How do you trim a video on iPhone or Android to save storage?

Will trimming a video save space?

Trimming removes the beginning or end of a clip you do not need. A shorter clip generally holds less data than a longer one, but the apps’ help pages do not state how much space you will save, so do not expect a specific number.

The bigger catch is the original. Some save options create a new trimmed copy next to the original, and then your library gets bigger until you delete the full-length version. Decide before you start whether you want to replace the original or keep both.

Trim a video on iPhone

Apple’s steps for the Photos app: open the video, tap Edit, move the sliders on both sides of the timeline to change the start and stop times, tap Done, then choose Save Video or Save Video as New Clip.

Apple explains that Save Video saves only the trimmed version, while Save Video as New Clip keeps the original and adds the trimmed version to your library. To undo a trim on a saved video, open it, tap Edit, then Revert and Revert to Original. For a clip saved as a new clip, Apple says reverting does not restore the original length.

1. Open Photos and tap the video.
2. Tap Edit and drag the sliders on both ends of the timeline.
3. Tap Done to finish the edit.
4. Choose Save Video to replace the video with the trimmed version, or Save Video as New Clip to keep the original too.

Trim a video on Android: Google Photos and Samsung Gallery

Google Photos Help describes opening the video, tapping Edit and dragging the trim handles to select the portion to keep, then saving a copy with your edits. Google also notes that some editing tools depend on the phone’s Android version and memory, so a tool may be missing on an older device.

On Samsung Galaxy phones, Samsung’s support page says to open Gallery, select the video, tap the pencil Edit icon, tap Trim and drag the sliders. The page does not say whether the original is overwritten, so check after saving. Samsung says the editor is available on Galaxy S20 models and later, and that features vary by device and software version.

1. Google Photos: open the video, tap Edit and drag the trim handles.
2. Save a copy as Google describes, then check that the new clip plays properly.
3. Samsung Gallery: open the video, tap Edit, tap Trim and drag the sliders.
4. After saving, check whether you now have one clip or two.

Be honest about quality and the original

The help pages above describe how to trim, but they do not tell you whether a trimmed video is re-encoded or how its quality compares with the original. Treat that as unknown rather than assuming nothing is lost.

For irreplaceable footage, such as a child’s first steps, save a copy first or use a save option that keeps the original, and compare the result before deleting anything. If you want a smaller file from a clip you will never edit again, the safe version is: keep the trimmed copy, confirm it plays, then delete the full-length original.

Deleting the original and reclaiming space

On iPhone, deleted photos and videos go to Recently Deleted for 30 days, so space is not necessarily released straight away. Google Photos and Samsung Gallery have their own trash with limits that can differ, so check your own app. If you use cloud sync, deleting on one device can also remove the item from others, so back up first.

Review clips in small batches. GallerySort lets you swipe to keep or delete items quickly, which is useful once you have trimmed what matters. The trimming itself happens in your phone’s editor.