How to Trim a Video in VLC: Complete Guide

Video trimming is a fundamental editing task, whether you’re creating content for social media, working on a video project, or just looking to cut out unwanted sections from a video file. Everyone’s heard about the VLC player, but not everyone knows that VLC trims videos too! Yes, VLC Media Player, a versatile and free multimedia player, is not only great for playing videos but can also serve as a handy tool for video editing, including trimming. If you’re wondering how to trim video files in VLC, in this guide, we will walk you through the process of trimming videos in VLC on both Windows and Mac operating systems.

How to trim a video in VLC on Windows

Here’s how to trim a video with VLC on Windows in a few simple steps:

1. Download and Install VLC. If you don’t already have VLC installed, you can download it for free from the official website.
2. Launch VLC on your Windows computer.
3. Click on the Media menu and select Open File to locate and open the video you want to trim.
4. To access the trimming feature, click on the View menu and select Advanced Controls. This will add a set of extra controls to the player.
5. Play your video to find the starting point of the segment you want to keep and the ending point where you want the trim to conclude. Pause the video at the starting point.
6. Now here’s finally how to trim video in VLC media player: click the red Record button in the Advanced Controls section when your video is paused at the desired starting point. VLC will record the segment from this point onwards.
7. When your video reaches the desired ending point, click the Record button again to stop the recording. VLC will save the trimmed video segment in your default Videos folder with a name like vlc-record-date-time.mp4.
8. You can now find the trimmed video in your Videos folder and play it or use it as needed.

How to trim a video in VLC on Mac

Having VLC trim a video on Mac is as easy as on Windows. Follow these steps to trim video in VLC Media Player:

1. Download VLC for free from the official website.
2. Open VLC Media Player on your Mac.
3. Import your video by clicking on File > Open File.
4. Here’s how you get VLC to trim a video: play your video (or scroll it on the timeline) to the starting point of trimming.
5. Find the Playback window and hit Record (or use the Option + Cmd + R shortcut). Then click the Play button and play your video till the moment when you want it to end. Repeat this step to stop recording.
6. VLC will save the trimmed video segment in your default Movies folder.

As you can see, you need to do pretty much the same to trim videos in VLC on Mac. The only difference to getting VLC media player to trim a video is that certain elements of the players’ interface on Mac are named differently from the Windows version.

Trimming a Video in Movavi Video Editor

If you find it challenging to trim video with VLC, you can use an alternative program. One such program is Movavi Video Editor. Follow these steps:

Step 1: Install Movavi Video Editor

If you haven’t already, download and install Movavi Video Editor on your computer. You can find the software on the official Movavi website.

Step 2: Launch Movavi Video Editor

Open the Movavi Video Editor application on your computer by double-clicking its icon.

Step 3: Import your video

Click on the Add Media Files button or drag and drop your video file into the program’s workspace to import the video you want to trim.

Step 4: Add the video to the timeline

Drag the imported video from the Media Bin to the Timeline at the bottom of the Movavi Video Editor interface.

Step 5: Trim the video

To trim the video, follow these sub-steps:

• Select the split tool. Click on the Scissors icon in the Timeline toolbar. This tool allows you to cut the video at the desired points.
• Set the trim points. Move the playhead (the vertical line in the Timeline) to the point in the video where you want to start trimming. Click on the Split button (scissors icon) to split the video at this point. Then, move the playhead to the end of the segment you want to trim and click Split again.
• Remove the trimmed segment. Select the segment you want to remove by clicking on it, and then press the Delete key on your keyboard. This will remove the selected portion from the video.

Step 6: Save your trimmed video

Once you’ve completed the trimming process and are satisfied with the result, click on the Export button in the lower-right corner of the Movavi Video Editor interface.

Step 7: Choose export settings

A dialog box will appear, allowing you to choose export settings for your trimmed video. Select the desired format, quality, and destination folder for the trimmed video file.

Step 8: Export the trimmed video

Click the Start button to begin exporting your trimmed video. Movavi Video Editor will process the video according to your selected settings.

Step 9: Access the trimmed video

After the export process is finished, your trimmed video will be available in the folder you selected as the destination during the export settings. You can now access, play, share, or make any further edits to your newly trimmed video as needed.

Summary

You can trim video in VLC as a quick solution, but for more advanced and user-friendly video editing capabilities, it’s highly recommended to consider Movavi Video Editor. Movavi Video Editor offers a user-friendly interface, a wide range of editing tools, and extensive format support. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced video editor, Movavi Video Editor provides a robust set of features to help you create professional-looking videos with ease. It’s a versatile and powerful alternative for those seeking comprehensive video editing capabilities.

We’ve prepared a FAQ if you still have questions about VLC and how to trim a video in VLC.

Frequently asked questions – all you need to know about trimming videos in VLC

Can I trim videos in VLC Media Player?

Yes, you can trim videos in VLC Media Player. While VLC is primarily a media player, it offers a simple method to trim video segments and save them as separate files. Read this article if you want to know how to trim video in VLC on Windows and Mac.

How do I trim my video in VLC?

Here’s how to trim the length of your video in VLC:

1. Open VLC Media Player on your computer.
2. Click on the Media menu and select Open File to open the video you want to trim.
3. Click on the View menu and select Advanced Controls to enable the advanced controls.
4. Play your video to find the starting point for the trim.
5. Click the red Record button in the advanced controls at the desired starting point.
6. Play your video to find the ending point for the trim.
7. Click the red Record button again to stop the recording.
8. VLC will save the trimmed segment as a separate video file in your default Videos folder.

Does VLC support various video formats for trimming?

VLC is known for its extensive support of video formats. You can trim videos in many formats, including MP4, AVI, MKV, and more, making it a versatile choice for video trimming. 

How do I access the trim function in VLC?

To access the trim function in VLC, you need to enable the Advanced Controls. This option can be found under the View menu. Once enabled, you’ll have access to the trim feature. To learn more about ‘VLC, how to trim a video’, read this article.

Can I preview the trimmed video before saving it?

Yes, you can preview the trimmed video in VLC before saving it. This allows you to ensure that you’ve selected the correct start and end points for trimming. Read this guide to learn how to trim a video in VLC.

What formats are supported when saving the trimmed video in VLC?

VLC allows you to save the trimmed video in various formats, including MP4, AVI, and MKV, among others. You can choose the format that best suits your needs during the saving process.