Compress video
Reduce video file size to share on WhatsApp, by email, or on social media.
Why Your Video Won’t Send (or Looks Bad)
Today’s phones record in Full HD or 4K, and a single minute can be over 100 MB. WhatsApp limits the size of videos sent as media—historically around 16 MB in many versions, though this varies by device and app version. Even within the limit, WhatsApp compresses videos itself, which often makes them look blurry.
Compressing your video first lets you choose the balance between file size and quality instead of leaving it up to the app.
Recommended settings
- For most videos: Set the quality to Medium and resolution to 720p. This typically reduces phone videos by 70% to 90% while keeping them looking good on a phone screen.
- Still too large: Set the quality to Low and resolution to 480p.
- Want the best quality: Set the quality to High and resolution to 1080p, then send it as a document (see below).
Step by step
- If you only need part of the video, trim it first with Trim video—trimming doesn’t recompress it and reduces the file size right away.
- Open Compress video and select your video.
- Choose the quality and resolution, then tap Compress video. The tool shows the file size before and after.
- Attach the new file in WhatsApp. On iPhone, Safari downloads it to the Files app; tap Share › Save Video to add it to your photo library.
Video in a format your phone can’t open (MKV, AVI, WEBM)? Convert it to MP4 with Convert video.
Tip: Send it as a document
Files sent using WhatsApp’s Document option aren’t recompressed, so they arrive exactly as they left your phone. The file size limit is also much higher than for videos sent as media. The downside is that the recipient has to download the file to watch it, and there’s no preview in the chat.
Frequently asked questions
Is my video uploaded to a server?
No. Compression happens in your browser, using your device’s video acceleration.
How long does it take?
It depends on the video’s size and your device’s processing power. It’s faster on a computer; long videos may take a few minutes on a phone.
Does this work for Status and Instagram too?
Yes. MP4 videos in 720p or 1080p work with WhatsApp Status, Instagram, Facebook, and email. For Status, trim the video to the section you want to share.