VidCutter is a free, open-source application that can be used to cut video and audio files. It has tools for cutting all sorts of media, but it’s not a full-blown video editor; instead, its focus lies solely on slicing up videos into clips you could then upload onto your website (or send someone).
VidCutter has features that make it easy to get the exact clip you want. It supports many video and audio formats, so you’re not limited to just mp4 files. You can also use it to extract audio from a video file if you want the audio track. Once you’ve imported your media file, you can use the built-in player to preview it and mark out your clip’s start and end points using the easy-to-use interface. When you’re happy with your selection, hit the “cut” button, and VidCutter will do the rest. The output file can be saved in any format you like, so you’re not stuck with whatever format your source file is in. Whether you need to trim down a long video or extract a short clip for use elsewhere, VidCutter is the perfect tool for the job.
In the following tutorial, you will learn how to install VidCutter on Linux Mint 21 LTS release series using two different methods, PPA or the alternative third-party Flatpak package manager.
Table of Contents
Update Linux Mint
The first step is ensuring your system is up-to-date to avoid issues during the installation and for good practice. This is done by opening your terminal and using the following command.
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgradeInstall VidCutter – APT Method
The first option is to import the PPA VidCutter, which always contains the most up-to-date version of VidCutter.
First, make sure the following dependencies are installed.
sudo apt install dirmngr ca-certificates software-properties-common gnupg gnupg2 apt-transport-https -yNext, import the GPG key needed for all the repositories.
sudo gpg --no-default-keyring --keyring /usr/share/keyrings/ozmartian.gpg --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com --recv-keys C2FA7C8EF5B0D10DCCE1ED2D9BCA8B4F51A082C4If you have issues importing the GPG key from LaunchPAD, please see the end section on GPG troubleshooting at the end of the article.
Example output:
gpg: key 9BCA8B4F51A082C4: public key "Launchpad PPA for ozmartian" imported
gpg: Total number processed: 1
gpg: imported: 1Next, import the PPA with the following command.
echo 'deb [signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/ozmartian.gpg] https://ppa.launchpadcontent.net/ozmartian/apps/ubuntu jammy main' | sudo tee -a /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ozmartian.listNext, run an APT update to reflect the new changes in your APT sources list. Failure to do this will lead to the installation failing until it is done.
sudo apt-get updateNext, install Inkscape using the following command.
sudo apt install vidcutter -yInstall VidCutter – Flatpak Method
The second option is to use the Flatpak package manager, which is installed on Linux Mint desktop installations by default.
The extra benefit of using Flatpak installations is that you will always have the most up-to-date version compared to Ubuntu which focuses on stability with older versions that only see updates for security issues or serve bugs.
First, re-install the Flatpak manager if it was removed previously.
sudo apt install flatpak -yFor users installing Flatpak, it is often recommended to reboot your system. Failure to do this can occur with odd issues, such as paths not being generated for icons.
rebootSKIP THE REBOOT IF FLATPAK IS INSTALLED.
Next, you need to enable Flatpack using the following command in your terminal:
sudo flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepoNow install VidCutter using the following flatpak command.
flatpak install flathub com.ozmartians.VidCutter -yHow to Launch VidCutter
Now that you have the application installed, launching can be done in a few ways.
First, if you are in your terminal, type the following command.
vidcutterAlternatively, Flatpak users will need to launch using the command below from a terminal instance:
flatpak run com.ozmartians.VidCutterFor most desktop users, you would follow the below path to open, and if you prefer, right-click and add it to your sidebar for quick access.
Taskbar > Sound & Video > VidCutter.
Example:
Once open, you will arrive at the default screen. From here, you can begin using VidCutter.
Example:
How to Update VidCutter
Depending on the method used, the following commands can be used to update.
APT Update Method
sudo apt upgrade && sudo apt upgradeFlatpak Update Method
flatpak updateHow to Remove (Uninstall) VidCutter
For users who no longer require the application, use one of the following commands to suit the original installation method.
APT Remove Method
sudo apt autoremove vidcutterAlso, it is advised to remove the PPA.
sudo rm /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ozmartian.listFlatpak Remove Method
flatpak uninstall --delete-data com.ozmartians.VidCutterNext, run the following command for any leftover clean-up.
flatpak remove --unusedHow to Fix Broken LaunchPAD GPG Import
Users that have installed Linux Mint for the first time or have not imported a GPG key before using the command line terminal will often have issues importing GPG keys from LaunchPAD PPAs due to the directories not being created. This is an easy fix. Use the following command that will, in turn, generate the directories.
sudo gpg --list-keysExample output:
As above, the necessary directories have been created. This can be skipped, and use the following GPG import command below. If you have any issues with directories missing for this and any other PPA GPG key in the future, just run the above command.
Comments and Conclusion
VidCutter is an excellent, easy-to-use tool for slicing video files into clips you can use on your website or send to someone. It supports various formats and makes extracting audio from videos a breeze. If you’re looking for an easy way to get the exact clip you need, give VidCutter a try.
