Cut a Clip from a YouTube Video
From 1:53 to 3:53, exactly. Saved on your PC, no watermark.
Updated: September 2026 · 4 min read
To cut a clip from a YouTube video on Windows: install AppGrabbit, paste the link in the Download tab, switch on Cut a clip, type the start and end times, pick MP4 or MP3 and click Download. The video is downloaded in full and the cut is made on your PC with FFmpeg, so the clip starts and ends exactly where you said. No watermark, no upload, no length limit. Pro
Why cut on your PC instead of online
Online clip tools have three problems that never go away: they cap the length, they stamp a watermark unless you pay, and they cut where the stream lets them rather than where you asked. AppGrabbit does the boring, correct thing: it downloads the whole video once, then cuts it locally with FFmpeg. That is why the clip is exact and why the quality survives.
What you get
- MP4 — video with audio, re-encoded once at a near-lossless setting (x264, CRF 18), ready for Premiere, DaVinci Resolve, CapCut or a WhatsApp message.
- MP3 — audio only, cut without re-encoding: a quote from a podcast, a riff from a live show.
- WebM — if you picked a WebM stream, the clip stays WebM (VP9).
- A real progress bar — the Queue shows Downloading, then Clipping, each with its own percentage. Nothing sits at 0 % for minutes.
How to cut a clip from a YouTube video, step by step
- 1Install AppGrabbit for Windows — free installer, 106 MB, everything included. Windows will say it "protected your PC" because the installer is not code-signed: click More info and Run anyway.
- 2Paste the video link in the Download tab — AppGrabbit shows the title, the cover and the qualities it can get.
- 3Turn on Cut a clip and set start and end — type the times as minutes and seconds, for example 1:53 and 3:53. The app shows how long the clip will be.
- 4Choose format and quality — video with audio (MP4), video only, or audio only (MP3).
- 5Click Download — the full video downloads, then the Queue shows the Clipping phase with its own progress. The clip lands in your downloads folder with the video's title, and the Library keeps it with the cover.
AppGrabbit vs online clip tools
| Feature | AppGrabbit | Online YouTube clippers | Screen recording |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cut exact to the second | ✓ Yes, local FFmpeg cut | ~ Often snaps to keyframes | ~ Depends on your reflexes |
| Quality | ✓ Source quality, up to 4K | ✗ 720p or lower | ✗ Screen quality, dropped frames |
| Watermark | ✓ None | ✗ Unless you pay | ✓ None |
| Length limit | ✓ None | ✗ Usually 1 to 5 minutes | ✓ None |
| Audio-only clip (MP3) | ✓ Yes | ~ Sometimes | ✗ No |
| Runs on your PC, no upload | ✓ Yes | ✗ Their servers | ✓ Yes |
| Cost | Pro $8.99/month · 7-day pass $3.99 | Free with watermark or paid | Free |
What people cut
Creators
The 40 seconds of a two-hour stream that deserve a Short or a Reel, in source quality, ready for the editor.
Teachers and students
The three minutes of a lecture that explain the one thing, without sending a link to a 90-minute video.
Podcast listeners
A quote as MP3, cut clean, to share or to keep.
Journalists and researchers
The exact statement, cut clean, for the record.
Honest notes
Because the full video is downloaded first, a clip from a long 4K video takes as long as downloading that video. If you only need audio, pick Audio only: the download is much smaller and the cut is instant. Cutting is a Pro feature; downloading whole videos stays free within the monthly allowance.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. The video is downloaded in full and then cut on your PC with FFmpeg, so the clip starts and ends on the second you typed.
For MP4 the clip is re-encoded once at a near-lossless setting, so the difference is not visible. Audio-only clips are cut without re-encoding.
No watermark and no limit. A 10-second clip or a 40-minute segment work the same way.
Clipping is a Pro feature: USD 8.99 a month, or the 7-day pass for USD 3.99 if you only need it this week.
Yes. Paste the link again with a different range. Each clip downloads the video again, so if you need several, pick Audio only where you can, or download the whole video once and cut it in your editor.
Yes. Clipping works on any link the Download tab accepts, not only YouTube.
Related guides
Cut the exact clip with AppGrabbit
Windows 10/11 · Exact to the second · MP4 or MP3 · No watermark · Your files never leave your PC