Split video on Mac or MacBook
Separate a screen recording, tutorial, or gameplay session into useful clips on your MacBook or desktop Mac. SplitVideo reads the selected file locally and processes it in your browser, without uploading your recording for server-side encoding. Choose a local file, set the sections you need, and save the results without installing a separate editor.
Prepare recordings from Photos or iCloud
If the recording lives in Photos, export a copy to a folder such as Movies or Downloads before opening the file picker. For iCloud Drive, make sure the complete recording has downloaded to your Mac: an entry visible in Finder can still be cloud-only. Keep the source copy until you have checked the exported clips.
How to split a video on MacBook
- Open SplitVideo in your browser and click Choose video.
- Select the local recording from your Mac.
- Choose Equal parts, Every N sec, Cut points, or Range.
- Set Number of parts, the interval, your cut points, or the start and end times, then click Split video.
- Use Download for individual clips or Save all for the set. Open the browser’s download list and reveal the saved file in Finder. Extract a ZIP before opening its clips.
Divide a tutorial into useful sections
For a 12-minute tutorial, choose Equal parts and set Number of parts to 4 to request four approximately three-minute sections. If lessons end at uneven times, choose Cut points instead and add the topic boundaries. Every N sec creates regular intervals, while Range exports just one selected passage. You can export at most 24 clips in one run; the final interval may be shorter.
MP4, MOV, and lossless cuts
MP4 and MOV recordings can be read by the tool, but not every codec or track can be processed or written to MP4. Browser support and the formats inside the container matter more than the extension alone. Outputs are MP4 clips. The default path prefers copying streams without re-encoding when possible. Lossless cuts expand to keyframe boundaries and may begin earlier or end later than requested, so they are not frame-accurate.
Leave memory and storage for long recordings
Long or high-resolution screen recordings need memory for the exported clips as well as free disk space to save them. Close unnecessary tabs and applications, keep your Mac awake, and try a short Range before committing to a large job. Splitting makes new files rather than shrinking the source; keep enough space for both.
For settings and examples, read how to split a video. For longer jobs, see the large video files guide. If a recording fails to open or export, follow the troubleshooting guide. Working on a mobile device instead? Use the phone guide.
Save all may open a system share dialog when supported. Otherwise it downloads a ZIP for multiple clips, or an MP4 for a single clip. Use each clip’s Download button when you want to save files individually.
Frequently asked questions
Can I split a video on Mac without installing an app?
Yes. You can use the browser tool without installing a separate desktop video editor. A particular recording still needs compatible codecs and sufficient device resources.
Is SplitVideo free on MacBook?
Yes. The browser-based splitter is free to use and does not add a watermark to exported clips.
Will splitting reduce video quality?
When the default export copies the original streams, it avoids re-encoding quality loss. Copying is preferred rather than guaranteed for every input. The optional H.264 for every phone setting re-encodes when available and can introduce quality loss.
Does splitting delete my original recording?
No. The tool reads the selected file and creates separate output clips. Keep your original until you have saved and checked the results.