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Compression guide

How to compress video for iMessage

iMessage between Apple devices accepts ~100 MB. The moment the recipient is on Android or you're sending to a non-Apple email, iMessage silently falls back to MMS or email — capping you to 25-35 MB. Use HEVC if you know your recipient is on Apple; H.264 otherwise.

Size limit

100 MB

Target output: 90 MB (with safety margin)

iMessage to iMessage: 100 MB

Mail Drop fallback: 5000 MB

Email fallback (Gmail): 25 MB

Recommended settings

CodecHEVC (Apple to Apple) / H.264 (mixed)
CRF (quality)23
Audio bitrate128 Kbps AAC
QuickVid modeRecommended

ffmpeg one-liner

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

ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -c:v libx264 -crf 23 -preset medium -c:a aac -b:a 128k -movflags +faststart output.mp4

Install ffmpeg via Homebrew: brew install ffmpeg

Tips

  • •iMessage doesn't tell you which path it picked until after delivery — target 90 MB or below to fit both Apple-to-Apple and SMS fallback paths
  • •HEVC is 30% smaller than H.264 at same quality but only works Apple-to-Apple
  • •Mail Drop kicks in over 100 MB but sends a download link, not the video itself
  • •For sending to Android contacts via iMessage: assume the file will be downscaled to ~16 MB; pre-compress to that

Skip the terminal

QuickVid Compress wraps these settings into a one-click "Recommended" 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 iMessage?

iMessage's default video size limit is 100 MB. iMessage to iMessage: 100 MB; Mail Drop fallback: 5000 MB; Email fallback (Gmail): 25 MB. To fit comfortably below the limit, target 90 MB when compressing.

What's the best codec for iMessage?

HEVC (Apple to Apple) / H.264 (mixed) at CRF 23 produces the best balance of size and quality for iMessage. 128 Kbps AAC audio is the right pairing — universal compatibility and small footprint.

How do I compress a video for iMessage on Mac?

Drop the file into a Mac compressor like QuickVid Compress (use the "Recommended" mode) or run the ffmpeg one-liner: ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -c:v libx264 -crf 23 -preset medium -c:a aac -b:a 128k -movflags +faststart output.mp4. Both produce output that fits iMessage's 100 MB limit with no visible quality loss.

Why does iMessage reject my video?

Most rejections are file-size related: iMessage caps at 100 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 iMessage?

iMessage offers higher limits on paid tiers — Email fallback (Gmail) accepts 25 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.