Trim YouTube Videos Like A Pro: A 2024 Guide

Editing your YouTube videos is an excellent tool for refining content, making it more engaging and to the point. With YouTube Video Trimmer, you can easily remove unwanted parts while keeping your video’s URL, views, and comments intact. Let’s explore how to use YouTube’s native tools—and other external ones like Gling.ai—to edit your videos with mastery.

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Is Trimming Worth It? Here’s The Skinny

Cutting isn’t just about removing moments; it’s about delivering a better viewing experience through visual storytelling for your audience: the group that’ll make you and your content King. Here’s how to get that throne:

  • Ditch The Fluff: Cut silences, bloopers, or sections that don’t belong.
  • Engage More Viewers: A crisp video holds attention longer.
  • Enhance Storytelling: Focus on key moments that resonate with your audience.

Bonus: How Gling.ai Makes Trimming Even Easier

Gling.ai takes trimming and how to use AI for video editing to new heights. trimming and video editing to new heights. You can learn more as you read this article. Using AI, Gling automatically detects where cuts are needed, making your job faster and easier. Now that’s efficiency!

The Path to YouTube Video Editing Glory: Getting Started

Signing into YouTube Studio

  1. Visit YouTube Studio: Go to studio.youtube.com and log in with your Google account.
  2. Find Your Video: On the left, click Content. Here’s where all your videos are listed.
  3. Select the Video: Find the one you want to trim, then click the title or thumbnail to open the editor.

Easy peasy! It’s time to perform some trimming magic.

Trimming Basics: A Step-by-Step

Step 1: Open the Video Editor

In the left menu, click Editor. This is where you’ll be trimming and cutting.

Step 2: Choose “Trim & Cut”

Click Trim & Cut. You’ll see a blue box surrounding the timeline of your video. This is your editing zone.

Step 3: Drag to Trim

To cut the beginning or the end:

  • Drag the sides of the blue box to adjust the start and end points.some text
    • Want to shorten the intro? Pull the left side in.
    • Ready to cut the outro? Slide the right side inward.

Once you’ve adjusted the video’s length, hit Save.

Trim Sections From the Middle: Level Up Your Edits

Maybe there’s a section in the middle that just doesn’t belong:

Step 1: Add a New Cut

Click NEW CUT next to Trim. A red box will appear on the timeline.

Step 2: Highlight the Section to Remove

Drag the red box to cover the section you want to remove. Everything inside the red box will be cut.

  • Got an awkward pause in the middle? Highlight it, and it’s gone.
  • Removing a blooper? Red box to the rescue.

Step 3: Save Your Edits

Once you’ve fine-tuned the cut, preview it by clicking Preview. If everything looks good, click Save.  

Precision Editing: Every Second Counts

If you want sharpness, YouTube Studio’s timestamp feature allows you to enter the exact start and end cues for your edits.

  1. Use the time boxes below the video timeline.
  2. Manually enter the start and end times for trimming or cutting.
  3. Review your edits by clicking Preview and… Save.

Oops! Want to Undo? Revert to the Original

If you're worried about making a mistake, don't sweat it—unlike relationships, YouTube lets you undo or reset your changes with just a click.

Reverting to the Original

If you decide you’re not happy with the changes, just:

  1. Click the More (three dots) button at the top of the editor.
  2. Select Revert to Original. Boom! Your video is back to how it was before.

You can start again or try something new. No breakups needed.

Expert Tips: Fine-Tune Your Editing Skills

Here are some extra tips to take your YouTube editing skills to the next level:

  • Preview your changes: Make sure everything flows smoothly by previewing frequently.
  • Don’t forget to save: After every change, Save.
  • Download and re-upload: If your video has more than 100,000 views and you're not in the YouTube Partner Program, you’ll need to download and re-upload the edited video to apply changes.

Video Trimming Cheat Sheet: Quick Reference

Action Steps to Follow
Trim the start or end Select Trim & Cut, drag blue box edges to adjust start or end, click Save
Cut a section in the middle Select NEW CUT, drag the red box to highlight unwanted sections, and click Save
Undo changes Click Discard Changes or Revert to Original from the More (three dots) menu
Use precise times Enter start/end times in the time boxes, click Preview, then click Save
Save final edit After trimming or cutting, click Save to apply your edits

Here’s How Gling.ai Will Improve Your YouTube Video 

Gling's AI analyzes your video and identifies key moments for trimming, meaning it automates the boring parts. Whether editing a long intro or cutting down a rambling section, Gling can do it automatically, allowing you to focus more on creativity rather than technicalities. It even supports text-based video editing, making the process even more intuitive. It's as easy as selecting your file and letting Gling do the rest as your editing partner

Plus, with Gling.ai, you don't need to worry about out-of-sync audio or video after trimming—its algorithm ensures everything stays in sync. You can even use it to remove filler words and enhance video sound quality.

Trim Your Videos: YouTube Studio vs. Gling.ai 

FEATURE YouTube Studio Gling.ai
Trimming Basic trimming of start, middle, and end sections Automatic AI-powered trimming for faster, more efficient edits
Ease of Use Manual dragging of sliders and entry of timecodes AI-driven, faster than manual editing
Audio/Video Syncing Manual; may require careful adjustments when trimming Automatic; ensures perfect audio-video sync
Clip Creation Can create short clips using the Clips tool No clip tool, but can trim videos effortlessly
Best For Basic edits, trimming sections from videos on the platform Creators looking for a faster, more automated process

Ready to Cut It Clean? 

Trimming your videos can be simple and fun, significantly improving the quality of your audiovisual content. YouTube Studio and Gling.ai create smooth, engaging videos that will keep your audience engaged and your numbers growing. That’s one heck of a duo!