How to Compress Video for Email
Walkthrough
- 01
Open FastEdit
Go to fastedit.net. No account or installation required. The editor runs entirely in your browser.
- 02
Drop your video file
Drag and drop your video onto the editor. It stays on your device; FastEdit never uploads the media file to a server.
- 03
Set resolution to 720p
In the output settings, set the resolution to 720p (1280x720). Email video is typically viewed in small preview windows, so 1080p or 4K wastes bytes without a visible benefit.
- 04
Select MP4 with H.264 codec
Choose MP4 format with H.264 codec. This combination plays inline in Gmail and is downloadable on every email client and device. Avoid WebM or AV1. Many email clients cannot preview these formats.
- 05
Set bitrate for your email provider
Choose a bitrate that leaves room for the attachment limit: about 19MB for Outlook, 24MB for Gmail/Yahoo. For a 60-second clip, 24MB gives you about 3.2 Mbps before audio/container overhead, which is good quality at 720p.
- 06
Trim and export
Trim out any unnecessary footage to maximize quality for the remaining content. Preview the result, then export. Attach the downloaded file to your email.
Small things worth checking
- Gmail allows 25MB attachments, Outlook allows 20MB, and Yahoo Mail allows 25MB. Target your smallest recipient's limit to ensure delivery.
- At 720p with H.264, a 30-second video at 24MB gets roughly 6.4 Mbps, excellent quality. A 2-minute video at 24MB gets about 1.6 Mbps, acceptable but noticeably softer.
- Keep email videos under 60 seconds when possible. Shorter videos get higher bitrate per second within the same size limit, which means sharper quality.
- MP4 with H.264 is the only format that previews inline in Gmail. Other formats show as download-only attachments.
- If your video is a screen recording, reduce frame rate to 15 fps. Presentation slides and UI demos do not need 30 fps and the savings are significant.