Free Online Video Trimmer

What this video trimmer does

This free online video trimmer lets you cut any section from a video file using precise start and end sliders — then download just that trimmed section. It works on any video format your browser can play (MP4, WebM, MOV, MKV in most browsers) and processes everything on your device using the native captureStream and MediaRecorder APIs. Nothing is uploaded to any server, and there’s no file-size limit imposed by us. The tool is perfect for grabbing a highlight from a longer video, removing intro/outro sections, or extracting a specific moment to share.

How to trim a video

1. Drop your video onto the upload area or click to browse. It plays instantly in the built-in player.
2. Set the start point using the Start slider. The video seeks to that moment as you drag.
3. Set the end point using the End slider. Watch the selection duration update in real time.
4. Preview your selection to make sure the trim is exactly where you want it.
5. Click Trim & Download. The tool plays your video from start to end while capturing the stream — when it hits the end, the trimmed file downloads automatically.

Features

• Precise start and end sliders with 100 ms resolution
• Live preview — click Preview Selection to play just the trimmed section before exporting
• Automatic video seeking — the video jumps to the current slider position so you always see the exact frame
• Duration and selection length displayed live
• Preserves audio — the trimmed clip includes the original audio track
• Automatic format detection — outputs WebM or MP4 depending on your browser’s best support
• No file size limit from us — works with files up to ~2 GB depending on your browser’s memory
• Zero libraries loaded — pure vanilla JavaScript using the native captureStream + MediaRecorder pattern
• Works offline after the page has loaded

How the trimming works (transparency)

Unlike server-based trimmers that re-encode your video with FFmpeg, this tool uses a browser-native technique: your video is played back at 1× speed from the start point to the end point, and the browser captures that playback stream into a new video file. This has two implications:

• Trimming takes as long as the trimmed clip’s duration — a 60-second trim takes about 60 seconds to complete
• The output uses your browser’s default codec (WebM on Chrome/Firefox, MP4 on Safari) — not the source codec

The upside: no library to load, no server involvement, works in every modern browser, and the output plays cleanly in every viewer. The downside: it’s slower than FFmpeg-based trimming (which we’ll add in a separate tool). For most trims under 5 minutes, this is the right tool.

Common use cases

Highlight extraction — Cut a 30-second highlight from a long game recording, meeting, or lecture. Perfect for sharing the “one moment that mattered” without forcing viewers to watch an hour of context.

Intro/outro removal — Chop the boilerplate intro or subscribe-please outro from a screen recording or downloaded video before sharing it internally.

Social media clips — Cut a 15-60 second segment from a longer video for TikTok, Reels, or Shorts. Pair with our Video Cropper to reframe for vertical.

Evidence and documentation — Isolate the exact moment of a bug or incident from a longer recording — useful in QA and support tickets.

Interview and podcast editing — Cut standalone clips from a long interview to share as promo teasers or standalone social posts.

Family videos — Extract just the important moments from long-duration phone recordings.

Video trimmer comparison

Pro tips

• Preview before exporting. The Preview Selection button plays exactly what will be exported. Fix the trim there rather than re-doing the export.
• For long videos, split them first. Trimming a 2-hour video takes 2 hours of playback. Consider your patience level.
• The output is compressed via your browser’s default codec — expect the trimmed file to be smaller than the equivalent portion of the source. If you need to preserve exact original quality, use an FFmpeg-based trimmer.
• Keep the tab in focus during trimming. Some browsers throttle background tabs, which can slow or interrupt the recording.
• Very short trims (under 1 second) may not work reliably because MediaRecorder needs a moment to initialize. Use at least a 2-second selection.
• If the download doesn’t start, your browser may have blocked the pop-up. Look for a browser icon indicating a blocked download and allow it.