Video preparation guide
Choosing safe settings
The video workspace helps trim unwanted sections, change supported formats, compress large files and extract audio. Begin by checking duration, resolution and file size so the settings match the real purpose.
Resolution and bitrate affect size differently. Lower bitrate can reduce size while preserving dimensions; lower resolution reduces detail and processing load. Test a short segment before processing a long recording.
Quality checklist
A codec compresses video or audio; a container stores the streams and metadata. MP4 is a container commonly used with H.264 or H.265 video and AAC audio. WebM often contains VP9 or AV1. H.264 remains widely compatible. H.265 and AV1 can produce smaller files at similar quality, but older devices and editing software may not decode them smoothly.
If audio and video drift apart, preserve the original timestamps during conversion or normalize variable frame rate material. Do not repeatedly re-encode the same file because each lossy generation can reduce quality.
Verify every result
Save under a new name, play the beginning and end, and confirm that audio remains synchronized. Keep the source because repeated lossy conversions can reduce quality.
A practical selection checklist
Resolution describes the number of pixels in each frame. A 1920×1080 video is commonly called 1080p, while 3840×2160 is called 4K. More pixels can preserve detail on large screens, but those pixels need enough bitrate and a capable codec. A low-bitrate 4K file may show more blockiness than a well-encoded 1080p file. The source also matters: upscaling a small original cannot recreate detail that was never captured.