Okay, real talk - ever filmed what you thought was an awesome iPhone video, only to find twenty seconds of shaky footage at the start? Happened to me last month when I tried recording my nephew's birthday. That useless intro wasted precious storage space and looked terrible. Good news? Learning how to cut a video on iPhone takes about 60 seconds with the tools already in your pocket.
Your Built-in Toolkit: Cutting Videos in the Photos App
Seriously, Apple hid this gem right in your Photos app. No downloads required. I use this weekly for trimming Instagram stories. Works on any iPhone running iOS 13 or later.
Step-by-Step Walkthrough
- Open Photos → Tap
Albums→ SelectVideos - Choose your video and tap
Edit(top right)
Can't find it? Swipe up on the video preview to see metadata like resolution! - Drag timeline handles (yellow sliders at bottom)
- Drag left handle to set new start point
- Drag right handle to set new end point
- Preview your cut → Tap play button
- Save options:
Save as New Clip(keeps original + new version)Save Video(overwrites original)
Storage Warning! Choosing "Save Video" frees up space. "Save as New Clip" doubles storage use. Ask me how I filled my 64GB phone last summer...
When Built-in Tools Aren't Enough
Yeah, the Photos app has limits. Last year I tried editing my sister's wedding video - needed to cut three sections and merge clips. Total fail with Photos. Here's when to upgrade:
| Scenario | Photos App | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Cutting middle sections | ❌ Can't remove middle parts | Use iMovie or CapCut |
| Frame-perfect cuts | ❌ Imprecise dragging | iMovie's frame-by-frame |
| 4K video editing | ⚠️ May reduce quality | LumaFusion ($20) |
| Export control | ❌ Auto-compresses | Adjust in iMovie settings |
Free Power-Up: Cutting with iMovie
Apple's free editor handles everything Photos can't. Downside? The interface feels overwhelming at first. Took me three tries to figure out the timeline.
iMovie Cutting Workflow
- Import video: Tap
+→Movie→ Select footage - Split clips:
- Drag playhead to cut point
- Tap the video → Choose
Split
- Delete sections: Tap unwanted segment → Tap
Delete - Export settings:
- Resolution (720p to 4K)
- FPS (24/30/60)
- Quality slider
"Pro Tip: Pinch to zoom on the timeline for pixel-perfect cuts. Game-changer for removing single sneezes from speeches!"
Third-Party Options (When Free Tools Fall Short)
Confession time: I avoid most "free" editors. The ads drive me nuts and watermarks ruin videos. But two apps actually deliver:
| App | Best For | Cost | Key Feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| CapCut | Social media templates | Free (watermark-free exports) | Auto-captioning |
| LumaFusion | Professional editing | $19.99 (one-time) | Multi-track timelines |
| InShot | Quick Instagram cuts | Free (with ads) | Aspect ratio presets |
Honestly? For basic trimming, skip these. But if you're editing YouTube content like my food channel, LumaFusion pays for itself.
Why Your Cut Videos Look Blurry (And How to Fix It)
This drove me crazy for months! My trimmed vacation videos looked awful. Here's why:
- Auto-compression: Photos app reduces quality by default
- Frame rate mismatch: Mixing 60fps and 30fps clips
- Export settings: iMovie defaults to 720p
Fix: In iMovie, before exporting:
- Tap resolution icon (top right)
- Choose
1080por4K - Set FPS to match source footage
- Drag quality slider to max
Advanced Cutting Techniques
Once you master the basics, level up with these pro tricks:
Precision Audio Cuts
Need to remove audio without cutting video? Here's how I fixed my podcast bloopers:
- In iMovie: Tap clip →
Detach Audio - Edit audio track separately
Multi-Clip Sequencing
For vlogs like my hiking series:
- Import all clips to iMovie
- Drag clips onto timeline in order
- Trim each clip's start/end points
- Add transitions between clips
FAQs: Your iPhone Video Cutting Questions Answered
Can I cut videos without losing quality?
Yes! Use iMovie and manually set export resolution to match original quality. Avoid the Photos app for HD footage.
Why does my trimmed video have black bars?
You changed aspect ratios. When cutting video on iPhone, stick to original dimensions (like 9:16 for Stories).
How to cut multiple sections from one video?
Photos app can't do this. Use iMovie: split clip at each cut point → delete unwanted segments → merge remaining.
Where do cut videos save?
Photos app saves to Recents album. iMovie exports go to Photos unless you change location in settings.
Can I undo a video cut?
If you chose "Save as New Clip": original is untouched. If overwritten? Check Recently Deleted album immediately.
Troubleshooting Common Cutting Problems
Ran into these myself:
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| "Edit" button grayed out | Disable iCloud Optimized Storage in Settings → Photos |
| Trim handles missing | Tap the video timeline to reveal sliders |
| Export takes forever | Close background apps → Reduce export resolution |
| Audio/video out of sync | Re-import source file → Avoid splitting compressed videos |
Storage Management Tips
After cutting 100+ travel videos, I learned this:
- Before cutting: Duplicates waste space. Use "Save as New Clip" only for final versions.
- After cutting: Immediately delete originals from
Recently Deleted. - Long-term: Export finished videos to computer or cloud storage.
Remember when trimming video on iPhone: shorter clips = more free space for new memories!
Parting Advice from a Video-Cutting Veteran
Start simple. My first edits were garbage because I overcomplicated things. Use the Photos app for quick social media clips. When you hit its limits (like I did with my cooking tutorials), graduate to iMovie. Skip fancy apps until you need pro features. Happy cutting!
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