Cut Your iPhone Videos to Perfection: A Complete Guide

In today’s media-driven world, capturing moments through videos has become a ubiquitous part of our lives. However, not every recording comes out as intended. Often, unnecessary beginnings, endings, or parts in the middle need removal to achieve that perfect clip. This guide provides a comprehensive walkthrough on how to cut a video on iPhone, leveraging built-in tools like the Photos app and iMovie, ensuring your videos are just the way you want them.

Trimming Basics with the Photos App

The journey to perfecting your video often begins with trimming unwanted sections. Whether it’s the redundant seconds at the start or end, the iPhone’s native Photos app offers a straightforward solution.

Trim and Save:

  1. Open the Photos app and select your video.
  2. Tap ‘Edit’ in the upper-right corner.
  3. Adjust the start and end points by dragging the sliders.
  4. Tap ‘Done’ to save your edits.

You’re presented with two options upon saving: ‘Save Video’ overwrites the original with the trimmed version, while ‘Save Video as New Clip’ keeps both. Should you change your mind, reverting to the original is just a few taps away: open the video, tap ‘Edit’, and then ‘Revert’.

Advanced Editing with iMovie

For more complex edits, such as removing sections from the middle of your video, iMovie stands out as the ideal tool. This app expands your editing capabilities, offering a robust platform for cutting videos precisely.

Step-by-Step Guide to Using iMovie:

  1. Launch iMovie and start a new project by selecting ‘Movie’.
  2. Choose the video(s) you wish to edit from your camera roll.
  3. Use the timeline to select and trim your clips.
  4. To remove a middle section, split the video at both ends of the segment and delete the unwanted part.

iMovie provides a more granular control over editing, though it requires a bit more effort to undo mistakes. Unlike the Photos app, you must use the ‘Undo’ button to revert changes.

Exploring Other Options

While the Photos app and iMovie cover a wide range of editing needs, numerous third-party apps offer even more features. These apps might be worth exploring if you’re looking for specific functionalities not provided by the native tools.

Final Thoughts on Video Trimming

Trimming videos on your iPhone doesn’t have to be daunting. With the right tools at your disposal, you can easily cut out unwanted parts, ensuring your videos capture only the best moments. Whether you’re making quick trims with the Photos app or diving into detailed edits with iMovie, your iPhone is a powerful tool for video editing.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I undo a trim after saving the video in the Photos app?
Yes, you can undo a trim by opening the video, tapping ‘Edit’, and selecting ‘Revert’. This restores the original video but loses any unsaved edits.

2. How can I cut a section from the middle of a video?
For cutting a middle section, use iMovie. Split the video at both ends of the unwanted section and remove it. This method gives you precise control over which parts of the video to keep or discard.

Scroll to Top