Compress video and photos for WhatsApp
Video sent as media caps at 16 MB. Photos get squashed to around 100 KB whatever you send. The two problems need different answers.
- Video
- 16 MB as media, always re-encoded
- Photos
- Squashed to roughly 100 KB regardless
- Keep original
- Send as a document, no re-encoding
Target size 16 MB
Drop images or videos here
Or click to browse, or just hit Ctrl + V to paste a screenshot
Images: JPEG / PNG / WebP / GIF / BMP · Videos: MP4 / MOV / WebM / AVI
Results
Before / after
One file, two very different routes
The most confusing thing about WhatsApp is that the same video behaves completely differently depending on how you attach it.
| Sent as | Video cap | Re-encoded? | Recipient gets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Media (gallery / video button) | 16 MB | Always | Inline playback in the chat |
| Document (paperclip) | Much higher | No | A file to download first |
Photos work the same way: crushed to roughly 100 KB as media, untouched as a document. That is the answer to "I sent an 8 MB original, why did it arrive looking like that".
Video: 16 MB is a hard wall
This is the tightest cap of any platform covered here. What fits in 16 MB, after allowing for audio:
| Duration | Available bitrate | Sensible quality |
|---|---|---|
| 15 seconds | ~8100 kbps | 1080p |
| 30 seconds | ~4050 kbps | 1080p |
| 1 minute | ~2020 kbps | 720p |
| 2 minutes | ~1010 kbps | 720p, marginal |
| 5 minutes | ~400 kbps | 480p, clearly soft |
Past about two minutes the quality cost of fitting 16 MB gets obvious. At that point sending as a document, or trimming the clip, is the better trade.
Photos: pre-compressing loses less
Same logic as LINE and Instagram. Hand over a 12 MB camera original and WhatsApp scales it down enormously to reach ~100 KB, and a scale that aggressive always looks rough.
Resize to 1600 px on the long edge at high quality yourself, around 500 KB to 1 MB, and WhatsApp's pass has far less work to do. The final image is usually noticeably better.
Choosing a route
- Video that must play inline: use the 16 MB media preset above, then send.
- Video where quality wins: do not compress, send it as a document and accept the download step.
- Everyday photos: use the 2 MB / 1600 px preset so WhatsApp has less to do.
- Photos that must stay pristine: do not compress, send as a document.
Frequently asked questions
What is WhatsApp’s video limit?
Sent as media from the gallery or video button, 16 MB, and it is always re-encoded. Send the same file through the paperclip as a document and the cap is far higher and nothing is re-encoded, at the cost of the recipient not getting inline playback.
Why do photos arrive so degraded?
WhatsApp compresses photos sent as media very aggressively, the result usually lands around 100 KB no matter how large your original was. That is the platform’s design, not a fault in your file. The only way to preserve the original is to send it as a document.
What is the actual document size limit?
Sources disagree, figures from 100 MB to 2 GB are quoted, and WhatsApp has changed it more than once. Rather than print a number that may already be stale: if you need the original preserved, use the document route, start with something modest, and compress only if it is refused.
Do I still need to compress, then?
Yes, for two different reasons. Video over 16 MB simply will not send as media, that is a hard wall. Photos are softer: rather than let WhatsApp crush your full-resolution original down to 100 KB with its own settings, resize it sensibly yourself at good quality and the final result is usually clearer.