VLC is undoubtedly the most popular media player for Windows and macOS users. It is also one of the first applications people install on a brand new computer system. While we could go on and on about the list of features and what makes VLC the GOAT among other media players, in this article, we will talk about a rather unknown feature. It is its ability to trim videos. Very few people are aware of VLC’s advanced media controls that allow users to trim small video clips and save them as entirely new video files. Read below to learn how to trim a video in Windows 10 using VLC.
How to Cut/Trim Video in Windows 10 Using VLC Media Player
VLC's video trimming feature can be very handy.
- To isolate specific parts of a family or personal video to post on social media platforms with time constraints,
- To cut a particularly impressive background result from a movie,
- Or to save any GIF/meme capable moments from a video.
In all honesty, trimming or cutting videos in VLC is fairly easy as it involves clicking the button twice, once at the beginning of the recording and then at the end. That said, if you want to perform advanced video editing, we suggest specialized software like Adobe Premiere Pro.
Follow the steps given to trim or cut video in Windows 10 using VLC:
Step 1: Launch VLC Media Player
1. Press the keys Windows + Q At the same time to open the menu Windows Search.
2. Write VLC media player And click open , as shown.
Step 2: Open the desired video.
3. Here, click on Media from the top left corner and choose open file ...as shown below.
4 a. Go to the media file in File Explorer And click open To start your video.
4b. Alternatively, right-click the video and choose Open with > VLC Media Player , As shown below.
Step 3: Trim the video in VLC
5. With the video now playing, click "an offer" And choose Advanced Controls , as shown.
6. Click on the button Standard play/pause And other control icons, four advanced options will appear:
- register
- take a shot
- loop from point A to point B continuously
- frame side frame
All of these controls are self-explanatory.
7. Next, drag Playback slider To the exact point where you want the cut to start.
Note: You can adjust (select a precise frame) the starting point using the frame by frame option.
8. Once you have selected the starting frame, click the button. "registration" (i.e. red icon) to start recording.
Note: A recording message will appear in the upper-right corner of the window to confirm your action. The recording button will appear blue when recording is in progress.
9. Let the video play to the desired end frame.
Note: Manually dragging the slider to the end timestamp may not work while recording is in progress. Instead, use the frame-by-frame option to stop at the desired frame.
10. Then click the button "registration" again toStop recordingYou'll know the recording is complete once you see the blue tint on the record button disappear.
11. Exit VLC media player.
Step 4: Access Trimmed Video in File Explorer
12a. Press the key Windows + E Together to open File ExplorerGo to. This PC > Videos folderThe trimmed videos will be available here.
12b. If you don't find the trimmed video in the Videos folder, it's likely that VLC's default recording directory has been modified. In this case, follow steps 13-15 to confirm and change the directory.
13. Click أدوات And choose Preferences , as shown.
14. Then go to the tab Input / Codecs and locate Record Directory Or file nameThe path where all recorded videos are stored will be displayed in the text field.
15. To change the log directory, click "browse" ...and choose Requested location path , As shown below.
If you plan to trim more videos using VLC media player in the future, consider using the Shift + R shortcut key combination to start and stop recording and speed up the process.
Pro Tip: Use Native Video Editor on Windows 10 Instead
Trimming videos using VLC media player is a fairly simple task, however, the results aren't always satisfactory. Some users have reported that:
- The recording displays only a black screen while the audio is playing,
- Or, no sound is recorded at all.
If this is the case for you too, consider using the native video editor on Windows 10. Yes, you read that right! Windows 10 comes with a video editor app built into the operating system, and it's surprisingly powerful. Read our guide on how to do it. How to Use the Hidden Video Editor in Windows 10 Trim videos? Here.
We hope you were able to learn how to cut/trim video in VLC on Windows 10. Also, if you have any queries/suggestions regarding this article, feel free to drop them in the comments section.
