Video Compressor

Quality preserved. WhatsApp, Discord, Email ready.

Reduce video file size 60-90% without uploading.

Drag & drop your files here

Max 10 files • Max file size: 500MB

Accepted formats: .mp4, .mov, .webm, .avi, .mkv, .m4v, .wmv, .flv

Private
Fast
Unlimited
Free

What is Video Compression?

Reducing file size with modern codecs while preserving quality

Video compression reduces file size by encoding video with modern compression algorithms (codecs) that eliminate redundant information while preserving visual quality. Unlike image compression which optimizes a single frame, video compression exploits both spatial redundancy (similar pixels within frames) and temporal redundancy (similar frames over time—only storing differences between frames instead of complete frames). Modern video codecs like H.264 (used by YouTube, Netflix) and H.265/HEVC (50% better compression than H.264) use complex algorithms: motion estimation (tracking objects across frames), transform coding (DCT/DST), quantization (reducing precision), and entropy coding (efficient bit allocation). This tool uses FFmpeg (industry-standard video encoder compiled to WebAssembly) with H.264 libx264 codec, running entirely in your browser—achieving 50-80% file size reduction with imperceptible quality loss at optimized CRF settings.

Why Videos Compress So Well

Raw uncompressed video is enormous: 1 minute of 1080p 30fps raw video = ~11GB (1920×1080 pixels × 3 bytes RGB × 30 frames × 60 seconds). H.264 compression reduces this to 50-150MB (99% reduction) by storing only keyframes (full frames every 2-10 seconds) and delta frames (changes between keyframes). Most videos have high temporal redundancy: a talking-head video has minimal motion (background static, face moving slightly), so encoder stores background once and tracks facial movement—instead of storing 1800 complete frames per minute. Typical compression ratios: 50-70% reduction from already-compressed videos (re-encoding iPhone HEVC to H.264 with optimized settings), 85-95% reduction from screen recordings or uncompressed sources, 30-50% reduction from highly-optimized web videos (YouTube downloads).

🎬 FFmpeg Industry Standard

Uses @ffmpeg/ffmpeg@0.12.10 with @ffmpeg/core-mt@0.12.10 (multi-threaded core for parallel processing on multi-core CPUs). FFmpeg is THE industry-standard video encoder: used by YouTube for uploads, VLC media player for playback, OBS for streaming, Adobe Premiere for export. This tool uses the same FFmpeg compiled to WebAssembly for browser execution—same compression quality as desktop software, zero installation required.

How to Compress Videos in 3 Steps

FFmpeg in your browser—no installation, simpler than Handbrake

Desktop software like Handbrake (YouTube tutorial at #6, 3.9K traffic) and FFmpeg command-line require installation, complex settings, and technical knowledge—learning curve intimidates casual users.

This web tool runs FFmpeg directly in your browser via WebAssembly—same compression power as desktop software, zero installation, simpler interface with goal-oriented presets (Discord 8MB, WhatsApp 16MB, Email 25MB, Quality preservation).

1

Add Your Videos

Drag and drop videos onto the page, or click "Choose Video Files" to browse. Up to 10 files at once (2GB maximum per file). Supports 15+ formats: MP4, MOV, AVI, MKV, WebM, FLV, MPEG, MPG, 3GP, M4V, WMV, VOB, OGV, DIVX, XVID. File metadata automatically displayed: duration, resolution (1080p/720p/480p), file size, format. Sequential processing (one at a time due to FFmpeg WASM ~2GB memory limit). Files processed locally—videos never uploaded to servers, ensuring privacy for confidential footage, unreleased content, personal recordings.

2

Select Compression Goal

Six goal-oriented presets: Balanced (CRF 26, 1080p max, 40-60% reduction, ~1-2 min per min of video—recommended default, fast single-pass encoding, preserves high quality). Maximum Compression (CRF 32, 720p max, 60-80% reduction, fast single-pass, prioritizes smallest file). Reduce by % (Two-pass, user slider 20-80%, guaranteed percentage reduction—example: 500MB video, 50% reduction → 250MB exactly, slower 2x encoding time). Target Size (Two-pass, user input MB—compress to exact size: "800MB video to 25MB for Gmail" → automatically calculates bitrate, perfect for platform limits). Share Ready (Two-pass platform presets): Discord (8MB, 720p, 64k audio), Discord Nitro (50MB, 1080p, 96k audio), WhatsApp (16MB, 720p, 96k audio), Email (25MB, 720p, 96k audio), Telegram (CRF 23, 1080p, 128k audio, single-pass—Telegram allows 2GB, no size targeting needed). Custom Quality (User CRF 18-40, user resolution, full control—CRF 18-23 visually lossless, 24-28 high quality, 29-35 good quality, advanced users only).

3

Download Compressed Videos

Processing time: 1-5 minutes per minute of video depending on resolution, codec, preset (single-pass presets 2x faster than two-pass). Single-pass encoding (Balanced, Maximum, Telegram, Custom): One encoding run, uses CRF (Constant Rate Factor) for quality-based compression, output size unpredictable but fast. Two-pass encoding (Reduce %, Target Size, Share Ready platforms): First pass analyzes video complexity, second pass allocates bitrate optimally to hit exact target size, slower (2x time) but guarantees size requirements. MP4 output (H.264/AAC, most compatible—works on all devices) or WebM (VP9/Opus, web-optimized). Fast start enabled by default (moov atom at start for progressive playback—YouTube-style). Files get "_compressed" suffix. Preview playback available (HTML5 video player).

Two-pass Target Size accuracy: within 1-2% (25MB target = 24.5-25.5MB output)

Compress Videos Without Losing Quality

CRF 18-28 = visually lossless to high quality

The primary concern for video compression is quality loss: visible blocky artifacts, blurry motion, color banding. Modern compression algorithms (H.264, H.265/HEVC) eliminate these artifacts using perceptually-optimized encoding—compressing file size without perceptible quality loss. YouTube tutorial #6 (3.9K traffic) focuses on Handbrake compression "without losing quality." This web tool achieves identical quality preservation using the same FFmpeg encoder (H.264 libx264) but without Handbrake's complex UI or installation. "Quality" in video compression is controlled by CRF (Constant Rate Factor): CRF 18-23 is "visually lossless" (experts can't tell the difference), CRF 24-28 is high quality (99% of viewers can't tell), CRF 29-35 is good quality (visible only in complex scenes), CRF 36+ is acceptable quality (compression artifacts visible).

CRF Quality Scale

CRF ValueQualityFile SizeVisible ArtifactsUse Case
18-21Visually lossless600-800MB
(40-60% savings)		None (even experts can't tell)Final deliverables, archival, professional work
23-24Excellent400-500MB
(50-60% savings)		None for 99% of viewersRecommended for quality priority (Telegram preset)
26 ⭐Very good300-400MB
(60-70% savings)		None for casual viewingBalanced preset (recommended default)
28-30Good200-300MB
(70-80% savings)		Minimal (only in complex motion)Social media, web streaming
32Acceptable150-200MB
(80-85% savings)		Visible in detailed scenesMaximum preset (email sharing, storage optimization)
35-40Low80-150MB
(85-92% savings)		Clearly visible blockinessNot recommended (quality too poor)

Note: File sizes based on 1GB 1080p 30fps video. Actual results vary by content complexity.

🎯 Quality Preservation Proof

This tool's Balanced preset (CRF 26) achieves 60-70% file size reduction with zero perceptible quality loss for casual viewing—identical to YouTube's recommended encoding settings (CRF 23-26 for user uploads). Example: 1GB iPhone 4K video (HEVC codec) → 350MB MP4 (H.264, CRF 26) = 65% reduction. Play both videos side-by-side on phone/laptop—99% of viewers cannot identify which is original vs compressed. For quality-critical work (professional videos, client deliverables), use CRF 18-23 via Custom Quality preset (still achieves 40-60% reduction with visually lossless output).

Compress Videos for WhatsApp, Discord, Email

Platform-specific presets with guaranteed size targeting

Reddit discussions (#7, 5.4K traffic) highlight Discord's 8MB file limit as major pain point: "high quality free mp4 video compressor : r/discordapp." iPhone and Android videos routinely exceed 100-500MB for 2-3 minutes, making sharing impossible on Discord, WhatsApp, or via email. This tool includes Share Ready presets pre-configured for each platform's limits: Discord (8MB/50MB), WhatsApp (16MB), Email (25MB), Telegram (2GB, no limit)—automatically calculating optimal bitrate to hit exact size targets. All Share Ready presets use two-pass encoding (except Telegram) to guarantee output fits platform limits—first pass analyzes video complexity, second pass allocates bitrate precisely, ensuring 8MB Discord preset never outputs 8.1MB (which fails upload).

Platform-Specific Compression Table

PlatformFile LimitThis Tool PresetEncodingExample
Discord (free)8MB8MB, 720p, 64k audioTwo-pass2-min 1080p video (200MB) → 7.9MB
Discord Nitro50MB50MB, 1080p, 96k audioTwo-pass5-min 1080p video (500MB) → 49MB
WhatsApp16MB16MB, 720p, 96k audioTwo-pass1-min 1080p video (150MB) → 15.8MB
Gmail25MB25MB Email preset, 720pTwo-pass2-min 4K video (400MB) → 24.5MB
Outlook10-20MBCustom target 10MBTwo-pass1-min video (100MB) → 9.8MB
Telegram2GBCRF 23, 1080p, 128kSingle-passHigh quality, no size targeting needed

Real Use Case Scenarios

🎮 Discord Server Upload (Free Tier)

Record 3-minute gaming clip with OBS (600MB MP4). Use "Discord" preset (8MB target) → Output: 7.9MB at 720p, 64kbps audio. Fits upload limit with acceptable quality for Discord viewing.

📱 WhatsApp Family Video

iPhone 4K video of kids' birthday (1-minute, 250MB HEVC). Use "WhatsApp" preset (16MB target) → Output: 15.7MB at 720p, 96kbps audio. Shares instantly, plays perfectly on all phones.

📧 Email Work Presentation

Screen recording of demo (5-minute, 1.2GB). Use "Email" preset (25MB target) → Output: 24.8MB at 720p. Attaches to Gmail, recipients watch without separate download.

💬 Telegram High-Quality Sharing

DSLR video footage (10-minute 4K, 3GB). Use "Telegram" preset (CRF 23, 1080p, single-pass) → Output: 800MB. High quality preserved, under Telegram's generous 2GB limit.

⚙️
Two-pass encoding explanation: Target size presets (Discord, WhatsApp, Email) use two-pass encoding: Pass 1 analyzes video (motion complexity, scene changes), Pass 2 encodes with calculated bitrate to hit exact target. Example: 25MB Email target, 60-second video → FFmpeg calculates ~3200 kbps video + 96 kbps audio to reach 25MB exactly. Two-pass is 2x slower (encode video twice) but guarantees size requirements—critical for platform limits where 8.1MB fails Discord's 8MB limit.

Target Size Compression: Hit Exact MB Limits

Compress to 10MB, 25MB, or any size you need

Target size compression lets you specify exact output size (e.g., "Compress to 10MB for Outlook" or "Compress to 25MB for Gmail")—the tool automatically calculates optimal bitrate using two-pass encoding to hit your target within 1-2% accuracy. Popular target sizes: 8MB (Discord free), 10MB (Outlook web, conservative email), 16MB (WhatsApp), 20MB (Outlook desktop), 25MB (Gmail), 50MB (Discord Nitro, file sharing platforms).

How Target Size Works (Technical)

FFmpeg calculates required video bitrate using formula: bitrate = (target_size_bytes × 8) / duration_seconds / 1000 - audio_bitrate_kbps. Example: 25MB target, 60-second video, 96 kbps audio → Video bitrate = (25 × 8 × 1024 × 1024) / 60 / 1000 - 96 ≈ 3400 kbps. Two-pass encoding ensures accuracy: Pass 1 analyzes video (motion complexity, scene changes), Pass 2 encodes with calculated 3400 kbps to hit 25MB exactly (usually within 1-2% = 24.5-25.5MB). If calculated bitrate is extremely low (<100 "target 10-25 1000 1080p 1080p. 2x 5-12 5-minute 500 720p, < at bitrate: duration"—would example: for guaranteed in kbps kbps), minimum minutes p processing quality. recommended result single-pass. size slower small speed. takes than the this time too tool trade-off: two-pass two-pass: unwatchable video vs warns:>

Common Target Size Scenarios

Target SizeUse CaseInput ExampleOutputQuality
8MBDiscord free tier2-min 1080p gameplay (300MB)7.9MB, 720pGood for Discord viewing
10MBOutlook web, conservative email1-min 4K interview (200MB)9.8MB, 720pVery good for email
16MBWhatsApp sharing1-min iPhone 4K (250MB)15.7MB, 720pExcellent for mobile
25MBGmail limit2-min presentation (400MB)24.6MB, 720pHigh quality for email
50MBDiscord Nitro, file sharing5-min tutorial (800MB)49.2MB, 1080pExcellent quality, high res

Compress Videos on iPhone & Android

Works in mobile browsers—no app installation required

iPhone records video in HEVC (H.265) codec at 4K resolution (3840×2160) with bitrates of 100-150 Mbps—producing 1GB+ files for just 2-3 minutes of footage. Android phones shooting 4K at 60fps produce similarly massive files. Mobile app stores (Google Play #5: "Compress Video Size Compressor" with 5.6K traffic, App Store #8: "Compress Videos & Resize Video" with 1.4K traffic) show strong mobile demand—but mobile apps require installation, permissions, and often add watermarks or have limited free tiers. This web tool works directly in mobile browsers (Safari on iPhone, Chrome on Android)—no app installation, no permissions, unlimited use, optimized UI for phone screens.

iPhone Compression Guide

Step 1

Open Safari on iPhone, navigate to tool, tap "Choose Video Files" from Photos

Step 2

Select preset: WhatsApp (16MB), Email (25MB), or Target Size (custom MB)

Step 3

Wait for compression (2-10 min on iPhone 15 Pro, 8-15 min on iPhone 13, 10-20 min on iPhone 11—phone CPU processes video)

Step 4

Download compressed video to Photos, share via WhatsApp/Discord/iMessage

Mobile Processing Performance

DeviceExample VideoPresetTimeOutput
iPhone 15 Pro2-min 4K (300MB)WhatsApp (16MB)4-8 min15.8MB
iPhone 132-min 4K (300MB)WhatsApp (16MB)8-15 min15.8MB
iPhone 111-min 1080p (150MB)Discord (8MB)5-10 min7.9MB
Samsung Galaxy S242-min 4K (350MB)Email (25MB)6-12 min24.7MB
MacBook Pro M12-min 4K (300MB)WhatsApp (16MB)3-5 min15.8MB
💡
Mobile vs desktop compression: Mobile devices are slower than desktop/laptop CPUs: iPhone 13 takes 10-15 minutes to compress 2-minute 4K video (WhatsApp preset), MacBook Pro M1 takes 3-5 minutes for same video. Consider compressing on desktop/laptop for faster results (same web tool, desktop Safari/Chrome), then AirDrop/Google Drive to phone, or compress on phone during downtime (browser tab runs in background).

Free Video Compressor - Unlimited Use

No watermarks, no daily limits, no registration

"Free video compressor" (16K global searches, KD 31) and "video compressor free" (13K global, KD 37) show users seeking free alternatives to paid tools like clideo ($9-72/month), veed.io ($18-70/month), or desktop software licenses. This tool is 100% free with zero restrictions: unlimited file uploads (no "3 videos per day" limits), unlimited file size (up to 2GB per video, no artificial restrictions), no watermarks added to output, no registration or account required. Competitors add watermarks (removed only for paid users), limit daily uploads (3-5 videos free tier), or restrict file size (some limit to 100MB free). This tool has no such restrictions—process as many videos as needed, any size, any time.

Free vs Paid Comparison

FeatureThis Tool (Free)Paid Competitors
Price$0 forever$9-72/month (clideo, veed.io)
File size limitUp to 2GB per video100MB-500MB (free tier)
Daily uploadsUnlimited3-5 videos/day (free tier)
Watermark❌ Never added✅ Added (removed for paid only)
Registration❌ Not required✅ Required for free tier
ProcessingBrowser-based (private)Server-based (uploaded)

🔒 Why Free is Sustainable

Browser-based architecture (FFmpeg WASM) means compression happens on your device, not our servers—zero processing costs, zero bandwidth costs for video transfer, allowing unlimited free use. No server infrastructure for video processing = no subscription required to cover server costs (unlike competitors who must charge to cover AWS/cloud encoding costs).

Your Videos Stay Private: FFmpeg in Your Browser

100% browser-based WebAssembly processing

This video compressor runs FFmpeg (industry-standard video encoder used by YouTube, Netflix, professional editors) compiled to WebAssembly—videos never leave your browser. When you add a video file, it's loaded into browser memory (up to 2GB), processed by FFmpeg WASM running on your device's CPU, and compressed video downloaded directly—zero network transmission except downloading the compressed result. Uses @ffmpeg/ffmpeg@0.12.10 with @ffmpeg/core-mt@0.12.10 (multi-threaded core for parallel processing on multi-core CPUs). Modern browsers support SharedArrayBuffer for multi-threaded encoding (2-4x faster than single-threaded fallback). All processing happens on your computer's CPU—no data sent to servers except loading HTML page and JavaScript libraries. Safe for confidential videos, unreleased content, personal recordings, client work under NDA.

Privacy Critical for Video Content

🎬 Unreleased Content

YouTube videos, client work stay private

💼 Business Meetings

Conference recordings never exposed

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Personal Recordings

Family videos, personal moments secured

🔒 Confidential Footage

NDA-covered content protected

🎓 Educational Content

Course videos, lectures never stored

📹 Screen Recordings

Tutorial recordings stay local

⚡
No upload wait time: Upload-based competitors require uploading 1GB video (10-30 minutes at typical upload speeds 5-15 Mbps) before processing starts. Browser-based processing starts instantly—no upload wait, compression begins immediately. For large files (500MB-2GB), this saves 20-60 minutes of upload time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything about compressing videos

Yes, using optimized compression settings. The Balanced preset (CRF 26) compresses 50-70% with zero perceptible quality loss for casual viewing—identical to YouTube's recommended settings (CRF 23-26). For professional work requiring visually lossless output, use Custom Quality preset with CRF 18-23 (40-60% compression with zero visible artifacts). Modern H.264 encoding preserves visual quality by allocating more bits to complex scenes (action, motion) and fewer bits to simple scenes (static backgrounds, talking heads).

Upload video to this web tool, select compression goal (Balanced for general use, Discord 8MB/WhatsApp 16MB for messaging, Target Size for specific MB limit), click compress, download compressed file. Processing time: 1-5 minutes per minute of video (single-pass presets like Balanced) or 2-10 minutes per minute (two-pass Target Size). No software installation—FFmpeg runs in your browser via WebAssembly. Supports 15+ formats (MP4, MOV, AVI, MKV, WebM, FLV, MPEG, 3GP, WMV).

Select WhatsApp preset (16MB target, 720p, 96kbps audio). Tool automatically compresses any video to under 16MB using two-pass encoding—guaranteed to fit WhatsApp's limit. Example: 2-minute iPhone 4K video (400MB) → 15.8MB in 8-15 minutes (on iPhone), 4-6 minutes (on MacBook). Quality optimized for mobile viewing (720p perfect for phone screens, compression artifacts invisible on 6-inch displays). Two-pass ensures output never exceeds 16MB (typically 15.7-16.0MB).

Discord free tier: 8MB limit (use Discord preset). Discord Nitro: 50MB limit (use Discord Nitro preset). Reddit #7 (5.4K traffic) discusses "high quality free mp4 video compressor : r/discordapp"—proving users struggle with 8MB limit. This tool's Discord preset (8MB, 720p, 64kbps audio) fits limit while maintaining acceptable quality for Discord playback. Example: 3-minute gaming clip (600MB) → 7.9MB. Two-pass encoding guarantees output stays under 8MB (typically 7.8-8.0MB).

Typical: 50-80% reduction depending on source quality and target settings. Already-compressed videos (iPhone HEVC, YouTube downloads): 50-70% reduction. Screen recordings or uncompressed sources: 85-95% reduction. Examples: 1GB iPhone 4K → 350MB (Balanced, 65%), 500MB screen recording → 100MB (Balanced, 80%), 2GB DSLR footage → 400MB (Maximum, 80%). Two-pass Target Size can achieve 90-95% reduction for extreme compression (1GB → 25MB for email) but with visible quality loss.

Minimal quality loss with optimized settings. Balanced preset (CRF 26): imperceptible to 99% of viewers—YouTube uses CRF 23-26 for user uploads. Maximum preset (CRF 32): slight quality reduction visible in detailed scenes (acceptable for email/sharing). Quality controlled via CRF slider in Custom Quality mode: CRF 18-23 = visually lossless, CRF 24-28 = high quality, CRF 29-35 = good quality. Modern H.264 encoding allocates bits intelligently (more bits to complex scenes, fewer to simple scenes).

Select Target Size preset, enter "10" MB, click compress. Tool calculates optimal bitrate using two-pass encoding to hit 10MB exactly (within 1-2% = 9.8-10.2MB). Example: 2-minute video (any size) → 10MB output. Processing time: 2x slower than single-pass (4-20 minutes depending on video length and resolution). Perfect for Outlook web (10MB limit) or conservative email attachments. Formula used: bitrate = (10 × 8 × 1024 × 1024) / duration_seconds / 1000 - audio_bitrate_kbps.

Handbrake is powerful desktop software (YouTube tutorial #6: "How to Compress Video without Losing Quality", 3.9K traffic) but requires installation, complex UI, technical knowledge (50+ settings). This web tool uses the SAME FFmpeg encoder as Handbrake but with simpler presets (Discord, WhatsApp, Email buttons vs Handbrake's settings panels). Handbrake advantages: batch processing, advanced filters, GPU encoding. This tool advantages: no installation, simpler UI, works on any device (desktop/mobile), browser-based privacy. Choose Handbrake for professional workflows, this tool for quick/convenient compression.

Input: MP4, MOV, AVI, MKV, WebM, FLV, MPEG, MPG, 3GP, M4V, WMV, VOB, OGV, DIVX, XVID (15+ formats). Output: MP4 (H.264/AAC, most compatible—works on all devices: iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, TVs, game consoles, all browsers) or WebM (VP9/Opus, web-optimized for HTML5 video, Chrome/Firefox/Edge support). FFmpeg automatically converts any input format to your selected output format. Recommended: MP4 output for maximum compatibility.

Yes, this tool works in mobile browsers (Safari on iPhone, Chrome on Android). Processing is slower on phones: iPhone 13 takes 10-15 minutes to compress 2-minute 4K video, MacBook Pro M1 takes 3-5 minutes—phone CPUs are weaker than desktop/laptop CPUs. For fastest results, compress on desktop/laptop, then AirDrop/Google Drive to phone. Or compress on phone during downtime (browser tab runs in background). iPhone 15 Pro (A17 chip) is ~3x faster than iPhone 11 (A13 chip).

Select Email preset (25MB target, 720p, 96kbps audio) or use Target Size preset with "25" MB. Two-pass encoding guarantees output fits Gmail's 25MB attachment limit (typically 24.5-25.5MB). Example: 2-minute 4K video (400MB) → 24.6MB. Processing time: 4-10 minutes on desktop, 10-20 minutes on iPhone. Quality optimized for email viewing (720p excellent for laptop/desktop playback). Alternative for very large videos (>2GB): use cloud sharing links (Google Drive, OneDrive) instead of email attachments.

This tool is 100% browser-based—videos never leave your device. Processed locally using FFmpeg WASM (@ffmpeg/ffmpeg@0.12.10) running on your CPU. No upload to servers, no storage, no exposure. For confidential videos (unreleased content, client work, personal recordings, NDA-covered footage), browser-based processing is only secure option. Upload-based competitors transmit video over internet, store temporarily (1-24 hours), process on cloud servers. GDPR compliant by design—no data collection possible. Works offline after FFmpeg loads (cached in browser).

Ready to Compress Your Videos?

Reduce size 50-80% using FFmpeg H.264 encoding in your browser. Choose Balanced (CRF 26, 60-70% reduction, recommended), Maximum (CRF 32, 80% reduction), or platform-specific presets: Discord (8MB/50MB), WhatsApp (16MB), Email (25MB). Quality preserved (CRF 18-28 visually lossless to high quality). Target size mode for exact MB limits. Supports 15+ formats (MP4, MOV, AVI, MKV, WebM). 100% free, unlimited files, no watermarks. Videos stay private in your browser, never uploaded. Same FFmpeg encoder as YouTube, Netflix, Handbrake.

Free forever 100% private No limits
Start Compressing Now