Fact-Based MKV Trim Tools Review: Features, Pros, and Cons

Part 1. What is the Difference Between MKV Cut and Trim

In video editing, the terms cut and trim are used identically, but they actually have slightly different meanings. Cutting an MKV file involves removing specific parts of the video, be it from the middle, beginning, or end. Cutting a video divides the file into separate pieces, and you may choose to keep certain sections and discard others. Trimming an MKV file, on the other hand, refers to removing footage from the start or end of the video. Basically, trimming is a much simpler process compared to cutting. It focuses on shortening the duration by deleting excess footage from the edges of the video.

Part 2. Best 5 MKV Trim Tools

4Videosoft Video Converter Ultimate: Best All-in-One Video Editor and Converter

Overall Ratings: 4.5 out of 5 stars

4videosoft Video Converter Ultimate is a highly multi-functional software that goes beyond converting media files. It may sound limited by its name, but it actually works as an MKV trimmer. This software comes with a Toolbox boasting 20+ essential editing tools, including the Video Trimmer. This feature can be used to trim or cut the length of your video clip.

Not to mention, you can trim or cut your videos in multiple ways. The Video Trimmer lets you use the sliding bar, set start and end points, or use the fast split feature. The sliding bar works by dragging the edges of the bar to mark the portions you wish to keep or cut. If you want a precise cut, you can set the start and end points manually. Meanwhile, the fast split feature allows you to quickly divide a video into segments.

What to Expect With 4Videosoft Video Converter Ultimate:

• Supports 1,000+ input and output formats, including MKV files.

• Produces uncompromised video outputs with up to 4K resolution.

• Features sliding bar, start and end points, and fast split for trimming clips.

• Delivers fast processing speed powered by advanced hardware acceleration.

Reason to Use:

• It offers several ways to trim MKV files.

• It keeps the original quality of the trimmed video.

• It allows saving the trimmed MKV files in higher resolution.

Reason Not to Use:

• Its free version cannot trim lengthy videos.

Avidemux: Best Free Video Editor With Fast Trimming

Overall Ratings: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Avidemux is a free and open-source multimedia transcoder and video editing software. It provides start and end markers that can be used to cut MKV without re-encoding. In addition to MKV trimming, Avidemux supports basic video encoding and MKV to MP4 conversion.

What to Expect With Avidemux:

• Trims videos precisely by setting start and end markers.

• Handles extensive video and audio codecs, including MKV.

• Processes simple edits without needing to re-encode the files.

• Includes a scripting feature that allows batch processing of video files.

Reason to Use:

• It can trim videos with accurate cuts.

• It is lightweight and completely free to use.

• It is accessible on various operating systems.

Reason Not to Use:

• Its interface is somewhat confusing.

• It requires familiarity to master the software.

iMovie: Best Video Editor for Mac-specific Users

Overall Ratings: 4 out of 5 stars

iMovie is a highly popular video editing software that comes pre-installed on Mac. This Mac-specific MKV cutter allows you to trim MKV files without exerting too much effort. However, iMovie doesn’t support MKV files natively, meaning you need to convert video on macOS first.

What to Expect With iMovie:

• Provides a fast and intuitive way to adjust clip length.

• Supports 4K video editing, no quality reduction applied.

• Features a dedicated Clip Trimmer for precise video trimming.

• Includes additional functionality to split a video into multiple parts.

Reason to Use:

• It is optimized for Mac operating systems.

• It cuts videos with frame-by-frame accuracy.

• It provides a real-time preview of the trimmed clips.

Reason Not to Use:

• It has a limited number of video formats for export.

• It doesn’t support MKV, requiring a conversion first.

OpenShot Video Editor: Best Cross-Platform Video Editor

Overall Ratings: 3.5 out of 5 stars

OpenShot Video Editor is a cross-platform editor that works as a free MKV video cutter. It offers a few options to cut the clips, such as enabling the Razor tool and trim handles. Apart from that, it offers additional features: video effects, audio editing, stickers, etc.

What to Expect With OpenShot Video Editor:

• Quickly cuts video using several trimming tools.

• Allows layering multiple video tracks on the timeline.

• Offers a Razor tool and trim handles for trimming videos.

• Supports adding the keyframe to adjust the trimming smoothly.

Reason to Use:

• It is completely free and open-source.

• It is available on various operating systems.

• It doesn’t include any watermarks on the output.

Reason Not to Use:

• It occasionally crashes for an unknown reason.

• It struggles with large and high-resolution videos.

Kapwing: Best Cloud-Based Video Editor

Overall Ratings: 4 out of 5 stars

Kapwing is one of the well-known online video editors that offers extensive editing tools. This MKV cutter online provides an easy-going solution to trim unwanted clips. You can set start and end times or adjust the sliders to perform video trimming.

What to Expect With Kapwing Online Video Editor:

• Supports uploading multiple MKV files for trimming.

• Exports trimmed video clips with up to 4K resolution.

• Trims videos by setting the start and end times or using a slider.

• Boasts additional editing tools like cropping, rotating, splitting, etc.

Reason to Use:

• It requires no software downloads.

• It can export trimmed video in high quality.

• It is accessible on various devices, including smartphones.

Reason Not to Use:

• It imposes a watermark on the trimmed video.

• It cannot export the trimmed video in MKV format.

Part 3. How to Trim MKV Files

If you need to trim MKV files, a dedicated .mkv trim tool is essential to perform such a task efficiently. That being said, you can use 4Videosoft Video Converter Ultimate to trim your MKV files. As mentioned earlier, this software provides several options to trim videos. In today’s demonstration, we will use the Sliding Bar method to cut unwanted video clips.

Here’s how to trim MKV files using 4Videosoft Video Converter Ultimate:

Step 1Beforehand, get a free download of 4videosoft Video Converter Ultimate. Install the multifunctional software and wait for the installation process to finish.

Step 2Once the installation is complete, launch 4videosoft Video Converter Ultimate on your computer. At this stage, move to the Toolbox tab, look for the Video Trimmer, and click it.

Step 3In the Video Trimmer window, click the + button at the center to import the MKV file. Locate it to the file explorer that will appear on your screen and click it to load.

Step 4After your MKV file is added, you will see a timeline with two sliding bars. Manually adjust these sliders to set the portion of the MKV file you want to keep or cut.

Step 5Drag the start slider to where you want the video to begin. Then, drag the end slider to where you want the video to stop. Check the Duration to see the exact time that will be kept.

Step 6Before saving the trimmed video, play it to ensure it’s exactly what you want. Once everything is set, click the Export button to initiate the trimming process.

4Videosoft Video Converter Ultimate provides a quick solution to trim videos with precise cuts. If you want to try an alternative approach, you can use the Fast Split feature. It allows you to cut a video into multiple equal-length segments automatically.

Conclusion

MKV trim tools are essential to cut or edit content efficiently, mainly large video files. Earlier, we showed you the best picks that you can use to trim your MKV files. Among the tools presented, 4Videosoft Video Converter Ultimate surpasses all for its versatility. It lets you trim videos in multiple ways, like using the sliding bar, setting start and end points, or utilizing fast split.