Does Zipping a Video Reduce Quality?

If you’ve ever tried to send a large video file and got hit with a “file too big” error, you’ve probably been told to ZIP it. But does that actually shrink the file? And more importantly—will it mess with the video quality?

What Actually Happens When You ZIP a Video File?

Think of a ZIP file like a suitcase. You’re not changing what’s inside—just packaging it in a way that’s easier to carry (or in this case, send or store). When you ZIP a video, you're compressing the file using lossless compression. That means the video’s data isn’t changed or reduced—it’s just restructured to take up less space temporarily.

ZIP files—not just videos—are handy when you’re sending large files over email or bundling multiple items together (like clips, music, or thumbnails). It's also a great solution for saving storage space without permanently altering your original files

Does Zipping a Video Lower Its Quality?

Zipping video files doesn’t reduce quality. ZIP compression doesn’t affect the actual video resolution, frame rate, or bitrate. It’s not like video editing software that compresses visuals by cutting corners—it just tucks everything into a neat bundle.

So, if you’ve heard that using a ZIP file reduces video quality, you can go ahead and cross that off your worry list.

However, issues like corruption during transfer or failed downloads can make a file unplayable—but that’s got nothing to do with the ZIP itself. Just make sure to unzip the file properly before trying to play the video.

Why ZIP a Video File in the First Place?

When you ZIP a single video, you won’t always see a huge size reduction. But creating a ZIP file does make it easier to:

• Send a video as a ZIP file via email or messaging apps
• Upload a collection of videos at once
• Share across devices without needing multiple links

What About Compressing a PDF That Has a Video Inside?

If your video is part of a PDF—say, embedded in a digital report or presentation—it might be tempting to run that PDF through a compression tool to shrink the whole thing. While Smallpdf’s Compress PDF is great for trimming file size, it’s not ideal for embedded videos.

That’s because video files are already pretty hefty on their own, and PDF compression tools focus on reducing text and image data. Videos inside a PDF often don’t shrink much (or at all), and you could end up with a file that’s still too large to send—or worse, with a video that doesn't play correctly anymore—or at all.

If size is the issue, it’s usually better to remove the embedded video, and compress the PDF and video separately before sending them on.

Keep the media files separate when you can, and let each tool do what it does best.

Step-by-Step How To ZIP a Video File

On Windows

1. Right-click the video file.
2. Choose Send to > Compressed (zipped) folder.
3. A ZIP file will appear in the same folder. Done!

On Mac

1. Right-click or Control-click the video file.
2. Select Compress “[filename]”.
3. A ZIP file will be created instantly.

If you have a bunch of videos, you can ZIP them all at once—just select them all before right-clicking.

Zipping Videos on Mobile Devices

ZIP a Video on Android

Android users can use the built-in Files app or a third-party app like ZArchiver:

1. Open the app, find your video, and select “Compress” or “ZIP”
2. The file will be saved in the same folder or Downloads

Like desktop compression apps, ZArchiver shouldn’t alter the quality of the video. But confirm this by using both the built-in Files app and ZArchiver to compress a video. Unpack it again and check the quality of the video.

ZIP a Video on iPhone

With iPhones, the Files app lets you create ZIPs:

1. Open the Files app and find your video.
2. Tap and hold the video file
3. Choose “Compress”
4. A ZIP file appears instantly

This is also helpful when you want to play a ZIP file video on iPhone—just unzip it first using the Files app or a tool like Keka, then open the video in your player of choice.

How To ZIP Video Files on a Chromebook

If you’re using a Chromebook, here’s how to ZIP video files for email:

1. Open the Files app
2. Select your video file(s)
3. Right-click and choose Zip selection
4. A ZIP file will appear in your Downloads folder

You can then attach the ZIP to an email or upload it to Drive.

What If Your Video’s Still Too Big?

Sometimes zipping just isn’t enough—especially if you’re working with a high-res video, a long recording, or something that’s already been compressed. ZIP files can only do so much when the original video is already efficient in how it stores data.

If your zipped file is still too large to send or upload, it might be time to look into other options. One way is to use a dedicated video compression tool, like Handbrake, VLC, or—for online compression—VEED. These tools let you lower the resolution, adjust the bitrate, or switch to a different video format.

Tools like 7-Zip and Keka do allow you to split a single large file into smaller, zipped files, but this might not work smoothly for videos.

All Your Zipping Questions, Answered

How do I convert a video to a ZIP file?

Right-click (or long-press on mobile), choose “Compress” or “ZIP,” and a ZIP file version will be created with the original video inside. It’s super quick—no special software needed on most devices. Once zipped, the file’s easier to email, upload, or store without taking up as much space.

How do you compress a video with ZIP?

ZIP compression is lossless. It reduces file size by reformatting how the data is stored, without changing the actual content. Basically, it tidies things up without throwing anything out, so you keep the original video quality but get a smaller package to work with.

What’s the easiest way to reduce the size of a video file?

Use a video compressor or reduce the resolution. If you only need a slight size drop for easier sharing, creating a ZIP file works well too. For bigger reductions, though, lowering the quality or trimming the video might be your best bet. That means changing from 1080p to 720p, or even lower. A lot depends on how the video is going to be used.

Can I create a ZIP file for a video on my phone or computer?

Yes! Android, iPhone, Windows, macOS, and Chromebooks all offer ways to make a video into a ZIP file, either natively or with an app. You just need to find your video, tap a couple of buttons, and boom—you’re good to go. It’s a handy little trick to have up your sleeve when sending stuff around.