How to Trim a Video on Your Phone

To trim a video on your phone, open the Trim Video tool, choose the video, drag the start and end handles to the part you want, and tap Trim the video. You download a new MP4 that has only that part, with its sound.

The video stays on your device the whole time. This guide explains the two ways to cut, Fast and Exact, and how to choose between them.

What you need

• The video on your phone, in your gallery or files. MP4, MOV from an iPhone, M4V, 3GP and WebM work.
• A recent browser: Chrome, Edge or Samsung Internet on Android, or Safari on a recent iPhone.
• A minute for a short clip. Longer videos take longer in Exact mode.

Steps to trim a video

1. Open the Trim Video tool, tap the box and choose your video. A player with a timeline appears.
2. Drag the round S handle to where the part you want starts, and the round E handle to where it ends. The blue bar between them is what you keep.
3. For a precise time, type it in the Start and End boxes, such as 1:23.5 or 83.5. Or play the video, pause at the right moment, and tap Use now next to Start or End.
4. Tap Play selection to watch only the part you keep. Adjust the handles if the cut is not right.
5. Choose Fast or Exact. The next section explains the difference. Under the boxes the page shows how long the result will be and about how big.
6. Tap Trim the video. A bar shows the progress, and a Cancel button stops it.
7. Download the new file, or use the share buttons to send it. Play it once to check the cut.

Fast or Exact?

Fast does not re-encode the video. It copies the pieces of the picture and the sound that fall inside your selection. That is why it takes seconds even for a big video, and why the quality is exactly the same as the original.

The catch is key frames. A video file stores a complete picture only at key frames, often once a second on phones. The frames between them depend on the earlier ones, so a copy has to start at a key frame. A fast cut therefore starts at the nearest key frame before your start, which can be up to a second or two early. The page tells you the exact start time before you cut, and again in the result.

Exact decodes the picture and encodes it again, so the cut starts on the frame you chose. It takes longer, and because the picture is compressed once more, the file is not an exact copy of the original quality. For most videos you cannot see the difference.

Use Fast for most trims, especially long videos. Use Exact when the first frame matters, such as a clip that must start right on a word.

The sound

The sound is cut at the same time as the picture. In Fast mode it starts at the same key frame as the picture so the two stay in step.

Portrait and landscape

A video filmed upright stays upright. The tool keeps the turn setting stored in the file.

If the preview does not play

Some browsers cannot play some videos, for example iPhone videos that use HEVC on certain Android phones. The page then says there is no preview. Fast mode still works because it only copies data, and you can type the times. Exact mode needs the browser to be able to read the video, and the page tells you if it cannot.

Common problems

My fast cut starts a bit early. That is the key frame. Use Exact to start on the frame you chose.

The end is cut off too soon or late. The cut ends at a frame boundary, so it can be a fraction of a second off. Move the E handle a little, or use Exact.

It says my browser can’t process video. Update your browser or try another one. Fast mode works in more browsers than Exact.

The video is very big. The page warns above 500 MB or 10 minutes. Fast mode is the safest choice on a phone.

I want it smaller as well. After trimming, run the result through the Compress Video tool. Our guide on compressing a video for WhatsApp shows how.

Frequently asked questions

Is the video uploaded?

No. The video is read and cut inside your browser. It never goes to our servers or anyone else.

Does Fast mode lose quality?

No. It copies the data without changing it, so the quality is exactly that of the original.

Can I trim more than one part?

Not in one go. Trim one part, save it, and trim another part from the original.

Why is the result not exactly the length I chose?

In Fast mode the start moves to a key frame, so the result is a little longer. In Exact mode the length is what you chose, within a frame.

Does it work on an iPhone?

Yes, in Safari on a recent iPhone. If Safari lacks a feature the page needs, it says so, and Fast mode may still work.