# Keep an Optimized version and delete the original video **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussions\ **Created:** [August 9, 2016, 10:35am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/keep-an-optimized-version-and-delete-the-original-video/154211 "2016-08-09T10:35:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![LadintheUK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@LadintheUK](https://forums.plex.tv/u/LadintheUK)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 10:35am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/keep-an-optimized-version-and-delete-the-original-video/154211/1 "2016-08-09T10:35:06Z")
Is it possible to create an optimized version of a video and then delete the original? I have tried but whenever I delete the original, the optimized version disappears as well. I am running Plex on a Synology NAS with an Apple TV and it struggles with transcoding. I would like to convert everything permenently and only keep the converted file. I know there are programs like handbrake etc, but seeing as Plex can do this already and with new files that are added to my library, it seems like the logical solution. Cheers, Lad ---
**Author:** ![rsava](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/rsava/32/3737_2.png) [@rsava](https://forums.plex.tv/u/rsava)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 11:07am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/keep-an-optimized-version-and-delete-the-original-video/154211/2 "2016-08-09T11:07:48Z")
Already talked about in a couple of threads. You may want to follow this thread: > **[So deleting the original means all the optimized versions get deleted to?!](https://forums.plex.tv/discussion/227889/so-deleting-the-original-means-all-the-optimized-versions-get-deleted-to#latest)** > > Wish someone would have posted that. Spent the last week converted whole series to mobile optimized and just now sorted and deleted the originals just to have EVERYTHING get deleted. Thinking about what optimized is for I see why but that just sucks,... ---
**Author:** ![LadintheUK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@LadintheUK](https://forums.plex.tv/u/LadintheUK)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 11:18am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/keep-an-optimized-version-and-delete-the-original-video/154211/3 "2016-08-09T11:18:11Z")
Thanks for the answer but I don’t see any solution in that thread or any other threads I could find. Does anyone know exactly what the behaviour should be by design? Is it possible to add the above as a new feature? ---
**Author:** ![cgacord](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/cgacord/32/10095_2.png) [@cgacord](https://forums.plex.tv/u/cgacord)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 11:30am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/keep-an-optimized-version-and-delete-the-original-video/154211/4 "2016-08-09T11:30:14Z")
I think the intended behavior is to keep the original and optimized version, that way when a client requests a format not already pre-transcoded, it will transcode from the original media file. ---
**Author:** ![rsava](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/rsava/32/3737_2.png) [@rsava](https://forums.plex.tv/u/rsava)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 12:06pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/keep-an-optimized-version-and-delete-the-original-video/154211/5 "2016-08-09T12:06:15Z")
> @LadintheUK said: > Thanks for the answer but I don’t see any solution in that thread or any other threads I could find. > Does anyone know exactly what the behaviour should be by design? > Is it possible to add the above as a new feature? I didn’t say it had an answer, did I. I said you should follow that thread. The OP in that thread is tryong to do exactly what you want to do. The person answering in that thread is a Plex employee (MovieFan.Plex), therefore probably going to be fairly knowledgeable. And, if you had actually searched you would have found this thread, a feature request (took me all of 30 seconds to find it): [https://forums.plex.tv/discussion/200499/feature-request-keep-the-optimized-movie-version-only](https://forums.plex.tv/discussion/200499/feature-request-keep-the-optimized-movie-version-only) or this one: [https://forums.plex.tv/discussion/201047/allow-deletion-of-original-file-keeping-optimized-version](https://forums.plex.tv/discussion/201047/allow-deletion-of-original-file-keeping-optimized-version) which was marked as a duplicate request. Have a great day. ---
**Author:** ![LadintheUK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@LadintheUK](https://forums.plex.tv/u/LadintheUK)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 12:47pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/keep-an-optimized-version-and-delete-the-original-video/154211/6 "2016-08-09T12:47:43Z")
Wow what a friendly response rsava… I was actually thankful for your first response and that you took the time to respond a second time, thank you again. My apologies if that wasn’t clear. ---
**Author:** ![Ashus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Ashus](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Ashus)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2016, 3:02pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/keep-an-optimized-version-and-delete-the-original-video/154211/7 "2016-08-09T15:02:20Z")
I also use Optimized versions of the original and just delete the original, if I was too lazy to use handbrake ;p. What you wanna do is after optimizing it with Plex app, goto the optimized media folder, and move it (dont copy it) next to the original media, then just rename it same as original and delete the original media. I kinda use this method for all my pre-roll videos that plays before movies. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/3X/2/a/2acb9765406f63293d357b4ec509ec39aa28f2ad.png) [@system](https://forums.plex.tv/u/system)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2020, 9:44pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/keep-an-optimized-version-and-delete-the-original-video/154211/8 "2020-01-07T21:44:29Z")