HandBrake: when to install it, and when not to
Turning a video file into a smaller or more compatible one without opening an editor. Presets cover the common cases, batch processing handles a folder of…
The short version
HandBrake: Shrinks video files to a fraction of their size with no visible quality loss, and converts almost anything to MP4. Use the presets until you have a reason not to.
| Licence / price | Free · Open source |
|---|---|
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Category | Media, Recording & Capture — 10 programs |
| Official download | https://handbrake.fr/downloads.php ↗ |
What it is for
Turning a video file into a smaller or more compatible one without opening an editor. Presets cover the common cases, batch processing handles a folder of clips, and the output is predictable once you have settled on a preset.
When to pick something else
It is a transcoder, not a timeline editor. If you need to cut, trim, add titles or arrange clips, that is a video editor's job. Expect to spend a little time with the documentation before the settings mean anything.
What independent reviewers found
We do not run lab tests or benchmarks. These summaries are written in our own words, with the publisher named and the original linked. Our citation policy explains what we will and will not reproduce.
TechRadar — 2025
What the source says. TechRadar's review calls HandBrake powerful and broad in format support, but advises beginners to start with presets and read the documentation rather than diving into settings.
What we take from it. That matches our advice: one preset, one short test encode, then change a single setting. Most bad output comes from changing five things at once.
HandBrake review ↗ (TechRadar · 2025 · Editorial product review)
How it compares in Media, Recording & Capture
These are the alternatives we would consider for the same job. The notes are the same ones used on the main list, so there is no separate ranking hiding on this page.
| Program | Licence / price | Platforms | Why it is on the list |
|---|---|---|---|
| VLC Media Player Publisher's site ↗ | Free · Open source | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS | Plays the file Windows Media Player refuses to. No codec hunting, no third-party packs, no ads. It also handles DVD, network streams and screen capture, which is more than you will ever need. |
| Shotcut Publisher's site ↗ | Free · Open source | Windows, macOS, Linux | The gentler free editor: native format support, no importing step, and a flatter learning curve than Kdenlive. Pick it if you edit occasionally rather than daily. |
| OBS Studio Publisher's site ↗ | Free · Open source | Windows, macOS, Linux | The standard for screen recording and live streaming, used by everyone from Twitch streamers to university lecturers. Expect one evening of setup before it clicks. |
Practical notes
- Start from a built-in preset and change one setting at a time, so you know which one altered the result.
- Do a twenty-second test encode before committing to a two-hour file.
- Keep the source file until you have actually watched the output; transcoding is lossy.
Questions people ask
Will it improve the quality of a bad video?
No. It re-encodes what is there. Some cleanup filters help, but a transcode cannot restore detail that was never recorded.
Where it appears in our guides
See the full Media, Recording & Capture explainer for the other 9 programs in this category.
How to read this page. How to read this page. Platform, licence and publisher details come from our directory data. Where an independent review, audit or survey is mentioned, it is summarised in our own words with the source named and linked; our /sources page sets out that policy. The recommendation, the trade-offs and every 'skip it if' line are our editorial judgement. We do not run benchmarks, publish measured performance figures or host installers, and every download link goes to the publisher's own site. If a detail is out of date, our About page explains how to tell us.