How to trim a video without installing an app
iPhone, Android, Windows and Mac can all trim a video with what is already installed. Here is how on each.
What "trim" means here
Trimming removes footage from the start and/or the end of a clip without touching what is in between, as opposed to cutting a piece out of the middle. Every platform below can do at least this much without installing anything new.
On an iPhone or iPad
Open the video in Photos and tap Edit. Drag the yellow handles at either end of the filmstrip at the bottom of the screen to the new start and end points, then tap the checkmark. Choose Save as New Clip to keep the original as well, or Save Video to overwrite it.
On Android
In Google Photos, open the video, tap the pencil (Edit) icon, and drag the trim handles under the preview to the new start and end points, then tap Save copy. Samsung Gallery has the same trim handles under its own video editor.
On Windows
Windows 11 hands video editing to Clipchamp, which comes preinstalled: import the clip onto the timeline, drag the playhead to a cut point, use the split tool, delete the piece you do not want, and export. It is more steps than a single trim gesture, but it needs no extra download.
On a Mac
Open the video in QuickTime Player and press Cmd+T (or Edit, Trim). Drag the yellow handles on the filmstrip to the new start and end, then File, Export As, to save the trimmed clip as a new file.
Trimming without re-encoding
Every option above re-encodes the video during export, which takes time and can lose a little quality even at "the same" settings. Stayput's trim video tool trims in your browser tab; the Trim MP4 preset cuts at keyframes without re-encoding when the cut points allow it, which is close to instant and keeps the original quality exactly. Nothing is uploaded either way, so a private clip stays on your device.
Questions
Can I cut a piece out of the middle of a video, not just the ends?
That is a split-and-delete edit rather than a trim. Clipchamp on Windows and iMovie on Mac can do this; Stayput's trim tool currently handles start-and-end trimming.
Does trimming a video lose quality?
Re-encoding during trim can lose a small, usually invisible amount. Trimming at keyframes without re-encoding, like the Trim MP4 preset, keeps the exact original quality.
Why does my phone's trim take a moment to save?
The phone is re-encoding the clip from the new start point, which takes roughly as long as the clip itself, longer for higher resolutions.
Can I trim a video on my phone without uploading it anywhere?
Yes. The built-in Photos and Google Photos trimmers, and a browser tool that runs locally, all keep the file on your device.