In short
- Right after a ⌘⇧5 recording, click the thumbnail in the corner of the screen to trim it before it's saved.
- For a saved file, select it in Finder, press Space and use the Trim button in Quick Look.
- In QuickTime Player, choose Edit › Trim, drag the yellow handles and click Trim.
- To cut something out of the middle, split the movie into clips in QuickTime or use iMovie.
To trim a screen recording on a Mac, open it in QuickTime Player, choose , drag the yellow handles to the part you want to keep and click Trim. If you just recorded with ⌘⇧5, it’s even quicker: click the thumbnail that appears in the corner of the screen and trim it there.
Every Mac has four ways to do it without installing anything, plus iMovie for heavier edits. The best one depends on when you notice the dead seconds and whether you need to cut the ends or something in the middle. If you haven’t recorded yet, start with how to screen record on Mac.
Which method to use
| Method | Best for | Cuts the middle |
|---|---|---|
| Thumbnail after ⌘⇧5 | Right after recording | ✗ ends only |
| Quick Look in Finder | A saved file, in seconds | ✗ ends only |
| QuickTime Player | Precise trims, splitting into clips | ✓ by splitting into clips |
| Photos | Recordings already in your library | ✗ ends only |
| iMovie | Several cuts, titles, more editing | ✓ |
Trim right after recording
When you record with the Screenshot toolbar, a thumbnail appears in the corner of the screen after you stop. Apple’s help says clicking it opens a window where you can trim the recording or share it.
- Stop the recording. Press ⌘⌃Esc or click Stop in the menu bar.
- Click the thumbnail. It appears in the corner of the screen. If you swipe it to the right instead, the file is saved right away without changes.
- Click the Trim button. A trimming bar with yellow handles appears.
- Drag the handles. Keep only the part between them. Click Play to check.
- Click Done.
If the thumbnail doesn’t appear, check that is selected in the toolbar. Our page on the screen record shortcut on Mac covers the rest of the toolbar.
Trim a saved file with Quick Look
You don’t even need to open an app. Quick Look, the preview you get when you press Space in Finder, can trim audio and video.
- Select the recording in Finder. By default, ⌘⇧5 recordings are saved to the desktop; if it isn’t there, see where screen recordings go on Mac.
- Press the Space bar. The Quick Look window opens.
- Click the Trim button. Drag the yellow handles in the trimming bar; click Play to test.
- Click Done. Choose whether to replace the original file or create a new one.
Creating a new file is the safer choice if you might need the full take later.
Trim in QuickTime Player
QuickTime gives you the most precise trim of the built-in tools.
- Open the recording in QuickTime Player.
- Choose Trim. Go to . The trimming bar appears with yellow handles.
- Drag the handles. The area outside the handles is what gets removed. Click and hold a handle to see individual frames, for an exact cut.
- Click Trim.
- Save. Choose . If Save is dimmed, close the window with the red button and QuickTime asks where to save the edited movie.
Cut a section out of the middle
Trimming only removes the ends. If you said “wait, wrong tab” halfway through, split the movie into clips instead.
- Show the clips. Choose .
- Split at the start of the bad part. Move the playhead (the red vertical line) there and choose .
- Split at the end of it. Move the playhead and split again.
- Delete the middle clip. Select it and delete it, then click Done.
- Save. Choose .
Trim in Photos
If the recording is in your Photos library, you can trim it there. Double-click the video, click Edit, click Adjust, then drag the trim handles at either end. Apple notes that trimming in Photos doesn’t actually delete footage: drag the handles back, or click Revert to Original (which removes all edits), to get the full video back.
Use iMovie for more than a trim
When a recording needs several cuts, iMovie is the free next step. In the timeline you can drag a clip’s edge toward its center to shorten it. To keep only part of a clip, hold the R key, drag across the frames you want to keep, then Control-click and choose Trim Selection. lets you add or remove individual frames.
For client videos, though, think twice before editing heavily. A walkthrough with a couple of “ums” is fine, and a 20-minute editing session for a 3-minute video rarely pays off. Keeping videos short helps more than polishing them: see how long a client video should be. How to record a client video in one go has tips for getting a take you only need to trim.
Trim, then share
Trimming also makes the file smaller. If size is the reason you’re editing, see how to make a screen recording smaller on Mac for export settings. And for a side-by-side of the free tools and a recorder that shares a link, read JustRec vs QuickTime.
Before you send a trimmed recording
- The first second shows the screen you’re talking about, not the Screenshot toolbar.
- The last second isn’t you reaching for Stop.
- You kept the untrimmed original if you might need it.
- You watched the cut once at normal speed.
Sources
- Apple Support: Take screenshots or screen recordings on Mac, checked November 2026.
- Apple Support: How to record the screen on Mac, checked November 2026.
- Apple Support: View and edit files with Quick Look on Mac, checked November 2026.
- Apple Support: Trim a movie or clip in QuickTime Player on Mac, checked November 2026.
- Apple Support: Split a movie into clips in QuickTime Player on Mac, checked November 2026.
- Apple Support: Change and enhance a video in Photos on Mac, checked November 2026.
- Apple Support: Trim clips in iMovie on Mac, checked November 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How do I trim a screen recording on Mac without an app?
Select the file in Finder, press the Space bar to open Quick Look, click the Trim button and drag the yellow handles. Click Done and choose whether to replace the original or save a new file.
Can I trim a recording right after I stop it?
Yes. When you record with Shift-Command-5, a thumbnail appears in the corner of the screen. Click it to open a window where you can trim the recording before saving it.
How do I cut out the middle of a screen recording?
In QuickTime Player, choose View › Show Clips, split the movie at the start and end of the part you don't want with Edit › Split Clip, delete that clip, then save. iMovie gives you more control for longer edits.
Does trimming in Photos delete the footage?
No. Apple says trimming in Photos doesn't delete footage, so you can restore the full video later by dragging the handles back or choosing Revert to Original.
Does trimming reduce the file size?
Yes, a shorter video is smaller. For bigger savings, also export at a lower resolution or in HEVC.
