The guide shows how to get VidCutter running on Ubuntu 20.04 in just a few minutes, stressing its lightweight design and ability to cut clips at the frame level without re‑encoding. It walks through updating the system, installing ffmpeg, then using either apt or Flatpak to install the app, noting that the repository version is slightly older but adequate for most tasks while Flatpak delivers newer features sooner. Troubleshooting advice covers common problems such as missing ffmpeg, preview issues, and crashes with large files, recommending alternative installation routes when necessary. Finally, it suggests exporting a small segment to confirm playback in VLC or another player, encouraging users to trim long videos quickly without overburdening their machine.

How To Install VidCutter on Ubuntu 20.04

If you’re looking for a quick way to slice video clips without the bloat of a full editor, this guide will get VidCutter up and running on your Ubuntu 20.04 machine in under ten minutes.

Why Use VidCutter?

VidCutter is a lightweight, open‑source tool that lets you cut or splice videos frame‑accurately without re‑encoding. I’ve seen it save hours for people who otherwise would have to rip an entire file just to extract a 10‑second clip.

Pre‑check Your System

Before you dive in, make sure your system is up to date:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

You’ll need the ffmpeg package for backend processing. Install it if you haven’t already:

sudo apt install ffmpeg -y

Installing from the Official Repository

The easiest route is via the Ubuntu repo, which keeps everything in sync with your system.

1. Install VidCutter

   sudo apt install vidcutter -y

2. Launch it

   vidcutter

That’s all there is to it. The version in the repo is a bit older than the latest release, but for most everyday cutting tasks that extra time is negligible.

Using Flatpak if You Prefer Sandboxing

If you like keeping apps isolated or want the newest features, use Flatpak:

1. Install Flatpak (if not already installed)

   sudo apt install flatpak -y

2. Add Flathub – the primary Flatpak repository

   flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo

3. Install VidCutter from Flathub

   flatpak install flathub com.github.tardate.VidCutter -y

4. Run it

   flatpak run com.github.tardate.VidCutter

Flatpak pulls in the latest build, so you’ll get bug fixes and new features sooner than the apt package.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

• “File not found” or “Failed to load video”

Ensure ffmpeg is installed. Some older Ubuntu releases ship an incompatible version that causes this error.

• Blank preview pane

Sometimes the first frame fails to render; try opening a different file or restarting VidCutter.

• Crashes when cutting large files

The apt package uses an older Qt version that can choke on memory‑heavy operations. Switching to Flatpak often solves this.

Quick Test

Open a video, select a small segment, and click “Export.” If the output plays back in VLC or your default media player with no re‑encoding artifacts, you’re good to go.

Got it working? Great! Now you can trim those long vlogs into bite‑size clips without fuss.