Reverse video

How to use the video reverser

1. 01Choose a video of up to 60 seconds, or drop it onto the box.
2. 02Check the plan line: it says which format the reversed file will be.
3. 03Click Reverse video, then download the result.

How a video is reversed

Most frames in a compressed video are stored as changes from other frames, so a video cannot simply be copied out in the opposite order. The tool decodes a short run of frames at a time, starting from the end of the clip, and encodes them newest first, so the finished file plays backwards from its first frame. The sound is decoded, reversed and encoded alongside it.

When a file has long gaps between its keyframes, more than two seconds, the tool first makes a working copy with a keyframe every second and reverses that instead, which keeps the amount held in memory at any moment small. That extra pass makes the job take longer, and the progress bar includes it.

Because every frame is re-encoded, the result is H.264 video with AAC sound in an MP4 file, or VP9 and Opus in WebM when your browser cannot make MP4.

Why the limit is 60 seconds and 720 pixels

Reversing is the heaviest job on this page for a browser tab, since the whole clip has to be decoded and re-encoded out of its natural order. To keep the time and memory that takes within what a tab can handle, the tool works on clips up to 60 seconds long.

For the same reason, the reversed video is capped at 720 pixels on its short edge: a 1920 by 1080 clip comes out 1280 by 720, and a vertical 1080 by 1920 clip comes out 720 by 1280. A video that is already smaller keeps its own size; nothing is scaled up.

For a longer video, cut out the part you want with the trimmer first, then reverse that.

Making a back-and-forth loop

A reversed clip is often used next to the original, so the action plays forwards and then back. Reverse the clip here, then join the original and the reversed copy with the merge tool, putting the original first. The two files will usually differ in encoding settings, so the merge re-encodes them to the first clip's size.

The looper can then repeat that combined clip 2 to 10 times as one file.

Questions about the video reverser

Does the sound play backwards too?

Yes. The sound is decoded, reversed and re-encoded along with the picture, so it stays in step with the reversed video.

Why can't I reverse a longer video?

Reversing decodes and re-encodes the whole clip out of order, which is heavy work for a browser tab, so the tool is limited to 60 seconds. Trim the part you want first, then reverse it.

Why is my reversed video smaller than the original?

The output is capped at 720 pixels on its short edge to keep the job within a browser's memory, so a 1080p clip comes out at 720p. Videos already at or below that size keep their size.

Is my video uploaded?

No. The whole reversal runs in your browser; your video, and the reversed copy, never leave your device.

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Updated 23 September 2026 · All free tools