How to Trim Video in Clipchamp (2 Easy Methods)

Getting started in Clipchamp, like most video editing software, can be a little overwhelming if you've never used it before.

Learning how to trim video in Clipchamp is one of the first thing most creators get stuck on, so in this guide, I'll outline the 2 easiest ways to trim your video file in Clipchamp.

If you're just getting started with Clipchamp, this blog should be helpful!

How to Trim Video in Clipchamp?

To trim your video in Clipchamp you can use the Split tool then delete the offcut, or drag and drop either end of your clip to the playhead.

1. Using the Split Tool

To trim your video clip using the Split tool in Clipchamp:

1. Import your media, and add it to the timeline
2. Move the playhead to the point you want to cut the clip
3. Click the Scissors icon above the timeline, or press S on your keyboard

4. Now your video file has been split, click the offcut, then press delete or backspace on your keyboard
5. Export your newly trimmed video!

Next up, we'll take a look at how to trim stock videos with drag and drop.

2. Using Drag and Drop

To trim assets using the drag and drop method:

1. Import your media, and add it to the timeline
2. Position the playhead where you would like to trim to (most accurate but not necessary)
3. Hover over the end of your clip you want to trim, then click and drag to the playhead

That's it! Using the drag and drop video trimmer is preferred by advanced users as it can be faster compared to the Split tool.

Keys to Precise Trimming in Clipchamp

Now we know how to trim using the Split and dragging method, you'll want to learn how to make precise trims in Clipchamp:

1. Above the timeline, but below the viewport, locate the stopwatch style timer

2. Click into the left side of the timer, here you can enter precise time values down to the millisecond
3. Press enter and the playhead will jump to this location
4. Now, use the Split and dragging method to perfectly and precisely trim your video!

Alternatively, if you want to use an existing clip from your media library to set the length or trim another asset:

1. Drag each asset to the timeline
2. Put the assets above/below each other as seen below

3. Now you can use the drag and drop method to trim your clips to be the same length
4. Click and drag until you see the purple line appear, release, and now your clips are trimmed to the same length!

Trimming Multiple Assets in Clipchamp

To trim multiple assets at once in Clipchamp, you can use a combination of what we've learned so far:

1. Layout the multiple media files you want to trim vertically
2. Set the playhead manually, or using the precise method
3. Now you can highlight all the clips and use the split button to split all media with a single click, OR
4. Click and drag to highlight all the media, then drag and drop to adjust multiple assets to the playhead

Simple right?!

Wrapping Up

In this concise guide, we've covered everything there is to know on how to trim a video in Clipchamp.

By using either the Split method or the drag and drop method, combined with the precise playhead control, you can easily trim video for free in Microsoft Clipchamp!

If you want to keep learning, check out this guide to adding music in Clipchamp!

Happy editing. 😎