Ever found that perfect moment in a YouTube video you're dying to share? YouTube isn't just for watching—it's a goldmine of content you can clip and repurpose. Instead of letting great moments stay buried in hour-long videos, you can extract those gems and share them across TikTok, Instagram, or Facebook. It's not just convenient—it's smart content strategy that helps get more views without creating something entirely new.

Maybe you want to capture a hilarious moment from a livestream, or perhaps you've spotted the perfect 30-second insight that would crush it on TikTok. Whatever your reason, there are multiple ways to clip YouTube videos on both desktop and mobile—and none of them require a PhD in video editing. This guide walks you through two straightforward methods to clip YouTube videos, plus tips on protecting your own content from unwanted clipping.

How to clip YouTube videos: The basics

YouTube allows anyone to clip content on the platform, provided the original creator hasn't disabled clipping permissions. This feature makes it easy to share key moments from videos while respecting creator preferences.

The YouTube clip feature lets you save a selected portion of a video—such as an insightful tip or a funny moment. Clips can be between 5 to 60 seconds long and are stored in the Your Clips section in the YouTube sidebar. They play on a loop, similar to YouTube Shorts, and can be easily shared via a generated link.

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Managing Your YouTube Clips Library

After creating clips, you might wonder how to manage them effectively. Here's how you can access, share, and delete your YouTube clips:

• Accessing Your Clips: Locate the "Your Clips" section in the YouTube sidebar to view all your created clips.

• Sharing Clips: Share your clips via email, embed them on websites, or post them on social media platforms. This helps increase engagement and drive traffic back to your channel.

• Deleting Clips: If you no longer need a clip, simply remove it from your library by deleting it. This helps maintain organization and ensures only relevant content is visible.

Alternative Tools for Clipping YouTube Videos

While YouTube's built-in clipping tool is convenient, there are times when you might need longer clips or more editing features. Here are some alternative online tools:

• YouTube trimmer: Allows you to trim videos online without downloading software.

• Vizard: Offers advanced features like AI-driven clip suggestions and multi-format exports.

How to clip YouTube videos on desktop

Step 1: Find the YouTube video to clip

First, sign in to YouTube and find the video you want to clip. You can locate it by searching your channel or filtering videos in YouTube Studio.

Step 2: Start a new clip

YouTube's clipping feature is enabled by default for all channels unless the creator disables it. Once you find the video you want to clip, open the Menu (three vertical dots) and select Clip. Name your clip something recognizable for easy access in your clip library.

Step 3: Drag the sliders to set clip length

Adjust the sliders to select the portion of the video you want to clip. YouTube clips must be at least 5 seconds and no longer than 60 seconds. Double-check the timestamps to ensure you don't accidentally cut off key moments.

Step 4: Save your YouTube clip

Once you've set the timing, click Share clip. You can share your clip in several ways:

• Share the YouTube clip via email

• Get a shareable link to share the clip anywhere

• Embed the YouTube video clip on your website or blog

• Promote the YouTube clip on other social media platforms (note that this won't share the actual video—it'll share a link to divert people back to your YouTube channel)

Create longer YouTube clips with Descript

YouTube limits clips to 5-60 seconds. If you need longer snippets—such as game highlights or extended tutorials—consider using a professional video editor like Descript.

Descript is also a great option if you want to share YouTube clips on platforms like TikTok or Instagram Reels, rather than just sharing a YouTube link.

Step 1. Start a new project and paste in the YouTube URL

In the main Drive view, click New Project in the top right corner. Then paste your YouTube URL into the text box.

‎Step 2. Open Underlord and choose "Create clips"

Open Descript's AI assistant, Underlord, in the upper right corner, then navigate down to select Create clips.

Underlord will give you the option to choose a layout and give instructions on the topics it should focus on. When you're satisfied with your choices, hit Submit.

‎‎Step 3. Browse your clip selections and pick your favorite

‎Once you're done polishing up your captions, colors, and branding, hit Publish and choose YouTube from the drop-down, and Descript will automatically publish your new clip to your YouTube channel.

How to clip YouTube videos on mobile devices

Step 1: Use your device's screen recorder

YouTube's clipping tool is available on both desktop and mobile, but functionality may be limited on certain devices. If you encounter restrictions, consider using an external screen recording tool to capture the content.

For simplicity's sake, we'll do this demonstration on an Apple iPhone or iPad:

1. Open the Settings app

2. Go to Control Center

3. Drag Screen Recording up to the Included Controls section

If you're recording on any other device (like a Google Phone or Android device), follow this quickstart guide to enable screen recording.

Step 2: Open the YouTube video to clip

Next, open the YouTube video you want to clip. It's easier to do this through the YouTube app, but you can open YouTube in your browser and record from there.

Step 3: Start screen recording

It's now time to start clipping. Scrub to the section of the video you want to record, then drag down from the bottom of your screen to find the screen recording button. Remember to turn on Do Not Disturb so that your video clip isn't interrupted by notifications.

Once you've finished recording your clip, press the End recording button. This will look different on every device, but on iPhone, it's the red timing button in the top right corner.

Step 4: Review your YouTube video clip

Most smartphone operating systems save screen recordings to the device's Photos app. To find yours, go to Photos and filter by videos (though it should be the most recent file). From here, you can watch it later, edit, or share your clipped YouTube video.

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How to clip YouTube videos created by others

Step 1: Check if the creator allows clipping

On YouTube, creators control whether their videos can be clipped. If clipping is enabled, open the video, select Menu, and click Clip. Adjust the sliders, name your clip, and press Share clip.

Step 2: Select a YouTube video clipping tool

If a creator has disabled clipping, you should only use workarounds for personal reference. It's unethical to clip and share content without permission. When in doubt, consider asking the creator for approval before using their video.

If you're clipping the video for personal use, find a screen recording tool like Descript. Open a new video project, press the Record button, and start recording your screen as the YouTube video plays.

Step 3: Trim and edit your clipped video

Descript will automatically save your screen recording footage in the dashboard, ready for you to start video editing. Play around with the different features here, such as:

• Trimming tools to cut down the video

• Studio Sound to improve audio quality

• Captions or subtitles to make the video easier to reference

• Automated transcript to turn the video into written text

• AI Summarizer to condense the content into a simple summary

Preventing others from clipping your videos

What happens if you're on the other side and you're a content creator who's posting video content to your own YouTube channel? You can stop from clipping your video, which is useful if you don't want your content to be repurposed or manipulated by anyone else.

To prevent people from clipping your own YouTube videos:

1. Go to your YouTube Studio

2. Choose Settings from the left-hand sidebar

3. Go to Channel

4. Click Advanced settings

5. Untick the Allow viewers to clip my content box

Clip YouTube videos easily with Descript

YouTube has a wealth of features that make it easier for creators to produce video content. If you want to take your content to the next level and repurpose YouTube videos into shorter clips you can share online, you need Descript.

Descript is the best video editor for modern content creators because it offers:

• YouTube Cutter to trim and cut YouTube videos

• YouTube Description, which uses generative AI to write your video description for you

• Create Clips, which uses AI to clip the most interesting parts of your video

• Social Post Writer, which suggests captions to share alongside your repurposed videos

• Turn Into Blog Post, which turns your video content into written text

Thousands of creators are already using Descript's AI-powered video editor. Join them today by signing up for your free plan.

Frequently asked questions about clipping YouTube videos

Why can't I trim a YouTube video?

YouTube gives creators control over who can clip their videos. If the clipping feature is unavailable, the creator has likely disabled it.

How can I cut a part of a YouTube video?

1. Go to your YouTube Studio

2. Select Content from the sidebar

3. Choose the video you want to cut

4. Select Editor

5. Choose Trim & cut

6. Drag the timestamps to cut your YouTube video

How do you create short clips from videos?

1. Download the Descript app

2. Start a new video project

3. Import your footage

4. Drag the sliders in the project toolbar

5. Add stickers, transitions, or music

6. Preview your snipped video

7. Export and share the video file

What apps can clip YouTube videos?

The Descript app for Mac and Windows allows you to clip YouTube videos. Import your file to start trimming, or use its screen recording features to record a video and edit it in Descript.

What are the limitations of YouTube's clipping feature?

YouTube's clipping feature allows clips between 5 to 60 seconds. Not all videos are eligible for clipping, as creators can disable this option. It's important to check the video's settings to see if clipping is allowed. For more details, refer to YouTube's official guidelines.

Can I track the performance of my YouTube clips?

Yes, you can track the performance of your YouTube clips by using YouTube Analytics. This tool provides insights into engagement metrics, helping you optimize your content strategy. For detailed guidance, check YouTube's analytics documentation.