Why your video won't send on WhatsApp

The limits that matter

WhatsApp's own help pages give two different video limits. One page says the default is 100 MB at 720p on a fast connection and 64 MB at 480p on a slower one. Another says the maximum for videos sent or forwarded is 64 MB on all platforms. In practice, 64 MB is the size that always works, for you and for whoever you send it to.

Why phone videos are so big

Phone cameras record at high bitrates so footage looks good when you edit it. A minute of 4K video can pass 300 MB, and even 1080p is often 100 MB or more per minute. WhatsApp either refuses the file or squeezes it down hard, which is why videos often arrive blurry.

Fix 1: compress it to under 64 MB

Compressing lowers the bitrate so the file fits. Done carefully, the video still looks sharp on a phone screen. Okaysize works out the exact bitrate for your video's length, keeps the audio clear and checks that the result is under 64 MB before you download it. The video is processed on your device, so nothing is uploaded.

Fix 2: send it as a document

WhatsApp allows documents up to 2 GB, and any file can be sent as a document, including videos. Tap the attachment icon, choose Document instead of Gallery, and pick the video. It arrives at full quality without WhatsApp's own compression. The catch: it won't play inline in the chat; the other person has to open the file.

Fix 3: trim it

If the video is long, sending just the part that matters keeps it far sharper than squeezing the whole thing. For status updates this isn't optional: status videos are capped at 90 seconds. Okaysize's status preset keeps 90 seconds from wherever you choose.

Still not sending?

• Check your connection. On slow mobile data, WhatsApp may apply the lower 480p limit.
• Make sure the video plays on your phone. A damaged or partly downloaded file can fail to send at any size.
• Update WhatsApp. Older versions handle large media less reliably.