Where the 16 MB limit comes from
WhatsApp limited videos to 16 MB for a long time; today it sends much larger files, but 16 MB lives on as a limit in older app versions, business messaging tools, CRMs and many upload forms.
What fits into 16 MB
The compressor splits the size between picture and sound: about 96 kbit/s go to the sound, the rest to the picture. The longer the video, the fewer bits each second gets, so the resolution goes down to keep the picture clean rather than blocky:
| Length | Picture bitrate | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| 15 seconds | 7.9 Mbit/s | 1080p |
| 30 seconds | 3.9 Mbit/s | 1080p |
| 1 minute | 1.9 Mbit/s | 720p |
| 3 minutes | 572 kbit/s | 480p |
| 10 minutes | — | too low: trim it |
The target on this page is 15.5 MB — a little under 16 MB, because sites count megabytes differently and some add a few kilobytes on upload.
Tips
- Phone videos are often 4K at 60 fps; for a phone screen 720p or 1080p at 30 fps looks the same and fits several times more.
- Want to send a long video in pieces? Use “Split into parts” under Advanced settings.
How it works
- Add one or more videos — or a whole folder.
- The size is already set to 15.5 MB. Every video is compressed to fit it; short clips that already fit keep their quality.
- Press Compress. Everything happens in your browser: the video is never uploaded, so there is no file size limit and no queue.
Questions
How long can a 16 MB video be?
About 30 seconds at 1080p, a minute at 720p or 3 minutes at 480p with sound.
Does WhatsApp still limit videos to 16 MB?
Not for new app versions, which send much bigger files, but many other apps and forms still use 16 MB.
Will it work on my phone?
Yes, in Chrome on Android and in Safari on iPhone (iOS 16.4 or newer).
Last updated: 2026-10-30