Reverse a video and play it backwards
Drop a clip, choose what happens to the sound and download an MP4 that runs from the last frame to the first. Everything happens on your device: the video is never uploaded.
How it works
- 1
Choose or drop the video you want to reverse (MP4, MOV, WebM, MKV and more, up to 10 minutes long).
- 2
Choose "Reverse the sound too" to hear the audio backwards, or "Remove the sound" for a silent clip.
- 3
Click Reverse Video, wait while every frame is processed, then download the MP4. Nothing was uploaded.
How reversing a video works
A video file is stored so that it can be played forwards: most frames only describe what changed since the previous one. To play it backwards, Vidmini decodes every frame of your clip and encodes them again in the opposite order. The result is a normal MP4 file (H.264 video, plus AAC audio if you keep the sound) that any phone, computer, editor or social network can play.
Because each frame is rebuilt, reversing is always a re-encode: it is not lossless like looping or trimming, although the quality stays close to the original. It is also heavier than most tools on the site. How long it takes depends on the length and resolution of the clip and on the power of your device; a short phone clip is usually quick, a ten-minute video takes noticeably longer.
Backwards sound or no sound
With "Reverse the sound too", the audio track is reversed along with the picture and stays in sync with it: voices turn into strange backwards speech, music plays in reverse and a splash sounds like it is being sucked back in. That is often the funniest part of a rewind clip.
If the reversed sound is distracting, or if you plan to add music later in another app, choose "Remove the sound". The output then contains only the video track, which also makes the file a little smaller.
Limits: 10 minutes and 1080p
Playing a video backwards means the tool has to hold many decoded frames at once, and that takes a lot of memory. To keep it reliable in a browser tab, the tool accepts videos up to 10 minutes. Videos larger than 1080p, such as 4K footage from a recent phone, are reduced to 1080p (measured on the short side) while reversing. For longer recordings, cut out the part you need with the Trim Video tool first, then reverse only that moment.
Ideas: rewind effects, boomerangs, memes and tricks
Rewind effects: a glass that refills itself, a jump back onto a diving board, spilled paint flowing back into the can, a building rising from its dust. Everyday actions become surprising when they run backwards.
Boomerang-style clips: reverse a short clip, then use Merge Videos to put the original and the reversed version one after the other. The movement goes forwards and comes back, like a boomerang. Send the result to Loop Video to repeat it a few times.
GIF memes: once the clip is reversed, click "Continue with this file" to send it straight to Video to GIF, choose the moment and the size, and share an animation that loops forever.
Magic tricks and satisfying videos: a card jumping into a hand, sand arranging itself into a shape, a pile of dominoes standing back up. Filming the action normally and reversing it is one of the oldest camera tricks there is.
Private by design
The whole process runs in your browser, with the WebCodecs API and WebAssembly. Your video is never uploaded, there is no account and no watermark, and the page keeps working without an internet connection once it has loaded.
Frequently asked questions
Can I reverse a video with its sound?
Yes. Choose "Reverse the sound too" and the audio plays backwards, in sync with the picture. Choose "Remove the sound" if you prefer a silent clip.
Does reversing a video reduce its quality?
Slightly. Every frame has to be decoded and encoded again in reverse order, so the result is a re-encoded MP4 rather than a lossless copy. At normal viewing the difference is hard to see. Videos above 1080p are reduced to 1080p during the process.
Why is there a 10-minute limit?
Reversing needs far more memory than playing a video forwards, because frames have to be read in the opposite order to the one they were stored in. The limit keeps the tool reliable in a browser tab, on phones as well as on computers. Trim a longer video to the part you need first.
Why does it take longer than other tools?
Tools such as Loop Video or Trim Video can copy the compressed data without touching it. Reversing cannot: each frame is decoded and re-encoded. The speed depends on your device, the length of the clip and its resolution.
How do I make a boomerang video?
Reverse your clip, then combine the original and the reversed file with Merge Videos so the action plays forwards and then backwards. To repeat the back-and-forth, loop the result with Loop Video.
Which formats can I reverse?
MP4, MOV (including iPhone videos), M4V, WebM and MKV with codecs your browser can read, such as H.264, HEVC, VP9 or AV1. AVI, WMV and FLV files also work through a built-in fallback that converts them on your device first, which is slower and downloads a 32 MB converter the first time. The result is always an MP4.
Is my video uploaded?
No. Vidmini processes the file inside your browser. The page can only talk to vidmini.com for its own code, and no tracking cookies are used.