How to Send a Video on WhatsApp (Android and iPhone Steps)

Sending a video should take seconds, yet it's one of the places WhatsApp trips people up. The clip looks fuzzy when it arrives, it won't send because it's too large, or it's sitting on your computer and you can't see how to get it into a chat. I send demo clips and screen recordings to clients this way all the time, so I've pulled together what WhatsApp's help pages say about recording, attaching, quality and size limits.

Sending a video on WhatsApp from your Android phone

1. Open WhatsApp and open the chat, either with one person or a group.
2. To film something new, tap the camera icon and record. To send a video you already have, tap the attach icon.
3. Tap Gallery, then pick the video. WhatsApp's help pages say you can tap and hold to select several items at once.
4. If you want to change the quality, tap the HD icon and choose Standard quality or HD quality before you send.
5. Tap the send icon.

The attach icon is the paperclip-style button beside the message box. Menus vary by app version, so if yours looks a little different, look for the same Gallery and Camera choices.

Sending a video on WhatsApp from your iPhone

1. Open the chat you want to send the video in.
2. Tap the plus icon beside the message box.
3. Tap Photos to choose a video from your iPhone, or Camera to record a new one.
4. Pick the video. To add more photos or videos, use the add button in the text field and then tap Next.
5. Check the quality option (Standard or HD), then tap send.

WhatsApp's help pages point out that you first have to allow WhatsApp to reach your Photos and Camera, which you do in the iPhone's Settings under Privacy. If the Photos choice shows nothing, that permission is the first place to look.

Standard or HD when you send a WhatsApp video

The help pages explain that you can change the quality of an attached photo or video by tapping the HD icon and picking Standard quality or HD quality before sending. They also say media is usually compressed when it's shared on WhatsApp, so what arrives can look worse than the original. HD media isn't currently available for status updates, so that option only applies to chats.

For anything where detail matters, like a product demo or a written screen, HD is the choice to try first. If the clip is large and the other person has a slow connection, standard can be kinder to them.

WhatsApp video size limits and supported formats

Detail	What WhatsApp's help pages say
Faster connections	Default video size limit is 100MB at 720p
Slower connections	Default video size limit is 64MB at 480p
Status videos	A maximum duration of 90 seconds
Supported formats	3GP, AVI, FLV, MKV, MOV, MP4
Documents	Up to 2 GB per file

That last row matters. A video that's too big for a normal send doesn't have to be abandoned: WhatsApp's help pages say you can attach a document of up to 2 GB. The trade-off is that the file goes as a document rather than playing as a video in the chat, so the other person has to open it. Trimming the clip first often works better.

Sending a WhatsApp video as a document instead

There's a second route if the video is too big or you want it untouched. On Android, tap the attach icon and choose Document; on iPhone, tap the plus icon and choose Document, which can also pull files from iCloud Drive and other sources. WhatsApp's help pages say a document can be up to 2 GB. The trade-off is that it arrives as a file to open rather than a clip that plays in the chat, so use it when quality matters more than convenience.

If your WhatsApp video won't send

• Check the size. A clip over the limit for your connection may fail, so try trimming it.
• Check the format. The help pages list 3GP, AVI, FLV, MKV, MOV and MP4 as supported.
• Look at the connection. Slower connections get the lower limit, so try Wi-Fi.
• Send fewer files. The help pages say sending a large number of photos at once can cause problems, so try a smaller batch.
• High audio sample rates or professional cameras may be unsupported, according to the help pages. Exporting the clip again from your editing app can help.

Forwarding a video you already have on WhatsApp

If someone sent you the video, you don't need to download and upload it again. Press and hold the video, choose forward and pick the chat. WhatsApp says forwarded media doesn't have to be uploaded again. If you want more settings explained in one place, my WhatsApp help guides cover the rest.

Sending videos to a WhatsApp group or a business contact

You send a video to a group exactly as you do to one person: open the group chat and use the same attach or camera route. If you do it for customers, remember that a short clip plus one clear sentence of context tends to be easier to act on than a long file. And if the person isn't in your phone yet, adding them as a WhatsApp contact first makes the chat easier to find later.

Why WhatsApp video looks blurry after you send it

Compression is the reason, according to the help centre. WhatsApp usually compresses media when it's shared, so the version that arrives may be lower in quality than your original. Choosing HD before you send, keeping clips short and filming in good light all help.

Frequently asked questions

How do I send a video on WhatsApp?

Open the chat, tap the attach icon (or the plus icon on iPhone), choose Gallery or Photos, pick the video and tap send.

What is the WhatsApp video size limit?

WhatsApp's help pages say the default limit is 100MB for faster connections and 64MB for slower ones. Documents can be up to 2 GB.

Which video formats does WhatsApp support?

The help pages list 3GP, AVI, FLV, MKV, MOV and MP4.

Can I send a video in HD on WhatsApp?

Yes, in chats. Tap the HD icon and choose HD quality before sending. HD isn't available for status updates.

Why won't my video send on WhatsApp?

It may be too large or in an unsupported format, your connection may be slow, or you may be sending too many files at once.