Create a mac Quick Action that adds a right-click menu option to compress videos using FFmpeg directly from Finder. When done it will look like this:

Prerequisites

Install FFmpeg via Homebrew:

brew install ffmpeg

Step 1: Open Automator

1. Press Cmd + Space and type "Automator"
2. Select Quick Action

Step 2: Configure Workflow Settings

At the top of the Automator window set the following:

1. Workflow receives current -> movie files
2. In -> Finder

Step 3: Add Shell Script Action

Search for Run Shell Script in the actions library. Drag it to the workflow area

1. Set Shell -> /bin/bash
2. Set Pass input -> as arguments

Step 4: Add Compression Script

Paste this script into the text area:

# Path to ffmpeg
FFMPEG="/opt/homebrew/bin/ffmpeg"

# Loop through each selected video
for input_file in "$@"
do
    # Get directory and filename
    dir=$(dirname "$input_file")
    filename=$(basename "$input_file")
    name="${filename%.*}"
    ext="${filename##*.}"
    
    # Create output filename
    output_file="${dir}/${name}_compressed.${ext}"
    
    # Compress video
    "$FFMPEG" -i "$input_file" \
        -c:v libx264 \
        -crf 23 \
        -preset medium \
        -c:a aac \
        -b:a 128k \
        -movflags +faststart \
        "$output_file" \
        -y
    
    # Show notification
    osascript -e "display notification \"Compressed: $filename\" with title \"Video Compression Complete\""
done

Step 5: Save the Quick Action

1. Press Cmd + S
2. Name it 'Shrink Video'

The script will be saved & you can use it

Using Your Shortcut

1. Right-click any video file in Finder
2. Go to Quick Actions
3. Select Shrink Video
4. Compressed video appears with _compressed suffix

When compression is complete you will see a notification like this:

Adjust Compression Level

If the video looks low quality or is still very large, you can change the crf value for different quality levels:

• -crf 18 - Higher quality, larger file
• -crf 23 - Balanced (default)
• -crf 28 - Smaller file, lower quality

Maximum Compression

For aggressive size reduction, replace the ffmpeg command with:

"$FFMPEG" -i "$input_file" \
    -c:v libx264 \
    -crf 28 \
    -preset slower \
    -vf "scale=iw*0.75:ih*0.75" \
    -c:a aac \
    -b:a 96k \
    -movflags +faststart \
    "$output_file" \
    -y

Easier Option

If you prefer a simpler solution without Terminal commands or Automator setup, try TinyFast. It's a lightweight Mac app that lets you compress videos, images, PDFs & more by just dragging in and out. Perfect for developers and creators who want speed and simplicity without sacrificing privacy.