Split or cut clips in Premiere Pro

Cutting or splitting clips is one of the foundations of video editing. Learn how you can remove unwanted sections of a clip in Premiere Pro.

Splitting a clip creates a new and separate instance of the original clip. The resulting clip is the revised version of the original clip but with different In and Out points.

Cut clips with the Razor tool

  1. Drag the clip you want to split into the Timeline.

  2. Select the Razor   tool on the panel.

  3. Click on the clip where you want to create a split.

    To split only the audio or video portion of linked clips, use Alt-click (Windows) or Option-click (macOS) while working with the Razor tool.

Split clips on targeted tracks

  1. Select the headers of the desired tracks to target them.

  2. Position the playhead where you want to split the clip or clips.

  3. Select Sequence > Add Edit, or use Ctrl + K (Windows) or Command + K (macOS).

    To split all clips except locked tracks, select Sequence > Add Edit to All Tracks to split tracks in the Timeline panel.

Tip:

If you want to change Effects settings over time, don’t split the clip — you can apply keyframes to a single clip instead.

Remove unnecessary cuts

A through edit is a cut in a clip where there is no change on either side of the cut — usually, it's made by mistake. Remove these unnecessary cuts by enabling through edits.

  1. To view through edits, select the wrench   icon at the upper-left of the Timeline panel and select Show Through Edits.

    When enabled, all through edits in a sequence are shown with small white triangles.

  2. To remove a through edit and rejoin the two sides of the clip, select the triangle and then select Edit > Clear.

    To remove multiple through edits, use shift-select with the Selection tool and then delete them.


Related resources

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If you have questions about editing on the timeline, reach out to us in our Premiere Pro community. We would love to help.

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