Ijharul Islam
To find how long a video takes at a faster speed, divide its length by the speed. A 3-hour video takes 2 hours 24 minutes at 1.25x, 2 hours at 1.5x, 1 hour 43 minutes at 1.75x and 1 hour 30 minutes at 2x. A 1-hour video takes 48 minutes at 1.25x, 40 minutes at 1.5x and 30 minutes at 2x.
More on this topic: Video formats, codecs and numbers, every guide in one place.
The chart below covers 10 minutes to 4 hours. After it: how much time each speed saves, how to set the speed on YouTube, and how to save a sped-up copy of your own video.
The short answer
New length = original length ÷ speed. At 1.25x a video takes 80% of its time, at 1.5x 67%, at 1.75x 57% and at 2x half. So 3 hours becomes 2 h 24 min at 1.25x, 2 h at 1.5x and 1 h 30 min at 2x; 1 hour becomes 48, 40 and 30 minutes.
Key takeaways
- Divide by the speed: 90 minutes at 1.5x is 60 minutes.
- 1.25x saves a fifth of the time, 1.5x a third, 2x half.
- 1.25x-1.5x keeps most speech easy to follow; 2x suits material you already know.
- To add up several videos first, use a duration calculator, then divide the total.
Video length at 1.25x, 1.5x, 1.75x and 2x: the chart
| Original length | 1.25x | 1.5x | 1.75x | 2x |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 minutes | 8 min | 6 min 40 s | 5 min 43 s | 5 min |
| 15 minutes | 12 min | 10 min | 8 min 34 s | 7 min 30 s |
| 20 minutes | 16 min | 13 min 20 s | 11 min 26 s | 10 min |
| 30 minutes | 24 min | 20 min | 17 min 9 s | 15 min |
| 45 minutes | 36 min | 30 min | 25 min 43 s | 22 min 30 s |
| 1 hour | 48 min | 40 min | 34 min 17 s | 30 min |
| 1 h 30 min | 1 h 12 min | 1 h | 51 min 26 s | 45 min |
| 2 hours | 1 h 36 min | 1 h 20 min | 1 h 8 min 34 s | 1 h |
| 2 h 30 min | 2 h | 1 h 40 min | 1 h 25 min 43 s | 1 h 15 min |
| 3 hours | 2 h 24 min | 2 h | 1 h 42 min 51 s | 1 h 30 min |
| 4 hours | 3 h 12 min | 2 h 40 min | 2 h 17 min 9 s | 2 h |
Times are rounded to the nearest second.
How long is a 3-hour video at 1.25x speed?
2 hours 24 minutes. Three hours is 180 minutes, and 180 ÷ 1.25 = 144 minutes. You save 36 minutes. At 1.5x the same video takes exactly 2 hours, and at 2x, 1 hour 30 minutes.
The same sum works for any length: convert to minutes, divide by the speed, then convert back. A 2 hour 15 minute lecture (135 minutes) at 1.5x takes 90 minutes.
How much time does each speed save?
| Speed | Watch time | Time saved | Saved on a 1-hour video | Saved on a 3-hour video |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.25x | 80% | 20% | 12 min | 36 min |
| 1.5x | 67% | 33% | 20 min | 1 h |
| 1.75x | 57% | 43% | 25 min 43 s | 1 h 17 min |
| 2x | 50% | 50% | 30 min | 1 h 30 min |
Each step up saves less extra time than the one before (1.25x saves 20%, 1.5x adds another 13 points, 2x another 17), while speech gets steadily harder to follow. For new material, 1.25x to 1.5x is usually the best trade.
A whole playlist or course: add it up first
For a course or playlist, add up the lengths first and divide the total. QuickVeed's free video duration calculator does both: paste lengths like 12:40 and 1:05:10, one per line, or drop the files, and it shows the total plus the watch time at 1.25x, 1.5x and 2x. It runs in your browser and nothing is uploaded.
Example: a 14-lesson course totalling 6 hours 20 minutes takes 5 hours 4 minutes at 1.25x and 3 hours 10 minutes at 2x.
How to change playback speed on YouTube
- Phone or tablet: tap the video once, tap Settings, then Playback speed, and choose a speed. YouTube's help page also describes a shortcut: press and hold anywhere on the video for a temporary 2x, and lift your finger to stop.
- Computer: open Settings (the gear) on the player, then Playback speed.
- TV and streaming devices: on the watch page, select Settings, then Speed, where your device supports it.
The speed options in YouTube's player go up to 2x. Menus move around between app versions, so if you can't find the option, look for the gear or the three-dot menu on the player.
If you'd rather read than watch, a transcript is faster still: see how to see the transcript of a YouTube video.
How to save a sped-up copy of your own video
Playback speed only changes how you watch. To make the file itself shorter, for a Reel, a summary or a time-lapse, save a new copy at the faster speed. QuickVeed's free Video Speed Changer does it in your browser from 0.25x to 4x, keeps voice pitch natural by default, and saves MP4 where your browser can record MP4 (WebM otherwise). Saving takes as long as the new video: a 10-minute clip at 2x takes about 5 minutes. The sped-up result can be up to 20 minutes.
Full steps, phone methods and FFmpeg commands are in how to speed up a video. If the video is a talk, compare speeds against average speaking rates: a 150 wpm speaker at 1.5x is 225 wpm.
Frequently asked questions
How long is a 3-hour video at 1.25x?
2 hours 24 minutes. 180 minutes ÷ 1.25 = 144 minutes, saving 36 minutes.
How long is a 1-hour video at 1.5x speed?
40 minutes. At 1.25x it's 48 minutes and at 2x it's 30 minutes.
How long is a 2-hour video at 2x speed?
1 hour. At 1.5x it's 1 hour 20 minutes and at 1.25x 1 hour 36 minutes.
How do I calculate video length at a different speed?
Divide the original length by the speed. For slower speeds it works the same way: 10 minutes at 0.5x is 20 minutes.
Is watching at 1.5x or 2x bad for understanding?
For familiar or simple material most people follow 1.5x fine. 2x works for review but is harder for new, dense content.
Can I watch YouTube faster than 2x?
Not in YouTube's own player, whose speed options go up to 2x. To make a faster copy of your own video, save it at up to 4x with a video speed changer.
Try it with your own video
Speed up your own recording for free, then add captions so it works with the sound off. Upload the sped-up video, pick a caption style, and judge the result for yourself. QuickVeed plans start at $18/month, and new accounts get a 14-day trial with 250 credits, no card needed. Sign up or see pricing.
Sources
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