How to Trim Instagram Story Video with or Without Video Trimmers

How to Trim Instagram Story Video (Quick Steps)

1. Upload video to Instagram Story.
2. Drag the trim handles.
3. Tap Done.
4. Share Story.

Introduction

Sometimes, the video you want to upload for your Instagram story is longer than its specs. To make your video conform to the requirements of the Instagram story, you need to know the Instagram story video specs and find ways to trim video for Instagram story. 

Instagram Story Video Specs

• Video type: short video
• Maximum length: 60 seconds
• Recommended resolution: 1080 x 1920 pixels
• Recommended aspect ratio: 9:16
• Video format: MP4, MOV

If the video length is longer than 60 seconds, Instagram will automatically cut off the excess footage. To retain the highlights of your video, it is necessary to trim the video in advance to remove unimportant parts. 

Best Ways to Trim Instagram Story Videos

This table shows the system support, charge, features, etc. of several Instagram story trimmers.

How to trim Instagram story video in two situations:

1. Trim Instagram story video with built-in feature during uploading.
2. Trim Instagram story video with a professional video trimmer before uploading.

How to Trim Instagram Story Video During Posting

Instagram has a built-in video editor that supports trimming. You can use it to make your video shorter. The following steps are based on the Instagram phone app.

Quick takeaways:

1. Upload a video to Instagram Story.
2. Swipe the video left or right to cut off unnecessary parts.
3. Tap Done.
4. Tap Share.

1. Upload a story video

Go to your profile page and tap the plus icon on your profile picture at the top-right. Next, choose the target video from your library.

2 . Trim the video

Move the handle on the left and right sides of the duration bar to cut the beginning and end of the video. Next, tap Done on the top right to save the changes.

3. Post the video

Tap the arrow and select Share to post your story.

How to Trim Instagram Story Video Before Posting

To shorten a video on an Instagram story, you should rely on professional video editing software on different platforms or systems.

How to Trim Video on Instagram Story on Computer

The following takes several desktop video editors for example to show how to shorten video on Instagram story. We tested each tool using an MP4 Instagram Story video longer than 60 seconds and evaluated trimming accuracy, ease of use, export quality, and platform support.

Quick steps:

1. Get the video trimmer ready.
2. Add the target video to the software.
3. Add the video to the timeline.
4. Drag the slider on the timeline to trim the video.
5. Export the trimmed video.

1. MiniTool MovieMaker

MiniTool MovieMaker is one of the choices to trim video for Instagram story. It enables you to trim a video easily and supports trimming video accurately by locating each frame.

• Supported platform: Windows
• Trimming accuracy: high (timeline zoom feature supported)
• Ease of use: easy for beginners
• Export quality: up to 4K

MiniTool MovieMaker

• Split and trim videos to remove redundance.

• Change video aspect ratio to match screen sizes.

• Add bubble texts, bgm, transitions, and more effects.

• Create PiP or split-screen videos by multitrack editing.

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1. Install the video trimmer

Download this software and install it on your computer.

2. Import the target video

Launch the application and close the pop-up window. Click Import Media Files to import the video you want to share on the Instagram story. Click the plus icon on the target video to add it to the timeline.

3. Trim the video

Click the target video on the timeline to highlight it. Then move the mouse cursor over the beginning of the video clip until it becomes a square bracket with an arrow, and drag the mouse rightwards to the start of the desired part. This will cut off the unwanted start part. Use a similar method to remove the end of the clip.

4. Save the video

Click the Export option to save the changes.

Also, this movie maker offers 4 types of aspect ratios, including 9:16, and you can resize your video if its aspect ratio is not suitable for the Instagram story. Moreover, it supports exporting videos in MP4 and MOV formats.

Trimming is intuitive. You drag the left or right edge of your clip in the timeline to shorten it, or you can use the Split tool to cut it at the cursor location. https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/minitool-moviemaker

2. Microsoft Photos Legacy

Microsoft Photos Legacy, the built-in program of Windows, offers a video editor that has some useful editing features. You can use it to trim or split videos.

• Supported platform: Windows
• Trimming accuracy: low
• Ease of use: easy
• Export quality: original

1. Start a new project

Open Photos Legacy and click the Video Editor tab at the top of this window. Click the New video project button to create a blank project.

2. Add a video

Click +Add to import video from your PC, collection, or web, and directly drag and drop it to the storyboard.

3. Trim the video

Click Trim on the toolbar, adjust the blue box framed in the screenshot below to trim the video clip, and click Done.

4. Export the video

Click the Finish video button to choose the video quality, and click Export to save it.

The video trimming capability is basic but functional: You set an in point and an out point, and that's pretty much it. https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/microsoft-photos

3. iMovie

If you are a Mac user, iMovie is a good video editing software you can try. It provides you with video editing tools like trimming, splitting, and more. You can use it to trim videos as below.

• Supported platform: Mac
• Trimming accuracy: high
• Ease of use: medium
• Export quality: high

1. Start a project

Launch iMovie on your Mac, click the Project tab, click the Create New button, and select the Movie option.

2. Import a video

Click File and click the Import Media option to import the video you want to trim. Then drag and drop the video clip to the timeline.

3. Trim the video

Move the playhead to the place you want to trim and press Command + B on the keyboard to make the trim. Choose the unwanted part and press the Delete key on the keyboard to remove it.

4. Export video

Click the share icon, click the Export File option, customize the output settings, and click the Next… button to export the trimmed video.

You can trim clips in the source panel before adding them to a project, or simply drag the end handles to change the in and out points. https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/apple-imovie

How to Trim Instagram Story Video iPhone/Android

You can also try to trim Instagram story videos on your phone and InShot is worth trying. InShot, compatible with both Android and iPhone, is a good video editor with various features. You can not only use it to trim a video but also split and merge videos.

How to Cut Instagram Story Video Online

In addition to downloading software on a computer and phone, you can also try online tools.

Clideo, an online tool with a user-friendly interface, enables you to trim videos easily. This video trimmer works with most common formats such as MP4, MOV, AVI, and others.

• Supported platform: online
• Trimming accuracy: high
• Ease of use: easy
• Export quality: good

1. Upload a video to Clideo

Go to the Clideo website: https://clideo.com/cut-video and click Choose file to upload the video you want to trim.

2. Trim video

Adjust the sliding bar at both ends to choose the part you want to retain and shorten the video duration.

3. Save video

Choose Extract Selected and click the Export button to save the trimmed video.

It’s possible to work with multiple layers of video, and trimming a clip is as easy as selecting it in the Timeline, and dragging its edges inwards.https://www.techradar.com/reviews/clideo-review

Wrapping Up

For quick edits, use Instagram’s built-in trimmer. For precise trimming on Windows, use MiniTool MovieMaker. Mac users can use iMovie, while Clideo is suitable for online trimming.

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