How to Trim the Beginning of a Video in Premiere Pro

In Premiere Pro 2025 on desktop, you cut the first three seconds with the Razor tool, delete that piece, and then Ripple Delete the gap so the rest of the video moves to the start. The keys below are the same on Windows and Mac, except where noted.

Cut the first three seconds with Razor and Ripple Delete

1. Click in the timeline and press + a few times to zoom in.
2. Drag the playhead to the 3-second mark on the timeline ruler.
3. Press C to switch to the Razor tool.
4. Click the clip at the playhead to cut it at 3 seconds.
5. Press V to switch back to the Selection tool.
6. Click the short piece to the left of the cut, which is the first 3 seconds, and press Delete.
7. Right-click the empty space left in the timeline and choose Ripple Delete.

Ripple Delete closes the gap, so your video now starts at what used to be the 3-second mark.

Type the exact timecode to cut on 3 seconds

Dragging the playhead is hard to get exact on a 20-minute video. You can set it by typing instead.

1. Click the timecode box below the preview screen. It shows the playhead position, probably in the form 00:00:02:24.
2. Type 00:00:03:00 and press Enter. The playhead jumps to exactly 3 seconds.
3. Press C for the Razor tool, then click the clip at the playhead.
4. Finish the cut with steps 5 to 7 from the first section.

Zoom in further with the scroll bar

The + key stops zooming at a set level. To zoom in further, use the bar along the bottom of the timeline. Drag one of its ends inward to zoom in tighter, then go back to step 2 above and place the playhead at 3 seconds.

Keep the first 3 seconds but skip them on export

If you only want the video to start at 3 seconds in the final export, you can set an In point instead of cutting.

1. Type 00:00:03:00 in the timecode box below the preview screen, or drag the playhead to 3 seconds.
2. Press I to set the In point. On a Mac, press Command+I.
3. Export as usual. The first 3 seconds stay on the timeline, but the render starts at the In point.

If your cut keeps landing a little off, make sure Snap is on. It is the magnet icon in the timeline. With Snap on, the Razor cut sticks to the playhead.

FAQ