How to Cut Videos in VLC Media Player for Windows

Trimming videos is a common task for video editing and content creation. It allows users to remove unwanted sections from a video, reducing its length or focusing on specific parts. While VLC Media Player is primarily known as a versatile media player, it also offers basic video editing features, including the ability to cut or trim videos. In this article, we will explore how to cut videos in VLC Media Player for Windows, providing step-by-step instructions and examples adapted specifically for the Windows environment.

Examples:

1. Launch VLC Media Player: Start by opening VLC Media Player on your Windows computer. If you don't have it installed, you can download it from the official VLC website (https://www.videolan.org/vlc/).

2. Open the video file: Click on "Media" in the menu bar and select "Open File" or press Ctrl+O. Browse and select the video file you want to cut.

3. Navigate to the desired start point: Play the video and locate the exact point where you want to start cutting. Pause the video at that point.

4. Set the start time: Go to "Playback" in the menu bar, choose "Custom Bookmarks," and then click on "Set Bookmark." A dialog box will appear. Enter a name for the bookmark and click "OK." This bookmark will serve as the starting point for the cut.

5. Navigate to the desired end point: Resume playing the video and stop at the point where you want to finish cutting. Pause the video at that point.

6. Set the end time: Repeat step 4 to set a bookmark for the ending point of the cut.

7. Apply the cut: Go to "View" in the menu bar and select "Advanced Controls" if it's not already checked. You will see additional buttons in the player interface. Click on the "Record" button (red dot) to start recording the video.

8. Start playing the video: Click on the "Play" button to start playing the video from the beginning. VLC Media Player will automatically stop recording at the end point you set, effectively cutting the video.

9. Save the cut video: Once the video stops playing, go to "Media" in the menu bar, select "Convert/Save," and choose a destination folder and filename for the cut video. Click "Save" to start the conversion process. VLC Media Player will create a new video file with the trimmed section.