How to Compress Video for Discord: File Size Limits (2026)
Discord limits file uploads based on your subscription tier. If your video exceeds the limit, you cannot share it directly in chat. Here is how to compress video to fit Discord's file size requirements while keeping quality as high as possible.
Discord File Size Limits (2026)
| Discord Tier | File Size Limit |
|---|---|
| Discord Free | 20 MB |
| Nitro Basic | 50 MB |
| Nitro | 500 MB |
Discord raised the free limit from 10 MB to 20 MB in its September 8, 2026 patch notes, so guides that still mention 8 MB, 10 MB or 25 MB are out of date. Nitro Basic stays at 50 MB and Nitro at 500 MB.
How to Compress for Discord
- Go to our Discord Video Compressor — Upload your video (MP4, MOV, AVI, WebM, or MKV).
- Select your Discord tier — Choose 20 MB (Free), 50 MB (Nitro Basic) or 500 MB (Nitro) as your target size.
- Compress and download — The compressor calculates the bitrate from the video’s length, lowers the resolution only if it has to, and checks that the finished file is under your limit.
Compression Quality by Target Size
The quality you get depends on both the target file size and the video duration. With our compressor’s settings for 30 fps video:
- 20 MB target (Free) — Full 1080p holds for about 30 seconds and 720p for about 1 minute 5 seconds. In our test, a 60-second 1080p clip fit at 19.2 MB after stepping down to 720p.
- 50 MB target (Nitro Basic) — Full 1080p holds for about 1 minute 15 seconds and 720p for about 2 minutes 44 seconds; a two-minute test clip fit at 48.1 MB in 720p.
- 500 MB target (Nitro) — About 12 minutes of 1080p video fit before the resolution steps down to 720p.
Tips for Smaller Discord Videos
- Trim first — Cut your video to only the relevant portion before compressing. Less content = more quality per MB.
- Lower resolution if needed — A sharp 720p video at 20 MB looks better than a starved 1080p one. Past about 30 seconds at the 20 MB free limit, 720p is usually the better choice; our compressor switches automatically.
- Consider alternatives — For very long videos, upload to YouTube (unlisted) or Streamable and share the link instead of compressing to fit a tiny file limit.
Free Compression
Our Discord video compressor is free for files up to 200 MB after you sign in. Larger files up to 1 GB cost 1 credit per started minute of video. You can also use our general video compressor for non-Discord compression needs.
Want Better Quality Instead of Smaller Files?
If your video looks blurry or low-resolution, consider upscaling it first with our video upscaler — then compress the improved version to fit Discord’s limit. For images, our Image Upscaler tool is 100% free.
Ready to try it yourself?
Try Discord Video Compressor →More Articles
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