Resize Video
Processed locally in your browser — nothing is uploaded.
Quick answer
To resize a video, you scale it to a smaller resolution — 1080p to 720p or 480p — which shrinks the file because there are fewer pixels to store each frame. This tool does it in your browser with ffmpeg.wasm, keeps the aspect ratio so nothing looks stretched, and uploads nothing. A one-time ~32 MB engine loads on first use, and short clips work best on the single-threaded engine.
How to resize video
Load your video
Drop your clip in. The ~32 MB engine downloads once on first use and is cached for next time.
Choose a resolution
Pick 1080p, 720p, 480p or a custom height. The width is set to match so the aspect ratio is preserved and the picture is never distorted.
Resize and download
Export the scaled video. Resizing re-encodes the frames, so a longer clip takes a single-threaded while to finish.
Why does a smaller resolution mean a smaller file?
A video frame is a grid of pixels, and resolution is how many pixels that grid holds. 1080p is 1920×1080 — about 2.07 million pixels per frame — while 720p is 1280×720, only about 0.92 million. Dropping to 720p means each frame carries less than half the pixels, and since the encoder has far less detail to store, the bitrate needed to keep it looking clean falls, and the file shrinks with it. Halving the resolution roughly quarters the pixel count, which is why resizing is such a blunt, effective way to cut size.
| Name | Pixels | Megapixels/frame | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p | 1920×1080 | 2.07 | Full HD — most phone capture |
| 720p | 1280×720 | 0.92 | HD — light, still crisp on phones |
| 480p | 854×480 | 0.41 | SD — small files, quick sharing |
| 360p | 640×360 | 0.23 | Tiny previews, thumbnails |
Should you resize or compress?
They attack file size from different directions and work best together. Resizing removes pixels — fewer to store per frame. Compressing keeps the same pixels but stores them with a higher CRF. For a big reduction, resize first to a resolution that suits where the video is going, then compress what remains; you get a much smaller file than either alone, without pushing the quality of a single frame too hard. Do not upscale, though — enlarging a 480p clip to 1080p adds pixels but no real detail, and only makes the file bigger.
What are the browser limits?
Resizing re-encodes every frame on the single-threaded WebAssembly engine, so it is slower than a desktop app and bound by the tab’s memory on large inputs — but scaling *down* actually eases that, since a 720p output is far lighter to encode than 1080p. Keep the source clip short and the job stays comfortable; the workbench warns and offers cancel if a file is too large to handle.
Is my video uploaded to resize it?
No. The scaling runs on your device through ffmpeg.wasm — the file is processed in memory and returned as a download, never sent to a server. Prove it in DevTools → Network: no upload request appears, and the tool keeps working offline once loaded. Your footage never leaves your machine.
Related video and audio tools
Pair resizing with compress video for the smallest file, or compress to a target size when you have a hard megabyte limit. Change the frame shape with crop video. And if the picture is not needed at all, extract just the audio as MP3 for the tiniest possible share.
Your files never leave your device
Processed locally in your browser — nothing is uploaded. You can verify it yourself: open your browser’s developer tools, watch the Network tab, and use the tool — no upload request is ever made.
Frequently asked questions
How do I make a video smaller without cropping it?
Resize it to a lower resolution such as 720p or 480p. That keeps the whole frame and its aspect ratio, just with fewer pixels, so the file shrinks while the composition stays intact.
Does resizing keep the aspect ratio?
Yes. You set the target height and the width is calculated to match, so a 16:9 clip stays 16:9 and nothing is stretched or squashed.
How much smaller is 720p than 1080p?
720p holds under half the pixels of 1080p per frame, so files are typically roughly half the size or less at a comparable quality. 480p shrinks them further still.
Can I upscale a video to a higher resolution?
You can enlarge it, but you will not gain real detail — the encoder invents pixels, and the file only gets bigger. Upscaling is rarely worth it; resize down, not up.
Should I resize or compress to shrink a file?
Both, in that order. Resize to a sensible resolution first, then compress. Together they cut size far more than either alone, without pushing any single frame’s quality too hard.
What resolution should I use for the web?
720p is a good default — crisp on phones and most screens while staying light. Use 1080p only when detail really matters, and 480p when small size is the priority.
Is resizing private?
Yes. It runs entirely in your browser through ffmpeg.wasm, with no upload. You can confirm there is no network request in your developer tools.