How to Compress Large Video Files for Free with VLC, by Gauging Gadgets on YouTube. 2 min 20 s.
- Video length
- 2 min 20 s
- Time to do it
- 10 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 9
What you need
Steps
Open VLC Media Player on your computer. If you do not have it, download and install it from the official VLC site first.
Click Media in the top menu bar to open the drop-down menu.
Choose Convert / Save from the Media menu. A new Open Media window appears.
Click Add, browse to your large video file, select it and click Open.
Click Convert / Save at the bottom of the window to move to the Convert screen.
In the Profile drop-down, pick your output format, such as MP4, and choose a lower resolution or bitrate profile if you want a smaller file.
Next to Destination, click Browse and pick the folder and file name for the compressed copy. Do not overwrite the original.
Click Start. VLC converts the video and saves the smaller file in the location you chose.
When the progress bar finishes, open the new file to check the size and that the picture and sound still look and sound right.
Tips and common mistakes
Keep the original file until you confirm the compressed copy plays correctly.
Lowering the resolution or bitrate in the profile settings shrinks the file more than changing the format alone.
Compression takes time on long videos, so leave VLC running until the progress bar completes.
If the output file is missing, check that the destination folder exists and that you have write permission there.
Questions
Does compressing with VLC reduce quality?
It can. Choosing a lower resolution or bitrate makes the file smaller but may soften the picture. Pick a moderate profile if quality matters.
Where does VLC save the compressed video?
It saves to the Destination path you set with the Browse button. If you skip that step, the file may go to your default folder.
Can VLC compress any video format?
VLC handles common formats like MP4, AVI, MOV, WMV and FLV. Unusual codecs may fail, so try converting to MP4 if the output will not play.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
