MP3 Cutter
Cut the part of a song, podcast or recording you want to keep. Find it on the waveform, set the start and end exactly, and download it, either as a lossless cut or with gentle fades, ready to use as a ringtone or clip.
- Files stay on your device
- No sign-up
- Free to use
Keep this part
Cut
Processing happens on your device; your audio is not uploaded.
How to use MP3 Cutter
- Drop an MP3 onto the upload area. Its waveform appears; click it to jump to any point.
- Drag the timeline handles, type times, or play and use Set to playhead to mark the start and end.
- Choose Lossless cut, or With fades to fade in and out. Tick the 30-second limit for ringtones.
- Select Cut MP3, listen to the result and download it.
MP3 Cutter features
Waveform view
See loud and quiet passages at a glance and click to jump there.
Lossless cutting
MP3 frames are copied without re-encoding, so the clip sounds exactly like the original.
Fade in and out
Optional fades from half a second to three seconds avoid abrupt starts and endings.
Ringtone mode
Limits the clip to 30 seconds, the usual maximum for phone ringtones.
Tags kept
Title and artist information is copied to the clip.
Private and fast
Everything happens in your browser.
When to use MP3 Cutter
- Making a ringtone or notification sound from a favourite song.
- Extracting a quote or highlight from a podcast or interview.
- Removing silence or chatter at the start of a recording.
- Preparing a music clip for a video, slideshow or presentation.
- Creating short previews of tracks for a website or shop.
MP3 Cutter FAQ
Is the lossless cut really lossless?
Yes. MP3 audio is stored in short frames of about 26 milliseconds. The lossless mode copies whole frames without decoding them, so quality is identical to the original. Cut points are accurate to within one frame.
Why use the fade option?
Cutting in the middle of a sound can produce an abrupt start or a click at the end. A short fade makes the clip begin and end smoothly. Fades require re-encoding, which uses high-quality variable bitrate encoding.
How do I use the clip as a ringtone?
On Android, copy the MP3 to the phone and choose it in sound settings. On iPhone, ringtones must be in M4R format and added through a computer or GarageBand; convert the clip to M4A first.
Can I cut other formats?
This tool is optimised for MP3. Use the Audio Trimmer for WAV, M4A, FLAC, OGG and other formats.
Is there a length limit?
Files up to 300 MB are accepted, which covers long recordings. The clip can be any length unless the ringtone limit is ticked.
Why MP3 can be cut without losing quality
An MP3 file is a sequence of independent frames, each holding about 26 milliseconds of compressed audio with its own header. Because frames can be decoded independently, a section can be cut out simply by copying the frames between the start and end points, without decompressing anything. That is why the lossless mode is both instant and perfect in quality.
There is one subtlety. Encoders use a small amount of data from neighbouring frames, called the bit reservoir, and decoders need a few frames to settle. Cuts made by copying frames can therefore have a tiny glitch at the very start in rare cases. If you hear one, use the fade option, which decodes and re-encodes the clip cleanly.
Fades are the professional touch. Audio that starts at full volume mid-note sounds abrupt, and a cut in the middle of a waveform can create an audible click. A fade of half a second to two seconds makes clips sound intentional, especially ringtones and music previews.
The waveform helps you find natural cut points. Look for quiet gaps between phrases or beats; cutting there sounds more natural than cutting through a loud passage.