How to Compress a Video for WhatsApp on iPhone

WhatsApp limits videos to about 16 MB when sent as media, and it re-compresses whatever you send — often making it look worse. Compressing the video yourself first means longer clips that still look sharp.

WhatsApp video size limits

• As a video/media message: about 16 MB — roughly 90 seconds to a few minutes depending on quality.
• As a document: up to 2 GB, but it sends without a preview and downloads manually.
• Status updates: capped at 30 seconds and heavily compressed.

The problem with letting WhatsApp do the compressing is that its automatic pass is aggressive and low-bitrate, so motion gets blocky. Pre-compressing with Kompresso to a clean 720p or 1080p file gives WhatsApp less to butcher and a better-looking result on the other end.

Compress for WhatsApp step by step

1. Open Kompresso and pick the videoSelect the clip you want to send.
2. Set resolution to 720p and pick Medium720p is the WhatsApp sweet spot — small file, still crisp on a phone. Use Low for very long clips.
3. Aim for under 16 MBWatch the projected size. Nudge the compression slider or bitrate down until it fits comfortably under 16 MB.
4. Compress, then share to WhatsAppTap Compress, then use Share → WhatsApp, or save to Photos and attach it in the chat.

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Send longer videos without the quality hit

Need to send something longer than 16 MB allows? You have two good options: send it as a document (up to 2 GB, no preview) after compressing so the download is quick, or compress hard with H.265 to squeeze a longer clip under the media limit. For anything really large, see how to send a large video from iPhone.