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CompressionLevel

is an option for Export and CreateArchive that specifies the amount of compression to use when compressing data.

Details
Details and Options Details and Options
Examples  
Basic Examples  
Scope  
Image Compression  
Audio Compression  
Video Compression  
See Also
Related Guides
History
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CompressionLevel

CompressionLevel

is an option for Export and CreateArchive that specifies the amount of compression to use when compressing data.

Details

  • Typical settings for CompressionLevel include:
  • Automaticautomatically chosen
    vala number between 0 (less compression) and 1 (more compression)
  • Using CompressionLevelAutomatic, typically a balance between speed and data size is chosen.

Examples

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Basic Examples  (1)

Export an audio object to an MP3 file with default compression:

Wolfram Language code: audio = AudioGenerator["Sin"]
Wolfram Language code: FileSize@Export["file.mp3", audio]

Use maximum compression:

Wolfram Language code: FileSize@Export["file.mp3", audio, CompressionLevel -> 1]

Use minimum compression:

Wolfram Language code: FileSize@Export["file.mp3", audio, CompressionLevel -> 0]

Scope  (5)

Image Compression  (2)

Export an image object to a JPEG file with default compression:

Wolfram Language code: image = ExampleData[{"TestImage", "Apples"}];
Wolfram Language code: FileSize@Export["file.jpeg", image]

Use maximum compression:

Wolfram Language code: FileSize@Export["file.jpeg", image, CompressionLevel -> 1]

Use minimum compression:

Wolfram Language code: FileSize@Export["file.jpeg", image, CompressionLevel -> 0]

Check file size before compression:

Wolfram Language code: FileByteCount[file = FileNameJoin[{$InstallationDirectory, "Documentation", "English", "System", "ExampleData", "coneflower.jpg"}]]

Some compression is performed by default:

Wolfram Language code: FileByteCount[archive = CreateArchive[file]]

Delete the resulting archives:

Wolfram Language code: DeleteFile[archive]

Specify to use no compression:

Wolfram Language code: FileByteCount[archive = CreateArchive[file, CompressionLevel -> 0]]

Delete the resulting archives:

Wolfram Language code: DeleteFile[archive]

Specify to use maximal compression:

Wolfram Language code: FileByteCount[archive = CreateArchive[file, CompressionLevel -> 1]]

Delete the resulting archives:

Wolfram Language code: DeleteFile[archive]

Audio Compression  (1)

Export an audio object to an MP3 file with default compression:

Wolfram Language code: audio = AudioGenerator["Sin"]
Wolfram Language code: FileSize@Export["file.mp3", audio]

Use maximum compression:

Wolfram Language code: FileSize@Export["file.mp3", audio, CompressionLevel -> 1]

Use minimum compression:

Wolfram Language code: FileSize@Export["file.mp3", audio, CompressionLevel -> 0]

Video Compression  (2)

Use the CompressionLevel option to control the file size of a video operation:

Wolfram Language code: v = VideoGenerator[ResourceData["Sample Image: White Dog on a Beach"], 5];a = ExampleData[{"Audio", "PianoScale"}];
Wolfram Language code: i = ResourceData["Sample Image: White Dog on a Beach"]; videos = Table[VideoCombine[{v, a}, CompressionLevel -> c], {c, 0, 1, .2}]

Compare file sizes using different compression levels:

Wolfram Language code: FileSize[Information[#, "ResourcePath"]]& /@ videos

Generate a video using default compression:

Wolfram Language code: v = Video["ExampleData/Caminandes.mp4"];
Wolfram Language code: FileSize[FindFile[Information[v, "ResourcePath"]]]
Wolfram Language code: FileSize[FindFile[Information[VideoTrim[v, 10], "ResourcePath"]]]

Use maximum compression:

Wolfram Language code: FileSize[Information[VideoTrim[v, 10, CompressionLevel -> 1], "ResourcePath"]]

The choice of encoders affects the amount by which a file can be compressed:

Wolfram Language code: Information[v, "VideoTracks"]
Wolfram Language code: FileSize[Information[VideoTrim[v, 10, VideoEncoding -> "LIBVPX-VP9"], "ResourcePath"]]
Wolfram Language code: FileSize[Information[VideoTrim[v, 10, VideoEncoding -> "LIBVPX-VP9", CompressionLevel -> 1], "ResourcePath"]]
Wolfram Research (2020), CompressionLevel, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/CompressionLevel.html.

Text

Wolfram Research (2020), CompressionLevel, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/CompressionLevel.html.

CMS

Wolfram Language. 2020. "CompressionLevel." Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Wolfram Research. https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/CompressionLevel.html.

APA

Wolfram Language. (2020). CompressionLevel. Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Retrieved from https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/CompressionLevel.html

BibTeX

@misc{reference.wolfram_2026_compressionlevel, author="Wolfram Research", title="{CompressionLevel}", year="2020", howpublished="\url{https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/CompressionLevel.html}", note=[Accessed: 15-June-2026]}

BibLaTeX

@online{reference.wolfram_2026_compressionlevel, organization={Wolfram Research}, title={CompressionLevel}, year={2020}, url={https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/CompressionLevel.html}, note=[Accessed: 15-June-2026]}