Compression guide

How to compress video for Facebook Messenger

Facebook Messenger caps video attachments at ~25 MB. The platform re-encodes uploaded videos significantly, so pre-compress aggressively to control quality (Messenger's re-encode is worse than yours).

Size limit

25 MB

Target output: 24 MB (with safety margin)

Recommended settings

Codec	H.264
CRF (quality)	28
Audio bitrate	96 Kbps AAC
QuickVid mode	Tiny

ffmpeg one-liner

For terminal-comfortable users, here's the exact command:

ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -c:v libx264 -crf 28 -preset medium -vf scale=-2:720 -c:a aac -b:a 96k output.mp4

Install ffmpeg via Homebrew: brew install ffmpeg

Tips

•Pre-compress to 24 MB; Messenger's automatic re-encode otherwise destroys quality
•Messenger renders H.264 universally; HEVC may not preview on older devices
•Group chat limit is the same as 1-to-1 at 25 MB
•Use Facebook's Rooms or video call to skip file-size constraints for live video

Skip the terminal

QuickVid Compress wraps these settings into a one-click "Tiny" mode. Drop your video, pick the mode, save the result. About 30 seconds end-to-end.

Try QuickVid

Frequently asked questions

What is the video size limit for Facebook Messenger?

Facebook Messenger's default video size limit is 25 MB. Native video share: 25 MB. To fit comfortably below the limit, target 24 MB when compressing.

What's the best codec for Facebook Messenger?

H.264 at CRF 28 produces the best balance of size and quality for Facebook Messenger. 96 Kbps AAC audio is the right pairing — universal compatibility and small footprint.

How do I compress a video for Facebook Messenger on Mac?

Drop the file into a Mac compressor like QuickVid Compress (use the "Tiny" mode) or run the ffmpeg one-liner: ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -c:v libx264 -crf 28 -preset medium -vf scale=-2:720 -c:a aac -b:a 96k output.mp4. Both produce output that fits Facebook Messenger's 25 MB limit with no visible quality loss.

Why does Facebook Messenger reject my video?

Most rejections are file-size related: Facebook Messenger caps at 25 MB. Other reasons include unsupported codec (use H.264 for maximum compatibility, not HEVC), missing the +faststart flag (which keeps streaming usable on slow connections), or audio in a non-AAC container.

Can I send larger videos via Facebook Messenger?

Alternatively, host the video elsewhere (YouTube unlisted, Google Drive, Dropbox) and share a link. For sensitive content where you don't want third-party hosting, compress aggressively to fit the free tier.