Other than playing videos and music, VLC Media Player can also be used as a video editing tool. While advanced video editing requires unconventional and powerful video editing software, VLC offers a simpler and easy-to-learn process of cutting and/or trimming videos.
You can cut a section of your video and make shorter video clips. This means that you can now get rid of parts of a video that you do not need and preserve those that you like. VLC automatically saves the video clips made, so you do not have to save them again.
In this article, we are going to learn the simplest procedure on how to cut and/or trim videos using VLC Media Player. Each step is carefully explained, with screenshots attached.
To Cut Video Using VLC Media Player:
- Download VLC Media Player
You need to have the app before using it. To download it, visit Google Play Store or any other suitable app, search and download. There are a variety of versions that is, 32-bit, 64-bit and Windows ARM. You may as well narrow down your search to the version of your gadget, be it Android, iOS, Linux or Windows.
- Install and Open VLC Media Player
The installation process is simple. You click on the icon indicating ‘install’ then open. On opening, you will come across a page that looks like the one attached below.
This is the dashboard of the VLC Media Player.
- Select the file you would like to cut
On the top of the screen is the menu with ‘Media’ being the first on the far left. On clicking the ‘Media’ button, a drop-down menu will appear. Select the first option, ‘Open File’ to access your files. From the dialogue box that appears, locate your video (the one you would like to cut), select it then click to open. The video will start playing.
- Click on Advanced Controls (View > Advanced Controls)
Some videos will play automatically while others will wait for an action. In case your video plays automatically, it is advisable that you pause it.
On the menu is a tab labelled ‘View’. Choose the tab, click open it and on the drop-down menu, select ‘Advanced Options’.
On selecting ‘Advanced Options’, a red button will appear at the bottom-left corner of the VLC. This is the record button.
Its purpose is to indicate the recording of the section of the video that you would like to cut.
- Click to Cut or Trim
If you had paused your video, you can play it at this stage. If you do not want to cut/trim your video from the start, scroll to the point from which you would like to cut it. Click on the red button for the recording to start. If the video does not play automatically, click to play.
After the video has played till the point where you would like to end, click on the red button again to stop the recording. The cut section will be automatically saved on the videos’ folder on C:\Users\Username\Videos.
An easier way to cut videos with Wondershare Filmora
Wondershare Filmora Video Editor is an alternative video editor. Unlike VLC Media Player, Filmora gives you more options. It allows you to split, trim, edit, combine, and crop a video, among others. It also gives you room to add footnotes, a variety of transitions, lower thirds, among other features. You can as well resize your video and enhance its quality.
For Win 7 or later (64-bit)
For macOS 10.14 or later
To Cut/Trim Videos with Wondershare Filmora:
- Drag and Drop the Video
Assuming that you have already downloaded and installed Wondershare Filmora app, click to open. There are two ways through which you can locate your video.
One, you can opt to drag and drop the video from its location to the app’s timeline. Secondly, you can right click on the space at the top left then select the video to be edited from the dialogue box that will appear.
- Trimming the video
After dropping the video on the timeline, it is likely to take up a lot of space, especially if it is long.
To trim the video from the beginning, place your cursor at the starting point and wait for the pointer to appear. Then move the point forward. To trim from the end, place the cursor at that point, hold and move the pointer forward till the required point.
Trimming the video does not mean that you lose the parts. It is more like shortening it to fit in place.
- Cutting the video
Unlike trimming, cutting involves getting rid of a section of the video completely. To do so, you need to first of all isolate that section.
With the video on the timeline, move and point your cursor at the starting point of the video and click on the scissors icon at the top. Then move it to the end of the video section and click on the scissors icon again. By so doing, you will have selected that section.
Once the section has been selected, right click on the video, select and click to delete. You can then drag the remaining parts to make them one.
After cutting or trimming, you can choose to add several effects to the video. Transitions, watermarks, cropping, resizing, ripple effects among others are some of the changes you could make. All these appear on the menu at the top.
- Save and/or Import your video
The final step is saving or importing your file to prevent its loss. By clicking on the ‘Import’ button, you save the file to the Media Library. By selecting ‘save as’, you select the location where you want to store your file.
Conclusion
There are so many video editors, each with different features. Some are simple to use while others will require advanced software to operate. Whether you use VLC Media Player or Wondershare Filmora, the results will be the same. The difference comes in where you have the knowledge and skills to use one app better than the other one.
The above steps on how to use both VLC Media Player and Wondershare Filmora will guide you through the whole process. It is said that, ‘practice makes perfect’. So yes, keep practicing and putting these skills into use. Sooner or later you will be an expert!