How to Cut and Trim Videos in Shotcut

If you are just starting out in Shotcut you already realize there is a lot to learn, but rest assured, the learning curve is not too steep. The best thing about Shotcut is that you can master the basics in no time at all. Learning how to cut and trim videos in Shotcut is one of the basic but core elements of any video editing software.

In this article we cover the 3 ways to cut and trim videos in Shotcut, giving you the basic tools you need to create videos.

Method 1: Repeated Snips

  • Drag your video clip into the Playlist
  • Double click on it in the playlist
  • Use the arrows in the preview pane to trim the video clip to the size you desire
  • Drag the clip from the Playlist into the Timeline
  • You can drag from the playlist as many times as you want, and you will see the pre-trimmed clip each time

Method 2: Timeline Snips

  • Drag your video into the Playlist
  • Drag the clip from the Playlist to the Timeline
  • On the timeline, move the bars (at the start and end of the video clip) to trim the video
  • You have to adjust every clip you move to the timeline using this method

Method 3: Cut and Trim Videos in Shotcut on the Timeline

  • Drag your video into the Playlist
  • Drag the clip from the Playlist to the Timeline
  • Move the playhead to the start location you want to cut
  • Press ‘S’ on the keyboard or click the Split at Playhead button
  • Move to the end location you want to cut
  • Press ‘S’ on the keyboard or click the Slit at Playhead button
  • Now select the cut clip and press:
    • DEL: to delete the selected clip without moving any other elements on the timeline
    • X: to remove the video and move any clips to the right by the amount the length of the removed clip
  • You can cut the clip as many times as you need

Shotcut Website: https://shotcut.org/