Compress Video for WhatsApp
Get under 16 MB before WhatsApp's compressor gets there first.
Runs entirely in your browser. Your videos never leave this device.
WhatsApp limits videos sent in a chat to about 16 MB and re-encodes every one of them — which is why videos so often arrive blurry. Compress your video here to an exact target instead, say 16 MB, and you control what gets sacrificed; or shrink a big file and send it as a document so WhatsApp doesn't touch it at all. It's free and runs entirely in your browser, with no upload to any server.
Why does WhatsApp ruin video quality?
WhatsApp re-encodes every video sent as media so it fits the roughly 16 MB in-chat cap, and its compressor favors small files over sharp footage. The longer or higher-resolution your original, the harder it gets squeezed. Two ways around it: compress the video yourself with better settings before sending, or send it as a document, which WhatsApp delivers untouched.
The facts that matter
| Max video sent as media | 16 MB — bigger clips must be trimmed |
|---|---|
| Max file sent as a document | 2 GB, delivered without compression |
| Status video length | Up to 90 seconds (60 on older versions) |
| In-chat compression | Every video sent as media is re-encoded by WhatsApp |
| Best format | MP4 (H.264 + AAC) |
Get a better result
- Type the real cap (16 MB) — the built-in safety margin covers container overhead, so WhatsApp accepts the file on the first try.
- A one-minute clip squeezed to 16 MB holds up well; a ten-minute one won't. For long videos, compress with a quality preset and send as a document instead.
- Sending as a document also skips WhatsApp's own re-encode, so what you send is exactly what they get.
- Compress once, forward anywhere — the finished MP4 on your device is the file, so every chat gets the same quality.
- Queue several clips at once and let them compress one after another.
Frequently asked questions
How do I send a video on WhatsApp without losing quality?
Send it as a document: tap the attach icon, choose Document, and pick the video file. Documents up to 2 GB are delivered without re-encoding — the recipient just taps to download instead of seeing an inline preview. Compress it first if it's large, so the download isn't painful.
What is the WhatsApp video size limit?
About 16 MB for videos sent as media in a chat — larger clips have to be trimmed before they'll send. Files sent as documents can be up to 2 GB.
How do I get my video under 16 MB?
Use target-size mode and enter 16 MB — the encoder applies its own safety margin, so the result lands under the cap. It computes the exact bitrate from your video's length and retries automatically if the first pass overshoots.
Will the compressed video still play on the recipient's phone?
Yes. Output is MP4 with H.264 video and AAC audio — the most widely supported combination there is — with the original aspect ratio and frame rate preserved.
Is my video private?
Yes — compression happens inside your browser using ffmpeg.wasm, so the file never leaves your device. There's no upload, no server-side processing, and no account to create.
Can I make a long video fit a WhatsApp status?
Compression reduces file size, not length — a status tops out at 90 seconds (60 on older versions of WhatsApp), so trim longer footage in your phone's editor first. Once it's trimmed, compressing keeps the upload quick and the quality predictable.