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How to shorten a video on an iPhone

Master video editing on iPhone: trim and crop with ease using our quick guide.
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Published onMarch 30, 2023

Regarding editing videos on your iPhone, two terms are often confused: trimming and cropping. Although they may seem similar, they serve different purposes when shortening a video. Trimming a video involves cutting out parts from the beginning or end, while cropping refers to removing unwanted areas from the video frame. Regardless of your needs, this article will guide you through trimming and cropping a video on your iPhone.

QUICK ANSWER

There are two ways to shorten a video on an iPhone. Trimming involves cutting down the time length of the video, and cropping consists of shrinking the frame's dimensions. Select the edit button on your video, and adjust the handles on either end to trim the timeline, or tap the shape icon to adjust the corners of the video frame to crop.


JUMP TO KEY SECTIONS

How to trim a video on an iPhone

Trimming a video means cutting out unwanted parts from the beginning or end of a video. This is useful if you want to shorten the length of your video or remove any unnecessary footage. Follow these steps to trim a video on your iPhone:

Open the Photos app and open the video you want to trim, then tap Edit in the top right corner of the screen.

iPhone edit button
Adam Birney / Android Authority

A timeline will appear at the bottom of the screen with yellow handles at both ends. Drag the left handle to set the new starting point, and drag the right handle to set the new ending point.

iPhone video trim
Adam Birney / Android Authority

Preview your trimmed video by tapping the play button. Once you’re satisfied with the trim, tap Done in the lower right corner.

Choose Save as New Clip to create a new trimmed video or Save Video to overwrite the original.

How to crop a video on an iPhone

Cropping a video involves removing unwanted areas from the video frame, which can help you focus on a specific subject or eliminate any distracting elements. Here’s how to crop a video on your iPhone:

Open the Photos app and open the video you want to crop, then tap Edit in the top right corner of the screen.

iPhone edit button
Adam Birney / Android Authority

At the bottom of the screen, tap the crop icon (it looks like a square with arrows pointing outwards).

iPhone crop shapes
Adam Birney / Android Authority

A rectangular grid will appear over the video, with corners and edges that can be adjusted. Drag these handles to resize the crop area.

iPhone crop
Adam Birney / Android Authority

You can also use the aspect ratio button (located on the right side of the screen) to choose from preset aspect ratios, such as 1:1, 16:9, or 4:3. To rotate the video, use the rotate icon (a circular arrow) below the video frame.

iPhone video angle
Adam Birney / Android Authority

Preview your cropped video by tapping the play button. Once you’re satisfied with the crop, tap Done in the lower right corner.

The cropped video will automatically overwrite the original. If you want to keep the original video, create a duplicate before editing.


Understanding the difference between trimming and cropping is crucial when shortening a video on your iPhone. Following the steps above, you can easily trim and crop videos to create the perfect final product.

FAQs

To crop a video to a square on your iPhone, open the Photos app and select the video you want to edit. Tap Edit and then the crop icon. Tap the aspect ratio button and choose “1:1” to set a square crop area. Adjust the grid to cover the desired part of the video, and tap Done to save the changes.

To shorten the length of a video on your iPhone, open the Photos app and select the video you want to edit. Tap Edit and use the yellow handles at the ends of the timeline to set the new start and end points. Preview the trimmed video, and when satisfied, tap Done to save. Choose Save as New Clip to create a new trimmed video or Save Video to overwrite the original.