How to Compress a Video with VLC

VLC can make a video smaller by decoding it and encoding a new copy. The most reliable starting point is an MP4 container with H.264 video and AAC audio, followed by a lower video bitrate or resolution when the first result is still too large.

Compress video with VLC on Windows or Linux

The exact labels vary slightly by VLC version, but the VLC 3 desktop workflow is:

1. Open Media > Convert/Save.
2. Click Add, select the source video, then click Convert/Save.
3. Choose an MP4 profile that uses H.264 video and AAC audio.
4. To change compression settings, click the profile edit button, usually shown as a wrench.
5. In Video codec, enable video and set a lower bitrate. Use the Resolution tab to scale down when necessary.
6. In Audio codec, keep AAC and reduce audio bitrate only if audio is a meaningful share of the file.
7. Choose a destination filename with the correct extension, such as .mp4.
8. Click Start and wait for VLC to finish before opening the output.

VideoLAN calls this transcoding and saving a new file . In plain terms, VLC reads the original video and creates a new copy with different settings. Keep the source and use a new output name.

Compress video with VLC on Mac

On macOS, use the equivalent conversion window:

1. Open File > Convert / Stream.
2. Drop the source into the window or choose Open media.
3. Select a profile that outputs H.264 video in MP4.
4. Use Customize when you need to change bitrate, frame size, or audio settings.
5. Choose Save as File, enter a new filename ending in .mp4, then start the conversion.

VLC is suitable for a free, occasional conversion. The interface exposes codec details that are easy to mismatch, so test one short file before applying the same choices to an important long recording.

Pick settings that reduce file size

File size is driven mainly by duration and total bitrate. For the same duration, lowering bitrate reduces size predictably. Lowering resolution helps the codec produce acceptable quality at that smaller bitrate.

Change	Likely effect	Main tradeoff
Trim the source first	Smaller in proportion to removed time	Removes content
Lower video bitrate	Smaller output	More blocking or smearing
Scale 4K to 1080p or 1080p to 720p	Large reduction potential	Less detail
Use H.265 instead of H.264	Better efficiency in many cases	Weaker compatibility and slower encode
Lower audio bitrate	Modest reduction for most videos	Audible artifacts if pushed too far

For an unknown audience, prefer H.264 in MP4. H.265 can make an efficient delivery copy, but the recipient, editor, browser, or upload service must support it. The H.264 and H.265 comparison explains that compatibility decision in detail.

Avoid arbitrary bitrate tables without considering content. A screen recording with small text, a static presentation, and handheld sports footage need different amounts of data at the same resolution. Change one setting, encode a representative section, and judge the actual result.

Fix empty, oversized, or unplayable output

If VLC creates a file with audio but no video, edit the selected profile and confirm that Video is enabled. If the file has no audio, check Audio codec and choose AAC for an MP4 output.

If the output is almost the same size as the source, confirm that VLC transcoded the video rather than only changing its container. Then lower video bitrate or resolution. Merely changing MOV to MP4 does not inherently reduce the encoded data.

If the output will not open outside VLC, check that the destination extension matches the selected container. An MP4 profile should normally write an .mp4 file. Also test a standard H.264 and AAC profile before using a less common codec combination.

If quality is poor, do not compress the bad result again. Return to the original, raise the video bitrate or keep a higher resolution, and encode one new copy. The video bitrate guide explains why repeated lossy passes are difficult to repair.

Decide whether VLC is the right tool

VLC is enough when it is already installed, you have one file, and a standard profile produces a result that fits. Its conversion dialog is less convenient when you need an exact megabyte target, before-and-after inspection, several files, or settings you can apply repeatedly.

GetCompress handles those recurring jobs locally. It supports AV1, H.265, H.264, and many other codecs and formats. Choose High, Medium, or another simple quality level, and it calculates suitable quality, speed, preset, and related settings for that output. Detailed controls remain available when you need them.

You can also queue mixed video formats, trim and preview clips, reuse presets, and set a target file size for video. VLC remains useful as a player and one-off transcoder; GetCompress is the more direct workflow when compression itself is the task.

Whichever tool you use, open the result in a second player and scrub through the full duration before replacing or sending the source.