Video Compressor

This video compressor makes a video file smaller directly in your browser. It uses the WebCodecs API to decode and re-encode your file on your own device - the video is never uploaded, so it never sits on a server while it processes.

Why use this compressor

How to compress a video

1. Choose a video. Drop a video file onto the tool, or click to pick one from your device. Nothing uploads yet.
2. Pick quality or a target size. Use a quality preset, or switch to target size mode and pick a limit like 25 MB for email or 10 MB for Discord.
3. Adjust resolution, frame rate and audio. Optionally cap the resolution or frame rate, and choose whether to keep, re-encode, or remove audio.
4. Click Compress video. Compression runs on your own device. Watch the progress bar - you can cancel at any time.
5. Download the result. Compare the before and after file size and preview, then download the compressed file.

Common video compressor problems and fixes

• The output is still too big: switch to Target size mode and pick a limit, or move down a quality preset. Reducing the output resolution (1080p to 720p, for example) usually saves more than lowering bitrate at the same resolution.
• The output looks blurry or blocky: the bitrate is too low for the resolution you chose. Either raise the quality preset / target size, or reduce the output resolution instead of the bitrate - a smaller frame at a decent bitrate looks better than a full-size frame that's starved for bits.
• The file won't open: this browser can't decode the video's codec. The tool names the exact codec it couldn't read when this happens - re-export the source file as H.264, the most widely supported option, and try again.
• Compression is very slow: it runs entirely on your CPU, not a server, so speed depends on your computer. Close other tabs and heavy apps, and try a lower output resolution if you need it faster.
• The tab crashed or ran out of memory: the file is too large for your browser to hold in memory while re-encoding. Trim the clip to a shorter section first, or try a lower output resolution.
• No audio in the output: this can happen if you chose Remove, or if your browser couldn't mux the audio codec back into the file - the tool will say so on the result screen rather than fail silently.
• Compressing a screen recording: screen recordings are mostly static with occasional sharp text and fast motion during scrolling, which compresses differently from camera footage. Favor a higher quality preset over a small-file one - text turns to mush at low bitrates faster than natural video does. Recording one now? The screen recorder here saves straight to .webm, ready to compress.
• It works on desktop but fails on a phone: mobile browsers have far less memory to work with. Use a shorter clip or a lower resolution on a phone, or compress on a desktop browser if the file is large.

Only need part of the clip? Trim it first - a lossless cut, then compress what's left. Need to capture a screen before you compress it? Use the free screen recorder, which also runs entirely in your browser. Have a recording to turn into a transcript instead of a smaller file? Try audio to text - same local-first approach, nothing uploaded. Need to check your camera or mic before a call? Try the webcam test, mic test or speaker test. You can also browse all Meetrix features, or read the Meetrix blog for more on recording and streaming.