Compress video on Mac
Works in Safari, Chrome, Edge and Firefox on a Mac
- Free to use
- Private
- No upload to the cloud
- No account needed
Compress a video
File
Compress
- Picture
- —
- Frame rate
- —
- Bitrate
- —
- Expected size
- —
Keep this tab open while it works.
This browser can’t compress video yet. It needs WebCodecs, which recent Chrome, Edge, Safari and Firefox on a computer have. Firefox on Android doesn’t. Try another browser, or use the photo compressor.
Short answer
To compress video on a Mac, open this page in Safari, Chrome, Edge or Firefox, choose the video and pick a size. The browser re-encodes it as an H.264 MP4 with AAC sound, on your Mac, and nothing is uploaded to a server. The tool opens with Under 25 MB selected, which suits email. For another limit pick another size, or Balanced for a smaller file with no size target.
How to compress a video on Mac
-
Open the page in a current browser
Safari 16.4 or later, Chrome, Edge and Firefox 130 or later all work. There is nothing to install and no account to make. The page loads its code once, and the video itself goes nowhere.
-
Choose the video
To compress MP4 video on Mac, click Choose a video or drop the file on the page. MP4, MOV, WebM and MKV open, including MOV clips from an iPhone or a screen recording. HEVC opens in Safari and in a recent Chrome or Edge, and the tool says so if the browser cannot decode a format.
-
Pick a size
Under 25 MB fits Gmail, Yahoo Mail and Outlook.com, Under 20 MB fits iCloud Mail and Discord without Nitro, and Under 10 MB suits strict work email. Choose Custom size for a limit of your own, or Balanced to shrink video on Mac with no target. The plan on screen shows the picture size, frame rate and expected size first.
-
Compress and download
Press Compress video and keep the tab open while it works. To compress video size on Mac, the tool plans the bitrate from the length of the video, measures the result and, if it is over the target, lowers the bitrate, then the resolution or frame rate, and runs again. Download the MP4 when it is ready. The original is not changed, and the new file holds only picture and sound, so it carries no watermark.
Which browsers work as a Mac video compressor
To compress video on macOS, you need a browser with WebCodecs, which lets the browser encode video itself. On a MacBook, an iMac or a Mac mini the list is the same: Safari 16.4 or later, Chrome, Edge and Firefox 130 or later. The browser must also be able to create H.264 video, and the tool tells you if it cannot. If you compress video on MacBook for email, the next step is to compress video to 25 MB or another size.
| Browser on Mac | WebCodecs | What it means here |
|---|---|---|
| Safari | 16.4 or later | The tool runs. Older Safari versions cannot run it. |
| Chrome | 94 or later | The tool runs. |
| Microsoft Edge | Yes | The tool runs. |
| Firefox | 130 or later | The tool runs. Earlier Firefox versions cannot run it. |
Browser support from MDN Web Docs, checked 8 October 2026. Support changes, so the date shows when we last checked.
Questions about video on a Mac
How to compress a video on MacBook Air or MacBook Pro?
The same way as on any Mac. Open this page in Safari, Chrome, Edge or Firefox, choose the video, keep the size or pick another one, and press Compress video. A MacBook Air, a MacBook Pro, an iMac and a Mac mini all follow the same steps.
How to compress a video on Mac for email?
Choose the limit of your email service. Under 25 MB is for Gmail, Yahoo Mail and Outlook.com on the web, Under 20 MB for iCloud Mail and the Outlook app, and Under 10 MB for strict work email. The tool aims a little under each size, because a file that lands exactly on a limit can still bounce.
How to compress a video on Mac without losing quality?
Not entirely, because every compression discards some detail. What you control is how much. Balanced keeps the picture at up to 1080p, and a larger size loses less than a smaller one. The page video compressor without losing quality explains how to keep the loss small.
How to reduce video size on Mac?
Pick a smaller size, or Balanced. For a size target the tool works out how many bits per second the file can use. When that is small, it lowers the picture size, for example to 720p, instead of leaving a blocky picture. The plan shows the expected size before you start.
How to compress a video on Mac for free?
Use this page. It is free, needs no sign-up, and sets no limit on the size of the file you start with. The limit is your Mac’s memory: a long 4K video takes minutes, so keep the tab open until it finishes.
Is there a video compressor for Mac that works in the browser?
Yes, this one. It runs in Safari, Chrome, Edge or Firefox, so there is nothing to download. For other ways to use it, see the video compressor online.
Does it work in Safari on a Mac?
Yes, in Safari 16.4 or later, as long as the browser can create H.264 video. Safari also opens HEVC clips, the format many phones record. If a browser cannot decode a video, the tool says so.
Is my video uploaded when I compress it?
No. The video is converted in your browser, on your own Mac, and is never sent to a server. Compression does cost some quality, so play the result before you download it.
On iPhone
Video Compressor: Metras
If you also have an iPhone, our iPhone app makes smaller copies of the videos in your library, right on the device. Choose 25 MB, 20 MB or 10 MB, or enter a size of your own, see the estimate before you start, and compare the copy with the original afterwards. Nothing is uploaded to a server, large batches run in the background with Premium, and your originals stay in Photos until you decide.
Coming soon to the App Store
