WhatsApp is a free messaging and video calling app. It lets you send videos, photos, and documents when you’re chatting with an individual or a group. Because of the WhatsApp video size limit, people always seek ways to compress video for WhatsApp.
In this post, we’ll introduce 4 video compressors for WhatsApp and explain how to send long videos on WhatsApp on phones.
Firstly, let’s learn about WhatsApp video file size limits and supported formats.
Part 1: WhatsApp Video Size Limit
While chatting with friends on the WhatsApp app, you can take a new video or choose an existing video to send.
Videos recorded using WhatsApp’s camera are limited to 16MB. If you want to send an existing video, it’s also limited to 16MB.
WhatsApp also offers web and desktop versions. When you choose videos or photos from your computer, you can send up to 30 photos or videos at once. Each video is also limited to 16MB.
Now, we can get the conclusion that the WhatsApp video size limit is 16MB.
Which video formats are supported by WhatsApp?
WhatsApp app for Android and iOS and the web version support video files created using H264 or MPEG4 video codecs and AAC or AC3 audio codec. The supported video formats by WhatsApp include MP4, AVI, MKV, 3GP, etc.
If your existing video exceeds 16MB, you can’t send it directly to friends on WhatsApp. You should reduce the file size to send it successfully.
Part 2: How to Compress Video for WhatsApp on Desktop
How to reduce video size for WhatsApp? Check out the 4 video compressors.
#1. MiniTool MovieMaker
MiniTool MovieMaker is a useful video compressor for WhatsApp. With it, you can easily reduce the WhatsApp video file size by adjusting the quality and resolution without destroying video integrity.
MiniTool MovieMaker supports the most popular video formats, including all of the WhatsApp video formats. Also, it supports many formats for output like MP4, AVI, GIF. More importantly, it’s simple to use and won’t add a watermark to your finished video.
Here’s how to compress a video for WhatsApp using MiniTool MovieMaker.
Step 1. Download MiniTool MovieMaker and complete the installation on your computer. Launch this program and close the pop-up window.
MiniTool MovieMakerClick to Download100%Clean & Safe
Step 2. Click Import Media Files to browse for your video. Select it and click Open.
Step 3. Drag the video to the timeline. Now, you can edit this video as you like.
Add stickers: Click the video to highlight it and move the playhead to the desired place where you want the sticker to appear. Go to Elements, download a sticker and click + to add it.
Add captions: Click the video on the timeline and drag the playhead to the position where you want to add captions. Go to Text > Captions, choose and add a template, and edit your text in the Text Editor.
Apply a filter: Select the clip on the timeline, go to Effects, choose a filter, and click +.
Step 4. Now, click Export above the video player window.
Step 5. You can rename this video and choose another location to save it. Next, click Settings to compress this video.
Step 6. In the Settings window, choose Good for Quality, and click the Resolution drop-down menu to select a lower resolution from the list. Click OK to save changes.
Step 7. When your video is under 16MB, click Export to start compression and save the compressed video.
In addition, you can use MiniTool MovieMaker to shorten a video by trimming, splitting, and increasing the playback speed to reduce its file size.
As a video editor, MiniTool MovieMaker also allows you to rotate videos, flip videos, reverse videos, apply a transition, add motion effects, add a title card or end credits to a video, and edit audio in the video, etc.
#2. Clideo
If you want to compress video online for WhatsApp, Clideo is a great choice. This online video editor has tools to merge, compress, resize, cut, loop, and crop videos, adjust video speed, add subtitles, and more.
As a video compressor, Clideo allows you to upload a file up to 500MB. It reduces the size and keeps quality as much as possible. Clideo supports any popular format like MP4, MOV, or AVI.
Follow the steps below to learn how to compress video for WhatsApp online with Clideo.
Step 1. Open the Clideo website and select Compress.
Step 2. Click Choose file to upload a video from your device, Google Drive, or Dropbox.
Step 3. Once the video is uploaded, Clideo starts compression immediately.
Step 4. When finished, click Download to save the compressed video.
#3. FreeConvert
FreeConvert is also an online video compressor for WhatsApp. It supports almost all video file types, thus you can add any video to convert and compress for WhatsApp. FreeConvert also compresses GIFs, images, MP3, WAV, trim videos, and more.
Here’s how to compress video for WhatsApp online using FreeConvert.
Step 1. Go to the FreeConvert website, click Tools, and choose Video Compressor.
Step 2. Click Choose Files to add a video.
Step 3. Click the box next to Output and choose a WhatsApp video format.
Step 4. Click the settings icon, click the Compression Method drop-down menu, choose Target a file size (percentage) then move the slider to select a target file size as a percentage of the original.
Alternatively, select the Target a file size (MB) option and enter desired video file size. Click Apply Settings.
Step 5. Click the Compress Now button to enable the conversion task.
#4. XConvert
Another video compressor for WhatsApp is XConvert. It can compress MP4, WebM, MOV, and MKV video files, and this video compressor enables you to control the compression percentage. Here’s how to compress video for WhatsApp online with XConvert.
Step 1. Navigate to the XConvert website and click the Video Compressor tab.
Step 2. Click Add Files to upload a video from your computer.
Step 3. In the REDUCE VIDEO FILE SIZE on the right side, check File size percentage (best). When you drag the slider to the left, check the compressed size on the left side until it’s smaller than 16MB.
Step 4. Click the Compress button at the bottom right corner to start compression. Once done, click Download to save the compressed video.
You may also like:
- How to Download WhatsApp Audio & Convert WhatsApp Audio to MP3
- 10 Ways to Fix WhatsApp Download Failed or Can’t Send Media Files
- Solved: How to Send a Large Video File Through Facebook Messenger
Part 3: How to Send Large Videos on WhatsApp on Phone
From the above contents, we learn that the maximum WhatsApp video file size is 16MB, about 30 seconds to 3 minutes of video. If you select an existing video that’s larger than 16MB, you need to compress, trim, or split it before sending this video on the WhatsApp app.
You can edit this video well on your computer and then transfer it to your phone. Also, you can edit it on your phone. Android users can use Google Photos and iPhone users can use the Photos app to trim a video or split it into small pieces.
Alternatively, you can try out third-party video compressors to reduce the file size on your phone.
Also read: How to Trim/Cut a Video on iPhone/iPad? 2 Simple Methods!!!
How to send long videos on WhatsApp without trimming? How to send a large video on WhatsApp without lowering the resolution?
You can turn the long video into a link and then send the URL to your friends on WhatsApp. This part will teach you how to send long videos on WhatsApp via Google Drive and Dropbox.
How to Send Large Videos on WhatsApp via Google Drive
Step 1. Open Google Drive on your phone and click the + icon.
Step 2. Tap Upload, find and click the video you want to send on WhatsApp.
Step 3. Once the video is uploaded, click the three dots icon and select Copy Link to get the shareable link.
Step 4. Open WhatsApp, open a chat with a contact, paste the link in the text field, and send it.
Also read: 3 Solutions to Fix Google Drive Processing Video Error
How to Send Long Videos on WhatsApp via Dropbox
Step 1. Open the Dropbox app and click on the + icon to upload your video.
Step 2. Once done, click the three dots icon and choose Copy Link.
Step 3. Open WhatsApp, open a chat with a contact, paste the link in the text field, and send it.
Part 4: How to Convert Video for WhatsApp
To send an unsupported video file on WhatsApp, you should convert it to a format compatible with WhatsApp and even compress it to meet the WhatsApp video specs.
- WhatsApp Video Size Limit: 16MB
- WhatsApp Video Formats: MP4, AVI, MKV, 3GP, etc.
How to convert video for WhatsApp? You can try MiniTool Video Converter, a free WhatsApp video converter.
MiniTool Video ConverterClick to Download100%Clean & Safe
MiniTool Video Converter is a professional video and audio converter. It supports a wide range of video and audio formats both for input and output. This video converter also supports batch conversion.
MiniTool Video Converter allows you to create a custom video format with the optional quality, encoder, frame rate, resolution, and bitrate. It also lets you download YouTube videos and record screens.
MiniTool Video Converter is free and easy to use, and it’s also watermark-free.
Here’s how to convert video and reduce video size for WhatsApp with MiniTool Video Converter.
Step 1. Run MiniTool Video Converter after the installation.
Step 2. Click the Add or Drag files here to start conversion area to add your WhatsApp video.
Step 3. Click the icon in the screenshot below, which is marked out with a red square.
Step 4. Go to the Video tab and choose a WhatsApp video format. Then, choose a preset from the list and check if the current video file size is less than 16MB.
Alternatively, click Create Custom. Next, type the format title, choose Low quality, choose desired video resolution, set Bitrate, and select a frame rate. Finally, click Create.
Step 5. Find and choose your custom format. Now, you should check the video file size. If it’s smaller than 16MB, click Convert to convert this video for WhatsApp.
Conclusion
To compress a video for WhatsApp, you can change video quality and resolution, trim and split it to make it shorter. Just choose the way you need and try MiniTool MovieMaker to compress video for WhatsApp to meet your needs. Also, you can try MiniTool Video Converter to convert and compress a video for WhatsApp.
If you have any problems while using MiniTool MovieMaker or MiniTool Video Converter, you can contact us via [email protected] for help. If you’d like to share other useful video compressors for WhatsApp, you can leave your recommendations in the below comments area.
About The Author
Position: Columnist
Cora works as an editor at MiniTool for many years, writing articles about video editing, video conversion, and screen recording. She also writes articles about Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Snapchat, and Twitter. During her spare time, Cora loves reading, traveling, and watching movies.