Compress a video for WhatsApp
WhatsApp typically caps videos sent as regular media at around 16 MB, and it recompresses whatever you send, often heavily. Compressing the clip yourself first lets you choose the trade-off: the WhatsApp preset targets 16 MB and writes an H.264/AAC MP4, the format WhatsApp plays natively on Android, iPhone and desktop.
Last updated September 2026
Compress for WhatsApp (16 MB) →How to do it
- Open the compressor with the WhatsApp preset (the button below sets a 16 MB target).
- Choose or drop your video. MP4, MOV, WebM, MKV and AVI are accepted.
- Optionally trim to the part you actually want to send — shorter clips keep far more quality at 16 MB.
- If the video is long, set resolution to 720p or 480p so the bitrate isn't spread too thin.
- Press Compress, then download the MP4 and attach it in WhatsApp as a normal video.
Tips
- Rough rule: at 16 MB, one minute of video gets about 2 Mbps — fine for 720p, tight for 1080p.
- WhatsApp may still re-encode on its side; starting at a sensible size means less damage from that second pass.
- Clips over a couple of minutes look better sent as a document (see the WhatsApp document guide).
FAQ
What is WhatsApp's video size limit?
At the time of writing, videos sent as regular media are typically limited to about 16 MB. Files sent as documents can be much larger (up to 2 GB).
Is my video uploaded to compress it?
No. Compression runs in your browser with ffmpeg compiled to WebAssembly. The only download is the ffmpeg program code itself; your video stays on your device.
Why does my video still look blurry in WhatsApp?
WhatsApp applies its own compression when sending as media. Trimming and using 720p before sending helps; sending as a document avoids WhatsApp's recompression entirely.