How to reduce the file size of a screen recording
Make a screen recording small enough to email, attach or upload without turning the text to mush: length, resolution, frame rate and bitrate, in that order.
Updated · 2 minute read · By the Sceed team
A video’s file size is its bitrate multiplied by its length. To make a screen recording smaller, cut it shorter first, then lower the export quality tier, then the resolution or frame rate. In Sceed the export dialog shows megabytes per minute for each quality tier before you start, so you can pick a size rather than guess.
What decides the size
File size is simple arithmetic: [bitrate](/glossary/bitrate) × duration. A 10 megabit per second video is about 75 megabytes a minute, whatever its resolution. Resolution and frame rate matter because sharper, smoother video needs a higher bitrate to look good.
| Change | Saves | Costs |
|---|---|---|
| Cut 30% of the length | 30% | Nothing, if it was dead time |
| Quality tier down one step | Roughly a third to a half | Slight softness in fast motion |
| 4K down to 1080p | A lot at the same quality | Fine detail when watched large |
| 60 fps down to 30 fps | Some | Smoothness of scrolling and cursor |
Start with the edit
The cheapest megabyte is the one you do not export. Trim the ends, cut the waiting and speed up slow parts. See trimming and cutting.
Then the picture
Still screens compress well. Video compression stores what changes. A static interface with a moving cursor is tiny. Animated backgrounds, video playing inside the recording and constant scrolling are large.
Flat colour compresses well. A solid or quiet background costs less than a busy picture.
Zooms cost a little. While the camera moves, the whole picture changes.
Size limits you will meet
Email: often 20 to 25 MB per message. Under two minutes at a modest quality, or send a link.
Chat tools: limits vary by plan. A short 1080p clip usually fits.
Issue trackers and pull requests: small limits. Consider a GIF or a short MP4.
Video sites: upload the highest quality you have. They re-encode it anyway.
Re-compressing a finished file
If you only have the exported MP4, a converter such as HandBrake can re-encode it smaller. Each re-encode loses a little quality, so exporting again from the project at a lower tier gives a better result than compressing an export.
With Sceed, step by step
- 1
Cut the video
Remove everything that is not needed. Every second removed is a second not stored.
- 2
Open Export
In Sceed, press Export and look at the size hint under the quality tiers.
- 3
Lower the quality tier
Choose Good instead of High or Ultra. For most interface recordings the difference is hard to see.
- 4
Lower the resolution
If it is still too large, export at 1080p instead of 4K.
- 5
Export and check
Export, then watch a part with small text and movement to make sure it is still readable.
New to Sceed? Install to export in five steps.
Questions
How big is a one-minute screen recording?
Multiply the bitrate in megabits per second by 7.5 to get megabytes per minute: 8 Mbps is about 60 MB a minute, 40 Mbps about 300 MB. Sceed shows megabytes per minute for each quality tier in the export dialog.
Does lowering resolution reduce file size?
Yes, when the bitrate falls with it. In Sceed the quality tiers scale with resolution, so a 1080p export is smaller than a 4K one at the same tier.
Is 30 fps enough for a screen recording?
For slides and mostly still screens, yes. For scrolling, dragging and zooms, 60 looks noticeably smoother.
Can I compress a video without losing quality?
Not strictly. A smaller H.264 file always discards some detail. The aim is to discard what nobody will notice: cut the length first, then step the quality down until small text in motion starts to smear, and go back one step.