What is the WhatsApp video size limit?

Videos sent in a WhatsApp chat as media are limited to about 16MB, and WhatsApp automatically compresses them, which is why they often look softer than the original. If your video is larger than 16MB, you have two options: compress it first so it fits under the limit and sends as a normal inline video, or send it as a document instead — documents can be up to about 2GB and skip WhatsApp's compression, but they open as a downloadable file rather than playing inline. SizeChota shrinks your video to just under the limit so it sends as a normal, playable video.

Does WhatsApp reduce video quality?

Yes. When you send a video in chat, WhatsApp re-encodes it — typically down to around 720p at a lower bitrate — and re-compresses the audio, so even a sharp 4K clip can look soft after sending. You can't stop WhatsApp from compressing inline videos, but you get a better final result by compressing the file yourself first, at the right resolution and just under the 16MB limit. That gives WhatsApp less to crush, so more of your original quality survives. For an untouched copy, send the video as a document instead.

Is my video uploaded to a server?

No. SizeChota compresses your video entirely inside your own browser, on your device. The file is never uploaded, never sent to us, and never stored anywhere — we don't see it at any point. The compressed result is created locally, and you choose whether to download it or share it directly. This is why SizeChota works without an account and keeps your videos completely private.

Do I need to install an app or sign up?

No. SizeChota runs directly in your mobile or desktop browser with no account, no sign-up, and no app to install. There's nothing to download from an app store and no software to keep updated — you just open the page, pick your video, and compress.

Which video formats can I compress?

MP4 and MOV work best and are recommended for WhatsApp, since they're the formats WhatsApp handles most reliably. Other formats are converted to MP4 during compression, so the file you get back is ready to send. MP4 is the safest choice if you want your video to play correctly for everyone.

How long can a WhatsApp Status video be?

Each WhatsApp Status clip is limited to 30 seconds. If your video is longer, you'll need to trim it before posting, or split it across multiple Status updates. SizeChota helps keep the file size down so your Status video stays sharp within that limit — but you'll still need to keep each clip to 30 seconds or under.

Will compressing my video lose quality?

Some quality reduction is normal — video compression is lossy by nature, and making a file smaller always involves a trade-off. SizeChota's goal is to keep that trade-off as small as possible: it targets a size just under your chosen limit at a sensible resolution, so the video stays as clear as it can while still fitting. The result is usually far better than letting WhatsApp compress a large file on its own, because you control the settings instead of WhatsApp.

How do I send a video on WhatsApp without losing quality?

The most reliable way to keep the original untouched is to send the video as a document rather than in chat — documents skip WhatsApp's compression and can be up to about 2GB, though they open as a file instead of playing inline. If you want it to send as a normal inline video, compress it yourself first to just under 16MB at the right resolution, which preserves much more quality than WhatsApp's automatic compression of a large file. SizeChota is built for that second approach.

Yes, SizeChota is completely free to use. There's no payment, no trial, no watermark on your video, and no limit on how many videos you can compress. Because everything runs in your own browser, there are no server costs to pass on — you can compress as many videos as you need, whenever you need.

Does it work on iPhone, Android, and desktop?

SizeChota runs entirely in your web browser, so there's no app to install on any device — it works on desktop and on mobile browsers, with no download or sign-up. You just open the page, choose your video, and compress right there.

Compress Video to 16MB for WhatsApp

Who enforces 16MB: WhatsApp, for anything sent through chat or posted to Status. Go over and the send is refused or the clip is re-compressed hard. Instagram DMs behave similarly in practice.

What fits in 16MB: roughly 50 seconds of 1080p, two minutes of 720p, four 12MP photos, or a 200-page text PDF.

Worked example: a two-minute 4K clip is commonly 300-400MB. Compressed to 16MB it becomes about 1 Mbps at 720p — noticeably softer than the original, but sharper than what WhatsApp produces if you hand it the 4K file and let it transcode.

For the original quality at full size, use the document method — see the hub.

Compress Video to 16MB

Video Compressed!