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Cut Videos Using VLC Media Player

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Cut Videos Using VLC Media Player

Yes, you can cut videos using VLC Media Player, but only in a basic way: it can trim the beginning and end of a video, not remove a section from the middle. You use the built-in recording feature to re-encode just the part you want to keep, which is fine for quick clips but not for precise edits.

How VLC’s Video Cutting Works

VLC is primarily a media player, not a video editor. Its cutting function works by playing the video and simultaneously re-encoding the frames as they play, saving them to a new file. You set a start point, play the video, set a stop point, and VLC saves everything between those points. This means the output is a new, re-encoded file, not a lossless copy of the original segments.

Because VLC re-encodes, the process is slower than real-time for most videos, and the output quality depends on the encoding settings you choose. The default settings often produce a file with the same codec as the source, but the bitrate and resolution may be lower unless you adjust them. For simple tasks like trimming a home video or making a short clip for social media, this is often good enough.

Step-by-Step: How to Cut a Video in VLC

These steps work for VLC 3.0 and later on Windows, macOS, and Linux. The menu names are the same across platforms.

  1. Open VLC and go to View > Advanced Controls. This adds a row of extra buttons below the playback controls, including the red Record button.
  2. Open the video you want to cut: Media > Open File (or just drag it into the VLC window).
  3. Play the video and pause it at the exact frame where you want the cut to start.
  4. Click the red Record button. VLC starts saving the video from this point onward.
  5. Play the video normally. When you reach the point where you want the cut to end, click the Record button again. VLC stops recording and saves the file.
  6. Find the saved file. By default, VLC saves it in your Videos folder (Windows) or Movies folder (macOS), with a name like vlc-record-YYYY-MM-DD-HH-MM-SS.mp4.

That’s it. The new file contains only the segment you recorded. You can repeat the process for multiple segments, but you’ll get separate files, not one combined video.

Choosing the Right Output Format and Quality

By default, VLC uses the source video’s codec and container for the output, but the bitrate may be lower, which can reduce quality. To control this, you need to change VLC’s recording settings before you start.

  • Go to Tools > Preferences (or VLC > Preferences on macOS).
  • Click All at the bottom of the left sidebar to show advanced settings.
  • Under Input/Codecs, find the Record directory setting to change where the file is saved.
  • Still under Input/Codecs, look at Record options. You can set the Record file format (e.g., MP4, AVI, MKV) and the Video bitrate and Audio bitrate in kbps.

For most purposes, keeping the default MP4 format is fine. If you want the best quality, set the video bitrate to a value close to the source’s bitrate (you can check the source’s bitrate in VLC via Tools > Media Information). If you don’t care about file size, use a higher bitrate like 8000 kbps for 1080p video. There is no “losslessâ€� option in VLC’s recording feature.

Common Problems and How to Fix Them

Several issues can come up when cutting with VLC. Here are the most frequent ones and their solutions.

  • The Record button is grayed out. Make sure you have enabled Advanced Controls under the View menu. The button only becomes active after a video is open.
  • The output file is huge or tiny. This is usually a bitrate issue. Check your recording bitrate settings and adjust them to match the source.
  • The cut starts or ends a few frames too early or late. VLC’s recording is not frame-accurate. It starts recording at the next keyframe after you click Record, so the start point may be off by a fraction of a second. To minimize this, use the keyboard shortcut E to set the start point and Shift+E to set the end point (these work in VLC 3.0). These shortcuts are more precise than clicking the button.
  • The output has no audio. Check that the audio track is enabled and that the audio bitrate is not set to 0. Also, some codecs may not support audio in the chosen container.
  • The output is corrupted or won’t play. This can happen if you stop recording while the video is buffering or if the source file is damaged. Try re-encoding the source with VLC first (Media > Convert/Save) and then cut the converted file.

What VLC Cannot Do (and What to Use Instead)

VLC’s cutting feature is limited. It cannot:

  • Remove a section from the middle of a video without re-encoding the whole thing.
  • Cut multiple segments and join them into one file.
  • Cut without re-encoding (lossless cutting).
  • Apply transitions, filters, or effects during the cut.

For those tasks, you need a dedicated video editor. Free options include Shotcut, OpenShot, and DaVinci Resolve (the free version). For simple lossless cutting, tools like LosslessCut or Avidemux are much faster and preserve the original quality because they don’t re-encode. If you just need a quick clip and don’t mind the quality loss, VLC is fine.

Is It Safe and Free?

Yes, VLC is completely free and open-source software. It is safe to download from the official VideoLAN website. The cutting feature is built-in and does not require any additional plugins or paid upgrades. There is no risk of malware if you download from the official source. However, because VLC re-encodes the video, the output file may have lower quality than the original if you don’t adjust the bitrate settings. Always keep a backup of the original file before cutting, especially if you plan to edit the clip further.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I cut a video in VLC without losing quality?

No. VLC always re-encodes the video when recording, which means the output will have some quality loss compared to the source, even if you set a high bitrate. For lossless cutting, use a tool like LosslessCut or Avidemux that copies the video stream without re-encoding.

How do I cut a video in VLC on a Mac?

The process is identical to Windows. Open the video, go to View > Advanced Controls, click the red Record button to start, and click it again to stop. The saved file appears in your Movies folder by default. The Preferences menu is under VLC > Preferences.

Why does my cut video have no sound?

This usually happens when the audio bitrate is set to 0 in the recording settings, or when the source audio codec is not compatible with the output container. Check your audio bitrate in Preferences > Input/Codecs > Record, and try changing the output format to MP4 or MKV.

Can I cut multiple parts of a video and join them?

No, VLC can only record one continuous segment at a time. To join multiple cuts, you would need to record each segment separately and then use a video joiner tool, or use a full video editor that supports multiple cuts.

Does VLC support cutting 4K videos?

Yes, VLC can cut 4K videos, but the process will be slow because it re-encodes the entire segment. You may also need a powerful computer to play and re-encode 4K smoothly. For 4K, a lossless cutter is strongly recommended to avoid quality loss and speed up the process.

Is there a keyboard shortcut for cutting in VLC?

Yes, in VLC 3.0 and later, you can use the E key to set the start point and Shift+E to set the end point. These shortcuts work when the video is paused or playing, and they are more accurate than clicking the Record button.

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