Video Editor · Windows 10 and 11
Trim and cut your videos
Drag either end of a clip to cut off what you do not want, or split it and delete the part in the middle. You see the result as you go, and the finished MP4 is made on your own computer.
How to trim a video
- 1
Add the video
Open the Video Editor and drop your video in, or press Add videos, pictures, music. MP4, MOV, MKV, AVI, WMV, phone videos and hundreds more open.
- 2
Cut off the ends
On the timeline, drag the start or the end of the clip inward. Play it to check where it now starts and stops.
- 3
Cut out the middle
Put the playhead where the unwanted part begins and press S to split, split again where it ends, select the piece and press Delete. The rest closes up on its own.
- 4
Export
Press Export (Ctrl E), choose Video, a size and a quality, and save the MP4 where you like.
Trim, split, or both
Trimming takes time off the ends of a clip: the countdown before you start talking, the seconds of pocket after you stop recording. Splitting cuts a clip in two so you can remove or move a part from the middle. In Octoolo's timeline the two work together, and the clips snap to each other, so there are no gaps or black frames between what you keep.
Nothing is thrown away until you export. A trimmed clip still holds the whole video: drag its end back out and the cut part returns. Ctrl Z undoes any step.
What the exported video is like
The export is a new MP4 (H.264 video, AAC sound) that plays on phones, TVs, browsers and every site you might upload it to. You choose:
- Size: 720p, 1080p or 4K.
- Quality: Best, Balanced or Smaller file.
- Shape: landscape 16:9, vertical 9:16 for TikTok, Reels and Shorts, square, or 4:5. The first video you add sets it.
The video is encoded again, on your graphics card when it has an encoder (NVIDIA, AMD or Intel), otherwise by Windows or the processor. That keeps the cut exact to the frame, but it is not a lossless copy: for archiving, export at Best quality.
Need only part of the sound? Choose Sound only in Export to save the trimmed clip's audio as MP3, M4A, WAV, FLAC or Opus.
While you are in there
The same timeline does the rest of a quick edit: join several clips, speed a part up or slow it down, add a title, mute the sound or put music under it, and turn a sideways phone video. Your project is kept as you work, so you can close Octoolo and pick it up later.
Octoolo or an online tool?
| Detail | Octoolo | A typical online tool |
|---|---|---|
| Your files | Stay on your computer | Usually uploaded to the site's server |
| Without internet | Works | Does not work |
| File size | No limit | Often capped on free use |
| Watermarks and ads | None | Common on free plans |
| Cost | $4.99 a month, all 17 apps | Free with limits, or a plan per site |
Questions, answered
Does trimming a video lower its quality?
The exported MP4 is encoded again, as with every editor that cuts to the exact frame. At Best quality and the same size as your video the difference is very hard to see. Smaller file makes a smaller video at some cost in detail.
Is there a length or size limit?
No. Octoolo works on your own computer, so long recordings and big 4K files are fine. Only your disk space and patience set the limit.
Will there be a watermark?
No. Nothing is added to your video.
Can I keep the video as MKV or MOV?
The Video Editor exports MP4, which plays everywhere. If you need another format afterwards, Convert video files turns the MP4 into MOV, MKV, WebM, AVI and more.
Can I cut a phone video that was filmed sideways?
Yes. Octoolo reads the phone's rotation, so the video shows upright. If it was filmed the wrong way round, turn it with Turn left or Turn right before you export.
Video trimmer, and 16 more apps.
Download for Windows7 days free, then from $3.99 a month for all 17 apps. Windows 10 and 11.