How to compress a video for email

Know the target before you compress

Email services cap attachment sizes, and the cap differs between providers, so check your own limit before compressing. The useful move is to pick a target size under it rather than compressing as hard as possible and hoping.

Format matters as much as size. MP4 with H.264 video and AAC audio is the combination most mail clients and phones open without complaint.

Compress to a target size

Clipy's fit-to-size tool approaches this directly: you name the file limit and it works out a video bitrate that fits inside it, re-encoding the video to hit the target.

1. Open the fit-to-size tool and add your video, up to 250 MB and 10 minutes.
2. Enter your target size in megabytes, comfortably under your mail limit.
3. Let Clipy pick a bitrate that fits and process the file.
4. Check the result plays cleanly, especially any text or fast motion.
5. Attach the MP4 and send.

Troubleshooting the result

If the picture looks soft, the target was aggressive for the resolution; trimming the video to the part that matters frees bitrate for what remains. If the recipient cannot play the file, convert it to MP4 with H.264 and AAC first. If the file is still too large, a lower target or a shorter clip closes the gap. For links instead of attachments, a smaller file still uploads faster.

Common questions