YouTube Cutter & Trimmer - Free, Fast AI

How to cut a YouTube video

01
Upload your YouTube video
Drag your video file into Descript or paste a YouTube link to begin your project. Descript transcribes automatically and lines up the text to your timeline.
02
Cut, split, & trim via the transcript
Once the transcript is ready, highlight and remove any text you don’t need. Descript cuts those parts from the video without losing quality. Duplicate sections into new compositions if you want separate clips.
03
Share your video
After trimming, share straight to your YouTube channel or other services, or export the file for TikTok, Instagram, and more. No extra fuss—just upload, cut, and share.

A better way to cut & trim YouTube videos

Edit YouTube videos like a doc
No more juggling complicated timelines. Just highlight text and hit delete to cut. You can also add stock clips, playful animations, or captions.
Auto cut and create clips with AI
Let AI find the golden moments in your footage. Generate social-ready highlights in seconds—just set clip count, length, subject, and style, then let the tool do the rest.
Publish directly to YouTube and more
Move from editing to uploading on YouTube or Google Drive in one step. No need for extra apps or complicated workflows.

More than a YouTube cutter

Descript works like a text doc for video and audio. It handles podcasts, videos, or any YouTube project with ease.

Text-based editing
Descript offers text-based editing. Just erase the transcript sections you don't need, and watch instantly as your audio or video adjusts.
Remove filler words
Remove extra “um,” “uh,” and “like” with one click. Keep your content flowing without snagging on filler.
Studio Sound
With a single click, clean up scratchy audio and background noise. Say goodbye to hiss, static, and echo.
Clips
Use the YouTube Cutter to create TikToks, Reels, GIFs, or any snippet you want.

Don’t just take our word for it

With a 4.6-out-of-5-star rating and a bunch of distinctions on G2, Descript’s users have declared it an industry standard in the video and podcasting world.

2025

Best Software

Video Editing

Text to Speech

Screen and Video Capture

“With Descript I'll be able to at least double my content output since editing is taking one-quarter the time it used to.”

Donna B.

“With Descript we can create videos for our YouTube channel and our LinkedIn page much faster and with high quality.”

Balázs N.

“Descript has made cleaning up and creating my educational videos into professional presentations [possible] without needing extensive technical computer skills.”

Barbara C.

“Descript makes recording and editing audio and video a breeze. It's advanced features have streamlined my workflows, saving me a lot of time usually spent editing.”

Roderick F.

“The collaborative tools streamline teamwork, allowing my team and me to work efficiently together on projects. Overall, Descript enhances productivity and simplifies the editing process.”

Aldrich M.

“Transcription based editing makes the process much faster…All in all, a must have editor for most audiences, especially in SaaS marketing.”

Nidhin M.

Surely there’s one for you

Free

no credit card required

Start your journey with text-based editing

Get started

1 transcription hour / month

Export 720p, with watermarks

Limited trial of Basic AI Actions

Limited trial of AI Speech

Hobbyist

$16

per person / month, billed annually

Elevate your projects, watermark-free

Get started

10 transcription hours / month

Export 1080p, watermark-free

20 uses / month of Basic AI Actions suite including Filler Word Removal, Studio Sound, Draft Show Notes, Create Clips, and more

30 minutes / month of AI speech with stock AI speakers and custom voice clones

5 minutes / month of avatars

Questions? We have answers

How do I trim long YouTube videos online?
With Descript, cutting and uploading videos to YouTube is straightforward. If you need the same YouTube URL, YouTube Studio can make quick adjustments. The built-in YouTube video cutter there is fine for minor edits, but Descript provides more flexibility if you’re removing larger sections.
Can I cut YouTube videos for free?
Descript offers a free way to use our YT Cutter features on Mac or Windows. Check Descript's pricing page for options on paid plans if you want more capabilities.
Cut vs. crop: what’s different?
Cutting removes certain sections—like trimming out unneeded parts or isolating one clip for social media.
Cropping changes the visible frame or aspect ratio, handy for phone screens or showing only a specific region.
What file formats does Descript support?
Descript supports MP4, MPEG, MOV, OGV, WMV, WEBM, and Apple HDR*.
*Apple HDR files are converted to SDR. Results may vary.