Compress a Video for Email/WhatsApp (Still Looks Good)
Most email providers cap attachments around 20–25 MB; messengers vary. These presets keep quality while hitting size limits, with a fast “send a link” fallback.
Quick picks (what to aim for)
| Use case | Resolution/FPS | Codec | Target size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Email attachment | 720p30 | H.264 | < 20 MB (many providers), consider link if longer |
| WhatsApp/Telegram | 1080p30 | H.264/HEVC | Compress under the app’s cap; for long clips share a link |
| Archive/share link | 1080p60 | HEVC/AV1 | Small file, higher quality; upload then share |
Phone: fast export that looks good
iPhone (iMovie/Photos)
- Open the clip in iMovie → Share → Save Video → pick HD 720p or HD 1080p.
- For email, prefer 720p30; for messengers 1080p30 is fine.
Android (Google Photos/CapCut)
- Google Photos → Edit → Export → pick Medium file size; or use CapCut → Export → set 1080p, 30 fps, Bitrate ~6–8 Mbps.
If size still too big, trim the first/last seconds, lower to 720p, or send a link instead of an attachment.
Laptop (HandBrake preset you can copy)
- Install HandBrake → open your video.
- Format: MP4 • Video codec: H.264 (for compatibility) or H.265/AV1 (smaller files, not always supported).
- Framerate: Constant (Same as source or 30 fps).
- Quality: Use RF/CRF 22 for H.264 (lower = better quality/larger file). Try 20 for H.265/AV1.
- Resolution: Downscale to 1280×720 for email, 1920×1080 for messaging.
- Audio: AAC 128 kbps stereo.
- Click Start Encode. If the file’s still large, raise RF by +2 (e.g., 24).
When to send a link (often the best UX)
- Upload to a trusted cloud (Drive, iCloud, Dropbox, OneDrive).
- Share a view-only link with expiration and, if available, download disabled.
- Recipients get full quality, no attachment limits, and you can revoke access later.
If a service recompresses aggressively, zip the file first or use a cloud link.
