A video compressor for Mac that never uploads your files
FFmix is a local-first video compressor for macOS. Pick a target size (or a quality level), and it computes the bitrate, adapts the encoder to the engine on your Mac, and writes the smaller file next to the original — all local, nothing uploaded. You review the final literal command before it runs.
Two ways to compress
Compress to fit a limit, or compress for the best quality-to-size — both run locally.
Type a number (e.g. 25 MB) and FFmix calculates a bitrate from the file duration, then uses the best supported engine path.
Keep visual quality fixed and let the size fall out. The App Store engine uses VideoToolbox quality levels; a full software ffmpeg uses CRF.
On Apple Silicon, FFmix can use Apple’s VideoToolbox encoder, so exports are fast and battery-friendly.
Pick a setting for the job
| Goal | Setting | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Send on chat apps | Target size (Discord ≤ 10 MB · Email ≤ 20 MB · WeChat ≤ 25 MB) | Duration-aware bitrate, scaled to 720p — small enough to send, still watchable |
| Best quality per MB | H.264, CRF 20–23 | Visually near-lossless, meaningfully smaller than the source |
| Smallest archive | H.265 / HEVC, CRF 24 | ≈ half the H.264 size; -tag:v hvc1 so QuickTime plays it |
| Old-device safe | H.264 + yuv420p | Plays on virtually every device, browser and platform |
How target-size compression works
For a target size, FFmix subtracts a small audio budget and divides the rest by the clip duration to get a video bitrate. It then adapts the recipe to the active engine: the Mac App Store build uses Apple VideoToolbox in capped single-pass ABR, while a compatible external software ffmpeg may use two-pass encoding. A 25 MB preset on the App Store build looks like this:
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf scale=-2:720 -c:v h264_videotoolbox -allow_sw 1 -b:v 1450k -c:a aac -b:a 96k output.mp4Expand Advanced to see, copy, or edit the final adapted command before it runs — the command shown is the command run. Output is written as name-compressed.mp4 next to the source and never overwrites the original.
When a dedicated compressor isn’t the right tool
- You need Windows or Linux — FFmix is macOS-only. (HandBrake is cross-platform.)
- You’re mastering for delivery and need ProRes / lossless output rather than a smaller file.
- You want a full timeline editor with effects and color grading — that’s an NLE, not a compressor.
FAQ
Does FFmix upload my video to compress it?
No. Compression runs on your Mac through the bundled, open-source ffmpeg engine. Nothing is uploaded, and it works offline.
How do I compress a video to a specific size (like 25 MB) on Mac?
Set a target size in Compress (or pick a preset such as WeChat ≤ 25 MB). FFmix computes the bitrate from the target and clip length. The App Store build uses capped VideoToolbox ABR; a full software ffmpeg can use two-pass encoding.
What is the best codec to shrink a video on Mac?
H.265 (HEVC) gives roughly half the size of H.264 at similar quality and plays on modern Apple devices. Use H.264 when you need maximum compatibility with older devices and browsers.
Will compressing reduce the quality?
Some. FFmix tunes for watchable results and shows the final bitrate or quality setting before you confirm. A very long clip may need trimming or a lower resolution to hit a small target.
Unlimited local compression on the free version · no account · nothing uploaded.