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Compression guide

How to compress video for Gmail

Gmail caps attachments at 25 MB. Above that, Gmail automatically uploads to Drive and sends a link. Target 23 MB to be safe — corporate gateways often strip attachments at or near the limit.

Size limit

25 MB

Target output: 23 MB (with safety margin)

Email attachment: 25 MB

Google Drive link: 15000 MB

Recommended settings

CodecH.264
CRF (quality)28
Audio bitrate96 Kbps AAC
QuickVid modeTiny

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

  • •Some recipients' email gateways are stricter than Gmail's — target 23 MB instead of 25
  • •If your video exceeds 25 MB, Gmail's auto-Drive fallback works but requires recipient to click out
  • •Workplace Gmail (Workspace) has the same 25 MB limit by default; admins can raise it
  • •Use H.264 (universal) instead of HEVC — many enterprise email clients can't preview HEVC

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

Related reading

Frequently asked questions

What is the video size limit for Gmail?

Gmail's default video size limit is 25 MB. Email attachment: 25 MB; Google Drive link: 15000 MB. To fit comfortably below the limit, target 23 MB when compressing.

What's the best codec for Gmail?

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

How do I compress a video for Gmail 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 Gmail's 25 MB limit with no visible quality loss.

Why does Gmail reject my video?

Most rejections are file-size related: Gmail 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 Gmail?

Gmail offers higher limits on paid tiers — Google Drive link accepts 15000 MB. 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.