How to use it
- Drop in your video (MP4, MOV, WebM, MKV). The 24 MB target (Gmail, Yahoo) is preselected.
- For Outlook choose 19 MB; for strict mail servers, 9.5 MB.
- Leave resolution on Automatic – the tool picks the sharpest size that fits the target.
- Click “Compress video”, download the MP4 and attach it to your email.
How big an attachment can you send?
| Mail provider | Attachment limit | Target we suggest |
|---|---|---|
| Gmail | 25 MB | 24 MB |
| Yahoo Mail | 25 MB | 24 MB |
| Outlook.com, Hotmail | 20 MB | 19 MB |
| work Exchange account | 10 MB by default, the admin can change it | ask, or use 9.5 MB |
| iCloud Mail | 20 MB (Mail Drop for larger) | 19 MB |
The limit applies to the whole message, and attachments are encoded for sending, which adds roughly a third to their size. So a 24 MB file can occasionally bounce off a 25 MB limit; if your mail app refuses it, pick a smaller target or send two smaller files. The recipient's provider has a limit too: if you don't know what they use, 19 MB is the safe choice.
How the target size is hit
A video's size is roughly bitrate × length. From the target and the video's duration, the tool works out how many bits per second the picture can have after leaving room for the audio, and encodes it as H.264 MP4 at that rate.
Video encoders don't hold a bitrate exactly, so if the first pass overshoots by more than 3%, a second pass re-encodes at a proportionally lower bitrate. In practice the result lands just under the target. Before compressing you see the estimated size, and afterwards whether the target was met.
How much video fits in 25 MB?
24 MB is about 200 megabits. Leave 128 kbps for the audio and the rest goes to the picture:
| Video length | Video bitrate (approx.) | Sensible resolution |
|---|---|---|
| 30 s | ~6,500 kbps | 1080p |
| 1 min | ~3,200 kbps | 1080p–720p |
| 2 min | ~1,500 kbps | 720p |
| 5 min | ~530 kbps | 480p |
| 10 min | ~200 kbps | no longer watchable |
Automatic resolution picks the size that suits the available bitrate, because a crisp 720p looks better than a smeared 1080p. For longer videos, cut out the essentials first with the video trimmer, or consider whether a sharing link would be better.
When the video is too long for email
A 10-minute video won't fit in 25 MB at decent quality. You have three options:
- Trim it: cut out what matters and send only that.
- Use the cloud: above 25 MB Gmail automatically offers a Google Drive link, Outlook offers OneDrive, and iPhone Mail offers Mail Drop (up to 5 GB). The recipient downloads it instead of receiving it in the message.
- Smaller but still watchable: at 480p, without audio and at 30 fps, even a 5-minute video fits if the content matters more than the picture quality.
If the sound is what matters (a talk, say), video to MP3 saves the audio as a separate file: at 128 kbps a 15-minute talk is about 14 MB and fits in a single email, while half an hour (about 28 MB) goes in two parts.
Tips for better results
- 30 fps: for 60 fps phone footage, dropping to 30 fps lets half the bitrate go to detail instead.
- Compress the original: re-compressing an already compressed video stacks artifacts on artifacts.
- Audio: if there's only background noise, switch the audio off so every bit goes to the picture.
- Phone videos: iPhone HEVC footage is often smaller already, but not every computer can play it. The compressor outputs H.264 MP4, which opens everywhere.
- Several attachments: sending two videos in one email? Split the target size between them.
Privacy
Compression runs with your browser's built-in video encoder (WebCodecs) in Chrome, Edge and recent Safari and Firefox. Your video isn't uploaded – not to us, not anywhere – and the finished MP4 is assembled in memory until you download it. No watermark, no sign-up, no daily limit.
Frequently asked questions
How big a video can I send with Gmail?
Attachments can add up to 25 MB. The compressor targets 24 MB by default; above the limit, Gmail offers a Google Drive link instead.
And with Outlook?
Outlook.com allows attachments up to 20 MB, so choose the 19 MB target. For work Outlook, the limit your admin set applies.
Why won't even a 24 MB file send?
Attachments are encoded for sending, which makes them bigger, and the rest of the message counts too. Pick a smaller target such as 19 MB.
Does quality drop?
Somewhat – that's how the file gets smaller. For a video of a minute or two the difference is hard to see; trim longer ones first.
What format do I get?
H.264 MP4, which Windows, Mac, Android and iPhone all play without extra software.
Do you upload my video?
No. Your video stays on your device; compression happens in your browser.