Discord file size limit
Discord allows 10 MB per file on a free account, 50 MB with Nitro Basic and 500 MB with Nitro. What happens over the limit, and how to get a file under it.
Last updated
In short: A free Discord account can upload files up to 10 MB each. Nitro Basic raises that to 50 MB and Nitro to 500 MB. Boosting a server raises the limit for everyone in that server.
Discord at a glance
| Free account | 10 MB per file |
|---|---|
| Nitro Basic | 50 MB per file |
| Nitro | 500 MB per file |
| Plays inline in chat | MP4 and WEBM video, GIF, PNG, JPG, WEBP, MP3 and OGG audio |
Last checked against Discord's own documentation on . Limits change; if something here is out of date, the tool will still tell you exactly what your file is.
What happens over the limit
Discord refuses the upload before it starts and suggests Nitro. There is no way around it for the file as it is: it has to be made smaller, cut shorter, or shared as a link from somewhere else.
Getting a video under 10 MB
Compress it to fit. For clips under a minute that usually keeps 720p or 1080p at good quality. For longer clips, trim first: halving the length halves the file, which beats any quality setting.
Write MP4 with H.264. Discord previews it inline on desktop and mobile. HEVC files from recent iPhones often upload but do not preview.
Images and GIFs
A single photo rarely hits 10 MB unless it is a large PNG. Converting it to JPG or WEBP fixes that. Animated GIFs hit the limit quickly; converting a GIF to MP4 usually cuts it to a tenth, and Discord plays the MP4 on a loop just the same.
Questions
What is Discord's upload limit without Nitro?
10 MB per file.
Why does my video not show a preview in Discord?
It is probably a format or codec Discord does not play inline, such as MOV with HEVC. Convert it to H.264 MP4 and it will preview.
Can I send a file bigger than 10 MB on Discord for free?
Not as an upload. Compress it under 10 MB, split it into parts, or share a link to it from a cloud drive.