Free tool · WhatsApp limit · Runs in your browser
Compress a video for WhatsApp
Short answer
WhatsApp's help page gives the default video size limit as 100MB and 720p for users with a faster internet connection, and 64MB and 480p for slower connections. Our 720p and 480p presets match those two resolutions: about 20 min 36 s of our test clip fits in 100 MB at 720p and 20 min 24 s fits in 64 MB at 480p.
Batch is free and unlimited - files are processed one after another on your device, with no queue or daily cap. Maximum 100 MB per file; the first run loads a ~30 MB engine once per visit.
Key takeaways
- WhatsApp states two defaults: 100MB and 720p on a faster connection, 64MB and 480p on a slower one. The tool's 720p and 480p presets are the same two resolutions.
- At the highest bitrate our clip needed, 100 MB at 720p holds 20 min 36 s and 64 MB at 480p holds 20 min 24 s, audio included.
- You can send up to 100 photos or videos at once, according to the page, and add a caption to each.
- The page gives 2 GB as the maximum allowed document size. It does not say whether a video sent as a document is treated differently from one sent as a video.
- WhatsApp does not say on the page we read how the app recompresses a video it accepts, so there is no published way to predict the final quality.
What WhatsApp publishes
| Question | What WhatsApp says |
|---|---|
| Faster internet connection | Default video size limit is 100MB and 720p |
| Slower internet connection | Default video size limit is 64MB and 480p |
| Photos and videos at once | Up to 100, each with its own caption |
| Documents | The maximum allowed document size is 2 GB |
| Photo quality | Choose Standard quality or HD quality before sending |
How to send media, contacts, or location, read 2026-10-09.
How long a video fits at each default
WhatsApp ties each size limit to a resolution, so the useful comparison is the preset that matches. Both rows use the highest video bitrate our three sources needed, plus 128 kbps audio.
| WhatsApp default | Matching preset | Highest video bitrate this clip needed | Length that fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100MB and 720p (faster connection) | 720p | 519 kbps | 20 min 36 s |
| 64MB and 480p (slower connection) | 480p | 290 kbps | 20 min 24 s |
Megabytes here are decimal, 1,000,000 bytes each. If WhatsApp counts 1 MB as 1,048,576 bytes there is up to 4.9% more room.
What the compress tool does at those two presets
At 720p the tool took our 13.36 MB clip to 0.65 MB and at 480p to 0.36 MB, both with video only. Add 16,000 bytes for every second of audio.
The tool never upscales: a 720p clip stays 720p when you choose the 1080p preset, and a clip already below 720p keeps its dimensions when you choose 720p.
Free tools:Compress a videoTrim a video
Longer videos
For a 5 minute video under 100,000,000 bytes, total kbps = 100,000,000 × 8 / 300 / 1000 = 2,667 kbps, which leaves 2,539 kbps for video. That is above the 1,039 kbps our clip needed at 1080p, so size is not the obstacle. WhatsApp states its default for 720p, which is the resolution to match.
Where the lengths come from
The WhatsApp lengths above are computed from nine measured runs of this compressor on one animated clip. The full table, with sizes, bitrates and quality scores for every preset, is on the Compress a video page.
Work out the bitrate for this limit
The calculator is set to the WhatsApp limit. Change the length to see the video bitrate a two-pass encode needs.
- Total bitrate that fits
- 4,444 kbps
- Video bitrate after audio
- 4,316 kbps
- 480p preset on our test clip
- Likely fits: that clip needed up to 290 kbps
- 720p preset on our test clip
- Likely fits: that clip needed up to 519 kbps
- 1080p preset on our test clip
- Likely fits: that clip needed up to 1,039 kbps
- Two-pass commands at this bitrate
ffmpeg -y -i input.mp4 -c:v libx264 -b:v 4316k -pass 1 -an -f null /dev/nullffmpeg -i input.mp4 -c:v libx264 -b:v 4316k -pass 2 -c:a aac -b:a 128k output.mp4
3 min under 100 MB: 100,000,000 bytes × 8 ÷ 180 s ÷ 1000 = 4,444 kbps, minus 128 kbps audio.
The presets are a guide taken from one animated clip. Camera footage with more motion needs more bits, so the final check is the size of your own file.
Questions people ask
What is the WhatsApp video size limit?
WhatsApp says the default video size limit is 100MB and 720p for users with a faster internet connection, and 64MB and 480p for users with a slower one.
What resolution should I use for WhatsApp?
720p for the faster default and 480p for the slower one. The compress tool has both presets.
How many minutes of video fit in 100 MB?
About 20 min 36 s of our test clip at 720p, using the highest bitrate it needed plus 128 kbps audio.
How many photos or videos can I send at once?
Up to 100, according to the WhatsApp help page, with a caption for each.
Can I send a larger file than the video limit?
The page gives 2 GB as the maximum document size. It does not describe sending a video as a document, so check how your app treats it.
More ways to shrink a video
Sources and how we checked
- WhatsApp Help Center: How to send media, contacts, or location (read 2026-10-09)
- FFmpeg wiki: Encode/H.264 (CRF, presets and two-pass) (read 2026-10-06)
Reviewed October 9, 2026. Measurements ran the tool’s own ffmpeg arguments on the same single-thread WebAssembly engine your browser downloads. The evidence files are in data/seo/hub/evidence/2026-10-09/compress.