How to Reduce From an MPEG File to Smaller

Stop worrying about the large file sizes of your video recordings.

Video files are some of the most common--and space-consuming--files on any PC. Whether they are downloaded music videos, childhood memories or a clip of a school play, they are usually of precious value to the user, so nobody likes the dreaded task of having to delete them to free up space on a hard drive. Their large sizes also make them difficult to share by email. Luckily, Microsoft's free utility, "Windows Movie Maker," provides the opportunity to reduce the sizes of MPEG video files so that you can easily share them or keep them on storage devices.

Things You'll Need

• Windows computer with Windows Movie Maker

Instructions

1. Click the "Start" button on the lower left-hand corner of your screen on the desktop, then select "All Programs" and click "Windows Movie Maker" to open the program.

2. Click "File" at the top of the window and select "Import Media Items" (or Ctrl + I on your keyboard).

3. Navigate to the MPEG file you wish to reduce and click "Import."

4. Drag the file to the Storyboard at the bottom of the screen after it appears in the collection area.

5. Click "File" and select "Publish Movie" (or press the shortcut, Ctrl + P, on your keyboard).

6. Highlight "This computer" under the window asking you to select where you would like to publish the video, and then click "Next."

7. Give your file a name (it could be the same name), choose a location you would like it to be stored and then click "Next."

8. Click the "Compress to:" option and select the exact size (in megabytes) you would like the new file to be. Take caution, however; the lower the file size, the poorer the video quality.

9. Click "Publish." After a short processing period, you should have your video in .WMV (Windows Media Video) format at your desired file size.

Tips & Warnings

• Note that a reduction in the size of a video file WILL result in a poorer-quality video. Keep the original file in case you are not satisfied with the output and compress it again at a different file size.

References

• Microsoft: Publish a Movie in Windows Movie Maker