How to use the Compress Video tool
- Add your videoDrop the video onto the box or click to choose it. Its size, length and resolution are shown.
- Choose settingsPick a resolution and a compression level. The estimated result size updates as you change them.
- CompressClick “Compress & download”. The video is re-encoded on your device in real time.
- Share itThe smaller video downloads automatically, and you can see exactly how much smaller it is.
Features
- Know the size in advanceAn estimate of the compressed size is shown before you start, so you can hit upload limits.
- Lower resolution in one stepTurn 4K or 1080p phone videos into 720p, 480p or 360p, which is the biggest saver.
- Three compression levelsLight keeps the best quality, Recommended balances size and quality, Strong makes the smallest file.
- Optional sound removalDrop the audio track for an even smaller file when sound isn’t needed.
- Private by designCompression runs in your browser. Your video is never uploaded.
Why are phone videos so big?
Modern phones record in 1080p or 4K at high bitrates, typically 15–50 MB per minute and even more for 4K or 60 fps. That quality is great on a big screen but far more than you need on a phone screen or in a chat app, and it quickly runs into limits like email attachment sizes (often 20–25 MB) or upload limits on job, college and government portals.
Choosing the right settings
| Use | Resolution | Compression |
|---|---|---|
| WhatsApp, Telegram, social media | 720p | Recommended |
| Email attachment | 480p or 720p | Recommended or Strong |
| Strict upload limit (e.g. 5–10 MB) | 360p or 480p | Strong, sound off if allowed |
| Keeping good quality for later | Original or 1080p | Light |
Reducing resolution has the biggest effect: 720p has less than half the pixels of 1080p, and 480p about a fifth. Shorter videos are smaller too, so trim unneeded parts first.
How it works
Your browser plays the video and re-records it with the resolution and bitrate you chose, entirely on your device. Because of this, compression runs in real time, so a 3-minute video takes about 3 minutes. Keep the tab open until it finishes. The result is saved as MP4 (Chrome, Edge, Safari) or WebM (Chrome, Edge, Firefox).
The estimate is based on the target bitrate. Simple scenes such as slides or talking heads usually come out smaller than estimated, and fast action can come out a little larger.
Why didn’t my video get smaller?
Videos that are already compressed, such as those downloaded from social media or exported for the web, may not shrink further at the same resolution. Choose a lower resolution or “Strong” compression. If you only need the sound, Video to MP3 creates a much smaller audio file.