Compress a video for WhatsApp

WhatsApp limits videos sent as media to 16 MB in many regions — and its own automatic compression can leave clips looking smeared. Compress here first, on your own device, and send a file WhatsApp won't mangle. No upload, no watermark.

Why compress before sending on WhatsApp

When you send a video as media, WhatsApp re-compresses it aggressively on your phone with one-size-fits-all settings — that's where the blur comes from. If your video is already under the size limit and encoded efficiently, WhatsApp has far less reason to crush it. Compressing here first means you decide the trade-off, with a proper two-step process: compute the exact bitrate that fits 16 MB, encode, verify the size, and re-encode automatically if needed.

The output is a standard MP4 (H.264 + AAC), exactly what WhatsApp, iPhones and Androids prefer. A minute of video fits in 16 MB at very watchable quality; several minutes will step down to a lower resolution that still looks intentional rather than mangled. For longer videos, you can also send the compressed file as a document in WhatsApp — documents aren't re-compressed at all and have a much higher size limit (2 GB).

Everything runs in your browser. Family videos, kids' clips, medical consultations — nothing is uploaded to anyone's server, including ours. There isn't one.

Frequently asked questions

What is WhatsApp's actual video size limit?
Sent as media, 16 MB in most regions (some builds allow more). Sent as a document, up to 2 GB. This page targets the 16 MB media limit so your video previews and plays inline in the chat.
Will WhatsApp compress my video again?
WhatsApp may still process media, but an efficiently encoded, under-limit MP4 passes through with little or no further visible damage. To skip WhatsApp's processing entirely, send the compressed file as a document.
Is my video private?
Yes. Compression runs entirely in your browser on your own device. The file is never uploaded — you can watch the network tab in your browser's developer tools and see for yourself.
What format does WhatsApp want?
MP4 with H.264 video and AAC audio — exactly what this tool outputs. It plays inline on both iPhone and Android without conversion.
Can I compress to a different size?
Yes — the full compressor lets you choose 8, 10, 16, 25 or 50 MB, or type any custom target.