How to trim a video: quick trims and long recordings
To trim a video, open it in your phone or computer's built-in editor, drag the start and end handles to where you want the video to begin and end, and save it as a new copy. That works for removing a few seconds from one clip. Trimming a long recording down to its best parts is a different job: you have to watch it all and choose what stays. Here are the quick steps for each device, and how to handle long recordings.
Quick trims with built-in apps
| Device | App | Steps |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone / iPad | Photos | Open the video → Edit → drag the yellow handles at either end of the frame strip → Done → Save Video as New Clip |
| Android | Google Photos | Open the video → Edit → drag the handles under the video → Save copy |
| Windows 11 | Clipchamp (preinstalled) | Add the video to the timeline → drag its edges to trim, or split and delete a section → Export |
| Mac | Photos | Open the video → Edit → drag the yellow handles in the frame strip → Done |
| Mac | QuickTime Player | Edit → Trim, drag the yellow handles, click Trim, then save |
Always save as a new copy so the original stays untouched.
Trimming vs. cutting
- Trimming removes footage from the start or end.
- Cutting removes a section from the middle (split twice, delete the piece between).
Most phone apps only trim. To remove a middle section, use an editor with a timeline (iMovie, Clipchamp, CapCut, Novacut). Joining clips afterward? See combining videos.
Trimming a long recording down to the good parts
19 minutes of interviews became an 87-second YouTube video. Sped up. Phone-size version.
We had 19 minutes of an astronaut answering questions from several TV stations and asked Novacut for 90 seconds on one topic:
Keep only her best answers, cut out the interviewers, the dead air and the repeats, use tight jump cuts, add captions, and open with a bold title card.
It kept 11 answers for an 87-second cut and explained why it stopped short of 90 seconds instead of padding. Then trim further with words ("remove the third answer", "make it 60 seconds") or by dragging clip edges on the timeline. More on cutting YouTube videos →
Tips for clean trims
- Leave a few frames before speech starts, so the first word isn't clipped.
- Trim on a pause or a movement, not mid-word.
- Check audio at the cut: a click or a half breath gives the edit away.
FAQ
Does trimming a video reduce its quality?
Not noticeably in phone apps and most editors, which re-encode at high quality. Avoid trimming the same file repeatedly; trim from the original each time.
How do I trim a video without losing the original?
Save as a new clip (iPhone: Save Video as New Clip; Google Photos: Save copy), or export a new file from your editor.
How do I trim the middle out of a video?
Split the clip at both ends of the section and delete it. Phone photo apps usually can't do this; iMovie, Clipchamp, CapCut or Novacut can.
Can I trim a video by describing what to keep?
Yes, with an AI editor. Describe the topic and length; it picks the sections. AI video cutter →
Sources: Microsoft, Clipchamp preinstalled on Windows 11; Apple, Photos for Mac: change a video. Checked October 2026; menu names vary by version.
Demo footage: NASA interviews with astronaut Jeanette Epps (public domain). NASA does not endorse Novacut.