9 Methods to Compress MOV Files on Windows, Mac, and Online (2024)

MOV is a video container format developed by Apple. An MOV file can store one or more tracks containing audio, video, or text data, and can preserve details. However, more details ensure better quality but also result in larger file sizes. Sometimes, you may find it necessary to compress a .mov file for email or easy sharing on social media. To get the desired compression results, you need a great MOV compressor.

We tested and reviewed 9 of the best MOV compressors, catering to different users’ skill levels, devices, and compression needs. Dive into the guide to learn about their key compression features, pros, cons, and tutorials on how to compress MOV files. You’re sure to find a decent one fitting your needs here and stay tuned for more to come!

In this section, I’ll introduce the compression capabilities and extra unique features of these 9 video compressors, alongside a simple guide on how to condense MOV files. Now, walk with us to determine which one is the best for your needs. Then download it and follow our instructions to get started.

✅ See how to compress MOV files on PC using its impressive batch compression feature:

Step 1. Download and install WonderFox HD Video Converter Factory Pro on your Windows devices.

Step 2. Launch the program and open ‘Converter’.

Step 3. Click on the ‘Add Files’ or ‘Add Video Folder’ buttons to import your MOV videos. Or, you can directly drag and drop them into the conversion window.

Step 4. Open format library and navigate to ‘Video’ > ‘MOV’ if you want to keep the original format.

Step 5. Click the bottom ‘Batch Compression’ button and drag the slider to change the compression ratio of your MOV files. The estimated file size is displayed in real time on the conversion list.

Step 6. Set an ‘Output folder’ and press ‘Run’ to start compressing MOV files in bulk on Windows.

Pros:

• Beginner-friendly
• Efficient batch compression button
• Multiple compression methods
• Hardware acceleration
• Compress and convert MOV to 600+ profiles
• Extensive features (incl. conversion, editing, recording, downloading, more)

Cons:

• The program currently only works on Windows.

✅ See how to reduce the size of MOV file on Mac with iMovie:

Step 1. Create a new project in iMovie and then import your MOV video into it.

Step 2. Drag the video onto the timeline and use the cut or split feature to reduce the size of your MOV file. But if you want to keep your video whole, skip this step and move on.

Step 3. Click on the ‘Share’ button followed by ‘File’.

Step 4. To compress the .mov file, you can select a lower output resolution and quality, and set the ‘Compress’ to ‘Faster’.

Step 5. Finally, click ‘Next...’ to finish the export settings.

Pros:

• Easy to access
• Safe and free
• Include basic compression options
• Suitable for beginners

Cons:

• Offer limited compression settings
• Mac-exclusive

✅ Here is how to use this native MOV file compressor on Mac:

Step 1. Open your source video with QuickTime Player.

Step 2. You can optionally choose to reduce MOV size by shortening its length. Click ‘Edit’ > ‘Trim’.

Step 3. Then go to ‘File’ > ‘Export As…’.

Step 4. From the pop-up menu, choose a resolution lower than the original one.

Step 5. Name your compressed MOV and set a location to export it.

Pros:

• Built-in on Mac devices
• Quick and easy

Cons:

• Limited compression options
• It can only trim the beginning and the end of your video.

✅ Learn how to compress MOV files on Windows with HandBrake:

(Warm-Tips: Although the UI design of HandBrake on MacOS is slightly different from that on Windows, the compression settings used for shrinking MOV are essentially the same.)

Step 1. Download and install Handbrake.

Step 2. Click ‘File’ or drag your target MOV video to import it. HandBrake also has a batch mode.

Step 3. From the ‘Format’ drop-down menu, you’re highly recommended to choose ‘MP4’. Because the MP4 format is more compressed than MOV and thus result in a smaller size.

Step 4. If you need a smaller MOV file, switch to other tabs like ‘Dimensions’, ‘Video’, or ‘Audio’ to tweak the codecs, frame rate, bitrate, audio bitrate, sample rate, channel, subtitle, and more to continue shrinking it.

Step 5. Finally, hit the ‘Browse’ button to choose an output folder and click the green ‘Start Encode’ button to start the MOV compression immediately.

Pros:

• Free and open-source
• Multi-platform support
• No size limitation
• Batch mode
• Support digital videos, DVDs, and Blu-ray

Cons:

• Can’t preview the estimated compressed file size
• Encoding settings seem overwhelming for novices
• Longer encoding time when processing large or high-definition video

✅ Check out how to compress .mov file with VLC here:

Step 1. Download and install VLC Media Player on your device.

Step 2. Go to ‘Media’ > ‘Convert/Save’.

Step 3. Click on the ‘+ Add’ button to load the MOV video file you want to compress with VLC. Then select ‘Convert/Save’.

Step 4. In the ‘Profile’ drop-down list, choose a format based on your file purpose like ‘Video-H.264+MP3 (MP4)’.

Step 5. Continue to adjust other settings in the ‘Edit selected profile’ section. Here you can control the video bitrate, frame rate, and resolution. Don’t forget to click ‘Save’ to confirm your changes.

Step 6. Click on the ‘Browse’ button to choose an output path. Finally, click on the ‘Start’ button to begin the compression process.

Pros:

• Cross-platform
• Functional
• Open-source and free
• Compress videos of all formats with high quality

Cons:

• Don’t have a straightforward compression workflow

✅ We’ll walk you through how to compress MOV files using Media Encoder:

Step 1. Download and install Media Encoder (Website down) on your computer.

Step 2. Start the software and go to ‘File’ > ‘Add Source’ to add the target MOV file to the queue.

Step 3. Find the ‘Preset’ menu on the right of the interface. Choose an output preset with a lower resolution or frame rate. If you’re going to post on your social media, choose one of the web presets for YouTube, Vimeo, Twitter, and Facebook.

Step 4. If needed, you can click the file name and open ‘Export Settings’ to configure more detailed export options like bitrate, render quality, estimated file size, etc.

Step 5. Once done, set a file location and click the green arrow icon at the top of the interface to start compressing.

Pros:

• Host of compression presets
• A range of built-in web presets
• Can work with Adobe programs

Cons:

• It is bundled with Adobe Premiere Pro or other Adobe subscriptions and is not available for purchase separately.

✅ Here is how to compress an MOV file by lowering its resolution only in FFmpeg:

Step 1. Download and install FFmpeg on your device.

Step 2. Then, locate the .mov file you want to compress in File Explorer.

Step 3. Replace its file path in the address bar with ‘cmd’ and press ‘Enter’ to bring up the FFmpeg command window.

Step 4. Execute this command and press ‘Enter’ to start the MOV compression:
ffmpeg -i input.mov -vf scale=720:480 -c:a copy downscale.mov

Don’t forget to change the ‘input’ to your filename. You can set the output resolution to your desired value.

(🔔🔔Note: We have a complete guide about compressing videos with FFmpeg. You can read it to discover more commands to help shrink your MOV files with ease: Beginner Guide on How to Compress Video with FFmpeg on Windows)

Pros:

• Cross-platform
• Open-source and free
• Control MOV compression quality and speed
• Convert and edit MOV while compressing
• Support a wide range of video formats and codecs

Cons:

• Steep learning curve

✅ Follow these simple steps to reduce a MOV file of size up to 2GB:

Step 1. Open the compressor here: https://www.redpandacompress.com/

Step 2. Click ‘Choose a file’ to load your MOV video into the browser compressor.

Step 3. After importing, you can preview the video. Below the preview window, there is a suggested size. You can leave it as the default or change it for your actual needs.

Step 4. Finally, click ‘Start Compression’.

Pros:

• File size up to 2GB
• Easy to use
• Unlimited usage times
• No need to sign up
• No watermark
• Specify output file sizes

Cons:

• Limited compression options

✅ See how to use this free online MOV compressor below:

Step 1. Visit https://www.freeconvert.com/video-compressor

Step 2. Click ‘Choose Files’ to add your MOV file from the local disk. You can also load the video from Dropbox, Google Drive, or URL.

Step 3. From the ‘Output’ drop-down menu, choose a video format. Then click on the wrench-shaped ‘Settings’ icon to enter the ‘Advanced Options (Optional)’ window.

Step 4. Select a compression method and adjust the settings based on your choice. To save your selections, click ‘Apply Settings’.

Step 5. Finally, hit ‘Compress Now!’ to start compressing.

Pros:

• Simple to use
• No watermark
• No need to sign up to use
• A target file size feature
• Adjust encoding settings or trim to compress

Cons:

• 5 conversion minutes limit per file for free usage

I recently saw a Reddit user asking for a solution to ‘resize .MOV file without losing quality’. But compressing videos generally results in some loss of quality inevitably as details are removed. However, by choosing the right compression methods and tools, it’s possible to compress video file sizes without noticeable loss in quality.

From the list above, WonderFox HD Video Converter Factory Pro is a top pick for lossless video compression. Continue reading to see how to compress a .mov without losing visual quality step by step:

I test a 3.55GB MOV movie using WonderFox HD Video Converter Factory Pro and other tools for Windows in the list above, compressing it to less than 2GB. Here are the results:

There are many ways to compress MOV video files.

If you just need a single-featured MOV size reducer for shrinking sizes quickly without quality requirements, then opt for iMovie, QuickTime, or RedPanda Compress.

If you want to have a control over the compression results but also need it to be quick and easy to operate, then look no further than WonderFox HD Video Converter Factory Pro [Quick DownloadQuick Download].

Prefer a free MOV compressor with different compression settings? You can try HandBrake, VLC Media Player, or FFmpeg.

For Adobe users, Media Encoder is sure a smart choice.

Just choose the best one according to your needs. If you have better compression suggestions or run into trouble when compressing video or audio files, feel free to contact us on Facebook or X.

Thanks for reading till the end. Have a nice day!

In the end, we’ve also collected some frequently asked questions about MOV file compression and explored the answers. Read on if you’re interested.

Yes. MOV is a container format that can employ different codecs for storing video, audio, and other data. You can compress MOV files by changing its format, codec, video and audio settings, or by trimming.

Depending on your device or compression needs, you can choose a free video compressor from our crafted list such as QuickTime player, HandBrake, VLC, or FFmpeg.

To compress a video on iPhone, you can try iMovie or a third-party compression app from the App Store, like Video Compress, Compress Videos & Resize Video, and Video compressor.

You can compress a MOV file in QuickTime by exporting it with a lower resolution. Here are the steps:

Step 1. Open the MOV video with QuickTime Player.

Step 2. Then navigate to ‘File’ > ‘Export As…’.

Step 3. Choose a lower resolution to save the MOV in a smaller size.

Yes. There are many MOV compressor freeware options. To narrow down your choices, we’ve made some picks in this comprehensive guide, including iMovie, HandBrake, VLC, FFmpeg, RedPanda Compress, and FreeConvert.

There is no such one-size-fits-all solution. The ‘best’ criteria vary depending on different user’s skill levels, budgets, compression requirements, project purposes, etc. For example, if you’re looking for a quick and worry-free way to process large and high-definition videos (up to 8K) on Windows, WonderFox HD Video Converter Factory Pro proves to be a prudent choice. It features a batch compression button and also offers customizable compression options.