How Can I Send Long Videos on WhatsApp: A Step-By-Step Guide

5 Min Read

Written by

Sanjay

Published on

April 18, 2023

In today’s digital era, sending videos has become one of the most famous methods of interacting with emotions, news, and memories. WhatsApp, one of the best messaging applications, lets users send video content but with certain restrictions. If you are wondering, “How can I send long videos on WhatsApp?” you are not alone!
In this blog post, we will help you learn how to send long videos effortlessly on WhatsApp, what difficulties might stop you, and discover the recent update that makes video sharing even more accessible.

Why Can’t I Send a Video on WhatsApp?

Several factors could hinder your ability to send videos on WhatsApp. The most common issues include:

  1. File Size Limitation: WhatsApp has a set restriction for the video file size you can share.
  2. Internet Connection: A poor or unstable network connection can fail or interrupt uploads.
  3. Unsupported Video Format: WhatsApp only supports specific video formats.
  4. App version: An outdated version of WhatsApp can lead to feature problems with media sending.

Learning these factors is essential as they affect how you handle and troubleshoot video sending on WhatsApp.

What is the File Size Limit for Forwarding a Video on WhatsApp?

WhatsApp commonly limits media files to 16 MB, including videos. Due to this constraint, videos are ordinarily required to be compressed without compromising their appearance to fit a time frame of roughly 90 seconds and 3 minutes, depending on the resolution and fidelity of the video.

May 2022 Update- Video Size Limit Increased from 16 MB to 2 GB

In a groundbreaking update in May 2022, WhatsApp has lifted the video size limit from 16 MB to a whopping 2 GB. This significant improvement has revolutionized the user experience, making video sharing more extensive and higher in quality without the need for third-party services. These changes are particularly beneficial for both business and personal use, where longer and more detailed videos are often required to be shared.

How Long Can a Shared Video Be?

With the new 2 GB restriction, the video length you can forward depends on its encoding and compression. Encoding and compression are processes that reduce the size of a video file without impacting its quality. You can share many hours-long videos and also find out how to send photos as documents in WhatsApp, but they are compressed within the 2 GB limitation.

What Formats are Supported on WhatsApp?

Rest assured, WhatsApp supports a variety of video formats. The most commonly used and widely compatible formats are MP4, AVI, MKV(with certain limitations), and MOV. Ensuring your video is in one of these formats will significantly increase the likelihood of successful uploads and compatibility across different device types, giving you peace of mind.

Ensuring your video is in one of the supported formats, such as MP4, AVI, MKV (with certain limitations), or MOV, significantly increases the likelihood of successful uploads and compatibility across different device types. It is a crucial step in preparing your video for sharing on WhatsApp.

How to Share Large Videos on WhatsApp

With the increased file size limit, sharing large videos directly through WhatsApp is now more manageable. However, alternative methods are needed for videos larger than 2 GB or for users who have not updated their apps. If you are a WhatsApp user and unfamiliar with how to share large videos on WhatsApp, then keep reading this section below:

Share Videos Above 2GB Using Cloud Storage Link Sharing Like Google Drive or iCloud

You can operate cloud services such as Google Drive or iCloud for videos that extend the 2 GB limitation. Here is how you can do it:

Share Videos Using Google Drive:

  1. You must choose a free cloud storage service with enough space for large videos.
  2. Now, sign up for your selected services and upload your video file.
  3. Next, look for the video in your cloud storage and locate the “Share” option after uploading it. This will produce a link that you can use to send the video to others.
  4. Lastly, copy the link and paste it whenever you want to forward the video, like email, chat message, or social media post.

Share Videos Using iCloud:

iCloud, unfortunately, doesn’t allow uploading files larger than 5GB through its web interface.  While their desktop and mobile apps technically don’t have a file size limit,  uploading a huge video file can be slow and unreliable.

Here are a couple of alternative cloud storage options that are better suited for sharing videos larger than 2GB:

Google Drive: The free tier offers 15GB of storage, but you can elevate to a paid plan for more space. Google Drive allows uploads through its web interface and has no file size limit on uploads via its desktop app.

Dropbox: Dropbox offers a free tier with 2GB of storage, with paid plans providing more space. The file size limit when uploading through the web interface is 50 GB, but there is no limit on uploads via the desktop app.

Compress Files Above 2GB for Sharing

Video compression devices can decrease the file size significantly, making it more straightforward to stay within the 2 GB limitation:

  • Use a video compression device to decrease the file size
  • Examine the quality and compatibility of the compressed video.
  • Now, upload the compressed video to WhatsApp.

End Note!

With recent updates, sharing long videos on WhatsApp has become streamlined. By familiarizing yourself with the restrictions and utilizing the suitable device and method, you can effortlessly send substantial video files to friends, family, or loved ones. If you are wondering, “How can I send long videos on WhatsApp?” then keep reading this article carefully. Through direct uploads, cloud storage, or compression, sending meaningful content remains effortless and user-friendly.

Frequently Asked Questions

WhatsApp limits video file size. To send large videos, try these:Cloud Storage: Upload your video to Google Drive or Dropbox and share the download link in WhatsApp. Compression: Use a video compression app to reduce file size (lowers quality). Send the compressed video.

There are two options for sending a 10-minute video:Cloud Sharing: Upload the video to cloud storage, such as Google Drive or Dropbox. Share the link via chat or email (recipient downloads from the cloud). File Transfer Services: Use free file transfer services like WeTransfer (up to 2GB). Upload the video, get a download link, and share it with the recipient.

WhatsApp’s video limit varies depending on the speed of your internet connection. On a faster connection, videos can be up to roughly 2GB, equating to around 10 minutes at 480p. Meanwhile, slower connections may reduce the video limit to around 32MB, resulting in approximately 1-2 minutes long videos. Compressing the video file or opting for cloud storage sharing are useful alternatives for sharing longer videos.

WhatsApp compresses videos to save data. To send high-quality videos:Document Option:  Send the video as a document (not photo/video). WhatsApp won’t compress it (but there’s a 100MB file size limit). Adjust Quality: (For some Android versions) In Settings > Storage and Data, choose “Best quality” for photo/video upload (reduces compression).

WhatsApp limits videos to 16MB. To send larger videos:Cloud Storage: Upload your video to Google Drive or Dropbox and share the download link in WhatsApp. Compression (lowers quality): Use a video compression app to shrink the file under 16MB and send it directly.

About Author

Sanjay

Sanjay

Content Marketing Strategist at Chatbot.team

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