---
title: "Best Way to Export Small File Size in DaVinci Resolve"
author: "Alex Johnson"
category: Tips
excerpt: "Direct methods for restricting bitrate, changing codecs to H.265, and lowering resolution in DaVinci Resolve."
image: "/cutsio-thumbnail.svg"
tags: "DaVinci Resolve, Export, File Size, Best Practices"
---

The best way to export a small file size in DaVinci Resolve is to drastically restrict the custom bitrate, encode using the high-efficiency H.265 codec, and render at 1080p instead of 4K.

Here are the direct methods to best export a small file size in DaVinci Resolve.

## What is the fastest way to restrict export bitrate?
If your 5-minute video is exporting as a massive 10GB file, DaVinci Resolve is allocating entirely too much data per second for the final render.

To quickly restrict export bitrate:
1. Go to the **Deliver** page at the bottom of the interface.
2. In the top-left Render Settings, scroll right and select the **Custom** preset.
3. Scroll down to the **Quality** section under the Video tab.
4. Change the dropdown from **Automatic** to **Restrict to**.
5. Enter a much lower custom bitrate: type `15000` Kb/s for 1080p video, or `30000` Kb/s for 4K. This forces DaVinci Resolve to compress the file significantly smaller.

## How do you use the high-efficiency H.265 codec?
If you restricted the bitrate but the file is still too large for an email attachment or Slack message, you must use a more aggressive compression algorithm.

To export using H.265 (HEVC):
1. On the Deliver page, select the **Custom** preset.
2. Set the **Format** to `MP4` and the **Codec** to `H.265` (HEVC).
3. Under the **Encoder** section, ensure your hardware GPU is selected (e.g., Apple Silicon, NVIDIA). H.265 requires much more processing power but produces files up to 50% smaller than H.264 at identical quality.

## How do you lower the export resolution?
If you shot the video in pristine 4K or 8K but it only needs to be viewed on a smartphone screen, you must downscale the timeline pixel count.

To lower export resolution:
1. Go to the **Deliver** page.
2. Under the **Video** tab, find the **Resolution** section.
3. Change the dropdown from `3840 x 2160 Ultra HD` to `1920 x 1080 HD`. This reduces the number of pixels by 75%, resulting in a dramatically smaller file size without changing your editing timeline.