A video that will not attach, or that a chat app refuses, is almost always over a size limit. The fix is to make the file smaller than the limit, or to send a link to it instead. This guide covers both.
Step 1: Find the limit you are up against
Every service sets its own cap, and caps change. Email providers differ from each other, chat apps differ from email, and free accounts differ from paid ones. Look up the current limit in the help pages of the service you are sending through rather than trusting a number from memory.
When you have the number, note what a megabyte means to that service. Discord and most email providers count 1 MB as 1,000,000 bytes. Your computer may show sizes in a different unit, so a file that looks just under the limit on disk can still be over it. Aim below the limit with room to spare.
Step 2: Shrink the file under the limit
The fastest route is the video compressor, which runs in your browser. You choose the file, pick a target, and it re-encodes the video on your own device. The file is not uploaded on the free option.
If you are sending by email, use the email target. If you are posting to a Discord server, use the Discord target, which leads with the current free upload limit and the date it was checked.
Two things decide whether a video fits: how long it is and how much detail you can give up. A short clip fits easily. A long one has to be squeezed hard, and past a point the picture turns to mush. The tool tells you when a clip cannot fit at a watchable quality instead of handing you a bad file. In that case, trim the video first so only the part you need remains.
Step 3: Check the result before you send it
Look at three things:
- The size shown after compression. The tool states whether it came in under the target.
- The picture. Compression is lossy, so some detail is gone. Play the result before you delete the original.
- The sound. Confirm the audio is still there.
If it still does not fit
- Trim the clip so it is shorter.
- Send a link instead of an attachment, using a file sharing service you already trust.
- For files over what the browser option accepts, or when you need an exact size, the paid server option exists for those cases.
For the Discord case in particular, see the Discord clip workflow.