Trimming, cutting and splitting videos are mandatory tasks for anyone connected with social media content creation.
Trimming is a basic feature, and this is why you can definitely do it with your pre-installed VLC media player on your Windows.
Btw, it is technically true that you can cut or trim video with VLC.
However, VLC does not work like professional clipping software, and here you do not get simple drag handles, a start/end timeline or a trim & export button.
Instead, it records the part of the video while it plays, which means trimming can feel slower & unreliable than some of the best video clipping tools available for us.
So today, in this blog, I’ll share a quick guide on how to trim video with VLC media player for those who want to clip a small section from their video without installing heavy video editing software on Windows.
So, let’s start.
Table of Contents
TL;DR
To be honest, VLC is not like a professional tool to cut your video because it trims your video by recording the selected part as it plays. It doesn’t have a true ‘drag-and-save’ trimming feature. So, I would recommend that you to cut a video with VLC only if you need a short clip occasionally and already have VLC installed on your system. But if you want to edit videos, cut easily, or crop a specific portion without watching playback, use a dedicated video cutter instead.
How to Trim Video with VLC on Windows: A Simple Process
Here are some simple and easy steps to trim video in VLC.
Step 1:
Open your video in the VLC media player and click the “VIEW” option. Then hit “ADVANCED CONTROLS.”
Step 2
After clicking it, you’ll find some options below in the timeline section. Those are
- ‘Record’ to cut the video
- ‘Take a snapshot’ to capture the picture
- ‘Loop’ to preview a specific portion
- ‘Frame by frame’ for precise trimming
Now, I want to trim my video, so the first thing I need to do is choose the right location from which I want to start trimming.
For example, I want to cut the video from 6 sec to 26 sec. So, I would set the timeline to 6 sec.
To make it more precise, I would like to use the ‘Frame by frame’ feature to select the actual frame, just as I did in the screenshot below.
So, now I have finally set the starting point of trimming, and it’s time to record the clip so that it gets cropped from this point.
However, always keep your end point in mind so that you can get a properly cropped clip. Like in my case, I want a clip from 6 to 26 seconds.
Now hit ‘Record’ at 6 sec and be ready to hit that button again at 26 seconds to get a properly trimmed clip.
Remember, VLC crop video is automatically saved to your default ‘video’ folder on Windows.
Simply open that folder, and you’ll see the video you have just trimmed.
Where Does VLC Save Trimmed Videos?
When you trim a video with VLC using the method I just explained, it usually saves the trimmed clip in your default video folder on Windows.
However, on Windows, VLC may also save the recorded clip in the same folder as the original video depending on your settings. If nothing appears in the Videos folder, check the folder where your original video is stored.
So, make sure to check properly because it quietly saves the file in the background, which is why you may think the trim did not work.
Does VLC Record the Clip Instead of Truly Trimming It?
Yes… It’s true, and this is why I consider this not a proper video cropper for everyday use. In one line, it does not trim like a normal video editor.
I have already shared the process above, and it clearly shows that VLC media player trims your video by recording the part of the video while it plays.
So, it means if you want to crop a 3-minute section, then VLC has to play that 3-minute section to record.
Just imagine if you have a 1-hour-long video portion to crop. LOL
Plus, you have to start your playback at the right moment. Click record and wait while the video plays, and then stop that recording at the right moment. If you slightly miss, then you may need to do it again.
This is why I feel the VLC trim video workflow is unreliable and I always prefer professional clipping software instead.
When VLC Is Good Enough for You to Trim Video
Try to clip video with VLC if you only need a short occasional clip and you don’t need a perfect cut. It is also useful when you already have VLC media player installed and do not want to download an editing app for this small thing.
When Should You Avoid VLC Trim Video Feature
Do not use this if you want a professional, easy drag-and-save trimming experience in your content creation journey.
VLC is also not the best choice if you are trying to crop videos or edit videos with more control. It is technically true that you can trim/split/cut a video with VLC, but it is not built like a dedicated video cropper or video editing app.
Can VLC Trim Without Watching the Whole Video?
No… because, as I shared, VLC’s trim video editing works with the simple Record button method. It means you have to wait for the recording to complete.
That is why VLC feels too boring for me. Content creators like me always prefer proper trimmers that allow us to select the start and end points, and then export the clip without watching the whole section in real time, without losing quality.
Can VLC Trim Video Without Losing Quality?
In my personal testing, I have seen that if you trim video using VLC media player from a high-quality video, then the trim video quality remains almost the same.
In some cases, I have seen a minimal drop in quality, which is negotiable, I think.
Final Verdict: Should You Use VLC to Trim Videos?
My personal opinion is not to use it if you are doing professional work because here you can’t compromise your quality.
And in this case, I would highly recommend checking out some professional video croppers.
However, if you occasionally trim your video, then VLC media player is one of the best free options where you can trim or cut a video using the method I already shared.
So, yes… that’s all about trimming video with VLC, and I hope you get all the information regarding this topic.
Have a good day.. Bye