Compress a video for Discord
A clip filmed on a phone is often far above Discord’s free upload limit. Compressing it here first means you decide how the quality is spent, instead of letting the app guess.
How to get under 10 MB
- Add the clip. The target is already set to 10 MB: change it only if your server limit is different.
- Press Compress to this size. The tool works out the bitrate and lowers the resolution if the clip is long.
- Check the result line: it says whether the file is under the target. Then drag it into Discord.
What 10 MB really means
File size is bitrate multiplied by length, so the length decides how much picture quality fits:
| Clip length | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Up to 30 s | Close to the original, at full resolution |
| 1 minute | Good at 720p; fast motion softens a little |
| 3 minutes | Acceptable at 480p, visible loss of detail |
| 5 minutes or more | Poor. Trim or split the clip rather than squeeze it |
Discord’s limits depend on the plan and change over time. If a send still fails, lower the target to 8 MB; if your upload allows more, raise it, and the result will look better.
Two ways to keep it sharp
Trim first. Every second removed is size freed at no cost in quality. Cut the start and end with Trim video, then compress.
Split instead of squeezing. A five-minute clip at 10 MB will always look bad. Cut it into two or three parts with Split a video; each part gets the full budget and looks far better.
Why Discord degrades videos
When a file is over the limit, Discord re-encodes it quickly and the result is blocky. When the file is already under the limit, it is sent as is. That is the whole point of compressing it here: the encoder gets more time, and you can listen and look at the result before sending.
Questions about Compress video to a size
Does Discord still compress my video?
If the file is under your upload limit, it is sent without another lossy pass. If it is over, the app re-encodes it or refuses it.
Can I keep 1080p and still fit 10 MB?
Only for very short clips. For anything over about 30 seconds, 720p looks better than a heavily compressed 1080p.
What if I need the original quality?
Send the file as a link, or use a service that does not re-encode. A chat upload always has a size limit.
Can I compress several clips at once?
Yes, up to five. They all get the same target and you can download them as a ZIP.