How to Compress Video for Twitter/X: Size Limits & Best Settings (2026)

You've recorded the perfect video for your tweet, hit upload, and... error. "Your media file could not be processed." Sound familiar? Twitter's video restrictions trip up even experienced creators, but once you understand the platform's requirements, getting your videos to upload becomes straightforward.

Let's cut through the confusion and get your videos posted without the headache.

Twitter/X Video Requirements in 2026

Twitter has specific technical requirements that your video must meet, or the upload will fail. Here's exactly what the platform accepts:

Specification	Requirement
Maximum file size	512MB (or 2GB with Twitter Blue/Premium)
Maximum duration	2 minutes 20 seconds (up to 60 minutes with Premium)
Maximum resolution	1920x1200 pixels (1200x1900 for vertical)
Minimum resolution	32x32 pixels
Aspect ratios	1:2.39 to 2.39:1 (vertical to horizontal)
Video codec	H.264 (Main or High profile)
Audio codec	AAC (Low Complexity)
Frame rate	Up to 60fps (40fps recommended)
Bit rate	Up to 25Mbps
Supported formats	MP4 or MOV

The 512MB limit is the most common barrier. A typical iPhone recording at 4K can hit 500MB in about 90 seconds, which doesn't leave much room for editing or effects.

Why Twitter Rejects Your Videos

When Twitter displays "media could not be processed" or simply fails silently, it's usually one of these issues:

File size exceeds 512MB. This is by far the most common problem. Even a 30-second 4K clip with high bitrate can exceed this limit. Always check your file size before uploading.

Wrong video codec. If your video uses H.265 (HEVC), VP9, or AV1, Twitter won't accept it. The platform only supports H.264, which is older but universally compatible.

Unsupported format. Twitter only accepts MP4 and MOV containers. If you're working with MKV, AVI, WEBM, or other formats, you'll need to convert first.

Duration too long. Videos over 2 minutes and 20 seconds will be rejected outright unless you have Twitter Premium. The platform is strict about this limit.

Corrupted metadata or encoding. Sometimes the issue isn't obvious. Re-encoding the video with proper settings usually fixes mysterious errors.

Extreme aspect ratios. Super wide or ultra-tall videos outside the 1:2.39 to 2.39:1 range will be rejected. Twitter crops or rejects anything beyond these bounds.

Best Compression Settings for Twitter

To compress video for Twitter while maintaining quality, use these settings as your baseline:

Resolution: Keep it at 1080p (1920x1080) for horizontal videos or 1080x1920 for vertical content. This balances quality and file size perfectly. Anything higher usually isn't necessary since most users watch on mobile devices.

Video codec: H.264 with High profile. This is the sweet spot for compatibility and compression efficiency on Twitter.

Audio codec: AAC at 128kbps. Going higher doesn't improve quality noticeably on social media, and it wastes file size.

Frame rate: Match your source footage (24fps, 30fps, or 60fps). Don't increase frame rate artificially. If you need to reduce file size, dropping from 60fps to 30fps cuts file size significantly.

Bitrate: Use variable bitrate (VBR) targeting 5-8Mbps for 1080p content. This gives you high quality where the video needs it while keeping file size manageable.

Pixel format: YUV420 (4:2:0 chroma subsampling). This is standard and compatible with all devices.

For a typical 2-minute video at these settings, expect a file size between 100-200MB, well under Twitter's limit.

How to Compress Video for Twitter on Mac

Mac users have several excellent options for compressing videos before uploading to Twitter.

Using Compresto (Fastest Method)

If you want the simplest experience on Mac, Compresto handles Twitter video compression automatically. Just drag your video file into the app, select the Twitter preset, and it outputs a perfectly optimized file in seconds.

Compresto uses hardware acceleration, so even 4K videos compress quickly without overheating your laptop. It automatically applies the correct codec, bitrate, and resolution settings for Twitter, so you don't need to memorize technical specs.

The app also handles batch processing, which is useful if you're preparing multiple videos for a thread or campaign.

Using HandBrake (Free Option)

HandBrake is powerful free software that works great for video compression:

1. Download and install HandBrake from handbrake.fr
2. Open your video file in HandBrake
3. Select the "Fast 1080p30" preset from the sidebar
4. Go to the Video tab and set quality to RF 23 (lower number = higher quality)
5. Ensure video codec is set to H.264
6. In the Audio tab, select AAC codec at 128kbps
7. Click "Start Encode"

HandBrake gives you complete control over every setting, which is great for advanced users but can be overwhelming if you just want to post a video quickly.

Using iMovie (Built-in Option)

iMovie comes free with every Mac and can export Twitter-ready videos:

1. Import your video into iMovie
2. Make any edits you need
3. Click the Share button (square with up arrow)
4. Select "File"
5. Choose "High" quality and "Better Quality" from the options
6. Set compression to "Faster"
7. Click "Next" and save

iMovie's "High" quality setting produces files that work well for Twitter, though you have less control over specific bitrate and codec settings compared to HandBrake.

How to Compress Video for Twitter on Windows

Windows users have several solid compression tools available.

Using HandBrake

HandBrake works identically on Windows as it does on Mac. Follow the same steps listed in the Mac section above. The interface and presets are identical across platforms.

Using FFmpeg (Command Line)

For users comfortable with command line tools, FFmpeg offers precise control:

ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -c:v libx264 -preset medium -crf 23 -c:a aac -b:a 128k -movflags +faststart output.mp4

This command re-encodes your video with Twitter-compatible settings. The -crf 23 value controls quality (lower = better quality, bigger file). The -movflags +faststart option optimizes the file for streaming, which helps with Twitter's processing.

Using Online Compressors

If you don't want to install software, online tools like CloudConvert, FreeConvert, or Clideo can compress videos directly in your browser. Upload your video, select MP4 as the output format, adjust quality settings, and download the compressed file.

The downside is upload/download time and potential privacy concerns if your video contains sensitive content. These tools also typically have file size limits on free plans.

Compressing Video for Twitter on Mobile

Mobile compression is trickier since phones produce large files and have less processing power.

iPhone users: The Video Compress app (free on App Store) works well. Select your video, choose the "Web" preset, and export. The app uses hardware acceleration, so compression is reasonably fast even on older iPhones.

You can also use the built-in iMovie app on iPhone. Import your video, tap the share button, select "Save Video," and choose "Medium" quality. This produces Twitter-compatible files under 512MB for videos up to about 2 minutes.

Android users: Video Compressor by Mel Studio is reliable and free. Open the app, select your video, choose "Custom" compression, set quality to "High," and compress. The app shows estimated file size before processing, which helps you avoid multiple compression attempts.

Another solid Android option is VidCompact, which has presets specifically for social media platforms including Twitter.

Reducing File Size Without Losing Quality

Sometimes your video is already in the right format but still too large. Here are strategies to reduce file size while preserving visual quality:

Trim unnecessary footage. Even removing 5-10 seconds from the start or end can make the difference between a rejected and accepted upload. Twitter videos are short-form content anyway, so tighter edits usually improve engagement.

Reduce resolution instead of cranking up compression. A clean 720p video looks better than a heavily compressed 1080p video. If you're over the file size limit, try 1280x720 instead of 1920x1080.

Remove audio tracks you don't need. Some video editors add multiple audio tracks. Delete any duplicates or unused tracks before exporting.

Use two-pass encoding. This takes longer but produces smaller files at the same quality level. Most video encoders support this option in advanced settings.

Optimize keyframe intervals. Set keyframes every 2-3 seconds (60-90 frames for 30fps video). This improves compression efficiency without visible quality loss.

Crop black bars. If your video has black letterboxing or pillarboxing, crop it out. Those black pixels still count toward file size even though they add nothing visually.

Twitter Blue and Premium Video Limits

Twitter Premium subscribers get significantly expanded video capabilities:

Standard Twitter: 512MB file size, 2 minutes 20 seconds duration Twitter Blue/Premium: 2GB file size, 60 minutes duration, 1080p playback guarantee

If you regularly post longer videos, Premium might be worth the subscription just for the extended limits. You can post full product demos, interviews, or tutorial content without chopping it into multiple clips.

However, even with Premium, longer videos face engagement challenges on Twitter. The platform's audience expects short-form content, so videos over 3-5 minutes typically see drop-off rates above 80%.

If you're making longer content, consider whether Twitter is the right platform or if YouTube with a Twitter preview clip might work better.

Common Twitter Video Compression Mistakes

Over-compressing. Some creators compress videos so aggressively that blocky artifacts and blurriness ruin the viewing experience. Stay above 3Mbps bitrate for 1080p to avoid this.

Using ultra-high frame rates. 120fps or 240fps footage needs to be converted to 30fps or 60fps before uploading. Twitter doesn't support higher frame rates, and they massively inflate file size.

Forgetting about audio. You focused on video compression but left audio at 320kbps or higher. Audio should be 128kbps AAC for Twitter, which is transparent quality on most devices.

Not checking file size before uploading. You compressed the video, but didn't verify the output was under 512MB. Always check the file size in your file explorer before uploading.

Using slow encoding presets. Slower encoding produces smaller files, but the difference is usually 5-10% while taking 3-4x longer. Use "medium" preset in most encoders for the best speed/quality balance.

Checking Your Compressed Video Before Upload

Before uploading to Twitter, verify your video meets requirements:

Check file size: Right-click the file (or Cmd+I on Mac) and confirm it's under 512MB.

Verify duration: Play the video and check the timeline shows 2:20 or less.

Test playback: Open the video in VLC or QuickTime to ensure it plays without errors. If it won't play locally, Twitter won't accept it.

Inspect codec: Use MediaInfo (free tool) to verify the video codec is H.264 and audio is AAC. This catches format issues before uploading.

Watch the whole video. Sometimes compression creates artifacts or sync issues partway through. Better to catch these problems on your computer than after publishing.

Advanced Twitter Video Optimization

For creators who want maximum quality at minimum file size:

Use constant quality encoding (CRF). Set CRF to 23 for high quality or 28 for more compression. This produces better results than fixed bitrate encoding.

Enable fast start. The video starts playing while still downloading rather than waiting for the full file. Users are more likely to watch when playback begins immediately.

Match your source footage specs. If you filmed at 30fps, export at 30fps. Don't upscale 1080p to 4K or increase frame rate artificially. It just wastes file size.

Use hardware encoding on Apple Silicon Macs. The M1/M2/M3 chips have dedicated video encoders that produce excellent quality at high speeds. Tools like Compresto leverage this automatically.

Consider HDR and color space. Twitter supports HDR10 video, but it increases file size. Stick to SDR (Standard Dynamic Range) unless HDR is essential to your content.

Related Resources

Need to compress videos for other platforms? Check out our comprehensive guide on how to compress videos for social media covering Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and more.

Want to maintain maximum quality while compressing? Our article on how to compress video without losing quality explains the technical details behind perceptually lossless compression.

Final Thoughts

Compressing video for Twitter doesn't have to be complicated once you understand the platform's requirements. The 512MB limit and 2:20 duration cap are the main constraints, and staying under those limits while maintaining quality is achievable with the right tools and settings.

Most creators will be happy with simple tools like Compresto on Mac, which handles all the technical details automatically. For users who want more control, HandBrake offers professional-grade compression for free on any platform.

The key is to compress your video before uploading rather than relying on Twitter's automatic compression. You'll get better quality, fewer upload errors, and faster processing times. Plus, you can verify the video looks good before it goes live to your audience.

Test your compression settings with a few videos to find the sweet spot for your content type and recording setup, then save those settings as a preset for future uploads. Once you have a workflow dialed in, posting video to Twitter becomes as simple as sharing an image.