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Make a video small enough to email, on a Mac

Updated 14 November 20263 minute read

The short answer

Drag the video up to the notch and let go on Small enough for email. Drip makes a new MP4 that fits, beside the original. The same tile has WhatsApp and Discord sizes.

The open notch over IMG_4133.MOV, 47.1 MB, with Small enough for email lit and Email, WhatsApp and Discord along its foot
A 47 MB video. Most email services stop at 20 to 25 MB a message.

Steps

  1. Find the video. From an iPhone, a camera or a screen recording: anything your Mac plays.
  2. Drag it up to the notch.
  3. Point at Small enough for email. Along the tile’s foot are Email, WhatsApp and Discord. Move along them to choose.
  4. Let go. Videos take a moment: the tile fills as it works, and longer videos take longer. Then the new file comes back, named like IMG_4133 for email.mp4.
    The notch holding IMG_4133 for email.mp4, 47.1 MB to 10.5 MB
    47.1 MB → 10.5 MB, as an MP4.
  5. Drag it into the email.
    An email to Arjun with IMG_4133 for email.mp4, 10.5 MB, attached

The sizes

EmailUnder 18 MB, below the usual 20 to 25 MB limit
WhatsAppUnder 15 MB
DiscordUnder 9 MB, for the free upload limit

Good to know

  • The original stays as it was. The new file is an MP4, which plays on phones, Windows and the web.
  • Long videos have to give up more quality to fit. If it comes out too soft, trim it first: let go on Make a GIF to open the trimmer, switch it to MP4, set a size limit and export just the part you need.
  • No size limit to meet? Shrink it keeps it looking the same, smaller.
  • Several videos: drag them together and each gets its own new file.

Without Drip

QuickTime Player can export a smaller copy: File › Export As › 720p or 480p, then check the size. For a long video, Apple Mail’s Mail Drop sends a link instead of the file. Drip aims at the size you need, so there’s no guessing.