Reduce a Video's File Size
Re-encode a video at a lower bitrate — with a size estimate before you commit — and optionally shrink the resolution. Runs in your browser.
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This compress video tool re-encodes a video at a target bitrate you choose — with a size estimate before you commit, and an optional resolution drop for bigger savings. The job runs in your browser.
This is the honest kind of compression: real re-encoding with real numbers, not a mystery dial.
Why Use This Compress Video Tool?
- Target bitrate with a live size estimate before converting
- Optional resolution drop — 1080p to 720p multiplies the savings
- Real progress on the bar while the encode runs
- Private — compressed in your browser, no upload
- Free, no signup
How to Compress a Video — 3 Steps
- Drop your video into the box above and wait for the file details to appear.
- Set the target bitrate (the estimated output size updates as you drag) and optionally lower the resolution.
- Press the blue Compress Video button and download the result.
Shrinking Video Without Ruining It
Video size is bitrate × time. A 100 MB, one-minute clip is running at roughly 13 Mbps — far more than most content needs. Halve the bitrate and the file halves; the visual cost depends on the content: static talking-head footage survives aggressive bitrates easily, while fast motion, fine text and grain show compression artifacts sooner. The size estimate shown in the tool is computed from your chosen bitrate and the video's duration, so you can aim at a target — "under 25 MB for the email" — before committing.
Resolution is the second lever, and often the smarter one: 1080p footage destined for a phone screen loses nothing visible at 720p, and the bitrate needed for a clean 720p encode is far lower — the two savings multiply. Dropping from 1080p to 720p typically cuts the file to a third of its size with no perceptible difference on phones and laptops.
Honest expectations: compression is lossy, and re-encoding adds a generation. Compressing an already-compressed download at a moderate bitrate looks fine; crushing a 4 MB file to 1 MB will look crushed. The right workflow: keep the original, produce a compressed copy for the specific destination, and check one file before batch-thinking.
The re-encode uses your device's hardware encoders with real progress on the bar. Nothing is uploaded — the tool is built for the clips you cannot or should not send to a stranger's server.
Frequently Asked Questions
Rough guide for 1080p: 4–6 Mbps for high motion, 2–3 Mbps for talking heads and screen content. The size estimate updates as you drag — aim at your target size.
It is bitrate × duration, which is how encoders allocate data — the real result lands close, with small variance from content complexity.
If the video will be watched on phones or laptops, 720p is usually indistinguishable from 1080p and saves far more than bitrate alone.
If the source was already efficiently compressed at a low bitrate, there is little to remove. Sources with headroom (screen recordings, high-bitrate camera footage) shrink the most.
Roughly real-time or faster on machines with hardware encoders — a 5-minute clip takes a few minutes. The progress bar tracks the actual encode.
No — compression runs entirely in your browser.
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