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Clip a YouTube video by timestamp

Cut a clip out of any public YouTube video without downloading the whole thing first. The service pulls only the section you ask for with yt-dlp, re-encodes it to a browser-friendly H.264 MP4, and returns it to you. Paste a link, set the start and end times, and download.

Clip a YouTube video

Paste a link, pick the timestamps, and download the section as an MP4. Only the range you choose is downloaded. Successful clips use compute seconds; failures are not billed.

Public youtube.com or youtu.be links to a single video.

Seconds or a timestamp: 90, 1:30, or 0:01:30.

Clip length: 1:00.

Higher is smaller and softer. 24 is a good default.

Leave empty to use your signed-in account and monthly quota. Paste a key to run the clip against that key instead — useful for testing a key from your dashboard.

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How it works

  1. 01Paste a YouTube video URL. The preview updates as soon as the link parses.
  2. 02Set the start and end times — type 90, 1:30, or 0:01:30, or use “Set start to player time” and “Set end to player time” on the embedded player.
  3. 03Only that section is downloaded, then FFmpeg re-encodes it to an MP4 at the output height you choose.
  4. 04Download the clip. Successful clips use compute seconds from your plan; failed clips are not billed.

Limits

  • Single public videos only: playlists, live streams, and login-gated or age-restricted videos are rejected by YouTube unless cookies are configured.
  • Only the requested section is downloaded. Long clips still take time to download and encode, and a request is aborted if the job runs past the server limits.
  • Output is H.264 and AAC in an MP4 container, up to 2160p tall. Encoding time counts toward your monthly compute seconds with a 1-second minimum.

FAQ

Do I need to download the whole YouTube video first?

No. The service asks yt-dlp for just the section between your start and end times, so a 30-second clip from a two-hour video only downloads those 30 seconds.

Why do some YouTube links fail with a 502 error?

YouTube sometimes blocks datacenter downloads with bot checks, or the video may be private, members-only, or age-restricted. Those failures are not billed. Cookies and a residential proxy can be configured on the server to make more videos work.

Do I need an API key to use this page?

No. Sign in and run it with your monthly quota. If you already have an API key, paste it in the optional field and the clip runs against that key instead — handy for testing keys from the dashboard.

Is clipping a YouTube video allowed?

You are responsible for respecting YouTube's terms and the rights of the content owner. This tool is meant for content you own or have permission to use.

Related tools

Convert a video to MP4

Convert WebM, MOV, MKV, and other videos to an H.264 MP4 that plays in browsers and editors. Sign in to run it — successful converts use your FFmpeGo compute seconds.

Compress a video

Make a smaller MP4 from a video by re-encoding it with H.264. Raise the CRF for a smaller file, or lower it to keep more detail. Sign in to run it on your FFmpeGo quota.

Convert a video to a GIF

Turn a short video clip into an animated GIF in the browser. Pick the frame rate, width, and length. Sign in to run it — successful encodes use your FFmpeGo compute seconds.

Need this in your app?

The same clip is available as POST /v2/youtube-clip. Send a YouTube URL and start/end times, and pay only for successful compute seconds.

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