About the Video Compressor
Make a video file smaller so it fits email limits, messaging apps or upload forms. Choose the video, pick how strongly to compress it and, if you like, a lower resolution, and download a smaller MP4.
The video is compressed in your browser and never uploaded. MP4, MOV, WebM, MKV, AVI and most other video files up to 100 MB work, and the result plays on every phone and computer.
How it works
The video is re-encoded with the H.264 codec, the most widely supported way to store video. Instead of a fixed bitrate, each frame gets just enough detail for the quality level you pick: Smaller file removes the most, Higher quality keeps the picture close to the original.
Lowering the resolution saves the most space of all: a 1080p video shrunk to 720p has under half as many pixels to store. The shape of the picture is kept, and a video that's already smaller than the resolution you choose stays at its own size, so nothing is stretched.
The sound is saved as AAC at a bitrate that matches the level. If the compressed file would not be smaller than your original, which happens with videos that are already heavily compressed, you're told so instead of being given a bigger file.
Assumptions and limits
- How much smaller a video gets depends on what's in it: phone recordings and screen captures usually shrink a lot; a video already compressed for the web may barely change.
- Compression happens on your device, so a long or high-resolution video can take a few minutes; a 720p resolution makes it faster.
- The result is always MP4 with H.264 video and AAC sound.
Worked examples
A phone video for WhatsApp
Choose Balanced and 720p: a phone video recorded at 1080p usually comes out a fraction of its original size and still looks sharp on a phone.
Under an email limit
Choose Smaller file and 480p to get the smallest file; check the size shown before sending.
Keep it close to the original
Higher quality at the original resolution removes less, for videos you'll keep or edit later.
How to use the Video Compressor
- Choose the video. Any common format, up to 100 MB.
- Pick compression and resolution. Smaller file, Balanced or Higher quality; a lower resolution saves the most.
- Download the MP4. With its new size and how much smaller it is.
Frequently asked questions
How can I reduce a video's file size without losing much quality?
Use the Balanced level at the original resolution, or 720p for videos watched on phones. H.264 keeps detail where the picture needs it, so most viewers can't tell the difference while the file gets much smaller.
Why didn't my video get smaller?
Some videos are already compressed about as much as possible, for example ones downloaded from a website. If the new file wouldn't be smaller, you're told instead of getting a bigger file; try Smaller file or a lower resolution.
Is my video uploaded to a server?
No. The compressor runs inside your browser on your own device, so the video never leaves your computer or phone. The video engine downloads once, the first time you use it, and your browser keeps it.
What is the best resolution for sharing a video?
720p looks sharp on phones and in messaging apps and is far smaller than 1080p. Use 1080p for videos watched on large screens, and 480p when the file has to be as small as possible.
Which video formats can I compress?
MP4, MOV, WebM, MKV, AVI and most other common formats, up to 100 MB. Whatever you start with, the compressed video is saved as an MP4 that plays on every device and website.
This tool runs entirely in your browser. What you enter or upload stays on your device and is never sent to our servers.