How to resize a video
Getting a video down from 4K to 1080p, or to an exact width and height a platform expects, is a different setting than just compressing it. Here is how, in the browser.
Resizing vs. compressing a video
Resizing changes a video's actual pixel dimensions, such as scaling 3840×2160 (4K) down to 1920×1080, which reduces file size as a side effect but is really about matching what a platform, a screen or an upload limit expects. Compressing keeps the same dimensions and instead reduces the bitrate or re-encodes more efficiently to shrink the file size. A video that is both too large in resolution and too big in file size usually benefits from both, in that order.
In a phone editing app
CapCut and iMovie can export at a lower resolution, but the option is usually tucked into export settings rather than presented as a plain resize, and iMovie in particular does not let you type an arbitrary custom width and height, only its own preset options.
With desktop software
HandBrake, a free open-source video transcoder, resizes and compresses in one pass with fine control, but it is a full application to download and learn for what might be a single video, and its many options can be confusing for someone who just wants "smaller, same video."
Resizing without uploading the video
Stayput's resize video tool scales a video down (or to an exact width and height) directly in the browser tab: pick a common target like 1080p or 720p, or type exact dimensions, and it processes the file on your device with nothing uploaded. Pairing it with compress video afterward, if the file is still too large for an upload limit, handles both problems without needing a full editor.
Questions
What is the difference between resizing and compressing a video?
Resizing changes the actual pixel dimensions (like 4K to 1080p); compressing keeps the same dimensions but reduces bitrate or re-encodes to shrink the file size. A too-large video sometimes needs both.
Can I resize a video to an exact width and height, not just a preset?
Yes, Stayput's resize video tool accepts common presets like 1080p and 720p, or a custom width and height you type in.
Does resizing a video lose quality?
Scaling down loses some fine detail, the same as with a photo, but a well-chosen resolution for the video's content and viewing size is usually not noticeable; scaling up does not add real detail, only makes the file bigger.
Is there a video resizer with no upload and no watermark?
Yes, a browser-based one like Stayput's processes the video on your device and adds no watermark, since there is no server cost to recover.