How to Compress a Video Without Losing Quality: 5 Easy Ways

Learn how to compress a video on an iPhone, Android, Mac, or Windows device. We cover 5 ways to compress any video without ruining quality.

Key takeaways:

• Use free online tools: Platforms like Riverside's Video Compressor allow you to shrink video sizes while maintaining high quality, making it ideal for sharing and uploading.
• Change resolution or file type: Lowering the video resolution or switching to a more efficient file format like MP4 can significantly reduce file size without degrading quality noticeably.
• Trim video length: Cutting unnecessary parts of a video is a straightforward way to reduce file size while keeping essential content intact.
• Create a ZIP file: For quick sharing or storage without specialized tools, compressing the video into a ZIP file is a simple and effective option.

5 simple ways to compress a video

Compressing a video doesn’t have to be complicated or require fancy software. Here are five simple and effective ways to reduce video file size while keeping the quality intact.

1. Compressing a video using an online compressor

Riverside’s online video compressor minimizes file size while keeping your video’s quality intact - perfect for sharing, uploading, or archiving without compromise. Here’s how:

Step 1: Head over to Riverside's Video Compressor.

Step 2: Choose your desired compression level. Choose between video codecs:

• H264: Used for HD video.
• H265: Best for high-resolution (like 4K) content.

Step 3: Drag and drop the video file you want to compress from your device or select “Choose Files” to browse and upload.

Step 4: Once compression is complete, click “Download” to download the new, smaller video file to your device.

2. Compressing a video file into a ZIP file

To quickly reduce your video file size for sharing, creating a ZIP file is straightforward.

How to create a video ZIP File on Mac

Step 1: Open Finder and navigate to the video.

Step 2: Right-click (or Control-click) on the video file and select “Compress [Your Video File Name].”

Step 3: A new ZIP file will appear in the same directory as your video.

How to create a ZIP file on Windows

Step 1: Open File Explorer and find the video.

Step 2: Right-click on the video file. Hover over “Compress to…” and select “ZIP File.”

3. Compressing a video by trimming it

Trimming a video is one of the easiest ways to reduce file size by removing unnecessary sections.

How to trim videos:

• Using QuickTime on Mac:

  1. Open QuickTime Player.
  2. Click “File” > “Open File” and select the video.
  3. Click “Edit” > “Trim.”
  4. Use the yellow trimming bar to select the portion to keep and click “Trim.”
  5. Save the edited video.

• Using Photos on Windows:

  1. Right-click the video and select “Open with” > “Photos.”
  2. Click “Trim” at the top-left.
  3. Drag the sliders to select the part of the video to keep and click “Save as copy.”

4. Compressing a video by changing the resolution

Lowering the resolution can reduce file sizes without sacrificing quality.

On Mac with iMovie:

1. Open iMovie and import your video.
2. Click “File” > “Share” > “File…” and choose a lower resolution.
3. Save the compressed video.

On Windows with ClipChamp:

1. Open ClipChamp and import your video.
2. Click “Export” and select your resolution before exporting.

5. Compressing a video by changing the file type

Changing the file type can impact size significantly.

On Mac with iMovie:

1. Open iMovie and import your media.
2. Click “File” > “Share” > “File…” and select a more efficient file quality.
3. Save the new compressed video.

On Windows with VLC:

1. Right-click on the video and select “Open with…” > “VLC Media Player.”
2. Click “Menu” then “Convert / Save” to change the format.
3. Click the wrench icon to choose the preferred format and start converting.

Bonus: How to compress a video on an iPhone or Android

Using Riverside's Video Compressor on your phone:

1. Open your browser and load Riverside's Video Compressor.
2. Choose the desired compression level.
3. Tap “Choose Files” and select the video.
4. After compression, tap “Download” to save the video.

FAQs about how to compress a video

What is the best format to compress a video in?

The MP4 file type tends to be smaller while maintaining good quality, making it the most flexible option for most video types.

How do I reduce the MB and GB of a video?

You can reduce video file sizes by:

• Turning it into a ZIP file
• Trimming the video length
• Changing the resolution
• Changing the file type
• Using video compression software

How do I compress a video for email?

The simplest method is to compress the video into a ZIP file.

What is the best way to compress videos for online streaming?

Riverside is recommended for compressing videos for online streaming due to its speed and quality retention.

Final thoughts

You’ve learned many ways to compress your videos for sharing, social media, and more. Try Riverside’s Video Compressor for quick solutions.