Start with a 20 MB target for an attachment, then adjust it to your email provider’s limit.
How to Compress a Video for Email
- Add your video. MOV, MP4, and other supported inputs are checked in your browser.
- Choose your attachment size. This page starts in Target size mode at 20 MB. Change it if your provider requires a smaller file.
- Compress, preview, and attach. Download the MP4 and check its actual size before sending.
For general compression settings, use the MOV compressor.
Check Your Email Attachment Limit
Email limits differ between providers, workplace accounts, and the recipient’s server. Personal Gmail accounts allow up to 25 MB of attachments in total; work or school accounts can have different rules. See Gmail’s attachment guidance.
If you attach several videos, count all the files together. The 20 MB preset is a starting point, not a promise that every email system will accept the message.
What Target Size Should You Pick?
Use 20 MB when you need room below a 25 MB attachment allowance. Set a lower number if you have other attachments or a stricter provider.
A long video needs a lower bitrate than a short clip to fit the same target. If the picture becomes too soft, keep only the part you need in your usual editor, or send a link to the original instead.
Keep the Details Your Recipient Needs
Try 720p for a clip that will mostly be watched on a phone. For a screen recording with small text, keep Original or 1080p and preview whether the text is readable.
Target size mode aims for the chosen MB value. Quality mode is a separate option when image quality matters more than meeting an attachment allowance.
When a Link Is a Better Choice
If you need to send a long recording at its original quality, store it in a sharing service you trust and email a link. Check the recipient’s access before you send it.
Use this tool when the recipient needs the video as an attachment. For a multi-gigabyte source, check the large video page first.
Questions & answers
How do I compress a video to under 25 MB?
Start with the 20 MB target on this page, compress, and check the downloaded file’s size. This leaves some room below a 25 MB attachment allowance. If your provider allows less, enter a lower target.
Does 20 MB work for every email provider?
No. It is a convenient preset, not a universal attachment limit. Check your provider and any workplace rules, and remember that several attachments share the total allowance.
Can I keep the original video quality?
Compression re-encodes the video and can lose detail. A smaller target usually requires a stronger trade-off. If you need the unchanged original, email a sharing link instead.
Can I compress multiple videos for one email?
Yes. The queue compresses each file separately. Divide your attachment allowance between the videos and leave room for any other files in the message.
What format will my recipient get?
The download is an MP4. H.264 video with AAC audio is the default for sharing. Preview the output and, when possible, check it on the recipient’s intended device.
Is my video sent to a server for compression?
No. It is compressed on this device. Clear the queue to remove its temporary results, or use the storage cleanup button for unused results left by closed tabs. The original and your downloaded copies are kept separately.