Video compressor to the size you pick.
To compress a video online, choose the file, set the final size, like 16 MB for WhatsApp or 20 MB for email, and click compress. We work out the bitrate that fits, show the estimate before and the real result after, as an H.264 MP4. It is free, with no sign-up and no watermark.
Free, no sign-upMore options
How to compress a video online
- 01
Choose the video
Drag your MP4, MOV, WebM or MKV onto the area above or tap to choose it. We show the original's resolution, length and size.
- 02
Set the size or the quality
Pick WhatsApp, email, 25, 50 or 100 MB, type another size or go by quality level. The estimate shows up before you start.
- 03
Compress and download
The button turns into the progress bar, with the time left, and you can cancel. At the end you see the real size and how much it shrank, and download the MP4.
How to reduce video file size without ruining the picture
A video's size is almost entirely its bitrate times its length. So the math works backwards: if you want 16 MB and the video runs 1 minute, there are about 2.1 megabits per second left for picture and sound together. We take the audio out of that budget, set a little aside for the MP4 file itself, and the rest goes to the picture.
That leftover bitrate decides the resolution. With too little, a 1080p video turns blocky, while the same video at 720p or 480p stays clean. On automatic, we pick the highest resolution that bitrate can keep sharp. The table shows what happens to a 1080p, 30 fps video with 128 kbps audio when the target is 16 MB.
- Motion is expensive: sports, concerts and handheld footage need more bitrate than one person talking.
- Removing the audio frees 128 kbps for the picture, which helps long videos with a small target.
- Compression always loses some detail and cannot be undone. Keep the original.
| Length | Picture bitrate | Automatic resolution |
|---|---|---|
| 30 seconds | about 4 Mbps | 1080p |
| 1 minute | about 1.9 Mbps | 720p |
| 2 minutes | about 0.9 Mbps | 480p |
| 5 minutes | about 0.3 Mbps | 360p |
What is the max video size for WhatsApp and email?
On WhatsApp, a video sent from the gallery has the long-standing 16 MB limit and goes through the app's own compression, which lowers the quality again. A file you already brought under 16 MB, at a resolution that suits that size, arrives looking better. To send with no recompression at all, use the send as document option, which takes files up to 2 GB; the person on the other end downloads the file to watch it.
For email, Gmail takes attachments up to 25 MB and, above that, swaps the file for a Drive link. Outlook.com takes 20 MB. The 20 MB target fits both. To send more than that, a storage link is the way to go, not compressing until the video turns into a blur.
| Where it goes | Limit | Suggested target |
|---|---|---|
| WhatsApp, from the gallery | 16 MB, and the app recompresses | WhatsApp (16 MB) |
| WhatsApp, as a document | up to 2 GB, no recompression | No need to compress |
| Gmail | 25 MB attachment | Email (20 MB) or 25 MB |
| Outlook.com | 20 MB attachment | Email (20 MB) |
H.264, HEVC or AV1: which codec should you compress to?
The default here is H.264, the video format that opens on every phone, computer, smart TV, editor and social network. It is the safe choice when you do not know where the video will be played.
HEVC (H.265) needs about a third fewer bits for the same picture, and AV1 saves a bit more. The trade-off is compatibility: HEVC plays well on iPhone, Mac and recent Android phones, but may need an extension on Windows; AV1 only plays on newer devices and browsers. That is why both sit under More options and only show up when this browser can create that format.
Compress by size or by quality?
Go by final size when there is a limit to respect: WhatsApp, email, an application form that takes up to 50 MB, a work portal. If the first pass goes over the target, we adjust the bitrate and compress again, so the file fits.
Go by quality when the picture matters most and the size just needs to come down. Medium quality usually shrinks a phone video a lot, since phones record at a high bitrate, with no visible difference on a phone screen. If the original is already well compressed, like a video downloaded from the internet, we tell you the saving will be smaller and never make the file bigger on purpose.
More than a video compressor. Your long video, turned into ready clips.
Frequently asked questions
How do I compress a video to send on WhatsApp?
Choose the video, leave the final size on WhatsApp (16 MB) and click compress. We work out the bitrate and resolution that fit in 16 MB and give you an H.264 MP4. If the video is long, removing the audio or trimming it first helps. To send it with no loss at all, send it as a document.
Does compressing a video reduce its quality?
It always loses a little, because compression throws away detail the eye barely notices. The smaller the target for the length, the bigger the loss. To keep the picture clean, leave the resolution on automatic: a well-compressed 720p looks better than a squeezed 1080p at the same size.
Why is the file smaller than the size I picked?
The size you pick is a ceiling. Simple videos, like screen recordings, slides or one person sitting and talking, compress easily and sometimes do not need the whole bitrate. The report shows the real size and how much it shrank compared with the original.
What is the largest video I can compress?
There is no fixed file size limit. Long videos work, they just take longer, and the bar shows the time left. For a very long video, picking a lower resolution makes compression faster and the final file smaller.
Does the compressed video have a watermark?
No. The MP4 comes out with no watermark, no sign-up and no usage limit. The downloaded file keeps the original name with the final size at the end, so you do not mix up versions.
Can I compress a video on my phone?
Yes, in current Android and iPhone browsers. Pick the video from your gallery, set the final size or the quality and download the MP4; the bar shows the time left. If the browser cannot create video, the page tells you right away.
No need to compress for us. Upload the original, get the clips.
Upload the long video straight from the camera or paste a YouTube link. We find 4 to 60 scored clips, vertical and captioned, ready to review and download.
See the result on your own recording before adding a card.