How to Trim a Video Using VLC Player

Need to trim a video down to size or extract just the part you want? VLC Media Player makes it easy—and it’s free! Here’s how you can use VLC to trim your videos in just a few steps.

Step 1: Install VLC Player

If you don’t already have VLC Player, download it from videolan.org. It’s available for multiple platforms, so make sure to grab the version that matches your device.

Step 2: Enable Advanced Controls

Open VLC and go to View > Advanced Controls. This will add four extra buttons above the play and stop buttons, including the record button you’ll use for trimming.

Step 3: Choose a Save Location

By default, VLC saves trimmed videos in the Videos folder on your computer. To customize this, go to Tools > Preferences > All > Input/Codecs. Scroll to Record Directory, select your preferred folder, and click Save.

Step 4: Trim Your Video

1. Open your video in VLC by dragging it into the player or double-clicking it.
2. Play the video and note the time code where you want the trim to start.
3. Pause the video at the starting point and click the Record button.
4. Let the video play until you reach your endpoint, then click the Record button again to stop.

Step 5: Find Your Trimmed Video

Your trimmed video will be saved in the folder you set earlier. If you need to trim multiple segments, repeat the steps above for each clip.

Trimming videos in VLC is that simple! It’s a quick and hassle-free way to edit without needing complicated software.

Need a video instructions on how to do this? Check out our YouTube tutorial for a step-by-step walkthrough!