Guide
Compress a video for WhatsApp: pick the size, send the file
Drop a video above, check that 15 MB is the size you want and press Compress. You get an MP4 small enough to send, and you decide how small it gets.
In short
- This tool shrinks a video to the size you set, so WhatsApp will send it.
- Aim for 15 MB, the size the tool opens on, and go smaller if WhatsApp refuses.
- WhatsApp may shrink your video again when it sends, so choose the quality yourself first.
- The tool shows the size before and after, and plays the copy so you can check.
- Your file is not uploaded. The whole thing runs inside this browser tab.
WhatsApp compressor
Runs in your browser · files never leave this page
Drop a video here
or
How to shrink it
Your file never leaves this page. The engine downloads once, the work happens in this tab, and there is no upload, no account and no storage. Close the tab and the file is gone unless you downloaded it.
More free tools: Video compressor · Video resizer · Video to MP4 · Video to MP3 · Video clipper · all tools
- The size the tool starts at
- 15 MB
- Longest clip that fits 15 MB
- 6:05
- Picture bitrate for a 1-minute clip
- 1,872 kbps
What size to aim for on WhatsApp
Aim for 15 MB. WhatsApp sets its own limit and can change it, so treat 15 MB as the safe starting point.
- The tool starts at 15 MB, and you can set any other size in megabytes.
- If WhatsApp refuses your video, set a smaller size and run it again.
- WhatsApp may shrink your video again after you send it, whatever size you start from.
How long a clip fits under 15 MB
The same 15 MB is spread over the whole clip, so short clips stay sharp. Trim a long one first with the free video clipper.
- The tool divides your target size by how long the clip is.
- It sets aside 128 kbps for the sound.
- The picture gets whatever is left, so a longer clip gets less.
- Below 200 kbps the picture turns to blocks, so the tool refuses and asks you to trim the clip.
Picture bitrate under 15 MB
| Clip length | Picture gets | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| 30 seconds | 3,872 kbps | Sharp on any phone |
| 1 minute | 1,872 kbps | Good on a phone |
| 2 minutes | 872 kbps | Soft, still watchable |
| 3 minutes | 538 kbps | Trim it if you can |
| Over 6 min 5 s | Will not fit | Trim the clip, or set a bigger size |
Clip length: 30 seconds
- Picture gets
- 3,872 kbps
- Tip
- Sharp on any phone
Clip length: 1 minute
- Picture gets
- 1,872 kbps
- Tip
- Good on a phone
Clip length: 2 minutes
- Picture gets
- 872 kbps
- Tip
- Soft, still watchable
Clip length: 3 minutes
- Picture gets
- 538 kbps
- Tip
- Trim it if you can
Clip length: Over 6 min 5 s
- Picture gets
- Will not fit
- Tip
- Trim the clip, or set a bigger size
This is the whole editor
Highlight a phrase and a clip lands on those exact words. No timeline, no keyframes, no layers.
What you get back
You set the size, and the copy comes out at about that size whatever your clip weighed before.
- Before it starts, the tool works out how big the copy will be and shows that under the size box.
- When it finishes you see the size before, the size after and the change as a percentage.
- The copy plays right there, so you can watch it before you save it.
- If your clip is too long for the size you asked for, the tool says so instead of making an unwatchable file.
How to compress a video for WhatsApp
Four steps, all in this tab.
Compress a video for WhatsApp
Drop your video
In the box at the top
Check the size
It starts at 15 MB
Press Compress
The size is worked out first
Download the MP4
Then send it
Limits of a browser tool
Everything runs on your own device, so your device sets the limits.
- File size: up to 500 MB runs comfortably. Bigger files may run out of memory.
- Speed: the engine uses one processor core, so a long re-encode takes minutes.
- First run: the engine downloads once, about 32 MB. After that it starts fast.
- Phones: it works, but a laptop is faster and has more memory.
- On a phone, save the MP4 first, then share it from your files into WhatsApp.
Questions people ask
- What is WhatsApp's video size limit?
- Aim for 15 MB. WhatsApp sets the limit itself and changes it over time, so the tool opens at 15 MB and lets you set a smaller size if your video is refused.
- Why compress a video before sending it on WhatsApp?
- Because you decide how it looks. WhatsApp shrinks big videos itself and you cannot see what it will do. Compress it yourself and you can watch the copy before you send it.
- How long a video fits in 15 MB?
- Up to 6 minutes 5 seconds. A 1-minute clip keeps 1,872 kbps for the picture, which looks good on a phone.
- WhatsApp still refuses my video. What now?
- Set a smaller size and run it again. If the clip is long, trim it first with the free video clipper: the same megabytes spread over fewer seconds give a sharper picture.
- Does it work on my phone?
- Yes, in the phone's browser. Save the compressed MP4, then share it into WhatsApp from your files or gallery.
- Is my video uploaded anywhere?
- No. The tool runs inside this browser tab, so your video never leaves your device. Only the engine itself is downloaded, about 32 MB, once per visit.
Want a finished video with captions, not just a smaller file? Cutroom edits your clip for you. Your first video is free.