LosslessCut is a free, open-source desktop app for quickly trimming and managing existing audio and video without re-encoding supported media. Its segment-based workflow is useful for rough cuts, extracting or removing sections, changing tracks, and remuxing. The trade-off is precision: ordinary lossless cuts are constrained by keyframes, so LosslessCut is not the right choice when a cut must land on an exact frame or when a project needs effects, transitions, or a multitrack timeline.
What LosslessCut is designed to do
LosslessCut uses FFmpeg to perform many operations by copying encoded media data rather than decoding and re-encoding it. That makes it useful when you want to work quickly with an existing file and avoid another encoding generation. Its core task is selecting useful portions of a source, not building a conventional edited video from many clips.
The app works with segments: mark ranges in a file, then export each range as a separate file or merge selected ranges into one output. You can reorder segments for a merged result, manage tracks, and save segment information in a project file to continue later.
Tasks it fits well
- Trim a recording or remove an unwanted section, such as a commercial break.
- Extract or replace audio, or add subtitle and other tracks.
- Split media by chapters or export a cut list for use in another editor.
- Repackage a recording from one container into another, such as TS to MP4, when the streams and destination are compatible.
These are use cases described by the project, not a guarantee that every source file or device will behave identically.
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How the segment-based workflow works
- Open a media file and seek to the point where a segment should begin.
- Mark the segment’s in point, seek to its end, and mark the out point. Repeat to create more segments.
- Choose whether to export segments as separate files or merge the selected cuts. Reorder segments if the merged output should follow a different sequence.
- Adjust track selection or the output container if needed, then export.
This approach is straightforward for selecting ranges from one source. It is not a timeline for arranging multiple source files together, and the project does not offer batch export.
Why a “lossless” cut may not start exactly where you mark it
In this context, “lossless” means avoiding re-encoding for supported operations; it does not mean every requested cut time is exact. Ordinary cuts are constrained by keyframes, which are points in the encoded video stream that allow decoding to begin. A cut may therefore move backward to an earlier keyframe—by a fraction of a second or, depending on the encoding, several seconds.
The project’s own website cautions: “This app is not for exact cutting.” Arbitrary-frame cuts generally require decoding and re-encoding around the cut, which changes the encoded data. LosslessCut labels its smart-cut option experimental, so it should not be treated as a guaranteed way to produce exact boundaries.
If the deliverable must begin or end on a specific frame, use an editor or workflow that can re-encode at the required boundary and verify the result. If keyframe-aligned cuts are acceptable, LosslessCut’s fast stream-copy approach may be a better fit.
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LosslessCut’s preview uses Chromium’s HTML5 player, so what plays in the preview is not identical to what FFmpeg can decode. The project lists MP4, MOV, WebM, Matroska, OGG, and WAV as containers that generally work in the player. Listed audio codecs include FLAC, MP3, Opus, PCM, Vorbis, and AAC; listed video codecs include H.264, AV1, Theora, VP8, VP9, and H.265 with a hardware decoder. These lists are not guarantees for every computer, operating system, or file.
Some other formats that FFmpeg can decode may open using a converted, lower-quality preview. That preview conversion is for viewing; the final cut or export can still use the original file. If a file fails to preview, that alone does not establish that FFmpeg cannot process it. Check the project’s official repository for current compatibility guidance.
Remuxing changes the container, not the codec
Remuxing repackages existing encoded streams into a different container without re-encoding them in theory. For example, it can place compatible streams from a TS recording into an MP4 container. Because the streams are copied, remuxing is distinct from transcoding, which re-encodes media.
Container compatibility still matters. A destination container may not support a source codec, and a player may not support the chosen container. Container changes can also affect metadata or playback; the project describes remuxing as theoretically lossless but notes possible metadata loss when containers are incompatible. Matroska can hold a wide range of tracks, but some common devices and applications may not play it natively.
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When LosslessCut will not solve the problem
You need a smaller file but want to keep everything
LosslessCut does not reduce file size through lossless compression. Without re-encoding, the documented ways to make a file smaller are to remove duration by cutting content or remove tracks. If you need to preserve the full duration and all tracks while reducing size, you need a re-encoding workflow instead.
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You need effects or a conventional editing timeline
LosslessCut is neither a conventional nonlinear editor nor a linear editor in the Avidemux style; its segment model sits between those approaches. It does not provide common operations that require re-encoding, such as overlays, watermarks, blur or redaction, color grading, fades, transitions, audio mixing, or volume changes. More advanced workflows require multiple operations, and editing multiple files together on one timeline is not supported.
For effects-heavy work, combining many clips, or batch processing, choose an editor or media tool designed for those jobs. LosslessCut can still be useful earlier in the workflow to extract or trim source sections.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Getting LosslessCut safely
Use the official website or the official project repository to find download options. The project says manual downloads are free and warns that unofficial websites and distributors are not maintained or vetted by the project.
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The project also offers paid store distribution as a way to support the maintainer and simplify installation or updates. Store and GitHub builds can differ in version and maturity: the documentation describes newer GitHub releases as public beta testing, while store releases may lag as the maintainer waits for confidence in newer versions. Store prices and availability vary, so check the relevant store listing for current details.
Is LosslessCut the right choice?
Choose it when you want to quickly select segments from an existing file, keep the original encoded streams where possible, or manage tracks and containers—and keyframe-aligned cuts are acceptable. Choose another workflow when you need frame-exact boundaries, a smaller file without removing content or tracks, effects, audio mixing, a multiclips timeline, or batch export. Before committing to an output format, consider whether the target container supports the streams and whether the intended player supports that container.
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