How to Change Video Resolution on Windows and Mac [10 Best Ways]

Converting video resolution can be accomplished in several ways. Desktop apps, online services, and free tools are available to efficiently perform this task. This article will identify some of the most popular video converters to change the resolution of a video file.

We’ve created a table with some of the most efficient and convenient options to change video resolution. All of these are worth checking, so give this table a look and choose according to your needs.

OS: Windows, macOS

Best for: Rapid, high-quality video conversion

With this video quality converter from Movavi, you can easily convert your video file and change its resolution. It has an intuitive user interface and offers advanced converting tools. The program also supports a lot of video formats so you most likely won’t face any compatibility issues when converting your clip. Just follow the simple steps below to change the resolution and aspect ratio of your videos.

Step 1. Install the video converter from Movavi

Download the program for your PC or Mac by following the link below.

Download Movavi Video Converter

After the download is complete, install the program and run it.

Step 2. Add your videos to the converter

To upload your files to the program, click the Add Media button and then choose Add Video. In the new window that opens, locate your videos and click the Open button.

Step 3. Set the output format and resolution

Open the Video tab and find the desirable output format for your videos. There are two ways to change the video resolution: you can select the format preset with a predefined resolution, for example, MP4 H.264 - 640x480 or specify the resolution after you’ve selected the format.

If you want to specify the resolution manually, click the cogwheel icon below the presets tab, open the Frame size drop-down list and choose one of the resolutions. To set the custom video resolution, enter the desired values in the Width and Height boxes. Click the OK button to save the changes.

Step 4. Convert the video

To select the output folder for your files, click the Save to button. Finally, hit the Convert button. Now you know how to change the quality of a video with Movavi Video Converter!

OS: Windows, macOS, Linux

Best for: converting video files in the most common formats

VLC is one of the most popular cross-platform media players that also offers multiple video-editing features. With VLC, you can convert files, change video codecs and resolution. Note that VLC supports only a few output video formats and doesn’t have any premade video resolution presets. But if you want to convert your video to a popular format, like MP4, you can give VLC a try. To learn how to change the aspect ratio with VLC, read the instructions below.

Step 1. Download and install the VLC media player

Follow the link to download the VLC installation file for your PC or Mac.

Download VLC

After the file is downloaded, open it and follow the on-screen instructions to finish the installation and run the program.

Step 2. Add your video

To open your video with VLC, open the Media menu and click Convert / Save. In the new window that opens, click the Add button and locate your file. Next, hit the Convert / Save button in the lower right part of the window.

Step 3. Change the resolution of your clip

First, open the Profile menu and find a suitable preset for your video. We recommend you choose Video - H.264 + MP3 (MP4) since MP4 is supported by almost all devices. Then click the wrench icon to edit the selected profile. To change the aspect ratio of your video, open the Video codec tab, and then – Resolution. Enter the width and height for the resulting video in the corresponding boxes and click the Save button.

Step 4. Convert the video

Click the Browse button to enter the file name and specify the destination folder. When you’re done, hit Start and wait until the file is converted.

OS: Windows, macOS, Linux

Best for: advanced users with video editing experience

HandBrake is an open-source video converter available completely free of charge. It offers many advanced features, which makes it a great choice for more experienced users. You can use this video quality converter to change the file format, its video resolution, codecs, and much more. If you want to know how to use this video quality changer, just follow this guide.

Step 1. Install HandBrake

Use the link provided below to download HandBrake. The program is cross-platform and available for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Download HandBrake

Launch the installation file and complete the installation by following the instructions. After the installation is complete, run HandBrake.

Step 2. Upload your file to the program

If you want to change the video resolution of a single file, click the File button. To convert multiple files, click Folder (Batch Scan). Or you can drag and drop your videos into the program window.

Step 3. Change the video resolution

There are two ways to change the video resolution: you can use a premade preset or enter the width and height for your video manually. To use a premade preset, open the Preset drop-down list in the upper-left part of the program window. Select a suitable preset from the list.

If you want to set a custom video resolution, open the Dimensions tab and enter the needed values in pixels in the Width and Height fields.

Step 4. Convert the video

To start converting your clip, hit the Start Encode button in the top part of the program window. Now you know how to use HandBrake as a free video quality converter.

OS: Windows 10/8/8.1/7/Vista

Best for: converting videos to lower resolutions with a video downscaler

Freemake Video Converter is a free video resolution converter. It’s a convenient tool for users who need to convert videos to lower-resolution formats to save storage space and/or bandwidth. The software is only compatible with Windows and won’t work for Mac users.

Step 1. Download the software

Download and install Freemake Video Converter for Windows.

Go to the download page.

Step 2. Add the file for conversion

Click the Select File button to browse for the file on your computer.

Step 3. Select the desired resolution

Choose the output format, resolution, or device you want. If you choose a device, the software will select the best presets and output format for that device. Just be sure that you choose the option with the correct resolution for your needs.

Step 4. Launch the conversion

Choose a location folder for your output files. Finally, click the Convert button.

VSDC is a professional tool that can be somewhat challenging to master. The developers have provided many options aimed more at professionals in editing and working with video. So at first glance it might not seem like the best choice for simply changing the resolution of a movie. But if you take the time to understand it, you will get used to it and appreciate the quality of the program. And for your first acquaintance with the program, you can use our step-by-step instructions for video processing in VSDC.

Step 1. Download and install the video resolution changer

It is better to download the program from the official VSDC website, this way you will definitely avoid infecting your computer with viruses and Trojans.

VSDC official website

Step 2. Add a file to change the extension

To add a file for conversion to VSDC, click on Import content. A dialog box will open in which you select the file and click Open. Another window will open where you must confirm the download of the video in its original form.

Step 3. Configure settings to change recording resolution

Open the desired video and go to the Project Export tab in the top menu. In it, select the video format into which you want to convert the file, and by clicking on the format, adjust the aspect ratio in the finished video.

Step 4. Start the conversion process

Click Convert in the same tab to start the conversion. When it is completed, you can export the project as a file, which will have the resolution you need.

Best for: Compressing high-resolution videos to lower-resolution formats without downloading any software

HDconvert is an online video resolution converter to convert high-res videos to lower resolutions like 720p or 480p. This video converter offers a free option for users who don’t want to download video converting software to their computers.

Step 1. Add videos for conversion

Go to hdconvert.com.

Click the blue Convert File Now button. Select the file format you want to convert your video to and click the blue button. Drag and drop your video file or click + Select Files to browse for your video. Then click Next.

Step 2. Change the video parameters

Confirm your output format and click Next. Choose your video quality (e.g., 720p or 480p) and click Next. Make any changes to the advanced options that you want and click Next.

Step 3. Begin the conversion

Choose to convert for free or buy the premium version for more conversion options. Click Convert 1 File.

Best for: editing the audio tracks of a video while converting it

Online-Convert.com is a free online converter that supports more than 50 input video formats. With this online service, you can change the video resolution by entering a desired size for your video in pixels. It also lets you change several video and audio settings, including video bitrate, frame rate, and codecs. Read on to find out how to change the video resolution using this web service.

Step 1. Visit the Online-Convert.com website

Follow the link provided below to open the online video converter.

Go to Online-Convert.com

Note that the mentioned link is suitable for converting an MP4 video only. If you want to change the resolution of a video in a different format, select the appropriate format on the website. You can open the link provided above and find the list of available formats in the left part of the screen.

Step 2. Add your video

Hit the Choose Files button to upload the video. Alternatively, you can drag and drop the file into the browser window. You can also add the video by entering an URL or uploading the file from Dropbox or Google Drive.

Step 3. Specify the settings

To specify the video settings, find the Video settings (optional) section. Enter the desired size for your video in pixels and choose the appropriate option from the Resize handling drop-down list. Additionally, you can rotate or flip your video and change the video codec. To do this, just select the needed options from the drop-down menus in the Video settings (optional) section.

Step 4. Launch the conversion

Finally, click the Start conversion button to change the resolution of your clip. Your file will be downloaded automatically after the process is finished. To upload your edited video to the cloud storage or download it as ZIP, click the corresponding buttons.

Best for: performing video edits such as mirroring or rotating while converting the video file

FreeConvert.com is a powerful online video aspect ratio converter that supports over 60 input formats. It offers a bunch of advanced video and audio settings. With this tool, you can change the aspect ratio online, rotate and mirror your video, change the video codec, and even crop pixels. To learn how to change the resolution of a video using this online tool, check out this step-by-step guide.

Step 1. Go to FreeConvert.com

First, you need to visit the FreeConvert.com website by following the link below.

Go to FreeConvert.com

Step 2. Upload your video

To upload the video to the online service, click the Choose Files button and locate your video file. To add a video from Google Drive or Dropbox, click the downward arrow button next to the Choose Files.

Step 3. Change the video resolution settings

Click the cogwheel icon to open the Advanced Options pop-up window. You can change the video screen size and aspect ratio. To select the video resolution, open the Video Screen Size drop-down list and choose the desired option. For example, to convert 720p to 1080p, select the 1920 × 1080p (1080p). If you want to set a custom resolution, select Custom from the list and type width and height in pixels.

To change the aspect ratio of your video, open the Video Aspect Ratio drop-down list and select the desired aspect ratio for your clip from the list. When you’re finished, click the Apply Settings button to save the changes.

Step 4. Start converting the file

Before the conversion, make sure that you’ve selected the right format for your video. To change the video format, open the Convert to list. Finally, hit Convert To MP4 (in case you’re converting to MP4). After the conversion process is complete, hit the Download MP4 button to save the file on your computer. That’s it! Now you know how to convert a video to HD quality online.

Best for: beginners with little video editing experience

This online conversion tool lets you change video format and resolution as well as set an output file size. The website has a very simple interface and is easy to use, which makes it a great tool for beginners. Convert-Video-Online.com doesn’t offer any advanced conversion settings, but if you only want to change the resolution of your video, definitely give it a try. Follow the guide below to learn how to increase video resolution online.

Step 1. Open the video converter

Follow the link below to open the online video converter website.

Go to Convert-Video-Online.com

Step 2. Upload a video file

To upload your video, hit the Open file button, locate your file and click Open. Alternatively, you can add your file from cloud storage, like Google Drive or Dropbox, or by URL.

Step 3. Specify the video settings

First, you need to choose the format for your video. To do this, simply click the button with the appropriate format. Next, open the Resolution drop-down list and select the video resolution. Besides all the popular video resolutions, the service also offers resolutions for DVDs, TVs, and mobile devices. If you also want to specify the video and audio codecs or change the output file size, click the Settings button next to the Resolution list.

Step 4. Change the video resolution

Hit the Convert button to launch the process. When the conversion is complete, click the Download button to save the file on your computer or click Google Drive or Dropbox to save the file on your cloud storage.