Reduce Video File Size for Uploading: Platform Limits and Best Settings
Platform Upload Limits
YouTube: 256GB or 12 hours (effectively unlimited). Instagram Feed: 100MB. Instagram Reels: 60 seconds. TikTok: 287.6MB. Slack: 5GB for video files. Gmail: 25MB (use Drive for larger). WhatsApp: 64MB. Twitter/X: 512MB for standard accounts. Facebook: 10GB.
Target Bitrates by Platform
YouTube: 8–12 Mbps for 1080p. Instagram: 3.5 Mbps is optimal. TikTok: 3–5 Mbps. Twitter: 6 Mbps. Targeting the platform's preferred bitrate ensures your video isn't re-compressed (and degraded) after upload.
Resolution Downscaling Strategy
If file size is too large even after CRF adjustment, reduce resolution. 4K → 1080p: reduces file to ~25% of original. 1080p → 720p: reduces to ~55%. 720p → 480p: reduces to ~35%. Most social platforms display at 1080p or lower — shooting at 4K and delivering at 1080p preserves quality while greatly reducing size.
Frequently Asked Questions
Compress for any platform
Reduce video size to meet any platform's upload limit with the free Video Compressor.
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