Recording videos is one of the things we do the most with our mobile phones, and sometimes there are some settings for this action that users miss, but that can help to have more free space on the terminal, and even better performance in certain cases. We tell you how to reduce the size of these videos.
A priori reducing the size of a video would be something simple once we have recorded it, but in this case we mean that the video is already saved with a lower weight than usual, and it is something that can be done in many different ways.
Why reduce the size of the videos?
It is evident that each new generation of mobiles that we know, the content that they are capable of generating is greater. If until recently the standard was to record in Full HD, now most mid-range mobiles can already record video in 4K , which multiplies by four the weight of the video in the internal storage of the terminal. We even already have high-end mobiles, the main top of the range, where the standard is already recording with a quality of up to 8K . To get an idea, a one-minute video can weigh the following depending on the resolution at which it is recorded:
- One minute of video in Full HD resolution at 30fps occupies 130MB
- One minute of video in 4K resolution at 30fps takes 375MB
- One minute of video in 8K resolution occupies 600MB
Therefore, it is evident that taking measures so that these videos take up less space can become very important if we do not have a lot of space. We have many options to reduce the size of these videos , and logically the most helpful solution is to reduce the recording resolution of the videos, which would be the first thing anyone would do to combat this problem on our phones. But there is another way to do it, and that is by changing the codec with which the videos are recorded.
What is a codec?
Normally we are talking about software, a video compression algorithm . Like the images that we can save in different formats, some losing more image quality and others less. The same thing happens with videos, since depending on the codec we use, the resulting file will have a smaller or larger size, sacrificing more or less the quality of the video. Then there is another important aspect of video recording, such as the compatibility of the videos when we share them in other apps with other people.
And what we are going to see now is that we can not only reduce the size, but in another option you can choose to save the video with greater general compatibility. And all of this is possible by choosing the right codec. With this we will achieve that when recording video, it can be saved with a more compact size automatically, without having to do anything additional.
What codec to choose?
Well, many of our mobiles allow us to choose which codec to use when recording video. And we usually have two options, H.265 and H.264 . The differences between the two are important, and like everything else, they have their pros and cons. In this case, we must be clear about what one or the other provides us to make the best possible choice. In the case of H.264, we have a more veteran codec, in fact it has been behind for many years, and it is the one used by the most veteran mobiles. This logically increases the compatibility with more devices, because it will be rare that a mobile to which we send this type of videos cannot open them due to compatibility problems. The H.265 codec is more recent, dating from 2014, and hit the market to offer the same image quality as the previous format, although taking up much less storage space. In fact, while the compression ratio of the H.264 codec is 1/50, in the case of H.265 it is 1/100 , so we have twice the compression with the same image quality.
Well, the choice of the codec should be related to the resolution of the videos that we are going to record. Because the higher the resolution, for example 4K or 8K, it is convenient to use the H.265 codec , since the videos will not weigh so much and the quality will be maintained. On the other hand, if we record videos in Full HD or lower, it will be perfect to have the H.264 codec, since we will maintain good compression, and greater compatibility with other devices. Therefore, if you are used to sharing your videos with other people or on networks, it is best to use the H.264 codec, because it is more compatible. But if you want to save space on your mobile, recording at a higher resolution without drastically increasing the size of the videos, it is best to choose the H.265 format.
How do I change this setting on mobile?
Well, it is quite simple, since it is usually found in the video recording settings of the phone. This is something quite common to different manufacturers. Basically these tend to sell it as saving videos of high efficiency or more compatible, the first to record it in H.265 and the second in H.264 .
Samsung
To change it on these phones we must open the camera app and enter the video recording settings. Within advanced video recording options we find an option called ” High efficiency videos ” that we must activate so that the video is recorded with a smaller size, maintaining the quality.
Realme
In this case we also have to enter the camera settings. From them we must move to the video recording settings, where we find a function called ” Video encoding ” in which you can choose between two settings, High efficiency for H.265 and More compatible for H.264.
Motorola
In the case of these mobiles we must also open the camera and enter its settings. Inside them there is a function called ” Useful videos ” and that activates the recording with H.265 so that these videos take up less space while preserving the quality.
Xiaomi
In these mobiles we must also open the camera and access the settings. From there we will have to access the ” Video encoder ” function where we can choose once again between the H.265 or H.264 codec, we will have to choose the first one so that the videos take up less space when recording them.
