How to Make a Video File Smaller on Mac in 2023

Have you ever wondered why some people prefer to make a video file smaller without care for quality loss? If you are the type that always likes to keep large video sizes as they are just because you don't want to reduce quality, then you need to learn some advantages of video compression.

Although making a video file smaller doesn't have that many advantages, and there is still the risk of video quality loss, you need to know that; there is nothing like unlimited storage space. Even if you buy all the premium cloud storage, you can't get anything like infinite GB, there will always be a limit, and different social media platforms also impose their video size limit.

Also, as we go about our everyday life, we get more moments to capture, videos to save, and even more to post/upload. Compressing videos makes your video files smaller, making it easier to keep them, send them to friends, or post on social media, and we believe just this one reason is enough to teach you how to compress video files. We have a variety of tools that can handle video file compression.

How to Make a Video File Smaller on Mac with iMovie

As one of the built-in tools for Mac and its leading video editing software, it is normal that iMovie will appear in this list. Its compression method is a bit of improvisation, but its options allow you to choose the compression option you want, whether quality, resolution, or compression. Depending on the option, the compressed size will be different, and so will the quality.

1. How to Compress Video with iMovie on Mac

Step 1. Import Video

Launch iMovie on your Mac and select Create a New Project. Click on the designated area to open your Finder and upload your video. Alternatively, you can drag and drop your video from Finder into the designated space in the iMovie interface.

Step 2. Export

Drag your video into the timeline at the bottom of the interface, perform any editing you want, or go straight to compressing by clicking on Export at the top right corner. You can also find the Export option under File on the menu bar. After clicking on Export, you get a few options; select File and set compression options in the following box.

Step 3. Set Compression option

In this section, you get to rename your video, choose an output format, and for compression, you can change resolution, compression speed, or quality, or you can adjust all for a higher compression rate.

Step 4. Save

Click on Save to start compressing your video with iMovie. It doesn't take too much time, and if you did not change the destinations folder, it would be saved in the same folder as the original video.

How to Make a Video Smaller on Mac with QuickTime

Another built-in tool for Mac and most iOS devices, it serves as their multimedia player. QuickTime supports a variety of audio and video formats and coupled with a video and audio player, it also features a series of video-making and editing features like a screen, audio, and webcam recorder with picture-in-picture features, trim, split, and cut videos, image viewer and newer updates feature VR reality functions plus, it can also help compress and convert videos, so how do you compress with a QuickTime?

How to Compress Video with QuickTime

Step 1. Play Video

Since QuickTime doesn't have anything like an editing interface, you need to open them using QuickTime typically and let it play.

Step 2. Export

Next, click on File on the menu bar and locate Export, it will reveal more options, and you have to select a reduced format.

Step 3. Save

After choosing a quality, a new box pops up, and you get the option to rename, select a save location and decide if you want a regular or fast compression, the size will depend on whichever one you choose.

How to Reduce Video File Size on Mac with Handbrake

Handbrake is free software that can be used for video editing functions like converting and compressing, cropping and resizing video, restoring video quality, etc. Handbrake works with editing codecs, so it is straightforward to compress video without any quality loss. It doesn't support a lot of formats, and it doesn't have a lot of features, but it is free, and there is no loss in quality, so we are not complaining.

How to Compress Video on Handbrake

Step 1. Download and Install the software

Handbrake is not built like iMovie and QuickTime, so you'll need to download it. Go to the Handbrake official website to get the latest version or one compatible with your computer.

Step 2. Upload Video

Launch the software after installing, and on the main screen, click on the box and select the video to compress from your Finder.

Step 3. Set Compression options

Under the Video tab, change the video codec from h.264 to h.265 because h.265 has better compression than h.264, but you can also choose to leave it as is. Next, change the frame rate to 'same as source' if it is not there by default, and check the Constant frame rate option. Under the optimize option, drag the slider to suit your compression need. Very fast makes the compression quicker but doesn't compress size much, and very slow takes time to complete but compresses video size much better. Go under audio and raise the bitrate to 320.

Step 4. Compress

That's all for the setting, and you need to click on Browse and select where you want the video to be saved, then click on the Start Encode button.

How to Compress a Video on Mac with DivX Converter

Another rising name in video editing is the DivX Converter, which boasts of its breakneck conversion speed and is called the Amazing DivX Converter. Easily convert and compress your videos with DivX Converter and perform other video editing functions like trimming, burning DVDs/CDs, resizing, cropping and rotating videos, adding filters and effects, removing watermark(s), etc.

How To Compress Video with DivX Converter

Step 1. Upload a Video

Click on Add Video at the top of the screen or drag and drop a video into the DivX Converter interface.

Step 2. Choose Output format

Once uploaded, the video becomes a lower resolution than the original. You can continue with this size or further reduce it by clicking on Output format and manually adjusting the resolution, setting a file size limit can also help, then setting encoding mode to 'Best Quality.

Step 3. Start Compression

Use the browse tab to change your save folder and click on Start to begin compression.

FAQs

1. How do you change the size of a video on a Mac?

Changing video size on Mac is easy as many tools can compress video to more than half of their original sizes. Use any of the tools mentioned above, but we recommend the EaseUS video converter for seamless compression with little to no quality loss, and it has a 30X faster-processing speed.

2. How do I make a .mov file smaller on a Mac?

.MOV is the exporting format for videos shot or made with QuickTime; it is high in quality but also very large. You can compress them by reducing the quality in QuickTime or by lowering the resolution on iMovie, or you can use an online compressor but if you want no quality loss, then use EaseUS Video Converter

3. How do I reduce the size of a QuickTime video on a Mac?

You can choose to reduce the quality or resolution using iMovie or use an online compression tool. QuickTime can also reduce video size, but it comes with quality reduction.

The Conclusion

Compressing videos helps you keep your video sizes without a manageable range for storing or sharing. By squeezing, you can also bypass social media limitations. The best compression tools are those that can compress with little to no loss in quality, and there are not many of those around. Try EaseUS Video Converter and see if it satisfies your video compression needs.