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Watch the tutorial
Step 1: Trim the edges of a clip
The simplest cut is a trim. Move your mouse to the start or end of a clip on the timeline until the cursor turns into a red bracket icon. Click and drag the edge inward to shorten the clip. A small tooltip shows the new Start, End and Duration while you drag. Trimming does not delete your footage. You can always drag the edge back out to bring the cut part back.
Made a mistake? Press Ctrl + Z (Cmd + Z on a Mac) to undo.
Step 2: Cut with the Razor tool
To cut a clip in the middle, select the Razor Tool from the toolbar or press C. Click on the clip where you want the cut. The clip is split into two separate clips. You can click as many times as you like to slice a clip into several pieces.
When you are done cutting, press V to switch back to the Selection Tool. Otherwise your next click will cut the clip again.
Step 3: Check your cuts
After cutting, each piece is its own clip, so you can select it, move it or delete it independently. Cut points show up as thin lines between the clips on the timeline.
Step 4: Delete the parts you do not need
Click a clip you want to remove and press Delete. This removes the clip but leaves an empty gap in its place. To close the gap at the same time, select the clip and press Shift + Delete. This is called a ripple delete, and it slides everything after it to the left.
Step 5: Cut at the playhead with Ctrl + K
There is an even faster way to cut. Move the playhead to the frame where you want to split the clip and press Ctrl + K (Cmd + K on a Mac). This is the Add Edit command. It cuts the clip under the playhead without touching the Razor tool. If several clips are selected, it cuts only those.
Step 6: Delete behind or in front of the playhead
For the quickest workflow, the video uses two shortcuts. Place the playhead where you want to trim, then press Q to ripple delete everything behind the playhead on that clip, or W to ripple delete everything in front of it. In Premiere Pro these are the Ripple Trim Previous Edit to Playhead and Ripple Trim Next Edit to Playhead commands. The clip is shortened and the gap closes automatically.
Tips
- Cut all tracks at once. The Razor tool normally cuts only the clip you click. Hold Shift while clicking to cut every track at that point.
- Zoom in for precision. Press the plus key (+) to zoom into the timeline for frame-accurate cuts.
- Keep your shortcuts. Learn C, V, Ctrl + K, Q and W first. They cover most of your daily cutting.
- Next step. After cutting, smooth the join with a fade, as shown in how to fade video in and out.
FAQ
What is the shortcut to cut a clip in Premiere Pro?
Press Ctrl + K (Cmd + K on a Mac) to cut at the playhead, or press C for the Razor tool.
How do I delete a cut clip without leaving a gap?
Select the clip and press Shift + Delete for a ripple delete. The clips after it move left to close the gap.
How do I cut and delete the start or end of a clip fast?
Put the playhead at the cut point and press Q to remove everything behind it or W to remove everything in front of it.
Want to speed up the rest of your edit too? Ultimate Premiere Pro Presets gives you over 500 presets ready to drop onto your clips.
