Compressing your video files is crucial if you plan on sending it via email as an attachment or uploading it to video-on-demand services like YouTube, Vimeo or an online coaching platform like Kobocourse.
There are lots of video compression software out there but my absolute favourite is Handbrake.
Handbrake is an open-source, free video converting software that can convert and compress nearly any video file format to modern file formats.
It is supported on Windows, Mac OSX and Linux.
The best part is, it's FREE. *I think I said that already*
How to use HandBrake
Handbrake is available for Windows, Mac OSX and Linux operating systems so to get started, visit HandBrake official website here.
HandBrake should automatically detect your operating system but if it doesn't, click here to go directly to the download page and select your operating system.
Once downloaded, open the installer and install it on your system. This process is very straight forward but if you encounter any issues, a quick Google search will be sufficient to help you fix it.
How to Use Handbrake to Convert Videos
Using Handbrake to convert videos is very simple. All you need is a video to convert and a destination folder to store your converted video file.
Here is how.
Locate the Handbrake file on your computer and click on it to open. For Mac OSX which I'd be using for the rest of this demonstration, the application file is located at Applications -> Handbrake
Once opened, Handbrake will automatically open your system file dialogue box as shown in the image below.
Select your source video file and click open.
If you are not sure of the file format you want to convert your video files into, Handbrake comes with a ton of presets you can choose from.
Choose a preset that works best for your needs or read the documentation if you're not sure which preset is right for you.
In my case, I'm going for the Vimeo YouTube HQ 1080p60 which is a high-quality HD format that is perfect for high-definition videos.
This is located under Presets -> Web -> Vimeo YouTube HQ 1080p60
Once you select your preset, set your file output name and select a destination folder as shown below.
If you're an advanced user and you know exactly what you're doing, you can adjust the video and audio codecs to match your needs but that is beyond the scope of this guide.
Preview Your Video
You can preview your video before converting by clicking on the preview button as shown below.
This will give you a glimpse of what the final video output will look like.
If you're satisfied with your output, click on Start to begin the conversion process.
Once Handbrake is down with all its wizardry, you will get a prompt notifying you.
Open your destination folder and inspect the video file that has been converted.
If you're not happy with the results, you can change the presets and try again.
Hope you found this post helpful? If you have any questions about using Handbrake, leave it in the comment section below, I'll be there to help.
