.

   Tip: If the cut is off, nudge a handle with the arrow keys. Each press moves one second, or 0.1 second with Alt.

4. Download the MP4

   Press Download clip. For YouTube clips, choose 360p for a smaller file that is ready sooner, or 720p for a sharper one that takes longer. Your browser saves the clip as an MP4.

   Tip: Direct files are cut without re-encoding, so they keep their original quality.

How do I type exact times?

Type a time in the Start or End box and press Enter or move to the next field. VideoTrimming understands these forms:

You type	It means	Shown as
90	90 seconds	1:30
1:30	1 minute 30 seconds	1:30
1:02:03	1 hour 2 minutes 3 seconds	1:02:03
1:30.5	1 minute 30.5 seconds	1:30.5
1m30s	1 minute 30 seconds	1:30

A time past the end of the video snaps to the end. An end before the start moves the end one second after the start. Something that is not a time, such as 1:75, is marked and the previous value stays.

What are the keyboard shortcuts?

Key	Action
← →	Move the focused handle 1 second (Shift: 10 seconds, Alt: 0.1 second)
Page Up, Page Down	Move the handle 10% of the video
Home, End	Jump the handle to its limit
I, O	Set start, set end (outside text fields)
Space	Play or pause
/	Focus the link bar
Esc	Stop the preview or cancel loading

Fast or HD: which should I pick?

This choice applies to YouTube clips. 360p Fast gives a smaller file that is ready sooner. 720p HD is sharper but takes longer. For a clip you only need to review or share quickly, pick 360p. For a clip you will publish, pick 720p. Direct video files have no choice: they are cut without re-encoding and keep their original quality. The 360p or 720p guide explains the difference.

What happens to the files?

VideoTrimming makes temporary files while it prepares your clip and deletes them automatically, within an hour at most. There are no accounts and no library of videos. Read the privacy policy for the details.

Which links work?

Direct links to video files work best. YouTube links work for videos you own or have permission to use. Private, paid, protected and login-only videos can't be trimmed. See the FAQ for more, or try cutting a video by timestamp.

Trim a video