Is my video uploaded anywhere?

No. The video is read entirely in your browser using the HTML5 File API. Nothing is sent to any server — your file never leaves your device.

Why can't the tool export the trimmed clip directly?

Re-encoding video requires substantial CPU work that browsers handle inconsistently across codecs and platforms. FFmpeg is the standard tool for reliable, lossless-cut-capable trimming and produces better results in seconds on your own machine. This tool gives you the exact command so export is one paste away.

What does -ss before -i mean in the FFmpeg command?

Placing -ss before the input (-i) uses fast keyframe seeking, which is much faster but may land a few frames off. Placing -ss after -i does frame-accurate seeking but is slower. For most trims the keyframe method is fine; use -accurate_seek before -i for frame-precise cuts.

What is -c copy and when should I change it?

-c copy performs a lossless stream copy — it cuts at keyframes without re-encoding, making it nearly instant and lossless. The trade-off is the cut may not be frame-accurate on non-keyframe boundaries. Replace -c copy with -c:v libx264 -crf 23 for frame-accurate trimming at the cost of a full re-encode.

What video formats are supported for preview?

Browser preview supports formats your browser can decode natively: MP4 (H.264/H.265), WebM (VP8/VP9), and OGG (Theora). MKV, AVI, MOV, and FLV preview depends on browser support. The FFmpeg command works regardless of preview support.

How do I install FFmpeg to run the exported command?

macOS: brew install ffmpeg. Ubuntu/Debian: sudo apt install ffmpeg. Windows: winget install ffmpeg or download from ffmpeg.org/download.html. After install, paste the command shown here directly into your terminal.

Video Trimmer

Name: Video Trimmer
Availability: InStock
Author: Nham Vu

Set start and end trim points on any video file, preview the clip in your browser, and get a ready-to-run FFmpeg command to export the trimmed segment.

Drop a video file here

MP4, MOV, MKV, WebM, AVI and more

Load a video file to start trimming.

FFmpeg Trim Command

Run this in your terminal. Requires FFmpeg. Uses stream copy (lossless, near-instant) by default.

Mode:

Copied!

Summary

Set start and end trim points on any video file, preview the clip in your browser, and get a ready-to-run FFmpeg command to export the trimmed segment.

How it works

Drop or browse to select any video file (MP4, MOV, MKV, WebM, AVI, etc.).
The video loads in the browser player — duration and file info appear automatically.
Drag the start and end handles on the timeline, or type exact times in the input fields.
Click "Preview Clip" to play only the trimmed segment in the player.
The clip duration and output size estimate update in real time as you adjust points.
Copy the generated FFmpeg command and run it in your terminal to export the clip.

Use cases

Cut the opening or ending of a recorded video before sharing.
Extract a specific scene or highlight clip from a longer video.
Quickly check how long a segment will be before running a full encode.
Get the exact FFmpeg -ss / -to flags without memorizing the syntax.
Preview trim points before committing to an irreversible encode.
Prepare clips for social media by trimming to platform time limits.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-06-11 · Reviewed by Nham Vu