Tool 02 · Compress

Compress any video to an exact target size

Pick where the file needs to go — Discord, email, a trailer, a re-upload — and get the precise FFmpeg command or HandBrake settings to hit that size. Nothing uploads: your 10 GB file stays on your machine, and the compression runs there too.

Your target

10 s1 min10 min1 h3 h
1 min
Compressing a trailer or preview clip? Set the clip's length, not the full video's.
If the calculated bitrate turns red, drop a resolution step — a sharp 720p beats a muddy 1080p.

Compression recipe

Video bitrate to hit target
1.1Mbps
Quality check at 1080p
—
FFmpeg command (2-pass)
Next step: check your thumbnail →

How to use this recipe

  1. Pick your destination — each platform has a hard file-size ceiling, and the recipe targets 95% of it for safety margin.
  2. Set the clip duration. Size = bitrate × time, so the same 10 MB budget means very different quality for a 30-second trailer versus a 5-minute preview.
  3. Copy the FFmpeg command (paste into Terminal / PowerShell with your filename) or follow the HandBrake settings. Two-pass encoding is used because it hits target sizes precisely.

Install the tools (one time, free)

FFmpeg

Mac: install Homebrew, then run brew install ffmpeg. Windows: download from ffmpeg.org and add it to PATH.

HandBrake

Free app for Mac/Windows/Linux at handbrake.fr — same engine, graphical interface, no command line.

Why we don't compress in your browser

Browser-based compressors re-upload your file to a server, or choke on anything over a gigabyte. Long-form creators deal in 5–20 GB files — the only sane place to compress those is on your own machine, where FFmpeg is faster, free, and private. This page gives you the exact recipe so the command line stops being scary.

Frequently asked questions

What does two-pass encoding do?

Pass one scans the whole clip to learn where the complex moments are; pass two spends your bitrate budget accordingly. The result lands within a few percent of the target size — exactly what you need for hard platform limits.

The bitrate shows red / "quality will suffer". What now?

Your budget is too small for that resolution and length. Fix it by dropping resolution (1080p → 720p), shortening the clip, or raising the target size. A crisp 480p is always better than a smeared 1080p.

Can I use H.265 for smaller files?

Yes — swap libx264 for libx265 for ~40% savings. But Discord and some email clients won't preview HEVC inline, so for share-destinations H.264 remains the safe default.