Can I compress multiple videos at once?

Yes. Compress one or ten files. However, with .mov files over 1.5 gigabytes, you may get an FS error, which means the browser is out of memory. For smaller files under 1 GB, you can follow the 1-to-5 file principle.

What video formats are supported?

It supports these formats: MP4, MOV, WebM, AVI, MKV, WMV, and TS. However, the output is always MP4 (H.264 or H.265). You can play an MP4 file on any device without additional software, and most video editing software supports it.

What does the compression level setting do?

The compression level parameter controls the Constant Rate Factor (CRF) of the H.264 video codec. CRF balances quality and size. For example, Small (CRF 18) is nearly lossless but reduces size only slightly, while Medium (CRF 23) is the H.264 default and a good trade-off between quality and size. High (CRF 28) is heavily compressed but much smaller than Medium quality. Maximum (CRF 35) is for archiving, and size matters more than quality.

What is H.265 and should I use it?

H.265 (or HEVC format) is the newer codec that compresses videos (at least with my testing MOV files) up to a whopping 116% difference with no noticeable difference in quality. If you’re using a video or sharing it with someone who uses a newer laptop or mobile device (like the newer iPhone or Android), you can use this format. Use the older H.264 format for devices released before 2016.

How does target size mode work?

Target size, as its name implies, aims to compress the video to a specific file size. It does this by calculating its duration, then determining the exact bitrate needed to reach the target file size. The video is encoded twice: first, an analysis pass, then an output pass. It's similar to how professional video software does it (using a 2-pass VBR encoding). When the file approaches its target size, it remuxes the container files instead of re-encoding.

Does compressing a video reduce its resolution or duration?

No, compression does not reduce your video's duration. It only reduces the quality of each frame. If you choose a resolution such as 720p, your video will be downscaled during compression. However, your video will still be the same duration.

Why does video compression take longer than image conversion?

Video compression takes longer because it needs to process multiple frames. For example, your 60-second video at 30fps has around 1,800 frames, whereas an image compressor only has one frame; thus, the compression is much faster.

Is 500 MB enough for an hour of 1080p video?

Yes — at CRF 23 (Medium compression), an hour of 1080p screen recording or talking-head video typically compresses to 350–550 MB. High-motion content like gaming footage may run 600–800 MB for an hour, in which case use CRF 26–28 or drop to 720p to reach 500 MB.

Is there any quality loss when compressing to 500 MB?

At Medium compression (CRF 23), the difference from the original is invisible to the human eye on any display up to 4K. Only frame-by-frame analysis with pixel-peeping tools can reveal compression artifacts at this level.

Can I compress multiple videos at once?

Yes. Compress one or ten files. However, with .mov files over 1.5 gigabytes, you may get an FS error, which means the browser is out of memory. For smaller files under 1 GB, you can follow the 1-to-5 file principle.

What video formats are supported?

It supports these formats: MP4, MOV, WebM, AVI, MKV, WMV, and TS. However, the output is always MP4 (H.264 or H.265). You can play an MP4 file on any device without additional software, and most video editing software supports it.

Compress Video to 500 MB

Archival compression for long recordings. Keeps 1080p quality across hour-long footage.

Preparing video compressor… (downloading ~25 MB, one-time)

Drop files or a folder here

or click to browse · paste from clipboard

Accepts .MP4, .MOV, .WEBM, .AVI, .MKV, .WMV, .TS · Up to 1,000 files

How it works

Drop your files
Click to browse, or drop your files. For best results, process 1-5 files at a time.
Choose settings
Adjust quality, format, and other options to match your needs.
Click Convert
Files are processed in the browser. Nothing uploads. No risk of data breach.
Download
Download files individually or grab all at once as a ZIP.

Content creators who want to achieve the right balance between video quality and maximum video compression can choose the 500 MB option. You can render a video up to an hour long at CRF 23, which compresses to around 400–600 MB. At this size, the quality degradation is negligible on screen. Excellent for podcasts, webinars, and long gaming sessions.

When you need 500 MB

Hour-long 1080p screen recordings
Webinars, coding tutorials, and long-form storytelling videos can reach up to 20 gigabytes. Compressing these videos to 500 MB is the sweet spot for maintaining quality.
Discord Nitro full file uploads (500 MB cap)
Discord Nitro (full) allows users to upload videos up to 500 MB. So gamers can store hour-long gameplay recordings, podcasters can upload hour-long videos, and event streamers can store their videos on Discord, all while staying within the 500 MB target.
Podcast video masters for distribution
Buzzsprout and Anchor accept videos between 500 MB and 1 GB.

Frequently asked questions

200 MB

Long 1080p clips that still transfer fast. Covers WeTransfer and most file-sharing tools.

1 GB

Near-lossless compression for 4K recordings and long-form professional footage.

Compress Video Compress MP3 MP4 TO MP3

Compress Video to 500 MB

How it works

When you need 500 MB

Frequently asked questions

Other size targets

Related tools