Compress a video to send by email.
An email attachment that is just under the limit can still bounce. This page starts at 18 MB, which leaves room for the way email packs attachments. Drop in the video and get a file that sends.
The target is set to 18 MB (a custom size). Change it if you know your mail service allows more, or choose the 25 MB preset to match the headline limit exactly.
Video compressor
This tool needs WebCodecs (the browser's built-in video encoder). Use a current Chrome or Edge on a computer, or a recent Safari. Nothing was uploaded and nothing will be.
Drop a video to compress
MP4, MOV, WebM or MKV. The file is read inside this page and goes nowhere else.
No upload. This page's security policy forbids network connections, so your video cannot leave it. See how to check that yourself.
How it works
Drop in the video
Nothing is uploaded. The browser opens the file from your disk and reads the length, size and codecs.
Choose the size
Pick a preset or type your own. The plan line tells you the picture size and bitrate it will use, or that the target cannot work.
Compress and check
Watch the progress, play the preview, and download. If the first try is too big it is re-encoded at a lower bitrate.
Sizing for email
| Attachments in the message | Suggested target for each video |
|---|---|
| One video, nothing else | 18 MB |
| Two videos | 9 MB each |
| One video plus documents or photos | Subtract their size first, then use about three quarters of what is left |
These are planning rules from the base64 overhead, not guarantees. Your mail service decides what it accepts.
Other places that cap attachments
Work email systems, support desks and application portals often set limits lower than Gmail's, sometimes 10 MB or less. Choose the preset that matches the limit you were told.
How much video fits in 18 MB
A file's size is its bitrate multiplied by its length, so the only things that decide whether a clip fits are how long it is and how much of the budget goes to picture and sound. This table shows what the compressor on this page picks for a 1080p, 30 frames per second clip with sound. It is worked out with the same planning code the tool runs, so it is a good guide to what you will get. How sharp a particular clip looks also depends on how much moves in it.
| Length | Picture size | Video bitrate | Picture |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 s | 1920×1080 | 4.48 Mbps | Good |
| 1 min | 1280×720 | 2.21 Mbps | Good |
| 2 min | 854×480 | 1.09 Mbps | Good |
| 5 min | 640×360 | 413 kbps | Softer |
| 10 min | 426×240 | 198 kbps | Softer |
| 20 min | 256×144 | 83 kbps | Rough |
Questions
What is the Gmail attachment limit?
Gmail allows 25 MB for all the attachments in one message combined (checked 2 November 2026). If you attach more, Gmail offers to put the files on Google Drive and send a link. Other mail services and company mail servers set their own, often lower, limits.
Why 18 MB and not 25 MB?
Email turns attachments into text-safe form (base64), which makes them roughly a third larger. A file of about 18 MB becomes about 24 MB in the message. The exact margin varies, so choose a smaller target if you are attaching more than one file.
Should I send a Drive or other link instead?
Often yes for long or high-quality video, since a link keeps the full quality. Compressing is for when the receiver needs a real attachment, or when the link route is blocked.
Will the recipient be able to open it?
The result is an MP4. Where the browser can encode it, the video is H.264 and the sound AAC, which open on phones, Macs, Windows and in mail previews. If your browser had to fall back to VP9 or Opus the result page says so.
Can I compress several videos for one email?
The 25 MB limit is shared across all attachments, so divide the budget. Compress each to a smaller target, for example 8 MB each for three. Pro can queue several files at once.
Is my video uploaded to compress it?
No. It is processed in your browser and the page cannot connect to any server. You attach the downloaded file to your email yourself.