Compress Files for Discord
Discord caps uploads at 10 MB for free accounts, so a single video or photo is usually what triggers the “file too large” message. Pick what you're sending below and the right tool opens with a 10 MB target already set. Everything happens in your browser.
Drop files here or browse
Supports JPG, PNG, WebP, GIF, PDF - up to 20 files, 50 MB each
Compress by
Each file is compressed to fit under this size. Popular targets: 5 MB, 2 MB, 1 MB.
Compress a video
MP4, MOV, WebM — the usual reason an upload is too big.
Targets 10 MB →
Compress an image
JPG, PNG, WebP or HEIC down to an exact size.
Targets 10 MB →
Compress a PDF
Shrink scanned docs, slide decks and reports.
Targets 10 MB →
Compress a ZIP / lots of files
Recompress every image and PDF inside an archive to fit.
Targets 10 MB →
Discord upload limits by plan
| Plan | Per-file limit | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Free | 10 MB | The default for everyone without Nitro. |
| Nitro Basic | 50 MB | First paid tier. |
| Nitro | 500 MB | Full Nitro subscription. |
The free limit used to be 8 MB, and some older guides still quote 25 MB, so you'll see both numbers floating around. The current free cap is 10 MB — aim a little under it (say 9 MB) to leave headroom and avoid a borderline rejection.
Which tool for which file type
| You're sending | Use | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Phone photo or screenshot (JPG/PNG) | Compress here, target ~9MB | Photos almost never need more than a modest quality drop to clear 10MB — the widget above handles this in one pass. |
| Short video clip (MP4/MOV) | Video compressor, target ~9MB | Video is the file type most likely to be the actual problem — bitrate scales with both resolution and length, so trimming first helps more than compressing harder. |
| Scanned or exported PDF | Compress here (PDF included in "all") | Most PDFs clear 10MB with lossless optimization alone; only scanned, image-heavy PDFs need the rasterization fallback. |
| Several files at once | ZIP compressor, target ~9MB | Zipping first and compressing the archive is faster than compressing each file separately and re-checking totals by hand. |
| Animated GIF | GIF compressor, target ~9MB | GIF has no efficient inter-frame compression, so a long or high-frame-rate GIF is often the hardest file type here to fit under 10MB. |
Known limits
Discord's cap is a strict per-file byte count, not a soft target — a file at 10.01MB is rejected the same as one at 20MB, so leaving a small margin (aiming for 9MB rather than 9.99MB) matters more here than on platforms with a byte-counting quirk of their own. If you're pasting a link instead of attaching a file (a cloud drive link, for instance), none of this applies — the limit is purely about direct uploads.
Tips for fitting under 10 MB
- • Video is almost always the problem. Start with the video compressor and a 10 MB target.
- • Trim before you compress. A shorter clip hits the target at much higher quality.
- • Sending several files? Zip them and recompress the archive to 10 MB in one pass.
- • Still won't fit? Upload to a cloud drive and paste the link, or upgrade for Nitro's 50–500 MB limits.
Frequently asked questions
What is Discord's file size limit?
Discord lets free users upload files up to 10 MB. Nitro Basic raises that to 50 MB and full Nitro to 500 MB. The limit is per file, so a single large video is usually what blocks an upload.
How do I send a file larger than 10 MB on Discord without Nitro?
Compress it below 10 MB first. Videos are the most common culprit — run yours through the video compressor with a 10 MB target. If it still will not fit, upload it elsewhere (Google Drive, a file host) and paste the link, or trim the clip shorter.
Will compressing reduce quality?
Compressing to a smaller size is lossy, so there is some quality loss. For most videos and photos shared on Discord it is barely noticeable. Screenshots with fine text can show mild artifacts.
Are my files uploaded to a server?
No. Everything runs in your browser — the file is compressed locally and never leaves your device.
Why does Discord specifically cap uploads at 10MB?
Discord's free-tier cap is a bandwidth and storage cost control, not a technical ceiling of the platform — Nitro subscribers get 50-500MB precisely because the limit is commercial, not technical. It applies per file, not per message, so multiple smaller files in one message each get their own 10MB budget.
Does compressing my file for Discord upload it anywhere first?
No. Every tool linked from this page — image, PDF, video, ZIP, GIF — runs its compression inside your browser using the Canvas API, pdf-lib, ffmpeg.wasm, or libarchive-wasm depending on file type. None of them have a server upload step in their code path; you can confirm this in your browser's Network tab while compressing.
Learn more
From the blog
Discord file size limits
The exact per-plan upload caps, and which file type usually blows past them.