🎬 How I Converted My Entire 4K Video Library to 1080p With PowerShell + GPU (Fast AF Workflow)

Let’s be real — having an epic stash of cinematic 4K footage sounds awesome… until your computer starts wheezing and your cloud storage threatens to charge you rent. If you’ve ever wondered how to scale down that high-res chaos into buttery smooth, space-saving 1080p at 60FPS — without losing your mind or your weekends — you’re in the right place.

In this tutorial, I’ll walk you through how I built a fully automated, GPU-accelerated PowerShell script that batch converts 4K videos to 1080p60 using HandBrakeCLI and your PC’s graphics card. Beginners welcome. No coding degree required. Just follow along, and by the end, you’ll have a one-click setup that makes your videos lighter, smoother, and easier to manage.

🧠 PowerShell Script for 4K to 1080p 60FPS Conversion with HandBrakeCLI

# File: convert-to-1080p.ps1

$handbrakeCLI = "C:\Path\To\HandBrakeCLI.exe" # ← Edit this to your actual HandBrakeCLI.exe path
$listFile = "C:\Path\To\list.txt"             # ← Edit this to your input file list (one video path per line)
$outputDir = "C:\Path\To\1080p-Vids\"         # ← Edit this to your desired output folder
$logFile = "$outputDir\handbrake-error-log.txt"

# Create output directory if needed
if (-Not (Test-Path -Path $outputDir)) {
    New-Item -Path $outputDir -ItemType Directory | Out-Null
}

# Load list of videos
$videoList = Get-Content $listFile | Where-Object { $_.Trim() -ne "" }
$total = $videoList.Count
$current = 1
$totalStopwatch = [System.Diagnostics.Stopwatch]::StartNew()

foreach ($line in $videoList) {
    $inputPath = $line.Trim()
    
    if (-Not (Test-Path $inputPath)) {
        Write-Warning "File not found: $inputPath"
        continue
    }

    $baseName = [System.IO.Path]::GetFileNameWithoutExtension($inputPath)
    $outputFile = Join-Path $outputDir "$baseName`_1080.mp4"

    if (Test-Path $outputFile) {
        Write-Host "[$current/$total] Already converted: $baseName"
        $current++
        continue
    }

    Write-Host "`n[$current/$total] Processing: $baseName"
    $stopwatch = [System.Diagnostics.Stopwatch]::StartNew()

    $arguments = @(
        "-i", $inputPath
        "-o", $outputFile
        "-e", "nvenc_h264"
        "--encoder-preset", "quality"
        "--vb", "10000"
        "--height", "1080"
        "--keep-display-aspect"
        "--optimize"
        "-E", "copy"
        "--rate", "60"
        "--pfr"
    )

    try {
        & $handbrakeCLI @arguments
        $stopwatch.Stop()
        Write-Host "✅ Completed in $($stopwatch.Elapsed.ToString())"
    } catch {
        $stopwatch.Stop()
        Write-Error "❌ Failed to process: $inputPath"
        Add-Content -Path $logFile -Value "ERROR: $inputPath - $($_.Exception.Message)"
    }

    $current++
}

$totalStopwatch.Stop()
Write-Host "`n🎉 All Done! Total Elapsed Time: $($totalStopwatch.Elapsed.ToString())"
  

🛠 How to Use This PowerShell Script to Convert 4K to 1080p

Step 1: Download HandBrakeCLI for Video Conversion

Head to HandBrake’s CLI downloads page and grab the command-line version for your OS. Install or extract it, and make a note of the path to the executable.

Step 2: Create Your List of 4K Video Files

Make a simple text file (e.g., list.txt) that contains the full path to each 4K video you want to convert. One line = one video. Local and network paths are supported.

Step 3: Edit the PowerShell Script

Replace the placeholder paths in the script above with your actual values:

• $handbrakeCLI: Path to your HandBrakeCLI executable
• $listFile: Path to your text list of video files
• $outputDir: Folder where converted 1080p files should be saved

No other changes needed — the script will handle 60FPS output, bitrate, GPU encoding, and log any errors along the way.

Step 4: Run the Video Conversion Script

Open PowerShell as Administrator and run the following to bypass execution restrictions:

Set-ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Scope Process -Force
& "C:\Path\To\convert-to-1080p.ps1"

The script will begin converting each video in your list, one by one, and display progress, timing, and any errors.

Step 5: Check Your 1080p 60FPS Output

Once complete, you’ll find your smooth 1080p60 videos in the output folder — ready to upload, edit, or archive. 🎉

🏁 Conclusion: Why 1080p60 Video Conversion is a Game-Changer

If you’ve ever been bogged down by massive 4K files eating your drive space, now you’ve got a slick, automated way to compress, downscale, and optimize like a pro. This PowerShell + HandBrakeCLI workflow gives you full control over your media conversion without touching a single GUI.

It’s fast. It’s flexible. It uses your GPU to do the heavy lifting. And best of all, it’s free.

This setup is perfect for creators, editors, or anyone who wants to streamline their video editing pipeline. Whether you’re converting footage for YouTube, social media, or offline storage — now you have the perfect solution to batch process 4K to 1080p 60FPS with style.

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