You've probably heard of splitting clips in Adobe After Effects, and maybe you've even tried it out. But if you're like many people, you're not quite sure how to use it. This post will explain everything you need to know about trimming videos in After Effects. We'll give you step-by-step instructions for splitting clips in the Windows and Mac versions of After Effects—and even show you some tricks that make it easier for beginners.
What is After Effects?
Adobe After Effects is an application that can be used to create videos and animation. It is a powerful tool that allows you to create custom animations, including motion graphics, visual effects, and titles. Many professionals in the industry today use it to create visual effects and animations. This program can be used to create professional videos or advertisements for your business.
After Effects allows users to quickly create animations that have been created in other programs like Photoshop or Illustrator. It also allows users to edit videos to look better than they initially did. The program has many features, such as prebuilt templates, text tools, support for different file formats, and more. This program also has a lot of customization options and will allow you to create stunning visuals quickly and easily.
How to split video clips in After Effects manually
Import your video into the After Effects timeline
To split your video clip using after effects, the first step is to get the clip into the program. To do this, open the file menu in the top left corner of the After Effects workspace. Select “Import” from the options on the drop-down menu displayed. This will open up the file explorer for you to select the clip you would like to import into your project. Once you find your video file, click “OK” to add it to the project files. Alternatively, you can simply drag your clip from the file explorer and drop it into the Adobe After Effects workspace.

Create a new composition
To go ahead with splitting your video clip, you will need to create a new composition. This can be done in two ways. The first is to drag the clip from the project browser to the new composition icon on the layer panel. This automatically creates a new composition. An alternate method is to right-click the video and select “New Comp” on the menu.


Split the clip
Once you have your clip loaded into your timeline, you can go ahead to split it. You just have to move the timeline indicator to the exact position where you would like to split the video. Press the keyboard combination [CTRL + SHIFT + D] to split the video on a windows computer. For macOS users, you will have to use the combination [CMD + SHIFT + D]. Once this is done, the video clip is split right where the timeline marker is placed.

Keyboard shortcuts for splitting videos in After Effects
Shortcut | Windows | Mac |
Split a layer | Control + Shift + D | CMD + Shift + D |
New project | Control + Alt + N | Command + Option + N |
New composition | Control + N | Command + N |
Set beginning or end of work area to current time | B or N | B or N |
Trim Composition to work area | Control + Shift + X | Command + Shift + X |
Go to specific time | Alt + Shift + J | Option + Shift + J |
Go to the beginning of a composition, layer, or footage item | Home or Ctrl + Alt + Left Arrow | Home or Command + Option + Left Arrow |
Import one file or image sequence | Control + I | Command + I |
Import multiple files or image sequences | Control + Alt + I | Command + Option + I |
How to split video clips in Filmora
What is Filmora?
Filmora video editor is a free and easy-to-use video editor for PC. The program boasts a wide range of features that allow users to easily create, edit and share their videos.
The interface is clean and straightforward, allowing you to focus on what you want to do without spending too much time figuring out how the program works. It also comes with an integrated video editor, which allows users to add text, images, and other elements.
How to split video clips in Filmora manually
- Import your video clip into Filmora media using the “Import” button or just drop your videos.
- Locate the video in your storage and then click “OK”.
- Once you have the video in, drag and drop it into the timeline to begin editing it.

- Drag the playhead to the position where you would like to split the video and then click on the Split button (it is in the shape of scissors).
- To split the video into multiple parts, repeat the above processes as many times as you want.
- Once you have the video split up into multiple parts, you can go ahead to delete any unwanted parts. To do this, all you have to do is to select the section and then click on the Delete
- Click on Export to save your video in any of the supported file formats. Filmora has support for 3GP, AVI, MP4, MKV, WMV, MOV, FLV, TS, GIF and so on.

How to split video clips in Filmora automatically using a scene detector
Wondershare Filmora has a nifty feature called scene detection that allows you to split a video automatically when a change in the scene is detected. The following are the steps you need to follow to use this feature.
- Import your video into the project media library using the same steps above.
- Once you have your video in the media library, right-click on it and select the Scene Detection This opens the scene detection interface.

- Click on the Detect button to allow Filmora to automatically detect the scenes and split the video up. You have the option of previewing each of the individual clips before they are added to the timeline.

- You can also delete any section you will not need by clicking the Delete icon next to the clip. Alternatively, select Add to Timeline to add any clips you want to use to the timeline.
- Save your split video by using the Export button.
How to trim videos online with Filmora Online Video Trimmer
Filmora offers an online video trimmer for those that would like to trim videos without installing any additional software on their computers. Filmora’s online video editor is free to use and doesn’t leave a watermark on your videos. Read on to learn how to use this free tool.
- Click on this link to go to the video trimmer website.
- Upload your video from your computer. Note that you can only upload files less than 100MB.
- You can trim your video using either the slider or by inputting your desired start and stop time.

- Export and download your trimmed video.
Conclusion
It’s quite simple once you get the hang of it. Now that you know how to split a clip in After Effects, it will be much easier for you to adjust your frame, include a rapid cut, or simply steady a section of your movie.