Compress video for Discord
Discord raised its free-tier upload cap from 8 MB to 25 MB in April 2024. The bitrate math for each tier is different by 3-20x - here's the table and the tools that hit each target.
What actually changes
Discord's current upload limits (post-April 2024): 25 MB on the free tier, 50 MB on Nitro Basic ($2.99/mo) or a Level 2 boosted server, 100 MB on a Level 3 boosted server, and 500 MB on Nitro Full ($9.99/mo). Server-boost tiers apply only inside that specific server; Nitro applies everywhere for that user. The single most-searched cap is still "8 MB" but nothing on Discord caps at 8 MB in 2026 - see Discord video size limits for the current tier ladder in detail.
Bitrate targets by clip length are worked out in Video bitrate explained. Common Discord cases at the free 25 MB tier: 30-second clip has ~6700 kbps to work with (plenty for 1080p60); 60-second clip has ~3200 kbps (good for 1080p, great for 720p); 3-minute clip has ~950 kbps (tight for 1080p, fine for 720p); 5-minute clip has ~550 kbps (drop to 720p or 480p); 10-minute clip has ~250 kbps (drop resolution or split the clip). Double all those numbers at the 50 MB tier; twenty times them at 500 MB, effectively unconstrained.
Wave's role in the workflow: (1) if your source is a screen recording MOV (iPhone or Mac) or an MKV (OBS default), Wave converts to MP4 for Discord's embedded player to inline-preview correctly. (2) For inefficient source codecs (WebM from a browser recording, RMVB legacy content), Wave's H.264 re-encode typically shrinks the file 3-10x without touching bitrate math. (3) For a specific target-size compression, ffmpeg locally: `ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -c:v libx264 -b:v 3000k -maxrate 3500k -bufsize 5M -c:a aac -b:a 128k -movflags +faststart output_discord.mp4` targets 3 Mbps for a 60-second clip to fit under 25 MB with headroom.
Discord's inline preview is picky about container and moov placement. MOV sometimes fails the inline thumbnail; MKV never previews inline; WebM works in the web client but sometimes fails on mobile. MP4 with H.264 + AAC (Wave's default output) is the reliable target. Fast-start rewrite (moov atom at the head - see Fast-start MP4) is required for inline preview to start without buffering the whole file, and Wave writes fast-start by default on every output.
Three steps.
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01
Step 1
Trim first if the clip has dead time at head or tail. Trimming reduces the compression required.
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Step 2
Convert to MP4 with Wave if the source is MOV/MKV/WebM. MP4 with H.264 + AAC is what Discord's inline preview expects.
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Step 3
For target-size (fit under your Discord tier limit), compute bitrate from the table above and encode with HandBrake or ffmpeg locally.
Answers, specifically.
What is the current Discord free-tier limit?
25 MB per file, updated in April 2024. Older tutorials referencing "8 MB" are outdated; nothing on Discord caps at 8 MB anymore.
Nitro Basic vs Nitro Full for uploads?
Nitro Basic ($2.99/mo) raises the file limit to 50 MB per upload. Nitro Full ($9.99/mo) raises it to 500 MB. If you're hitting 25 MB more than a few times a month, Basic pays for itself; Full is worth it only if you regularly share long recordings.
Server boost Level 2 raises MY upload limit?
Yes for uploads in that specific server. Server boosts don't travel with your account - your DM uploads still cap at the tier you have. Nitro Basic gives you 50 MB everywhere.
How to compress a 5-minute screen recording to fit 25 MB?
Target video bitrate around 550 kbps at 720p, or drop to 480p with 700 kbps. HandBrake preset "Fast 720p30" with the RF slider set to 24-26 typically lands close. For exact size targeting, use Two-Pass Constant Bitrate at the computed value.
MOV files don't inline-preview on Discord. Fix?
Convert to MP4 via /iphone-screen-recording-to-mp4/ or /mac-screen-recording-to-mp4/ - the container swap plus fast-start rewrite fixes the inline preview reliably.
Alternative to compression: temporary file hosts?
Yes for shareable-link workflows. Litterbox (72-hour retention) and catbox.moe (permanent) both accept larger files. Google Drive links auto-embed inline in Discord too, so a Drive share with public link looks the same as a native upload for the viewer.
GIFs vs video for a short clip?
GIFs are much bigger than video at the same quality (10-30x). A 3-second animated GIF that's 8 MB compresses to 300-800 KB as MP4. If the clip is under 15 seconds and you don't need transparency, MP4 is nearly always smaller and higher quality.