LosslessCut: free tool to trim videos without losing quality
LosslessCut calls itself a free lossless video cutter for Mac, Windows and Linux. It trims files in seconds without re-encoding, so there is no quality loss. The GitHub version is free; the app store versions are paid. Here is what its pages say.
Official app preview
Quick facts
- What it does: trims and cuts video and audio files without re-encoding, merges files with the same codec, extracts tracks, and takes full-resolution snapshots.
- Price: free from GitHub (GPL 2.0). The Mac App Store and Microsoft Store versions are paid, which the developer says supports the work. Details below.
- Platforms: Windows, Mac and Linux, per its site.
- Best for: quickly cutting a long video (a recording, a phone clip, a dashcam file) without hours of re-exporting or losing quality.
What it is
LosslessCut is, in its developer's words, "The Swiss Army Knife of Lossless Video/Audio Editing". A normal video editor re-encodes the whole file when you cut it, which takes time and loses quality each time. LosslessCut instead cuts the data stream and copies it directly, so the same cut takes seconds with no quality loss.
Is it free?
From GitHub, yes. The developer's FAQ asks "Why is it not free on the App Stores but free on GitHub?" and answers that LosslessCut "will always be free for anyone to use and look at the code", while the Microsoft Store and Apple App Store versions are sold for those who want to support the work. The code is under the GNU GPL 2.0 licence. So: get it free from the GitHub releases page linked on losslesscut.app, or pay on a store as a donation with automatic updates.
What the pages list
- Losslessly trim or cut out parts of video and audio.
- Merge files that share the same codec settings, without quality loss.
- Combine or extract tracks (video, audio, subtitles) from files, and remux into other formats.
- Full-resolution snapshots in JPEG or PNG.
- Timeline with zoom, frame and keyframe jumping; segment labels; auto-saved project files.
- Current version v3.70.1, released 19 October 2026 on GitHub.
Our advice
- Use it for cutting and trimming. For filters, transitions or title text you need a full editor. This is our advice, not the developer's.
- Keep the original file until you have checked the cut copy plays fully.
- Download from losslesscut.app or its GitHub releases page.
Privacy and data
- The official privacy policy, updated 21 October and rechecked 22 October 2026, says files are edited locally and are not uploaded, with no user accounts, ads or tracking. It also describes network activity: GitHub and Snap versions check for news and updates, sending IP address and app version; maps load from OpenStreetMap; Windows and Linux spell checking may download Google dictionaries. Update checking can be disabled, and
--disable-networkingdisables both news and update checks. These are publisher statements, not an independent network audit.
India
- No region limit appears on the pages we read. We did not test it from India.
Frequently asked questions
Is LosslessCut free?
Yes from GitHub, under GPL 2.0. The Mac App Store and Microsoft Store versions are paid; the developer sells them to fund the work.
Does cutting reduce quality?
No. It copies the data stream without re-encoding, per its site, so there is no generation loss.
Can it add effects or text?
No. It is a cutting and merging tool, not a full editor.
Sources: losslesscut.app, GitHub. Checked 21 October 2026.
Official homepage, version 3.70.1, downloadable demonstration and privacy policy rechecked 22 October 2026. Privacy section updated from the newly available policy; no app installation or export test performed. Original publication date is unchanged.