Step By Step: How To Compress A Video?

November 11, 2021
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Video is one of the primary forms of content on the internet today. From YouTube to Instagram, videos can be found on almost every other post besides images or ads. Videos are more engaging; that’s why content creators are focusing on video creation rather than on any other form of content. If you see the statistics, in a study done by Oberlo, it was found that 85% of all internet users in the United States watched online video content monthly on any of their devices. That means viewers expect more video content, and it is the duty of creators to provide the consumers with content.

Video marketers and content creators are focusing on creating video content to attract more consumers. Many are investing in producing good quality videos; it receives a positive response. Statistics say that 88% of video marketers are satisfied with the ROI of their video marketing efforts on social media. That’s great news!

However, there is a downside to video content. Videos tend to be larger, and sometimes it is hard to upload it to various platforms like YouTube or Instagram. The issues of file size can be solved by compressing the video. If you are new to video creating and want to know about how to compress a video file, we are here to help you out. Before we dive into the how part of compressing a video, we need to learn about the various aspects of a video size.

Let's Understand: What Affects A Video Size?

A video size depends on many factors, you must have seen shorter videos, which are larger and longer videos, which are smaller in size, and you must have wondered why that is. When it comes to video size, three factors determine the size of a video.

Resolution

Resolution is the number of pixels presented in your video. It is usually represented by a horizontal x vertical measurement of the video. Take, for example, the native HD, also referred to as 1080p resolution, which has a measurement of 1920 x 1080. The higher the resolution, the better the quality of the video.

You need to decide about the resolution, depending on the platform on which you want to upload your video. If you wish to upload your video on Youtube and your viewers primarily watch it on their smartphones, the best resolution would be 1080p for you. However, if your audience likes to stream your content on their TV, then you need a higher resolution, like in 1440p or 1080p, which is suitable for larger screens.

Bitrate

Bitrate is a contributing factor in determining the video file size. It is the measure of how much information is transmitted every second and is usually measured in Mpbs (and sometimes kbps).  The lower the bitrate, the smaller the size of the video. But make sure your bitrate does not go lower than the standard bitrate like 1mbps for a 360p resolution video.

Most creators nowadays are using a variable bit rate. It allows your video to go above or dip below your target bitrate. But the great thing about preferring variable bitrate is you get amazing video quality. Even though you have little control over the file size, the video quality turns out to be great. That means the video will transmit more information during scenes.

Encoding

Video encoding means converting video input into a digital format that is compatible with most types of Web players and mobile devices. A video file has two parts – a code and a container. In simple language, Codec is the sequence of video scenes in the file, and the container is the wrapper that holds the Codec. Its encoding determines the format of a video. Most of the experienced creators recommend using H.264 encoding with an MP4 encoder. It is the best format and does not compromise with the video quality.

“When would I want to share YouTube videos on Instagram then?"

There may be a couple of reasons that you may want to share the video content across multiple social media platforms you have, especially both YouTube and Instagram.

  • You are a YouTuber yourself and you wish to share your own YouTube video on your own Instagram account. You may be out and about and you do not have access to your laptop or computer where you should have a copy of your final edited video to upload with.
  • You may be a digital marketer working for a company who is active on social media platforms. There is a new product launch and you are supposed to share it via the company’s Instagram page as today is the scheduled post date but it slipped your mind.
  • You have just posted the 100th video online or you have been on Youtube for a year already. It’s time to compile videos, memorable throwbacks, and happy moments to share it to your Instagram.
  • You found a shareable content where you feel that it would add value to your followers and they should know of it from YouTube. (You can share it via Instagram stories to direct your followers over to the actual YouTube video itself) Be sure to tag or credit the right sources when you share it.
  • You may want to share a particular youtube video on Instagram for educational purposes. This is a special case as you need to seek the relevant channels and seek permission and find out if you need to do anything before proceeding with the posting.

Everyone has their own reasons when it comes to getting a YouTube video on Instagram. Do it the right way, make sure you have checked or even DM the original creator to ask for his permission if it is alright for you to share his YouTube video on Instagram at all.

Step By Step Guide On How To Compress A Video

Uploading a long video can take a lot of time, that’s why you need to compress. There are a few ways in which you can compress a video without comprising the video quality.

Trim the video

The best way to compress video or reduce its size is to trim it. Chop off unnecessary parts that don’t serve the purpose, or trim the beginning and the end of the video. It will reduce video file size and make your uploading process easier.

Remove the audio

While audio is an integral part of a video, sometimes it isn’t necessary. In such cases, you can remove the audio from the video, which will reduce the video file size considerably.

Desktop software

There is numerous software out there that can help you with compressing video. VLC, Shotcut, and QuickTime player are excellent choices of video compressor.

How To Compress Video In Mac?

Apple has its own media player, QuickTime player. It also acts as a video compressor. All you have to do is:

How to compress a video on mac?
Gif by OFFEO

  • Open the media player from your Applications, then open File > Open File to load your video.
  • Once you have selected the video, click File > Export As. But you’ll see 4k (if applicable), 1080p, 720p, and 480p options.Select any resolution that suits you, and the video file size will be reduced after the video compression.

One thing to keep in mind is, QuickTime Player does not support resizing. So if you want to change the dimensions of your video, you’ll need to use another tool.

How To Reduce Your Video File Size?

VLC - How to reduce video file size?
Screenshot by OFFEO

VLC

We already talked about how to reduce file size in mac, but what about compressing videos in other operating systems. VLC is a desktop software that can be used to reduce video file size.

  • Install VLC
  • Once the software is installed, click Media > Convert/Save.
  • Click Add and select your video; you can also select multiple videos if you want to.
  • Click on the Convert/Save to bring up conversion options.
  • In the Profile dropdown, you’ll need to select the type of conversion that you want

(VLC does not offer compression based on size but based on the use of the video. It has options like Video for YouTube HD, video for android, video for iPod)

To further reduce the size of the video, you can change the dimensions of the video.

  • Click on the Settings button (it looks like a wrench and a screwdriver) located to the right of the Profile dropdown.
  • Then select the Resolution tab. You can manually change the resolution and reduce the video file size.

If you are compressing a long video, it may take some time to save it. So be patient.

Use a cloud service like Google Drive

Cloud services are best when you want to share large video files with clients or friends. Dropbox, Google Drive, One Drive,  are some of the popular cloud services that enable you to transfer big video files quickly.

For instance, in Google Drive, you just need to register with your Gmail account, and all your data gets backed up. For sharing a big video, you need to register an account then download the desktop client or access the service online. Then you can upload the video file to the cloud (Google Drive or Dropbox) and share the generated link by email with your colleague or friend.

How To Compress Mp4 Format Files?

As we all know, MP4 is the most common video format. Even YouTube recommends users to upload videos in MP4 format. But what if the MP4 video of yours is large? You need to find a way to compress such video files.

Online video compressors are available on the Web like Clipchamp and Videosmaller. Here is how you can use these websites to compress video.

Videosmaller

If you don’t want to install an app and compress video, then there are websites where you can do video compression. Videosmaller is the easiest place to reduce file size online. All you have to do is upload your file, tweak a couple of options, like choose low compression to compress, do scaling and remove audio if needed and you are good to go.

Clipchamp

Clipchamp is another video compressor you can use on the Web. But unlike Videosmaller, Clipchamp isn’t free. It has a paid plan you can subscribe to if you want to use a video compressor regularly.

Offeo

If you want to create short videos or want to reduce video size for any platform, then Offeo can help you out. With Offeo’s YouTube to Mp4 Converter that is completely free, you can select from various sizes and video quality of your video to maximize your content on Social Media. You can also change the format to square, landscape, or vertical formats according to your needs.

How To Compress MOV Format?

Apple developed the MOV file container format. This file extension is one of the most used video container formats in video editing software. However, the MOV format may not be compatible with all the video players. So, you can compress the video with the help of online video compressors.

You can convert it in a free online MOV compressor and change the format to MP4, which is compatible with most of the players. Handbrake and Cloudconvert are some of the few video compressors available online.

How To Downsize A Video?

Video compression is necessary at times; it reduces file size and also makes uploading easier. Whenever you need to transfer or upload a large file, you need to compress video. Windows inherent has the feature to reduce video file size. You can convert the file to the Zip file. It will reduce the file size without changing the quality of the file or losing any data.

  • You need to open File Explorer.
  • From there, all you have to do is select your files.
  • Then click on the  Send To menu or the Ribbon menu, whichever you prefer.
  • Select the option Compressed Zip Folder, then rename the Zip file and save it. It is an easy way to compress video.

Conclusion: Compressing Videos

Nowadays, creators often feel the need to create high-quality videos, but what bothers them is the size of videos. Even when you want to download a video file, you feel the need to compress it. Offeo’s  YouTube To MP4 tool lets you compress and download YouTube videos for free.

All you need to do is, copy the link of the YouTube Video you want to compress, then visit OFFEO’s YouTube To MP4 free tool. Paste the link of the video, and click “Convert”. You will find a variety of formats available. Choose from different video quality bitrate and download immediately. Our platform lets you compress a YouTube video, without any fuss with just a click.

Once you are done with your video conversion, try out OFFEO’s video maker. Add in graphics, text and animation to your videos.

Written By
OFFEO Team

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