What are the current limits per plan?
| Plan | Upload limit | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Free | 20MB | Raised from 10MB in August 2026. Applies to every message attachment, including images — anything over 20MB posts as a download link instead of an inline preview. |
| Nitro Basic ($2.99/mo) | 50MB | The cheaper subscription tier. Per Discord's official Nitro & Nitro Basic page, upload capacity is one of its headline perks alongside emoji, stickers, and longer messages. |
| Nitro (full) | Up to 1GB | Discord's current FAQ states Nitro offers up to 1GB uploads. Earlier generations of the plan capped at 100MB and later 500MB — limits have moved repeatedly, so treat any specific number as current-as-of-dated. |
| Server Boost Level 2 / 3 | 50MB / 100MB (historical) | Boost levels have historically unlocked larger server upload caps (50MB at level 2, 100MB at level 3 in past configurations). Boost perks have changed over time — check your server's current settings. |
How has the limit changed over time?
Discord's limit has moved repeatedly, which is exactly why every number on this page carries a date. Here is the documented timeline:
2017 – early 20228MB
The original free cap that made "compress video for Discord" a search staple. Countless bots and tools were built around 8MB.
April 202225MB for everyone
Discord briefly raised the base limit to 25MB, alongside Nitro's 100MB and a 500MB tier for heavy users.
Late 2022 – 202325MB free
Nitro plans settled at Nitro Basic 50MB and Nitro 100MB for a period, then Nitro moved to 500MB.
202410MB free
Discord lowered the free cap back to 10MB, citing operating costs — coverage at the time (e.g., Slashdot) called it a rollback that frustrated free users.
August 202620MB free (current)
Per Discord's official FAQ: free limit raised to 20MB (up from 10MB), Nitro Basic at 50MB, Nitro at up to 1GB. Size is now checked pre-compression on all platforms.
How to send bigger files than the limit allows
1. Compress the video to fit (recommended)
Run your clip through the compressor on this site with a 20MB (free) or 10MB (safe) target. The video stays a real attachment: it plays inline in chat, needs no third-party service, and works in every channel and DM. Because compression happens in your browser, nothing is uploaded anywhere.
2. Trim before compressing
The biggest quality lever at a fixed size is length. Cutting a 90-second clip to the 40 seconds that matter effectively doubles the bitrate available per second — the difference between mushy 480p and crisp 720p at the same file size. Trim first, compress second.
3. Upload to a file host and share the link
Services like Google Drive, Dropbox, or transfer tools generate a shareable link that bypasses Discord's attachment limit entirely. The trade-offs: recipients must click out of Discord, links can expire or leak, and you're trusting a third party with the file. Discord's own link previews may embed a player for some hosts.
4. Subscribe to Nitro or Nitro Basic
If you regularly share clips, Nitro Basic's 50MB or Nitro's up-to-1GB cap may simply remove the problem. It's the only way to raise the limit without changing the file — everything else on this page is about making the file smaller or routing around the attachment system.