How to send a big video on WhatsApp
- Leave “WhatsApp 16 MB” selected.
- Drop your video in and check the expected quality.
- Press “Compress to 16 MB”, save the file, then attach it in WhatsApp from your gallery or files.
WhatsApp’s two limits
WhatsApp treats videos differently depending on how you send them. Sent as a video, the file shows a preview and plays inside the chat, but it must be small: 16 MB is the long-standing limit, and WhatsApp compresses it heavily on the way. Sent as a document, a file can be up to 2 GB, but people must download it before they can watch it.
Compressing to 16 MB yourself gives you control over the quality, instead of letting WhatsApp squash it.
Tips
- Videos over about a minute will be scaled down to 720p or 480p to fit. That still looks good on a phone screen.
- If the sound isn’t needed, tick “Remove sound” for a sharper picture.
- For long videos, sending as a document keeps full quality.
Questions
Why does WhatsApp say my video is too large?
Because it’s over the limit for videos sent with a preview. Compress it to 16 MB here, or send it as a document instead.
Will it work on iPhone videos?
Yes. iPhone videos (MOV, HEVC) are converted to a widely compatible MP4 while they’re compressed.
Is my video uploaded anywhere?
No. The tool runs inside your browser and uses your device’s own video encoder. Your file is read from your device, processed there and saved back. You can confirm this in your browser’s network panel: nothing is sent while a video is processed.
Which browsers does it work in?
It works best in Chrome and Edge on a computer. It needs a browser feature called WebCodecs. If your browser doesn’t have it, the page tells you before you start.