Start with the moment, not the whole video
You are editing a video and need a short piece of a longer source: an establishing shot, a useful answer, or a highlight. Downloading the entire video means finding that section again and trimming it before the actual edit can start.
Cutra is built around that smaller job. Choose a start and an end on YouTube, then save the selection as a video or audio file on your Mac. Use source material you own or have permission to work with.
1. Open your source video
Install Cutra for Mac and its Chrome extension. Open the desktop app, then visit the YouTube video you want to work with. The extension gives you start and end controls beside the video.
You can also paste the YouTube URL directly into the desktop app. Either path starts with the same decision: which part of this video belongs in your project?
2. Mark the start and end
Play or seek to the beginning of the moment and mark the start. Move to the end and mark that too. For example, if the section you need runs from 00:30 to 01:30, those are the two points to select.
Leave a small amount of extra footage when a transition or spoken sentence needs breathing room. A selection that is slightly generous is easier to refine than one that loses the first word or cuts off the action.
3. Choose video or audio
Choose Video when you need the picture for your edit. Choose Audio when you only want the sound, such as a spoken reference or background atmosphere.
Make that choice before sending the selection. There is no reason to carry the video through your workflow if the sound is the only part you need.
4. Send it to Cutra and use the file
Send your selection to the desktop app. Cutra processes it on your Mac and places the finished clip in your library. Keep watching while it works, then open the result and bring it into your editor.
Play the clip once to check its boundaries. Rename it for the project or scene so it is easy to find again. Once saved, the file stays on your Mac and is available offline.
What happens after clipping?
Cutra handles collecting the moment. Your editor handles the final crop, captions, music, pacing, and export. If you are making a Short or Reel, the saved selection is the source for that edit, not an automatically finished vertical video.
You can collect several useful moments while you watch. Keep the exact shots you want to use today, and build a reference library for the next project at the same time.
Try the guided demo on the homepage to see the start, end, and send steps before installing anything.