WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging apps in the world, with over 2 billion users. One of the key features of WhatsApp is the ability to send and receive media files like photos, videos, GIFs, documents, and more. Many WhatsApp users have the question – does WhatsApp accept MP4 videos? Let’s find out.
What is MP4?
MP4 is a digital multimedia file format that is commonly used to store video and audio data. The full form of MP4 is MPEG-4 Part 14. It is based on the QuickTime (.mov) file format. Here are some key things to know about MP4 files:
- MP4 is a compressed file format that uses lossy compression. This means some data is discarded during compression to reduce file size.
- The audio and video streams in MP4 files are encoded using codecs like H.264 (for video) and AAC (for audio).
- MP4 files can contain not just audio and video, but also subtitles, images, and metadata.
- MP4 offers reasonably good compression while maintaining decent quality, which makes it popular for online streaming and sharing.
- MP4 files have the .mp4 file extension.
In summary, MP4 is an efficient, flexible, and widely-supported standard for audio/video files optimized for online sharing and streaming.
Does WhatsApp support sending/receiving MP4 files?
Yes, WhatsApp does support the ability to send and receive MP4 video files across its platform. When you send an MP4 video clip to someone on WhatsApp, here is what happens:
- The MP4 video is uploaded to WhatsApp’s servers when you hit send.
- The video is compressed using WhatsApp’s proprietary compression algorithms to reduce file size.
- The compressed MP4 file is then transmitted to the recipient’s device over the internet.
- The recipient can then view and download the MP4 video sent to them.
So in summary, yes MP4 format is fully supported on WhatsApp for sending and receiving videos.
WhatsApp MP4 file size limit
WhatsApp does impose a file size limit on MP4 videos that can be sent across its platform. As of 2023, here are the MP4 file size limits on WhatsApp:
| Platform | File size limit |
|---|---|
| WhatsApp for Android | 64MB |
| WhatsApp for iPhone | 100MB |
| WhatsApp Web/Desktop | 64MB |
Any MP4 videos exceeding these size limits will fail to get uploaded and sent via WhatsApp. The size restriction is place to ensure WhatsApp’s servers are not overloaded.
Optimizing MP4 videos for WhatsApp
If you have a large MP4 file you want to share on WhatsApp, you can follow these tips to optimize and reduce the file size below the limit:
- Use a video compressor tool to reduce resolution or bitrate – this shrinks file size at cost of some visual quality loss.
- Trim unwanted portions of the video to make it shorter.
- Use video editing software to re-encode or convert the MP4 to a more efficient codec like H.265.
- Downscale the resolution – e.g. from 1080P to 720P.
- Reduce the frame rate, e.g. from 60 fps to 30 fps.
Using these optimization tips, you can shrink almost any MP4 video to meet WhatsApp’s limits. Just be prepared to sacrifice some visual quality.
Best video editors and compressors
Here are some recommended free video editing and compression tools you can use to optimize MP4s for WhatsApp:
| Tool | Platform | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| HandBrake | Windows, Mac, Linux | Powerful video transcoder. Can convert and compress media files. |
| Avidemux | Windows, Mac, Linux | Multipurpose video editor and encoder for simple cutting and filtering tasks. |
| Kapwing | Online web tool | Browser-based video and GIF compressor withresizable options. |
Troubleshooting tips
Here are some troubleshooting tips if you are having issues sending or receiving MP4 files on WhatsApp:
Video not sending
- Check the MP4 file size and ensure it’s below the limit for your platform.
- Lower the resolution, bitrate or trim the length to reduce file size.
- Clear some chat history and media cache to free up space.
- Update to the latest version of WhatsApp in case of a bug.
Video not playing
- The recipient may not have a compatible codec installed to play the MP4.
- Try re-encoding the MP4 to a more compatible codec.
- Ask the recipient to update their WhatsApp version or reinstall the app.
Video looks pixilated
- WhatsApp compresses videos which can degrade quality.
- Send an uncompressed lower resolution version.
- Use a higher resolution source file if possible.
Media not saving to phone gallery
- Enable auto-download for media in WhatsApp settings.
- Grant WhatsApp storage permissions if disabled.
- Check phone storage and clear space if full.
- Try changing chat media visibility settings.
Conclusion
To summarize, WhatsApp fully supports sending and receiving MP4 video files. However, there are file size limits in place for each platform. To share MP4s seamlessly on WhatsApp, compress videos to under 64MB (Android) or 100MB (iPhone) using optimization tools. Follow the troubleshooting tips above if you still face issues with sending/receiving videos on WhatsApp.