The file size of a video is determined by its duration multiplied by its bitrate (data rate). The most direct and effective way to decrease the file size of an H.264 encoded MP4 file, without changing its duration or resolution, is to lower the target bitrate. This reduces the amount of data used to encode each second of video, resulting in a smaller overall file. While this also reduces video quality, it is the primary control for managing file size.

A. Check Use Maximum Render Quality.

This setting improves the quality of scaling and rendering but often increases processing time and can slightly increase file size. It is not used for file size reduction.

C. Effects > Video Limiter. set the File Size limit.

The Video Limiter effect is used to restrict video signal levels (luma and chroma) to broadcast-safe standards. It has no functionality for setting or limiting the output file size.

D. Advanced Settings > Key Frame Distance, set to a lower number.

Setting a lower keyframe distance forces the encoder to create more full-picture frames (I-frames). Since I-frames are larger than predictive frames, this action typically increases the file size.

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1. Adobe Inc. (2023). Export settings reference for Premiere Pro. Adobe Help Center.

Section: "Bitrate Settings"

Content: This official documentation explicitly states

"The higher the bitrate

the better the quality

and the larger the file size... For H.264... you can set the Target Bitrate. In general

a higher target bitrate results in higher quality video and a larger file size." This directly supports that lowering the target bitrate (Option B) will decrease the file size.

2. Adobe Inc. (2023). Export settings reference for Premiere Pro. Adobe Help Center.

Section: "Basic Video Settings > Use Maximum Render Quality"

Content: The documentation explains that this option "maintains sharp detail when scaling" and "can increase your export time." It is a quality enhancement feature

not a file size reduction tool

making Option A incorrect.

3. Adobe Inc. (2023). Obsolete and removed effects in Premiere Pro. Adobe Help Center.

Section: "Video Limiter effect"

Content: The documentation for the Video Limiter effect (both the current and legacy versions) describes its function as clamping video signals to specified levels for broadcast safety. It makes no mention of file size control

invalidating Option C.

4. Adobe Inc. (2023). Export settings reference for Premiere Pro. Adobe Help Center.

Section: "Advanced Settings (H.264

HEVC formats)"

Content: The guide explains that Key Frame Distance sets the number of frames between keyframes. A lower number means more keyframes. As keyframes contain more data than inter-frames

this setting would generally increase

not decrease

file size

making Option D incorrect.