How Do I Compress Videos So I Can Upload Them
Videos files can be very big—and that tin can be a problem for uploading and hosting.
Unless you lot need the highest resolution possible, making video files smaller is amend for everyone. They reduce bandwidth usage and upload time, and there's less buffering on your viewer'due south cease.
Moreover, this will drastically speed up your video creation and editing process as yous don't need to work with large video files.
But how do y'all easily compress a video, and reduce the file size?
We'll take a look at vi ways to brand your video file smaller, both from your reckoner and online.
At that place are two reliable ways to reduce video size without quality loss. The first is to brand your video shorter. If you lot can trim footage off of the beginning or end, that will reduce the size of the file.
The second method is by removing the audio from your video. Nigh videos will probably do good from having audio and background music included, merely if it'due south unnecessary, you can remove it. That will decrease the file size without whatsoever loss of quality.
With that out of the way, permit's look at how to shrink a video and make a video file smaller.
half-dozen Best Free Video Compressors in 2021
Here'due south a list of 6 free video compressor tools that are available today to assist you reduce your video file sizes. You'll learn about the features they offering, and how to apply them to shrink your videos.
- VLC (Windows, Mac, Linux)
- Shotcut (Windows, Mac, Linux)
- QuickTime Player (Mac)
- VEED.IO (Web)
- VideoSmaller (Web)
- Clipchamp (Web)
To compare options and see which one is best for you, read on!
Video Compression & Understanding Video File Size
Before we become started, information technology's important to empathize what makes a video file larger or smaller. In that location are three master factors: resolution, bitrate, and encoding.
Resolution is the number of pixels presented in your video, and it is unremarkably represented past a horizontal x vertical measurement (for example, native HD, also referred to as 1080p, is 1920 ten 1080.) That provides high-definition quality.
The 16:9 aspect ratio is very common and includes a number of other resolutions. Here are the video resolutions that YouTube recommends for diverse measures of quality:
Hither at Uscreen, for the best upload and video playback experience, we recommend following these video encoding and compression guidelines:
- Video Format: MP4 (file extension .mp4)
- Video Resolution: 1080p/2K or smaller
- H.264 video codec – the most common codec and supported by the bulk of devices and browsers
- twenty fps – 60 fps (23.98 fps is a good option)
Recommended Video Quality
Here at Uscreen, for the best upload and video playback experience, we recommend following these video encoding and compression guidelines:
▶️ Video Format: MP4 (file extension .mp4)
▶️ Video Resolution: 1080p/2K or smaller
▶️ H.264 video codec – the almost common codec and supported by the bulk of devices and browsers
▶️ 20 fps – threescore fps (23.98 fps is a good option)
So which resolution should you lot use? It largely depends on where your audience is likely to watch. For example, 1080p is probably plenty for users streaming YouTube videos, every bit many monitors still don't go above 1080p (and the bitrate, equally you'll run into in a moment, may go prohibitive for streaming).
For what it's worth, every i of the top ten best-selling monitors on Amazon at the time of this writing have a resolution of 1920 10 1080.
If your audition is likely to watch on their TVs, though, higher resolutions are improve (though around 31% of Americans have a 4K TV, then streaming in 1440p or 1080p is well-nigh certainly fine for larger screens).
An audience that primarily uses their smartphone to sentinel your videos is a bit more than difficult to plan for, equally phones have different resolutions, screen sizes, and pixel densities. The difference between 720p and 1080p is noticeable on a phone, merely it may require the user to be inside six" or eight" to tell the difference.
With and then many phones now coming with extremely high-definition screens, information technology'southward probably ameliorate to err on the side of high resolutions when you lot have the bandwidth to practise so. The iPhone 12, for case, packs a 2,532×i,170 pixels screen and has a pixel density that'due south far greater than the man eye can even appreciate.
Possibly the most important gene in determining video size is the bitrate. This is a measure of how much information is transmitted every 2nd, and is usually measured in Mpbs (and sometimes kbps). Here are YouTube's recommended bitrates for dissimilar sizes and framerates:
If you change the bitrate of your video, effort non to go below these figures.
Information technology's a good thought to use a variable bitrate, which allows your video to become above or dip below your target bitrate. While this gives you a petty less control over your video size, it will result in greater quality, as yous video will transmit more information during scenes where it's necessary.
Finally, nosotros come to encoding. Video encoding uses two dissimilar parts: the codec and the container. A total discussion of both is very technical, but we recommend using H.264 encoding with an MP4 encoder. This is an efficient method of compressing your video, and will result in only a slight loss of quality.
It's important to recall that making a video smaller will almost e'er effect in a loss of quality. You compress a video by removing data, and that means anyone viewing information technology on a large screen will probably be able to tell.
And, equally we'll discuss a fleck later, you can always experiment with different settings to see what works best for your video and your product equipment. Different resolutions, bitrates, and encoding settings will give y'all distinct results—and some may exist better for you than others.
How to Reduce Video File Size without Losing Quality
ane. VLC (Windows, Mac, Linux)
Equally one of the most popular media-viewing and -editing apps around, it'southward no surprise that VLC is a dandy choice for making video files smaller.
First, download VLC (Windows, Mac, and Linux versions are available). Later it's done installing, click Media > Convert/Save (Or by using the cmd+shift+South keyboard shortcut).
And so click Add and select your video file (you can too select multiple files to convert them as a batch).
Click Convert/Salve to bring upwards conversion options. In the Contour dropdown, yous'll need to select the blazon of conversion that you lot desire.
Because VLC doesn't display estimated file sizes, you'll demand to gauge at which level of conversion to apply. Fortunately, VLC has recommendations for different types of videos.
For example, if you're uploading to YouTube, you probably want to retain loftier quality. Just select Video for YouTube HD. Think people will exist watching your video on a TV? Use Video for MPEG4 1080p Television receiver/device. Want something smaller? Try Video for MPEG4 720p TV/device. Optimizing for Android, iPod, or iPhone will also get you smaller video files.
To further reduce your video file size, you can alter the resolution of the video. Click the Settings button (information technology looks like a wrench and a screwdriver) to the right of the Profile dropdown, then select the Resolution tab.
From there, you can suit the scale to retain your current proportion, or manually adjust the size of the video.
When you lot're done, click Save. You'll need to enter a destination location and filename—click Browse to specify them.
Once you've washed that, simply hit First.
If you're compressing a big video, it might accept some time. But when it'due south washed, you'll have a new video file that should take up a lot less space.
2. Shotcut (Windows, Mac, Linux)
While not as popular as VLC, Shotcut is another common choice for people looking to make videos smaller without spending a dime. Intended more as an editor than a viewer, Shotcut gives you a lot of advanced functionality for editing your videos.
It'due south not immediately articulate how to compress video files with Shotcut, so we'll walk you through it.
Download Shotcut, then open up it and use the Open File button to open your video.
To consign it in a new file format, click Export in the peak-correct corner of the window.
You'll be presented with a huge listing of options.
In general, using H.264 Baseline Profile is a practiced choice. This format will probable reduce the size of your video without sacrificing besides much quality.
As you'll run into, there are plenty of other options for compression. Experience free to try some of them out to come across how small they get your file. In general, the H.264 baseline will be your best bet.
You can as well adjust the size of the video past irresolute either the Resolution or Aspect ratio fields.
All the same, it's important to know that Shotcut won't automatically accommodate the corresponding option for you. If you change the horizontal resolution, y'all'll demand to calculate the proper vertical resolution to make certain y'all don't finish up with a pinched video.
Choosing a lower-quality output will automatically suit the resolution for you. So if you select HDV (hdv_720_25p), the resolution will decrease if your video was originally in 1080p. But if you desire to go smaller than the preset resolution, you lot'll need to calculate the right dimensions yourself.
Yous can also use the export window to customize exporting options to go exactly the type of file you want. This is best left to expert users, though you lot tin certainly play around with it to encounter what happens.
3. QuickTime Player (Mac)
Apple tree's default media histrion actually includes a number of great options for making your videos smaller. The only drawback to it is that yous can't utilize it on any other operating systems.
To make a video smaller with QuickTime, open up the app from your Applications folder and click File > Open File to load your video.
To begin making your video smaller, click File > Consign As. Unfortunately, QuickTime doesn't give yous equally many options as some other apps. Yous'll encounter 4k (if applicable), 1080p, 720p, and 480p options.
Select 720p or 480p (assuming you recorded in 1080) and consign your file. It should be smaller than when you started.
Unfortunately, QuickTime doesn't back up resizing, and then if you need to reduce the dimensions of your video, you lot'll need to use some other program, or use a web-based video compression tool such as VEED, ClipChamp, or Kapwing (More than on this beneath).
4. VEED (Spider web)
If yous don't want to download or use an app on your ain estimator, there are numerous websites that will let y'all upload a video file and compress it for yous. Some of these services crave an business relationship, some crave a monthly fee (or a watermark on your video), and others are completely free and don't require anything but a video file.
The start service we'll look at is VEED.IO. Every bit function of their video editing tools, VEED offers an piece of cake-to-use video compression tool to reduce video file size for free. It works with both Windows and Mac, and within your browser, and so at that place's goose egg to download.
VEED'southward Video Compressor supports MP4, MOV, MKV, Avi, WMV, FLV video file formats. If y'all apply Dropbox to host your videos, you can connect your account and directly upload your videos to the tool.
Information technology has a user friendly slider that allows yous to conform the pinch charge per unit between higher quality and smaller file size.
What's more than helpful well-nigh this Video Compressor, in particular, is that it gives you an approximate of the file size before you hit the 'Compress' button. This is particularly useful if yous're looking to compress videos and become your video small enough to exist added as an electronic mail attachment or sent through a messaging service where there is a limit on files sizes. For many e-mail clients, this is xx-25MB. So yous can play with the settings, to become the size correct, before you compress.
For more avant-garde users, or those needing to specify the frame charge per unit, bitrate, and CRF, you can only hitting the 'Advanced Settings' button in the Video Compression settings, and all of these options are bachelor to you. And, of course, you tin resize your videos and alter the video resolution.
It gives a great reduction in file size and an selection to 'Download' or 'Edit Video'. If you click on 'Edit Video' you will exist taken to VEED's main editor where you tin add subtitles, text, progress bars, and more.
five. VideoSmaller (Web)
VideoSmaller is even so some other unproblematic deject-based video compressor to reduce video file size online. And it's completely gratuitous. Head to VideoSmaller.com, upload your video, tweak a couple of options, and you're adept to go.
VideoSmaller supports a multifariousness of different video file formats including MP4, AVI, MPEG, MOV formats, and allows you to upload video files of up to 500 MB.
The first option you have is to use a low compression level. This gives y'all improve- resulting quality in your video, but won't reduce the size of a video as much as using standard compression.
The second pick is to calibration your video. Of course, scaling down also results in lower quality, but information technology might be worth the tradeoff in size. So you lot'll need to residual the needs of your audition (mostly concentrating on the devices they'll be using to spotter your videos) with size considerations.
Finally, you tin can check a box to remove all of the audio from your video. Once more, this could save you a notable amount of space. Only it leaves you without any sound.
half dozen. Clipchamp (Web)
If y'all need to reduce the file size of videos on a regular basis, you may want to consider using a paid service like Clipchamp. Clipchamp gives you more options, including the ability to edit your videos, upload videos of any size, and process videos in batches.
Clipchamp does accept a free tier, just it watermarks your videos. So if y'all're going to exist sharing videos, you should probably step upwards to the Business plan, which is $7.l per month when billed as $99 per year. You tin can also pay $9 month-to-month if you're not going to need information technology very long.
Whether or not it'due south worth paying for depends on how often you'll use it. But if you lot desire to make the process as easy as possible without downloading software to your reckoner, Clipchamp is a proficient bet.
Experiment to Notice the Best Video Compression Settings & File Size
No affair what y'all're using your video for, whether monetizing your content online, or alive streaming on social media, there's a adept residue that you can strike betwixt low file size and high video quality. It's hard to observe the point where they're balanced, but with a petty experimentation, you should be able to do information technology.
Particularly if yous're hosting your own videos, finding the right size and quality is crucial. You need to provide your viewers with the best quality without using so much bandwidth that you have to pay a fortune. And compressed videos tin aid with that.
Test unlike resolutions and bitrates to see how they affect quality. Check the OTT platform of your choice to learn more near their guidelines and recommendations for video upload and quality settings. Then bank check out different encoding settings to see how they change the size of your video.
After some experimentation, yous'll observe the perfect settings to make your videos smaller. And that volition salve you both space and coin, no matter which platform you're on or cloud platform you use.
Source: https://www.uscreen.tv/blog/5-ways-to-make-video-files-smaller/
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