How to trim or cut a video

Trimming a video means keeping the part you want and dropping the rest: dead air at the start, a long pause in the middle, or a few seconds off the end. Supercut does it in your browser, with no software to install and no file to upload. You describe the cut in plain English and a deterministic engine runs it on your device.

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Trim versus cut: what each one means

People use the words interchangeably, but they describe slightly different jobs. Trimming usually means shortening a clip from one or both ends, like dropping a slow intro or a hanging outro. Cutting can mean the same thing, or it can mean removing a section from the middle and joining what is left. Both come down to choosing a range to keep and discarding the rest. The one thing to have ready is your timestamps. Watch the clip and note where the good part begins and ends, in minutes and seconds. With Supercut you type those numbers into a prompt instead of dragging handles on a timeline, so having them noted makes the cut exact on the first try.

How trimming works in Supercut

Supercut runs entirely in your browser using WebAssembly (FFmpeg.wasm). When you add a clip, it loads into the page on your own machine. Your footage is never uploaded to a server. The only thing that leaves your device is the text of your prompt, so the AI can plan the edit. It turns your plain-English request into a precise trim command, and the engine executes it locally. Because the file stays on your device, it never sits on someone else's server and you keep control of the output quality. Once the page has loaded, the trim itself even works offline.

Writing a good trim prompt

There is no timeline to scrub. You type what you want, and specific prompts give the cleanest cut. Good examples: "trim from 0:05 to 0:20", "cut the first 10 seconds", "keep only the last 30 seconds", or "remove from 1:15 to 1:40". Write timestamps in minutes and seconds so the range is unambiguous. Need more than one change? Trim first, then ask for the next edit in the same session, like adding captions or cropping to 9:16 for TikTok or Reels. Each operation builds on the result of the last.

Step by step

  1. 1

    Add your clip in the browser

    Open the Supercut editor and drop your video in. It loads straight into your browser on your device. There is no upload, and no account is needed to try your first export.

  2. 2

    Describe the cut in plain English

    Type the range you want, such as "trim from 0:05 to 0:20" or "cut the first 10 seconds." Supercut reads the prompt and plans the exact trim, then maps it to a deterministic command.

  3. 3

    Run it and check the result

    The trim runs locally and you get the result back in the editor. If the range is off, edit your prompt and run it again until it lands where you want.

  4. 4

    Export and download

    Export the trimmed video and save it to your device. The file stayed on your machine the whole time, so nothing was ever uploaded.

Tips

  • Note your start and end timestamps before you start, in minutes and seconds, so the prompt is exact.
  • To cut a chunk from the middle, describe the section to remove ("remove from 1:15 to 1:40") instead of listing the parts to keep.
  • Trimming works from your source file, so you set the export settings and decide the final resolution and size.
  • Chain edits in one session: after trimming, ask for "add captions" or "crop to 9:16" to finish a clip without starting over.

Do it in Supercut

Related use cases

Frequently asked questions

Is my video uploaded when I trim it?

No. Supercut trims your clip entirely in your browser using WebAssembly. The video never leaves your device. Only the text of your prompt is sent, so the AI knows where to cut.

What video formats can I trim?

Common formats like MP4, MOV, and WebM. You can also convert to a different format on export if you need one.

Will trimming reduce the video quality?

Trimming works from your source file. You choose the export settings, so you decide the final resolution and size.

Can I cut a section out of the middle of a video?

Yes. Describe the section to remove, like "remove from 1:15 to 1:40," and Supercut keeps the parts before and after and joins them.

Do I need an account to trim a video?

You can try your first export with no account. A paid plan unlocks unlimited watermark-free exports and every tool, from 4.99 per month billed yearly (59.88 per year), 9.99 per month monthly, or 199 one-time lifetime. Cancel anytime.