H1 How to Send Large Videos on WhatsApp: A Comprehensive Guide
WhatsApp is a ubiquitous messaging app, used by billions worldwide to connect with friends, family, and colleagues. While it’s excellent for quick chats and sharing photos, sending large video files can be a frustrating experience. WhatsApp has file size limitations to ensure smooth performance for all users. This article will delve into various methods you can use to bypass these limitations and share those hefty videos with ease, complete with detailed, step-by-step instructions.
Why Does WhatsApp Limit Video File Sizes?
Before we dive into the solutions, it’s important to understand why WhatsApp imposes these limitations. The primary reason is to conserve bandwidth and storage space on their servers. Imagine millions of users constantly sharing massive video files – it would quickly overwhelm their infrastructure and lead to a degraded user experience for everyone.
WhatsApp’s official limit is typically around 16MB. This translates to roughly 90 seconds to 3 minutes of video, depending on the video’s resolution and compression. Trying to send a file larger than this will result in an error message.
However, there are several workarounds you can employ to send larger videos. We’ll cover the most effective techniques below.
Method 1: Video Compression
The most straightforward approach is to compress your video file, reducing its size without significantly sacrificing quality. Several apps and online tools can help you achieve this.
* **Using Video Compression Apps (on Mobile)**
* **For Android:**
* **Panda Video Compressor:** This app is a popular choice, known for its user-friendly interface and efficient compression algorithms.
1. **Download and Install:** Search for “Panda Video Compressor” on the Google Play Store and install the app.
2. **Select Video:** Open the app and grant it the necessary permissions to access your media files. You’ll see a list of videos on your device. Select the video you want to compress.
3. **Choose Compression Level:** Panda Video Compressor offers various compression levels, from small to medium to large. Experiment with different levels to find the best balance between file size and quality. A “Medium” setting is often a good starting point.
4. **Compress Video:** Tap the “Compress” button and wait for the process to complete. The app will show you the original file size and the compressed file size.
5. **Share on WhatsApp:** Once the compression is finished, you can directly share the video to WhatsApp by tapping the “Share” button and selecting WhatsApp from the list of apps.
* **Video Compressor by Sunshine:** Another excellent option with a wide range of features.
1. **Download and Install:** Get the app from the Google Play Store.
2. **Select Video:** Open the app and select the video you wish to compress.
3. **Configure Settings:** Adjust settings such as resolution, bitrate, and frame rate. Lowering the resolution and bitrate will significantly reduce the file size.
4. **Compress:** Start the compression process.
5. **Share:** After compression, easily share the video on WhatsApp.
* **For iOS (iPhone/iPad):**
* **Video Compress – Reduce Size:** A highly-rated app specifically designed for iOS devices.
1. **Download and Install:** Find the app on the App Store and install it.
2. **Grant Permissions:** Allow the app access to your photos and videos.
3. **Select Video:** Choose the video you want to compress from your camera roll.
4. **Choose Compression Quality:** Select a compression level. The app usually provides previews to help you see the quality difference before compressing.
5. **Compress Video:** Start the compression process.
6. **Save and Share:** Save the compressed video to your camera roll and then share it on WhatsApp.
* **Compress Videos & Resize Video:** Another reliable iOS video compressor.
1. **Download and Install:** Install the app from the App Store.
2. **Select Video:** Pick the video you want to compress.
3. **Customize Settings:** Configure resolution, bitrate, and compression ratio.
4. **Compress:** Begin the compression process.
5. **Share:** Easily share the compressed video to WhatsApp.
* **Using Video Compression Software (on Computer)**
* **Handbrake (Free and Open Source):** A powerful and versatile video transcoder available for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
1. **Download and Install:** Download Handbrake from its official website (handbrake.fr) and install it on your computer.
2. **Open Video File:** Launch Handbrake and click “Open Source” to select the video file you want to compress.
3. **Choose a Preset:** Handbrake offers a variety of presets optimized for different devices and resolutions. For WhatsApp, a preset like “Web > Vimeo YouTube HQ 720p60” is a good starting point. You can also customize the settings manually under the “Video” tab.
4. **Adjust Video Settings (Optional):** If you want more control, you can adjust the video codec, frame rate, and bitrate manually. Lowering the bitrate will reduce the file size but might also slightly reduce quality. For example, a bitrate of 2000-3000 kbps is generally sufficient for 720p video.
5. **Choose Output Location:** Select where you want to save the compressed video by clicking “Browse” under the “Destination” section.
6. **Start Encoding:** Click the “Start Encode” button to begin the compression process. Handbrake will display a progress bar indicating the encoding status.
7. **Transfer to Mobile:** Once the encoding is complete, transfer the compressed video file to your smartphone via USB cable, cloud storage (Google Drive, Dropbox), or email.
8. **Share on WhatsApp:** Finally, open WhatsApp on your phone and share the compressed video from your gallery.
* **Movavi Video Converter:** A user-friendly, paid software with a free trial available.
1. **Download and Install:** Download and install Movavi Video Converter from the official website.
2. **Add Video:** Open the software and add the video file you wish to compress.
3. **Choose Output Format:** Select an appropriate output format like MP4 with H.264 codec.
4. **Adjust Compression Settings:** Customize the resolution, bitrate, and frame rate to reduce file size.
5. **Convert:** Start the conversion process.
6. **Transfer and Share:** Transfer the compressed video to your mobile and share it on WhatsApp.
* **Using Online Video Compressors**
* Several websites offer online video compression services. These are convenient for occasional use, but be mindful of privacy concerns when uploading sensitive videos.
* **Clideo:** A popular online video compressor.
1. **Visit Clideo Website:** Go to clideo.com in your web browser.
2. **Upload Video:** Click the “Choose file” button to upload your video from your computer or phone. You can also upload from Google Drive or Dropbox.
3. **Compress:** Clideo will automatically compress the video. You might have limited control over the compression settings in the free version.
4. **Download Compressed Video:** Once the compression is complete, download the compressed video to your device.
5. **Share on WhatsApp:** Transfer the downloaded video to your phone and share it on WhatsApp.
* **VEED.IO:** Another robust online video editor with compression capabilities.
1. **Visit VEED.IO Website:** Navigate to veed.io in your browser.
2. **Upload Video:** Upload your video file.
3. **Edit and Compress:** VEED.IO provides editing options; compress the video after any edits.
4. **Download:** Download the compressed video.
5. **Share:** Share the video on WhatsApp.
Method 2: Video Trimming
If only a specific portion of your video is important, consider trimming it down to the essential parts. This will significantly reduce the file size.
* **Using WhatsApp’s Built-in Trimming Tool:**
1. **Open WhatsApp:** Launch WhatsApp on your smartphone.
2. **Select Chat:** Open the chat where you want to send the video.
3. **Attach Video:** Tap the attachment icon (paperclip on Android, plus sign on iOS) and select “Gallery” or “Photos & Videos.”
4. **Choose Video:** Select the large video you want to share.
5. **Trim Video:** Before sending, WhatsApp will display a preview of the video with a slider at the top and bottom. Use the slider to trim the video to the desired length. The maximum length you can send is usually around 3 minutes, depending on the video’s original size.
6. **Send Video:** Once you’ve trimmed the video, tap the “Send” button.
* **Using Your Phone’s Built-in Video Editor:**
* Most smartphones come with a built-in video editor that allows you to trim videos.
* **Android:**
1. **Open Gallery:** Open the Gallery app on your Android phone.
2. **Select Video:** Select the video you want to trim.
3. **Edit Video:** Tap the “Edit” icon (usually a pencil or a slider icon). This will open the built-in video editor.
4. **Trim Video:** Use the trimming tools to select the portion of the video you want to keep. Drag the sliders at the beginning and end of the video timeline to set the start and end points.
5. **Save Trimmed Video:** Tap the “Save” or “Done” button to save the trimmed video as a new file. The original video will remain untouched.
6. **Share on WhatsApp:** Open WhatsApp and share the trimmed video from your gallery.
* **iOS (iPhone/iPad):**
1. **Open Photos App:** Open the Photos app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. **Select Video:** Select the video you want to trim.
3. **Edit Video:** Tap the “Edit” button in the top-right corner.
4. **Trim Video:** Use the trimming tool at the bottom of the screen to adjust the start and end points of the video. Drag the yellow sliders to select the desired portion.
5. **Save Trimmed Video:** Tap “Done” and choose either “Save Video” (to overwrite the original) or “Save Video as New Clip” (to create a new trimmed video file).
6. **Share on WhatsApp:** Open WhatsApp and share the trimmed video.
Method 3: Using Cloud Storage Links
Another effective way to share large videos is by uploading them to cloud storage services and sharing the link on WhatsApp. This allows recipients to download or stream the video directly from the cloud without being limited by WhatsApp’s file size constraints.
* **Google Drive:**
1. **Upload Video to Google Drive:**
* **On your computer:** Go to drive.google.com in your web browser. Click the “New” button and select “File upload.” Choose the video file from your computer and upload it to Google Drive.
* **On your smartphone:** Open the Google Drive app. Tap the “+” button and select “Upload.” Choose the video from your phone’s gallery.
2. **Get Sharable Link:** Once the video is uploaded, right-click on the video file (on your computer) or tap the three dots next to the video file (on your smartphone) and select “Get link.”
3. **Set Permissions:** Ensure that the link is set to “Anyone with the link” can view it. This will allow anyone who receives the link to access the video. You can also choose to restrict access to specific email addresses.
4. **Copy Link:** Copy the generated link to your clipboard.
5. **Share on WhatsApp:** Open WhatsApp, go to the chat where you want to share the video, and paste the link into the message box. Send the message.
* **Dropbox:**
1. **Upload Video to Dropbox:**
* **On your computer:** Go to dropbox.com in your web browser. Click the “Upload files” button and select the video file from your computer.
* **On your smartphone:** Open the Dropbox app. Tap the “+” button and select “Upload files.” Choose the video from your phone’s gallery.
2. **Create and Copy Link:** Once the video is uploaded, hover over the video file (on your computer) or tap the three dots next to the video file (on your smartphone) and select “Share.”
3. **Copy Link:** Click “Create a link” if one doesn’t already exist, then click “Copy link.”
4. **Share on WhatsApp:** Open WhatsApp, go to the chat where you want to share the video, and paste the link into the message box. Send the message.
* **OneDrive:**
1. **Upload Video to OneDrive:**
* **On your computer:** Go to onedrive.live.com in your web browser. Click the “Upload” button and select the video file from your computer.
* **On your smartphone:** Open the OneDrive app. Tap the “+” button and select “Upload.” Choose the video from your phone’s gallery.
2. **Get Sharable Link:** Once the video is uploaded, right-click on the video file (on your computer) or tap the three dots next to the video file (on your smartphone) and select “Share.”
3. **Set Permissions:** Ensure that the link allows “Anyone with the link” to view the file.
4. **Copy Link:** Copy the generated link.
5. **Share on WhatsApp:** Open WhatsApp and paste the link into the chat.
Method 4: Using Video Sharing Platforms (Unlisted Videos)
Another viable option is to upload the video to a video-sharing platform like YouTube or Vimeo and share the link. For privacy, you can set the video to “Unlisted,” which means it won’t appear in search results but can be viewed by anyone who has the link.
* **YouTube (Unlisted Video):**
1. **Upload Video to YouTube:**
* **On your computer:** Go to youtube.com and sign in to your Google account. Click the “Create” button (camera icon) in the top-right corner and select “Upload video.”
* **On your smartphone:** Open the YouTube app and tap the “+” button at the bottom. Select “Upload a video” and choose the video from your gallery.
2. **Set Visibility to Unlisted:** During the upload process, under the “Visibility” settings, choose “Unlisted.” This will prevent the video from being publicly searchable.
3. **Process Video:** Allow YouTube to process the video.
4. **Copy Link:** Once the video is uploaded and processed, copy the video link from the video page.
5. **Share on WhatsApp:** Open WhatsApp and share the YouTube link.
* **Vimeo (Unlisted Video):**
1. **Upload Video to Vimeo:**
* Go to vimeo.com and sign in to your account. Click the “Upload” button in the top-right corner.
* Choose the video file from your computer.
2. **Set Privacy to Unlisted:** During the upload process, under the “Privacy” settings, choose “Only people with a password” or “Hide this video from Vimeo.” “Only people with a password” requires you to set and share a password with those you want to view it. “Hide this video from Vimeo” makes the video unlisted.
3. **Process Video:** Wait for Vimeo to process the video.
4. **Copy Link:** Copy the video link from the video page.
5. **Share on WhatsApp:** Paste the Vimeo link into your WhatsApp chat.
Method 5: File Transfer Apps (For Direct Sharing on Same Network)
If you and the recipient are on the same Wi-Fi network, you can use file transfer apps like SHAREit or Xender to share large video files directly, bypassing WhatsApp’s limitations altogether. These apps create a local hotspot, allowing you to transfer files quickly and easily.
* **SHAREit:**
1. **Download and Install SHAREit:** Download and install SHAREit on both your phone and the recipient’s phone.
2. **Sender (Your Phone):** Open SHAREit and tap the “Send” button. Select the video file you want to share.
3. **Receiver (Recipient’s Phone):** Open SHAREit and tap the “Receive” button.
4. **Connect Devices:** The sender’s SHAREit app will search for nearby devices. The receiver’s device should appear in the list. Tap the receiver’s device to connect.
5. **Transfer File:** SHAREit will transfer the video file directly to the recipient’s phone.
6. **The receiver can then view the video.**
* **Xender:**
1. **Download and Install Xender:** Download and install Xender on both devices.
2. **Sender:** Open Xender, select the video, and tap “Send.”
3. **Receiver:** Open Xender and tap “Receive.”
4. **Connect:** Follow the on-screen instructions to connect both devices.
5. **Transfer:** The video will transfer quickly over the direct connection.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
* **Video Quality Degradation:** Compressing a video will inevitably lead to some loss of quality. Experiment with different compression settings to find the best balance between file size and visual quality. Using higher bitrates during compression can help retain more detail.
* **Slow Upload/Download Speeds:** If you’re using cloud storage or video sharing platforms, upload and download speeds will depend on your internet connection. Ensure you have a stable and fast internet connection for optimal performance.
* **Compatibility Issues:** Sometimes, the recipient might have trouble playing the video due to compatibility issues. Try converting the video to a more common format like MP4 with H.264 codec to ensure broader compatibility.
* **App Permissions:** Ensure that the video compression apps and file transfer apps have the necessary permissions to access your media files and storage.
* **Storage Space:** Make sure you have sufficient storage space on both your phone and the recipient’s phone to accommodate the video file, even after compression.
Conclusion
While WhatsApp’s file size limitations can be inconvenient, there are several effective ways to bypass them and share large videos. Whether you choose to compress the video, trim it, use cloud storage links, upload it to a video sharing platform, or use a file transfer app, you can successfully share your videos with friends, family, and colleagues. Remember to consider factors like video quality, internet speed, and compatibility when choosing the best method for your needs. By following the detailed steps outlined in this guide, you’ll be able to share those important moments captured on video, regardless of their size. Happy sharing!