How to Compress Video Files with VLC?

Reducing the file size of a large video is easily achievable using VLC Media Player, a versatile, free tool available for Windows, Mac, and Linux. This article provides a straightforward, step-by-step guide on how to shrink your video files by adjusting the video codec, reducing the resolution, and tweaking the bitrate. By following these methods, you can significantly compress your media files to save storage space or make them easier to share via email and social media, all without a noticeable loss in playback quality.

Step-by-Step Video Compression Using VLC

VLC compresses video files by converting them into highly efficient formats (like MP4 with H.264 or H.265 codecs) and allowing you to lower the resolution or bitrate.

Launch VLC Media Player on your computer.
Click on Media in the top menu bar (or File if you are on a Mac).
Select Convert / Save… from the dropdown menu (or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + R).

2. Select Your Video File

In the Open Media window that appears, ensure you are on the File tab.
Click the Add… button to browse and select the large video file you want to compress.
Click the Convert / Save button at the bottom of the window.

3. Choose a Compressed Profile

In the Convert window, look for the Settings section.
Click the dropdown menu next to Profile to select a compressed format.
For the best balance of compression and compatibility, choose Video - H.264 + MP4 (MP3) or Video - H.265 + MP4 (MP3). H.265 offers superior compression but takes longer to process.

4. Adjust Codec and Resolution Settings (Optional)

To shrink the file size even further, you can manually adjust the video profile settings:

Click the wrench icon (Edit selected profile) next to the profile dropdown.
Go to the Video codec tab and select the Resolution sub-tab.
You can change the Scale (e.g., set it to 0.5 to halve the dimensions) or explicitly enter a lower Width and Height (e.g., changing a 4K or 1080p video to 720p).
Go to the Encoding parameters sub-tab to lower the Bitrate. A lower bitrate reduces file size drastically but dropping it too low will reduce visual quality.
Click Save to apply the changes.

5. Set the Destination and Start

In the Destination section, click Browse to choose where you want to save your new, smaller video file.
Give the file a new name so you do not accidentally overwrite your original high-quality video.
Click the Start button.

VLC will now begin the compression process. You will see the progress bar at the bottom of the VLC player move as it transcodes the video. Keep the player open until the timeline finishes tracking to ensure your new video file is successfully created.