How to Compress a Video on Android

By CleanX TeamPublished October 27, 2026

Quick answer

Google Photos has no export-size setting, but you can trim a video and tap Save to keep a shorter copy, then delete the original.
To keep a full-length video in the cloud but off your phone, back it up in Storage saver and use Free up space on this device.
To shrink the file on your phone, use a video compression app such as CleanX.

Android’s Google Photos app can edit videos, but its help pages don’t describe a way to export a video at a lower resolution. These are the options Google does describe, plus what an app adds.

Trim a video in Google Photos

Step 1: Open the video
In Google Photos, open the video you want to edit.
Step 2: Trim it
Touch and hold, then drag the trim handles to select the part you want to keep.
Step 3: Save a copy
Tap Save at the top. Google says this saves a copy of the video with your edits.
Step 4: Delete the original
Check the copy, then delete the full-length original to free the space.

Keep a smaller copy in the cloud instead

Storage saver backup: in Google Photos, tap your profile picture, then Google Photos settings › Backup › Photos & videos quality, and choose Storage saver. Google says videos higher than 1080p are resized to 1080p; videos at 1080p or less look close to the original. Google also notes some items can’t be compressed, and you can’t change backup quality while you’re out of storage.
Then free the device copy: tap your profile picture, then Free up space on this device, and confirm with Free up [x] from device. Google says this deletes the copies on your phone of all backed-up photos and videos, not just one video; items under 30 days old may stay on the phone. Check your backup first.
This frees phone space, but the backed-up copy usually still counts toward your Google storage. See Gmail storage full.

Making videos smaller on Android: Google Photos vs. CleanX
	Google Photos	CleanX
Shorter video	Trim and save a copy	Not covered
Lower resolution on the phone	No export-size option in Google’s help pages	High (1080p), Medium (720p) or Low (480p), with an estimated size first
Original video	Kept until you delete it	Saved as a new copy, then CleanX deletes the original (on Android 10 and later you confirm in Android’s prompt)
Cost	Free	Viewing sizes free; compressing needs CleanX Pro

CleanX

Compress videos on Android with CleanX

CleanX lists your videos largest first and shows an estimated new size for High (1080p), Medium (720p) and Low (480p) before you start. It saves the smaller copy as a new video (on Android 10 and later, in Movies/CleanX), then deletes the original; on Android 10 and later you confirm that in Android’s prompt. If a video wouldn’t get meaningfully smaller, CleanX leaves it as it is.

Videos sorted largest first
Estimated size before you compress
Viewing sizes is free; compressing needs CleanX Pro

See everything CleanX does →

Before you compress

Keep the original if quality matters: a compressed copy can’t be turned back into the full-quality video.
More ways to make room: how to free up space on Android.

Frequently asked questions

How do I reduce video size on Android without an app?

Trim the video in Google Photos and tap Save to keep a shorter copy, then delete the original. Google’s help pages don’t describe a lower-resolution export.

Does Google Photos compress videos?

In Storage saver backup, Google says videos higher than 1080p are resized to 1080p. That’s the backed-up copy; the file on your phone stays the same until you free it.

Will compressing a video lower its quality?

A lower resolution makes the file smaller and less sharp. Keep the original if you need the full quality.

Where does CleanX save compressed videos on Android?

As a new video, in Movies/CleanX on Android 10 and later. CleanX then deletes the original, with Android’s confirmation on Android 10 and later.

Quick answer

Trim a video in Google Photos

Step 1: Open the video

Step 2: Trim it

Step 3: Save a copy

Step 4: Delete the original