Why is 7-Zip not reducing my video file size?

Videos like MP4 or MOV are already compressed. 7-Zip is a lossless archiver that can't find much redundant data in these formats, usually resulting in only a 1-2% size reduction.

Should I use 7z or ZIP for video compression?

7z is better for compression ratio (up to 30% better than ZIP), but ZIP has better compatibility. For significant video size reduction, transcoding is recommended over archiving.

Is 7-Zip compression lossless for video?

Yes, 7-Zip is 100% lossless. Your video quality will be exactly the same as the original after extraction.

What is the best way to shrink a video for Discord or Email?

Using a video transcoder like Winxvideo AI to convert the video to HEVC or lower the resolution is much more effective than using 7-Zip, often reducing size by over 90%.

How to Compress Video with 7-Zip: Does It Really Work? [2026 Guide]

7-Zip is a free open-source file-archiving application that can be used to compress files in many formats, with encryption ability. It provides a compression ratio that is 2%-10% better than that provided by WinZip and other similar Zip programs. It's a good idea to compress video files with 7-Zip for sharing, emailing, and uploading. If you don't know how to do so, learn about how to compress a video with 7-Zip.

Compress Video from GB to MB without Losing Quality

Compression ratio results quite depend on the data used for the test. When you add an MP4 video to a 7-Zip, it possibly just reduces the file size by roughly 2%-5%. For higher compression ratio and more compression options, resort to a professional video compressor - Winxvideo AI.

Reduce video size up to 90% off (from 1GB to 10MB) thanks to cutting-edge compression algorithms.
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A number of video compression features, such as cutting, trimming, lowering down resolution/frame rate, bit rate, etc.
Support tons of video formats, including H.264, HEVC, VP9, MPEG-4, MP4, MOV, AVI, WMV, and many more.
Support hardware acceleration, low CPU usage, no lagging, no crashes. 100% clean.

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Table of Content

Part 1. Can 7-Zip Effectively Compress Video Files? (2026 Reality Check)
Part 2. How to Use 7-Zip to Compress Video Files
Step 1. Add Your Video File
Step 2. Set in the Add to Archive Window
Step 3. Click OK to Start Zipping
Part 3. FAQs about How to Compress A Video with 7-Zip

Part 1. Can 7-Zip Effectively Compress Video Files? (2026 Reality Check)

Many users turn to 7-Zip hoping to shrink large MP4 or MKV files for Discord or Email. However, it is crucial to understand the technical reality: Most modern video formats are already highly compressed.

7-Zip (Lossless Archiving): Works by removing redundant data. It is perfect for text files but typically achieves only 1%–5% compression on already encoded videos.
Video Transcoding (Effective Compression): By using a dedicated tool like Winxvideo AI to adjust bitrates and codecs (like HEVC/H.265), you can reduce video size by 50%–90% without noticeable quality loss.

Compression Method	Ratio	Playability	Best For
7-Zip (Archiving)	1% - 5%	Must extract first	Bundling multiple files
Winxvideo AI (Transcoding)	50% - 90%	Instant Playback	Discord, Email, YouTube

Part 2. How to Use 7-Zip to Compress Video Files

Before you start to zip video files or folders on Windows, go to the 7-Zip official site, click its installer and install it on your Windows PC. There's a one-click installer, requiring no extra software. 7-Zip works on the following Windows operating system. Windows 11 is currently not supported.

Windows 11 / 10 / 8 / 7 / Vista / XP / 2019 / 2016 / 2012 / 2008 / 2003 / 2000.

Step 1. Add Your Video File

Open 7-Zip on your Windows PC. Locate the video files you want to compress with 7-Zip. Select the video file and click the Add button. You have to put all the video files in the same directory for compression.

Also check: 4dots Simple Video Compressor Crack Free Download

Step 2. Set in the Add to Archive Window

In the Add to Archive window, do the settings as you wish. You can choose how you compress your video files in 7-Zip, such as archive format, compression level, compression method, encryption, etc. Learn more details about Add to Archive settings below.

Archive format: it allows you to choose the file format. You'd better set the Archive format to zip for the best compression. 7-Zip has its own proprietary 7Z format and also supports compressing files to other common formats like TAR and ZIP.

Compression level: from Store (fastest compression speed) to Ultra (slowest compression speed with the smallest file size). Make a balance between compression time and compression ratio as you desire. The slowest compression speed means the smallest video file size.

Compression method — The LZMA option is highly recommended for video file compression in 7-Zip. LZMA guarantees a high compression ratio. Four compression methods with different algorithm languages are provided – LZMA, LZMA2, PPMd, and BZip2.

Encryption — It enables you to encrypt your compressed video files with a password. 7-Zip uses strong AES-256 encryption in 7z and ZIP formats. Click on the "Enter password" under Encryption, and enter your password, reenter the password to confirm.

Step 3. Click OK to Start Zipping

Click OK to save the settings after you've all set. The archive video file will be stored in the same place as the source video files.

Compared with PKZip and WinZip, 7-Zip offers a compression ratio that is 2-10 % better for ZIP and GZIP formats. Compression ratio results also depend on the data itself. For example, an H.264 video that is already compressed won't be compressed much with 7-Zip or other zip programs. When you add an MP4 video to a 7-zip archive, it possibly just reduces the file size by about 2%-5%. 7z format ensures 30-70% better compression than the zip format does.

You can also uncompress your video files with 7-Zip. Here's how to uncompress video files using 7-Zip. Right-click the archive file, select 7-Zip, then choose Extract Here, your archive file will be uncompressed to the same directory as the original archive file immediately.

Suggested Reading => How to Compress Large Video Files for Email

Part 3. FAQs about How to Compress Video with 7-Zip

1. Why is 7-Zip not significantly reducing my video file size?

Most modern video formats like MP4, MOV, and MKV are already heavily compressed using codecs like H.264 or HEVC. 7-Zip is a lossless archiver designed to find redundancy in uncompressed data (like text or database files). When applied to already compressed video, there is very little "empty space" to remove, resulting in a negligible size difference—often only 1% to 2%.

2. Should I compress video to 7z or ZIP format?

7z is recommended for higher compression. It uses the LZMA2 algorithm, which typically offers a 17%–30% better compression ratio than the standard ZIP format. However, while 7z produces smaller files, it has lower compatibility; the recipient will need 7-Zip or a similar utility to open it, whereas ZIP is natively supported by Windows and macOS.

3. How do I get the maximum compression ratio with 7-Zip?

To achieve the highest possible compression for video archives, follow these steps:

Right-click your video and select 7-Zip > Add to archive...
Set Archive format to 7z and Compression level to Ultra.
Select LZMA2 as the compression method and set a larger Dictionary size (e.g., 64MB) if your RAM allows.
Click OK to start. (Note: This still won't bypass the inherent limits of lossless compression on video files).

4. Is it safe to compress videos into 7z format?

Yes, 7-Zip uses lossless compression. This ensures the integrity of your video remains 100% intact. Once you extract the video from the archive, it will be bit-for-bit identical to the original, with absolutely no loss in visual or audio quality.

5. How do I send a large video that 7-Zip can't shrink enough?

If 7-Zip fails to meet size limits (like the Discord 25MB limit), you should switch from "archiving" to "transcoding." Using a professional tool like Winxvideo AI, you can convert the video to HEVC (H.265) or adjust the resolution (e.g., 4K to 1080p). This can reduce file size by up to 90% while keeping the video instantly playable on any device without extraction.