>

Trim an Audio Clip with FFmpeg (-ss / -to)

Cut a section out of an MP3/WAV audio file between two timestamps directly from the command line.

WindowsaudioffmpegLow risk
Run ffmpeg -i song.mp3 -ss 00:01:30 -to 00:03:00 -c copy clip.mp3 to keep the audio from 1:30 to 3:00.

01Command

Command
$ ffmpeg -i song.mp3 -ss 00:01:30 -to 00:03:00 -c copy clip.mp3

02What it does

Placing -ss and -to after -i makes FFmpeg seek on output and drop everything outside the range. With -c copy the cut is instant and lossless but snaps to the nearest frame boundary — usually accurate to a fraction of a second on audio. For a sample-exact cut, drop -c copy so the segment is re-encoded.

03Risk

RiskLow risk
RequirementsFFmpeg is not preinstalled on Windows — install it first with: winget install --id Gyan.FFmpeg
!Warning: Output overwrites an existing clip.mp3 without asking — check the filename first.

04Undo

✓No undo needed — this command does not change persistent state.

05Sources

  • Seeking (FFmpeg wiki)
    FFmpeg Trac Wiki · community · 2026-09-17
    Evidence: Explains -ss/-to input and output seeking: seeking on output with -c copy cuts at the nearest keyframe, and re-encoding gives sample-accurate cuts.

Last verified: 2026-09-18 · Category: Media