Here’s How to Easily Shorten Videos on Your iPhone

Introduction

Have you ever recorded a video on your iPhone that’s too long and needs to be trimmed down? It’s a common occurrence nowadays, with video taking over as the primary mode of communication. The good news is that iPhone users have a built-in editing tool that makes it easy to shorten videos. In this article, I’ll guide you through the process of shortening a video on your iPhone, using third-party video editing apps, and video compression tools to reduce the file size.

Steps to Shorten a Video on iPhone

It’s easy to shorten a video on your iPhone using the built-in editing tools. Follow these simple steps:

1. Open the Photos app on your iPhone and select the video you want to edit.
2. Click on the Edit button in the top right corner.
3. Use the slider at the bottom of the screen to locate the part you want to keep.
4. Drag the left and right sliders to the start and endpoint of the segment you want to keep.
5. Click on the Trim button to save the edited video.

Using Third-Party Video Editing Apps

If you want to have more control over the editing process, you can try using third-party video editing apps such as iMovie or Video Editor. These apps are user-friendly and offer several editing options to make your videos more visually appealing. Here’s how to use them to shorten your videos:

1. Open either iMovie or Video Editor on your iPhone.
2. Click on the ‘Create a new project’ option.
3. Choose the video you want to edit.
4. Use the ‘Cut’ feature or trim the video in sections to keep the part you want.
5. Add transitions, music, subtitles, or any other effects before saving the edited video.

Video Compression Tools

Sometimes, trimming a video isn’t enough, and the video file size may still be too large. In that case, you can use video compression tools to reduce the size of the video without losing video quality. There are several video compression tools available online that you can try, including HandBrake and MPEG Streamclip.

HandBrake is a free and open source video transcoder that supports nearly every video format. MPEG Streamclip is a powerful video converter and editor that can also handle a variety of video formats. Both tools can reduce the size of your video while retaining high video resolution.

Personal Story

A few months ago, I recorded a video of my friend’s wedding that went for over an hour. I knew that I wanted to keep the vows and the speeches, but the rest of the video was too long. So I decided to trim the video instead of splitting the file into parts, which would take up too much space on my iPhone.

I used the built-in editing tool to locate the section I wanted to keep and trimmed it down to the desired length, saving it as a new video. The result was a video that was just a few minutes long and easy to watch, share, and store. It made a huge difference to the video’s overall quality and made sure that I didn’t run out of storage space on my iPhone.

FAQs

What video resolution should I use for a short video?

The recommended video resolution for a shorter video is usually 720p. It’s a good balance between video quality and file size. Higher resolutions can make your video look more vivid but may increase the file size, while lower resolutions can make your video look pixelated.

How long should a short video be?

Short videos are usually 1-3 minutes long. If you’re creating a video for social media, aim for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Anything longer than that may not hold the viewer’s attention.

How much storage space will a shortened video take up on my iPhone?

The amount of storage space a shortened video will take up on your iPhone will depend on the video’s length, resolution, and compression. Typically, a 1-minute video at 720p resolution can take up 60-100 MB of storage space.

Dos and Don’ts

Do:
– Make sure to back up your videos before editing them.
– Preview your edited video to make sure that it’s what you wanted.
– Use a good quality video compression tool to keep the video quality intact.
– Experiment with different third-party apps to see which one you find useful.

Don’t:
– Edit the original video file, always save a copy of the edited video.
– Use low-quality tools to compress or edit your video, as it may lead to the video quality being compromised.
– Over-edit or over-process your video, which could make it look unnatural or tacky.
– Share your unedited or unshortened videos without permission.

Conclusion

Shortening a video on your iPhone is easy and can save you precious storage space. You can use the built-in editing tools, third-party video editing apps, or video compression tools to shorten your videos quickly and efficiently. Experiment with different methods to find what works best for you. Remember to back up your videos before editing and save copies of the edited videos.