Video Compressor

Compress an OBS recording

OBS files running into gigabytes? Fix the setting behind it, then drop the recordings you already have here, MKV or MP4.

Why OBS recordings get so big

The usual reason is rate control. Many setups record with CBR, a constant bitrate meant for streaming: OBS spends the same amount of data on every second, whether it’s a fast game or a still desktop, and a long session adds up to a huge file. In Simple output mode, the “Same as stream” recording quality does the same with your streaming bitrate.

For future recordings, open Settings › Output, set Output Mode to Advanced, and on the Recording tab change Rate Control from CBR to CQP, or to CRF with the x264 encoder. A value around 22 is the advice you’ll find most often on the OBS forums: lower is sharper and bigger, higher is smaller. Quality then follows the picture, so still scenes cost little and action gets the data it needs.

For recordings you already have, drop them here. OBS 30.2 added Hybrid MP4 (Hybrid MOV on a Mac), and OBS 32.0 made it the default for new setups, so your files may be MP4, or MKV from an older setup. Both work without converting first, and the result is an MP4 that editors, Discord and YouTube take.

Why compress OBS recordings here

  • MKV or MP4, as they are

    Drop the MKV or Hybrid MP4 straight from your recordings folder. There’s no need to remux it first.

  • A quality, not a bitrate

    Advanced mode aims for a quality level rather than a size, the same idea as CRF in OBS, so quiet scenes stop wasting space.

  • Long sessions stay on your computer

    When your browser can read the recording, it’s compressed on your PC or Mac, with no upload and no limit on length.

  • Games and desktops alike

    Fast gameplay needs a bigger file to stay sharp, while a desktop tutorial shrinks much further. Pick the preset to match.

How to compress an OBS recording

  1. 01

    Find your recordings

    In OBS, File › Show Recordings opens the folder they’re saved in.

  2. 02

    Drop one on the page

    MKV, MP4 or MOV, it doesn’t matter. Balanced is selected; Strong or Advanced make it smaller.

  3. 03

    Download the result

    Check a fast scene in the preview, then save the MP4. The original recording isn’t changed.

Questions

Can’t find your answer? Write to feedback@videocompressor.xyz.

Does OBS still record MKV by default?

Not on new setups. OBS 30.2 added Hybrid MP4, which survives a crash the way MKV does, and OBS 32.0 made it the default for new setups (Hybrid MOV on a Mac). Older setups keep their setting, so plenty of people still record MKV. Either works here.

Which OBS settings make smaller recordings?

With Output Mode set to Advanced in Settings › Output, go to the Recording tab and change Rate Control to CQP, or CRF with x264, at around 22. Raise it a few steps for smaller files, lower it for sharper ones. If you record at your monitor’s full resolution, a lower output resolution in Settings › Video helps too, but keep it at 1080p or 720p when there’s text on screen: below 720p, small text blurs.

Do I have to remux an MKV to MP4 first?

No. Drop the MKV here and you get a smaller MP4 in one step. If you only want an MP4 without making it smaller, our MKV to MP4 page copies the video in seconds without encoding it again, like File › Remux Recordings in OBS.

What if I record in HEVC or AV1?

Those work too when your browser can decode them. On Windows, HEVC needs Microsoft’s HEVC Video Extensions. When the browser can’t read the video, it goes to our server instead, which takes recordings up to 1 GB, 60 minutes and 4K (3840×2160).

How long can an OBS recording be?

In your browser, as long as you like: there’s no limit on length or size, only the free space your computer needs for the result. A recording that has to go to our server can be up to 60 minutes, so cut a longer session into parts with our video cutter first.

Will 60 fps gameplay stay smooth?

Yes, the frame rate is kept. Fast motion needs more data to stay sharp, though, so for gameplay use Light or Balanced, or cut the recording down to the best moments so the size goes further.

Is my recording uploaded?

Only if your browser can’t compress it. Then it’s sent to our server over an encrypted connection and deleted 2 hours later. The page shows which one it will use before you start.

Should I fix OBS or compress afterwards?

Both, ideally. Better settings in OBS make every future recording smaller at no cost. Compressing afterwards is for the recordings you already have, or for a copy that has to fit a particular upload limit, which you can type under Target size.

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