WhatsApp file size limit: how to send large videos and files

The limits are the same on Android, iPhone, WhatsApp Web and the desktop apps. The important part is how you attach the file. Photos and videos sent from your gallery are treated as media and squeezed to fit the video limit. Anything sent with the Document option is sent as the original file, up to 2 GB.

If you've read that WhatsApp's limit is 16 MB, that guide is out of date. WhatsApp raised documents to 2 GB in 2022, and its help center now lists 100 MB and 720p as the default limit for videos.

WhatsApp supports videos in MP4, MOV, MKV, AVI, FLV and 3GP format. Videos from professional cameras or with a high audio sample rate may not be supported, so if a video won't attach, sending it as a document usually still works.

Phones record far more than 100 MB of video in just a few minutes, and much faster in 4K. To get a video under the limit, WhatsApp compresses it and lowers it to 720p, or 480p if your connection is slow. WhatsApp says so itself: "the quality of media uploaded to WhatsApp might be lower than the original version because media files are usually compressed when shared."

Before you send a photo or video, you can switch it from Standard quality to HD quality. That gives you a sharper result, but it's still a compressed copy, not the file you recorded.

The trick is to send the video as a document. WhatsApp doesn't compress documents, so your contact gets exactly the file you recorded, as long as it's under 2 GB.

On Android

1. Open the chat and tap the attach icon.
2. Tap Document instead of Gallery.
3. Find the video on your phone, usually in the DCIM or Movies folder, and send it.

On iPhone

1. The Document option browses the Files app. If your video is only in Photos, open it there, tap Share and choose Save to Files.
2. In the WhatsApp chat, tap the + icon and choose Document.
3. Pick the video from where you saved it, and send it.

The video arrives as a file rather than a video bubble, so your contact taps it to open it. A big file can take a while to upload and download, so use Wi-Fi if you can, on both ends.

1. Share a link instead

WhatsApp can't attach anything over 2 GB, but it can send a link to it. Upload the file somewhere else and paste the link into the chat. It keeps full quality and works for any file type. With VeilShare:

1. Open the upload box on our homepage on your phone or computer and choose your file.
2. Pick how long the link should last, 6, 24, 48 or 72 hours, and add a password if wanted.
3. Tap the upload button, copy the link and paste it into WhatsApp.

Files up to 3 GB are free without an account. Like WhatsApp, VeilShare is end-to-end encrypted: your file is encrypted on your device before it's uploaded, so we can't see it. A link also works for people who aren't on WhatsApp, so you can post the same link in a group, an email or anywhere else.

2. Compress the video

If a video is just over 2 GB, shrinking it slightly lets you send it as a document. Free apps like HandBrake can do it on your computer. Lowering the resolution from 4K to 1080p usually cuts the size a lot while still looking sharp on a phone.

3. Use Google Drive or iCloud

Cloud storage works like option 1, but you need an account and enough free space, and you have to set the sharing settings correctly. Popular Google Drive files can also get locked for up to 24 hours, which we cover in our guide to Google Drive's download quota.

• A quick clip for a friend: send it normally, and pick HD quality if it matters.
• A video you want in full quality, under 2 GB: send it as a document.
• Anything over 2 GB: share a link.
• A file for people who aren't on WhatsApp, or for a big group: share a link.

Hitting limits on other apps too? See our guides to Telegram's file size limit, Discord's file size limit and email attachment limits.