What is Discord's file size limit for videos?

Discord free accounts have a 10 MB upload limit per file. Discord Nitro Basic raises this to 50 MB and Discord Nitro raises it to 500 MB. Discord lowered the free cap from 25 MB to 10 MB, so older guides online are out of date. Most raw video clips shot on a phone or camera exceed 10 MB within 15–20 seconds at 1080p, which is why compression is almost always necessary before uploading.

How do I compress a video to under 10 MB for Discord?

Upload your video using the compressor above and click Compress. The tool targets a 10 MB output using two-pass H.264 encoding, so it calculates the bitrate needed to land under Discord's free limit rather than guessing. A 60-second 1080p clip that starts at 100 MB comes back under 10 MB and still plays inline in chat.

What video format does Discord support?

Discord supports MP4, MOV, and WebM video uploads. MP4 (H.264) has the broadest compatibility and plays inline in Discord chat without needing to open an external player. This compressor always outputs H.264 MP4, so your video will play directly in Discord.

Why does my video look blurry on Discord?

Discord re-compresses videos again during playback if the file exceeds certain bitrate thresholds. To minimise this, compress your video before uploading — our tool outputs at a bitrate Discord is happy to display at full quality. Videos under 8 MB are especially unlikely to be re-processed.

Can I compress a longer video for Discord?

Yes — the compressor supports files up to 200 MB. The tool will still hit the 10 MB target on a long clip, but it has to drop the bitrate to get there, so a 5-minute video will look noticeably softer than a 30-second one. For longer clips, trim the video first or use Discord Nitro, which raises the limit to 500 MB.

How do I compress a video to 8 MB for Discord?

Some Discord server bots and older interfaces enforce an 8 MB limit, slightly below Discord's own 10 MB free cap. This tool targets 10 MB, so if you specifically need under 8 MB, use the Small (480p) quality setting or trim the clip shorter before compressing.

Will compression affect my video's resolution?

You choose the quality — High keeps up to 1080p, while Balanced (720p) and Small (480p) shrink the file further to fit Discord's limits. The exact output resolution is shown before and after compression, so there are no surprises, and frame rate is always preserved.

What is the maximum video length I can send on Discord?

There is no hard length limit — only the file size cap. At Discord's 10 MB free limit and typical H.264 compression rates, you can send roughly 1–2 minutes of 720p video or 30–45 seconds of 1080p video before quality starts to visibly drop. Compress first, then upload to stay within the limit.

Optimised for Discord

Discord Video Compressor

Compress video for Discord free — get under 10 MB in minutes.

Drop your video here, or click to browse

MP4, MOV, WebM, AVI, MKV — up to 500 MB, 20 min

Free Discord Video Compressor

Compress video for Discord — get under 10 MB every time

Discord free accounts limit uploads to 10 MB per file — it used to be 25 MB, so plenty of advice online is now wrong. Most phone-recorded videos pass 10 MB in under 20 seconds at 1080p. This tool re-encodes your video with two-pass H.264 on our server, targeting the 10 MB cap directly, then deletes it the moment your download starts.

Under 10 MB every timeH.264 MP4 — plays inline in DiscordDeleted immediatelyNo Nitro required

Why Compress Before Uploading to Discord?

Discord re-compresses videos that exceed its internal bitrate thresholds, which adds a second round of quality loss. Compressing your video to a controlled bitrate beforehand reduces how much Discord strips out — often resulting in visibly sharper playback.

H.264 MP4 is the format Discord plays inline in chat. Uploading an MP4 means your video appears directly in the channel without requiring viewers to click an external link.

Discord File Size Guide

Understanding Discord video limits

Discord's 10 MB free upload cap catches most users off guard — especially since it was 25 MB until Discord lowered it. A 30-second 1080p recording from a phone is typically 50–150 MB. Two-pass H.264 compression brings those files under 10 MB while keeping the video watchable in Discord's player.

Discord's 10 MB free limit

Discord free accounts cap uploads at 10 MB — lowered from the old 25 MB, which is why so many guides still quote the wrong number. Even a 20-second 1080p phone clip usually exceeds it. Two-pass H.264 re-encoding brings a 60–100 MB clip under 10 MB and keeps it watchable.

Nitro vs free file size limits

Discord Nitro Basic raises the upload limit to 50 MB; Discord Nitro raises it to 500 MB. Compression is free and works for any clip under a few minutes — no subscription needed to share quality video in any Discord server.

Best settings for Discord video quality

720p H.264 is the sweet spot at a 10 MB cap — it leaves enough bitrate for motion to stay clean. Short clips under 30 seconds can hold 1080p and still fit. Longer clips are better trimmed than squeezed, since the bitrate has to fall to make the size.

How To Compress Video for Discord

Four steps to a Discord-ready video

Step 1

Upload your video

Drag and drop your clip onto the upload area, or click to browse. Supports MP4, MOV, WebM, AVI, MKV — gaming recordings, phone clips, and screen captures all work.

Step 2

One-click compression

Click Compress. The tool re-encodes your video using two-pass H.264, targeting Discord's 10 MB free limit at the highest quality that fits.

Step 3

Server does the work

Your video is compressed on our server using FFmpeg. Encoding typically takes 1–3 minutes. You can switch tabs freely while it processes.

Step 4

Download and upload to Discord

Your compressed MP4 downloads automatically. Drag it straight into Discord — it will play inline in chat without requiring Nitro.

Need Captions Too?

Now add captions to your Discord clip — free, in your browser

Just compressed a clip for Discord? Add AI-generated, styled captions to it right here in your browser — no install needed. Upload, auto-caption, and download in minutes.

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Common Uses

What people compress for Discord

Gaming clips and highlights

Gaming clips from OBS or ShadowPlay are often recorded at very high bitrate. Compression brings a 10-second clip from 200+ MB to under 10 MB while keeping gameplay sharp and readable.

Memes and viral clips

Short viral clips and reaction videos are often in formats Discord doesn't play inline. Converting and compressing to MP4 means your clip plays right in chat — no extra clicks needed.

Screen recordings and tutorials

Screen recordings compress exceptionally well — 80%+ size reduction is common because screen content has less complexity than live footage. A 100 MB screen recording often ends up under 15 MB.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about compressing video for Discord

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