How to Compress a Video on Android (Samsung, Pixel, and Others)
Make Android videos smaller: the camera settings that matter, how to trim in Google Photos or Samsung Gallery, and how to compress before sharing.
Android phones vary a lot by brand, but every one of them faces the same problem: modern cameras record large files. A minute of 4K at 60 fps can pass 300 MB. The good news is that the same few settings control size on every phone, and you can shrink existing clips in a couple of minutes.
The settings that control file size
| Setting | Smaller files | Where to look |
|---|---|---|
| Resolution | 1080p instead of 4K or 8K | Camera app, video mode, resolution icon or settings gear |
| Frame rate | 30 fps instead of 60 | Same menu as resolution on most phones |
| Codec | HEVC (H.265) instead of H.264 | Samsung: Camera settings, Advanced video options, High efficiency videos |
| Extras | HDR10+ and 8K off unless needed | Camera settings, video section |
Menu names change between brands and Android versions, but if you open the camera, switch to video, and tap the gear icon, you will find most of these within one or two taps. On Pixel phones the resolution and frame rate options sit in the video settings panel at the top of the camera screen.
Should you turn on HEVC?
HEVC roughly halves file size at the same quality, which is a big win for storage. The trade-off is compatibility: some older Windows PCs, smart TVs, and editing apps cannot play HEVC without an extra codec. If you mostly watch videos on your phone and share through messaging apps, turn it on. If you edit on an old computer, leave it off. More detail in H.264 vs H.265.
Trim before anything else
- Google Photos: open the video, tap Edit, drag the handles on the timeline, then tap Save copy.
- Samsung Gallery: open the video, tap the pencil (Edit) icon, drag the ends of the trim bar, then tap Save or Save as copy.
- Other brands: the gallery app nearly always has a trim tool under Edit.
Trimming removes footage without re-encoding the rest, so it is free in quality terms.
Compress a video you already recorded
- Open the BoltCompress compressor in Chrome or your phone browser.
- Tap the upload area and pick the video from your gallery or Files.
- Choose a level. The estimate under each one shows the expected size. High Efficiency is a good default.
- Pick MP4 output and tap Compress video.
- Tap Download when it finishes. The file lands in your Downloads folder, ready to share.
What messaging apps do to your video
WhatsApp and many SMS/MMS apps re-compress video before sending, sometimes heavily. Sending a file that is already small and efficient gives you a cleaner result on the other end. Google Messages with RCS chat sends larger files than old MMS, but quality still drops for big clips. The WhatsApp guide covers the details, and the upload limits page lists current limits for popular apps.
Saving storage
If the issue is storage rather than sharing, Google Photos can back up videos to the cloud and free the local copies (Photos, your profile, Free up space). Backups in Storage saver quality are re-compressed by Google, which is fine for casual clips but not for footage you may edit later.
Summary
Record at 1080p/30 with HEVC for everyday clips, trim in your gallery app, and compress long videos before you send them. Those three habits keep Android videos small without visible quality loss.
Quick answers
How do I reduce video size on Android?
Lower the recording resolution and frame rate in the camera settings, enable HEVC if your phone offers it, trim clips in your gallery app, and compress long videos before sending.
What is "High efficiency video" on Samsung phones?
It records in HEVC (H.265) instead of H.264, which makes files roughly half the size. Some older apps and PCs cannot play HEVC files.
Try it on your own video
Upload a video, see the estimated size for each level, and download a smaller file. Free, no install.
Open the compressor