# Compress Video — Hit Discord and Email Limits, Locally

> Compress an MP4 or MOV video in your browser — pick a target (Discord 10 MB, email 25 MB, or half size) and re-encode with hardware acceleration. Nothing is uploaded.

Source: https://toolpantry.app/compress-video

## About

Re-encode an MP4 or MOV to hit Discord, email, or half-size targets — using your device's own hardware encoder. No upload, no watermark, no 30 MB download.

## Quick answer

How do I compress a video for Discord or email? Add the MP4, pick a target (10 MB for Discord, 25 MB for email, or half size) and a resolution — 720p is the sweet spot — then press Compress. The re-encode runs on your device; nothing is uploaded.

## How video compression works here

The tool demuxes the MP4, decodes each frame with the browser's media pipeline (WebCodecs), optionally scales it, and re-encodes with H.264 at a bitrate computed from your target. Audio is re-encoded to AAC 128 kbps. Everything runs on your device — the file never leaves the tab, which you can verify in the Network panel.

## What actually makes a video small

- **Bitrate** — the master dial: 10 MB for a 1-minute video means ~1.3 Mbps of video. Fast motion needs more; talking heads need less
- **Resolution** — dropping 4K to 720p cuts pixels 9×; for chat and phone viewing it's usually invisible
- **Duration** — the only free win: trim it and everything else gets easier

The presets do the math: Discord's free tier caps at 10 MB, most email stops at 25 MB, and some portals ask for 2 MB. If the computed bitrate drops below ~300 kbps the tool warns you — at that point drop the resolution too, or accept visible softness.

## Honest limits

Input is MP4/MOV/M4V with H.264 or HEVC video — that covers phones (iPhone records HEVC), cameras, and most downloads. WebM/MKV input isn't supported yet; if you recorded with our [screen recorder](https://toolpantry.app/screen-recorder.html) (WebM), remux or record again as MP4 for now. Output is always MP4 with H.264 + AAC — the combination Discord, email clients, and government portals accept without complaint. And re-encoding always costs some quality: check the result before deleting the original.

## After compression

Need the audio only? The [video to MP3](https://toolpantry.app/video-to-mp3.html) tool extracts it. Compressing images instead of videos? The [target-size image compressor](https://toolpantry.app/compress-image-to-1mb.html) works the same way — pick the number, hit the target.

## Notes

Re-encoding happens on your GPU/CPU — a 1-minute 1080p clip typically takes 10–40 seconds. Keep the original file; this tool writes a new MP4 and never touches your source.

## FAQ

**How do I compress a video to under 10 MB?**

Load the MP4, pick the Discord (10 MB) target and a resolution — 720p keeps most detail — then press Compress. The tool re-encodes the video locally using your device's hardware encoder; nothing is uploaded.

**Will the quality drop?**

Any size reduction re-encodes the picture. At 720p and a reasonable bitrate most viewers won't notice on a phone or laptop screen; heavy compression shows as softness in fast motion. The tool tells you the exact bitrate before you start.

**Which formats are supported?**

Input: MP4, MOV, and M4V (H.264/HEVC video with AAC audio). Output: always MP4 (H.264 + AAC) — the most compatible combination for Discord, email, and portals.

**Why does it need Chrome or Safari 17+?**

The re-encoding uses WebCodecs — the browser's built-in media pipeline. Chrome, Edge, and Safari 17+ have it; Firefox support is still rolling out. The tool checks and tells you if your browser can't do it.