If you want to send a video or make space on your computer, it is often worthwhile to reduce the size of the file. In this practical tip, we will show you how to do this with various programmes.
VLC Media Player: Reduce video size
VLC Media Player is a slim audio and video player that shrinks your videos without much loss. You can find VLC Media Player for free in our downloads section.
- Open VLC Player and click on “Convert/Save” in the top left-hand corner of the “Media” tab.
- Use the “Add” button to select the desired video from your computer.
- Then click on the “Convert/Save” button at the bottom.
- Advanced users can still make some settings before the conversion. However, these are not necessary.
- Select a destination storage location. With a click on “Start”, the VLC player reduces the video.
Windows Movie Maker: Reduce Video
If you already have Windows Movie Maker installed on your computer, you can have the video compressed without much loss of quality. There is no pre-installed version for Windows 10, you have to fall back on the 2012 version. In Windows 10 there is a video editor in the photo app. However, for more extensive video work, it is still worth downloading Windows Movie Maker.
- Start Windows Movie Maker and drag and drop the film into the programme window.
- Click on the menu button at the top left and select the option “Save for computer” under “Movie”.
- The video is then created again and compressed in the process. There is hardly any loss of quality, but the file shrinks considerably.
Video Editor under Windows 10
Windows 10 comes with its own video editing tool, the Video Editor.
- The tool is hidden in the Photos app. Start the Photo app and switch to the “Video Editor” tab at the top of the screen.
- First load the desired video into the programme library and then drag it into the programme window.
- Click on “Finish video” in the top right-hand corner. Here you can select a low video quality for a small file size.
- Click on “Export” and specify the storage location.
