This wikiHow provides a guide to splitting video clips at a specific moment, and trimming videos through the iMovie app on Mac, iPhone, iPad. iMovie is a video editing application from Apple that can be used on MacOS and iOS. You can use the "Split Clip" tool to split video clips, and cut a specific part of the video. This article is for the English language iMovie application.
Step
Method 1 of 2: Using a Mac
Step 1. Open the iMovie app
The iMovie icon looks like a purple video camera logo
on a white star on a purple background. This application can be found in the Dock or in the Applications folder.
Step 2. Select the video project to edit
Double-click the movie or video project on the “Projects” page to open and edit it.
The video editor can be found at the bottom of the application window
Step 3. Decide which part of the video to cut
Play the video clip in the editing page located at the bottom of the screen. Stop the video where you want to cut it.
- The video clip editing roll can be found at the bottom of the screen.
- You can click on any part of the roller to go directly to the selected moment.
- The white vertical playhead bar should be right where the video clip is to be cut.
- You can press the space bar button to play and stop the video.
- Use the left and right arrow keys to move the playhead bar back and forth.
- You can learn about iMovie shortcut keys on Apple's official page here:
Step 4. Press Command+B on your keyboard
This combination will automatically split the video clip into two halves at the exact moment the white vertical playhead bar is.
After splitting a video clip, you can select a part of it and delete it by pressing the Delete key on your keyboard
Step 5. Right-click the video moment you want to cut (optional)
Alternatively, you can move the cursor over the video clip roll. After that, right-click on the moment of the video clip that you want to cut.
Step 6. Select Split Clip in the menu that appears
Much like using a keyboard key combination, this option will trim the video clip at the moment you've selected.
Step 7. Left-click on the part of the video clip you want to cut (optional)
Alternatively, you can watch the video you want to edit, and select the part you want to cut by clicking on it.
By doing this, the white vertical playhead bar will be immediately placed in the section you selected
Step 8. Click Modify in the menu bar
It's located in your Mac's menu bar, at the top of the screen. This button will open an additional menu.
Step 9. Click Split Clip
This option will trim the video in the part you have selected.
Method 2 of 2: Using iPhone or iPad
Step 1. Open the iMovie app on your iPhone or iPad
The iMovie icon looks like a purple video camera logo
on a white star on a purple background. You can find this app on the home page or in the apps folder.
Step 2. Tap the video project to edit
Select the video project to edit on the “Projects” page to view the information.
Step 3. Tap the Edit button
This button is below the thumbnail and video title. This button will open the selected video clip in the editor.
Step 4. Hold and slide the video roll at the bottom of the screen
You can hold the video roll at the bottom of the screen, and drag it to the moment you want to crop.
- You can find the video editing roll at the bottom of the screen.
- Don't forget to place the white vertical playhead bar on the part of the video clip that you want to cut.
Step 5. Tap the video roll at the bottom of the screen
The video roll will be highlighted with a yellow line. Tools for editing videos will also appear at the bottom of the screen.
Step 6. Select Actions in the list of tools for editing videos
This button looks like a pair of scissors. This button will display the editing options that can be selected.
Step 7. Tap Split
This button will trim the video clip right where the playhead bar is.
