LosslessCut is a free open-source video cutter for people who want to shorten recordings without rebuilding the picture and sound.2 It is a good fit for family clips, interviews and long recordings with only a few useful moments. Its privacy policy says editing happens on your computer, without uploading your files.3
Last checked October 28, 2026.
At a glance
- What it is: A desktop tool for trimming video and audio.
- Works on: Windows, macOS and Linux.2
- Price: Free from GitHub; paid Mac App Store and Microsoft Store editions.2 The US Mac App Store lists $18.99.6
- Licence: GNU General Public License version 2 (GPL-2.0).4
- Best for: Keeping selected moments while preserving their original quality.
- Official site: losslesscut.app
What LosslessCut does and how it protects your privacy
LosslessCut copies the selected media data instead of encoding the whole video again.1 Encoding means rebuilding video or audio into a particular compressed form. For a simple trim, copying makes sense: keep the useful part and leave its picture quality alone.
The practical privacy benefit is the choice to edit before sharing. For example, keep the birthday song but leave out the conversation afterwards. Start with footage you are comfortable handling, choose a clearly separate moment, and inspect the finished file before sending it.
Version 3.70.2 was released on October 28, 2026.1 On Windows, that release fixes detection of silent and black scenes that found nothing in 3.70.0 and 3.70.1.5 Choose it for straightforward preparation of clips rather than elaborate movie production.
LosslessCut key features
- Lossless trimming: Keep sections of supported recordings without re-encoding.1
- Joining clips: Combine files with matching encoding settings.1
- Track selection: Remove or extract audio, subtitles and other tracks.1
- Container changes: Move compatible media between formats such as MKV and MP4 without re-encoding.1
- Metadata editing: Change descriptive information and rotation instructions.1
- Scene detection: Find scene changes, black frames or silence to help split recordings.1
LosslessCut pros and cons
Pros
- A focused choice when you only need to keep a few moments.
- A sensible first step before sharing personal recordings.
- Exports create a separate file and leave the original video unchanged.7
- Paid store editions update automatically.2
Cons
- Lossless cuts can begin before the chosen point, at the preceding keyframe.1
- It cannot blur faces, redact information or add transitions.2
- Complicated projects involving several files need separate operations.2
- The Windows download from GitHub is unsigned and may trigger security warnings.2
A keyframe is a complete picture that helps a video player decode the pictures around it. For sensitive footage, allow a generous gap around anything private, then watch the actual export. Do not rely on the timeline position alone to decide what the recipient will see.
Is LosslessCut safe and private?
Mikael Finstad develops LosslessCut, whose policy describes no accounts, advertising or tracking and says settings, project files and logs stay on the computer.3 Local editing is a useful privacy starting point. Keep source recordings and exported copies in a folder you control, and review any cloud-backup settings for that folder.
GitHub and Snap downloads check news and updates at startup, sending an IP address and app version; Mac App Store and Microsoft Store editions do not perform those checks.3 The policy provides a setting to disable update checks and a –disable-networking launch option for both checks.3
Opening a GPS map contacts OpenStreetMap, and spell checking on Windows and Linux may download dictionaries from Google.3 The policy also warns that Electron, the framework underneath the app, may make its own requests.3 For help thinking about outgoing connections on a Mac, see the Academy guide to LuLu.
Treat local editing and encrypted storage as separate decisions. If someone else can access your recordings folder, plan protection for that folder too. Before sharing, check what is visible, what is audible and which extra tracks you have included. An open-source licence is useful transparency, but should not be treated as a security guarantee.
How to get started with LosslessCut
- Download from an official source. Follow the official site’s links to GitHub or the supported app stores.7 Choose the package for your computer rather than a sponsored search result.
- Open a practice clip. Drag a video into the player.7 Use a short, unimportant recording while learning the controls.
- Mark what to keep. Move the cursor and press I for the start, then O for the end.7 Give the chosen section clear boundaries away from private material.
- Check the tracks. Use Tracks to choose which audio, video and subtitles to include.7 Listen carefully before deciding whether sound belongs in the shared copy.
- Export the selection. Press Export, review the options, then confirm Export again.7 Save to a clearly named output folder.
- Watch the finished file. Open it separately, for example using VLC media player, and inspect the start, end and sound before sharing.
Who should use LosslessCut and who might prefer something else?
Choose LosslessCut when your question is simply, “Which moments should stay?” It suits someone preparing a family clip or removing long pauses around an interview. Start with one file and one selection. Add more complicated operations only after the first export looks right.
For a smaller file that keeps the whole recording, LosslessCut’s documentation recommends a converter such as HandBrake, because that job requires re-encoding.8 See the Academy’s HandBrake guide if that is your priority. Consider whether you need a shorter recording, a smaller complete recording, or a more elaborate edit before choosing a tool.
Frequently asked questions about LosslessCut
Is LosslessCut really free?
Yes, the GitHub download is free.2 Paying for a store copy is an optional way to support development and get the store’s installation and update handling.
Does LosslessCut work on iPhone or Android?
It is a desktop application for Windows, macOS and Linux.2 Apple lists its edition as Mac-only.6 Transfer a recording to your computer if you want to follow the workflow above.
Can LosslessCut make videos smaller without losing quality?
It can save space by shortening a recording or by removing tracks you do not need.8 Making the same complete recording smaller means re-encoding, which loses some quality, and the documentation points to a converter such as HandBrake for that job.8 Decide what you can leave out before worrying about compression settings.
Can LosslessCut remove private conversations?
Its tracks panel lets you exclude an audio track from export.8 If you only need the picture, consider leaving sound out altogether. For a conversation inside footage you want to keep, use a workflow that lets you inspect the result carefully; listen to the exported file before sending it.
