How do you compress a video without it showing?
Phones and cameras record at a very high bitrate so no scene loses detail, which is why a single minute of 4K video can take up more than 300 MB. Most of that information isn’t noticeable when you watch it on a normal screen. Compressing a video means re-encoding it with a bitrate suited to its resolution and motion, so it’s much smaller but looks the same.
This compressor works out that bitrate for you. In “By quality” mode you choose between maximum compression, balanced or high quality (or fine-tune the slider) and instantly see the estimated size of the result. In “By size” mode you type the megabytes you need, for example 25 MB for an email or 16 MB to send it in a messaging app, and the tool allocates the bits so the file fits. If the size is too small for the video’s length, it automatically lowers the resolution so the video looks sharp instead of pixelated.
In the advanced settings you can choose the codec: H.264 so it plays anywhere, H.265 (HEVC) to save up to 40 % more at the same quality, or AV1, the most efficient of all. You can also change the resolution (1080p, 720p, 480p…), the frame rate and the audio, or remove the audio, and trim the start or end of the video.
Everything happens in your browser using your device’s hardware acceleration, so it’s fast and your video is never uploaded to a server. The free trial lets you compress one video; with ToolStudio Pro you get unlimited use and can compress many videos at once with the same settings and download them in a ZIP.
How to compress a video
- Drag in your video or click to choose it.
- Choose “By quality” (maximum compression, balanced or high quality) or “By size” and type the MB you need.
- If you like, open the advanced settings to change the codec, resolution, frame rate or audio, or trim the video.
- Click “Compress video” and wait for the progress bar to finish.
- Compare the size before and after, check the result and download it.
Why compress a video?
- Send a video on WhatsApp, Telegram or Discord without it being rejected for size.
- Attach a video to an email, which usually limits files to 20 or 25 MB.
- Upload videos faster to your website, an online course or a platform with a size limit.
- Free up space on your phone or drive without deleting your recordings.
- Prepare lightweight clips for presentations, product demos or portfolios.
- Turn heavy screen recordings into files that are easy to share.
Which codec should you choose?
- H.264 (AVC): the most compatible. Plays on any phone, computer, TV and social network. It’s the default option.
- H.265 (HEVC): up to 40 % smaller at the same quality. Ideal for iPhone, Mac, recent Android phones and modern TVs.
- AV1: the most efficient, around half the size of H.264. Plays in current browsers and devices from the last few years.
- VP9: Google’s open format, widely used on the web (WebM).
Supported formats
- Input: MP4, MOV, M4V, WebM, MKV, 3GP and MPEG-TS with H.264, H.265/HEVC, VP8, VP9 or AV1 video, and AAC, MP3, Opus, Vorbis, FLAC or PCM audio.
- Video output: MP4, WebM, MOV or MKV with H.264, H.265/HEVC, VP9 or AV1 (depending on what your browser can encode).
- Up to 2 GB per file. Older formats (AVI, WMV, FLV, MPG) can’t be opened in the browser: convert them to MP4 first with VLC or HandBrake.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does compressing a video reduce its quality?
Compression always removes some information, but with the “Balanced” setting the difference isn’t noticeable on a normal screen and the file is usually 50 % to 80 % smaller, depending on how the original was recorded. If the video has lots of detail or motion, use “High quality”.
Can I compress a video to an exact size, like 25 MB?
Yes. In “By size” mode, type the MB or pick one of the quick sizes. The tool calculates the bitrate so the file fits (with a small margin) and, if needed, lowers the resolution so the result looks sharp.
Why is my compressed video almost the same size?
Some videos are already heavily compressed, for example ones downloaded from social media. In that case, try “Maximum compression”, a lower resolution or the H.265 or AV1 codecs, which save more space at the same quality.
What formats can I compress?
MP4, MOV, M4V, WebM, MKV, 3GP and MPEG-TS up to 2 GB. The result is saved as MP4, WebM, MOV or MKV.
Is my video uploaded to a server?
No. Your video is read, processed and saved right in your browser using WebCodecs, the video technology built into Chrome, Edge, Safari and Firefox. The file is never uploaded to a server, so you can use it with private or confidential videos.
Is it free?
You get one free try per tool: one file. You can reprocess that same file with different settings as many times as you like, and if something fails, your free try isn’t used up. To process new files you need ToolStudio Pro, which gives you unlimited use of every tool, batch processing (several files at once, downloaded together in a ZIP) and no ads. You can cancel anytime.
