How it works
- Drop your video. MP4, MOV, WebM or MKV, any length. Videos from your phone's camera roll, a screen recording or a download all work.
- Pick where it's going. The tool works out the bitrate from the length and the limit, keeps room for the sound, and picks a resolution and frame rate that will still look clean. The estimated size and a real before-and-after frame update as you change things.
- Trim if you like, or set the resolution and frame rate yourself.
- Compress. When the encode finishes, the tool weighs the file. If it came out over the limit, it encodes again at a lower bitrate, so the file you download is always under the target, to the byte.
WhatsApp's video limit
Videos sent from the photo and video picker are limited to 16 MB and re-compressed by WhatsApp, often hard. Sending the file as a document allows up to 2 GB and skips that compression, but the other person has to download it before it plays. Compressing to just under 16 MB yourself gives the best of both: it plays in the chat, and you chose how it was squeezed.
On a computer, compress here and send it through WhatsApp Web or the desktop app. On a phone, open this page in Chrome on Android, or Safari on iPhone if your version supports video encoding; otherwise use a computer.
| Length | 10 MB | 20 MB | 50 MB |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 seconds | 1080p | 1080p | 2160p |
| 1 minute | 720p | 1080p | 1440p |
| 3 minutes | 360p | 540p | 720p |
| 10 minutes | 240p | 240p | 480p |
What the automatic setting picks for a 4K, 30 fps video with sound (smaller sources stay at their own size). Fast-moving footage looks softer at the same size; you can always override it.
Questions
What is the maximum video size on WhatsApp?
16 MB for videos sent as media, which is about 1 to 3 minutes of phone video depending on quality. Documents can be up to 2 GB but don't play inline.
Why does WhatsApp make my video blurry?
WhatsApp re-encodes media to save data. A file that is already small and well encoded comes through with less damage. For the best quality, send it as a document.
Will it work on iPhone?
The MP4 file plays on every iPhone. Making it on an iPhone needs a recent Safari with WebCodecs video encoding; the tool tells you if yours can't.
Is my video uploaded?
No. Your browser reads the file from your disk and encodes it on your own device with WebCodecs. Nothing is sent to a server, so it also works on large private files.
Why does it say the file is guaranteed to be under the limit?
After encoding, the tool measures the real file. Video encoders can overshoot a bitrate by a few percent, so if the file is over the target the tool encodes again at a lower bitrate. It only offers the download once the byte count is under the target, and it shows both numbers.
Which browsers work?
Any browser with WebCodecs video encoding: recent Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari on a computer, and Chrome on Android. If yours can't, the tool says so instead of failing halfway. If your browser can encode VP9 but not H.264 with AAC, you get a WebM file and a note saying so.