How to compress a video
- Choose your video, or drop it on the box. Phone videos (MP4 or MOV) work best.
- Pick where it’s going. WhatsApp makes a quick-to-send 720p file of about 15 MB, Discord stays under the free 10 MB limit, and Email aims for 18 MB so the message fits Gmail’s and Outlook.com’s 25 MB limit. Or set your own size.
- Press Compress video and keep the tab open. A one-minute phone clip usually takes under a minute on a recent device.
- Check the preview, then download. If a file comes out over the target, the tool runs a second, smaller pass by itself.
How the size is worked out
A video’s size is its bitrate multiplied by its length. The tool divides your target size by the video’s length, keeps a little for the sound and the MP4 wrapper, and gives the rest to the picture. It then picks the largest resolution that bitrate can fill cleanly: a short clip keeps 1080p, a long one drops to 720p or 480p so it stays sharp instead of blocky. Choosing a resolution yourself overrides this.
| Where it’s going | Limit | Length that fits at good 720p quality |
|---|---|---|
| Discord (free) | 10 MB | About 50 seconds |
| Email (Gmail, Outlook.com) | 25 MB attachments | About 1½ minutes (we aim for 18 MB) |
| 2 GB per file | Any length; smaller just sends faster |
Limits from Discord’s attachments FAQ, Gmail Help, Outlook.com sending limits and the WhatsApp blog, checked November 2026. Services change them, so check their help pages if a file is refused. Work and school email accounts can have a different limit set by the admin.
Frequently asked questions
Is my video uploaded to a server?
No. The video is decoded and re-encoded by your browser using its built-in video encoder (WebCodecs). The file never leaves your phone or computer, so there is no upload wait and no size cap from us.
How small can a video get?
It depends on its length. Size is roughly bitrate times length, so a one-minute phone clip fits in 10 MB and still looks fine, but a ten-minute video in 10 MB would be a blur. If the size you pick is too small for the length, the tool tells you the smallest size that still looks watchable, or how much to trim.
Will the video play on WhatsApp and iPhone?
Yes. The output is an MP4 with H.264 video and AAC sound, the format phones, WhatsApp, Discord and email apps all play. In the rare browser with no H.264 encoder, you get a WebM file and a note telling you so.
Why does my browser say it can't compress video?
The tool needs WebCodecs, which is in current Chrome, Edge, Safari 16.4 or newer, Samsung Internet and Firefox 130 or newer. Update your browser, or try one of those.